Out of the Blue | Claire Parker | Brought to You by Schrader’s

Out of the Blue | Claire Parker | Brought to You by Schrader’s

By Jensen Amyotte

Name: Claire Parker

Date of Birth: March 23rd, 1997

Hometown: Camas, Washington

Grade or Occupation: First Officer for Horizon Airlines

Race Number: 916

Bike: KTM 125SX and CRF250R

Race Club: BBR Motorsports

Classes: Womens, C/D Class

Who/what inspired you to get into the sport of motocross and how long have you been racing/riding?

I’ve only been riding about 4 years. No one in my family or friends were into motosports so I didn’t even really know it existed. I got into it during college, a past relationship introduced me to the basics. He and his friends taught me how to ride and I carried on myself! I then met my boyfriend, Carson Brown, a Supercross racer here in the Pacific Northwest, and he has always encouraged and supported me riding and racing. He loves it even more than I do!

When not on a dirt bike, how do you keep yourself busy? Are you involved in any other sports or extracurricular activities?

I am a pilot! I just was hired by Horizon Airlines as a First Officer. I’ve spent the last few years working on building my flight time through being a flight instructor at aviation schools, and working for a charter jet company at Boeing Field airport! I also spend a lot of time assisting my boyfriend, Carson, with his race career. I film videos of him riding almost every day, help design and sell T-shirts for his website, help him work with sponsors, etc..

As a racer, are there any obstacles you feel a female racer has to deal with that maybe a male racer does not?

Probably the physical fitness component of it. It’s hard to load and unload bikes by myself as a girl, I just don’t have the upper body strength to do it easily no matter how much I hit the gym. Innovations, like the StepRamp (manufactured by a company in Idaho) makes it way easier though! It’s also a little more difficult working on bikes. Sometimes it’s harder to lift a swingarm and change a tire as effortlessly as the guys do. Mechanical knowledge is something I’m getting better at but guys definitely seem to learn that stuff quicker.

From your first ride to where you are now what is something you never thought you would be able to overcome but have?

I would say being able to hit jumps and ride in conditions that for me from 4 years ago never thought I’d be able to handle. Being able to hit a tricky section, ride in the mud, sand, ride over wet logs in the rain, or finally clear a jump you’ve been too scared to hit is a huge confidence builder that transfers off the track and into everyday life. 

 Who is your all-time favourite rider and why?

Probably will come off a bit biased but my boyfriend. Carson has one of the biggest hearts I know, he never gives up racing even when the chips are down. He’s one of the baddest dudes on a 2-stroke. He pushed through illness this past Supercross season and got a 5th place main finish, with lots of top 10 finishes, and his love for the sport and for riding is endless. He’ll ride any bike, any track, in any weather, whether he’s hurt or sick, or tired. And he always has time and energy to greet and talk with every single one of his fans.  

What is your favourite track and why?

Grays Harbor ORV in McCleary, Washington. The Davis family does an amazing job running it and you just can’t beat that dirt. 

Who has been your biggest inspiration/hero on and off the track? 

Carson’s Dad, Duane Brown. He runs BBR Motorsports over in Enumclaw, Washington. That guy never takes a day off from motocross. Everything he does is to help the industry, help other riders at the track, help Carson race, and help his family. He’s one of the most knowledgeable guys on earth when it comes to dirt bikes, vintage bikes, pit bikes, weird bikes, etc. and he can still ride better than most dudes on the track! I try to learn and watch him work on bikes every chance I get because he’s got to be one of the smartest guys in the motocross world. 

 What kind of track/dirt do you feel you excel at most and why? 

Honestly, mud or sand, and tracks with a lot of corners. Getting to ride with Carson through some gnarly tracks and trails in the dead of winter in Washington state has definitely let me improve my skills for riding in weird conditions!

If you ever have children will you give them the option to race as well? 

Oh, absolutely. I have my heart set on little kids who want to go out and ride XR100’s from dawn to dusk, but if they don’t want to I wouldn’t push it.

What was your first fear when you started riding and how did you overcome it? 

Probably the same as any other rider, getting hurt! I overcame that quickly. About one year into riding I broke my back, tailbone and ribs racing. I was off the bike about 2 months and then just eased back into it. Honestly, the only way to overcome it is to practice the basics, and practice important skills like learning how to case a jump, how to properly use brakes and the clutch, and wearing really good protective gear. It’s inspiring hearing other riders overcome injuries too and keep on riding. It makes it feel more doable, for sure.

Who would you like to thank? 

The Brown family for helping me ride almost every day and letting me help Carson advance his own racing/riding career, every person I’ve met at the track, BBR Motorsports, all the guys at MotoSport.inc, and Dirtbike Magazine, the people at AEO REP suspension, Guts racing, Steahly Offroad, SKDA and Fusion Graphix, Dirtastic, and GoFastGirls.