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By: Laura Hopper
Being a moto mom is something people outside of motocross will never fully understand, but if I'm being honest, it's also one of the most fun, wild, and rewarding lives you can live.
It's not just weekends at the track, loading bikes, and washing gear. It becomes your life. It becomes part of who you are. There's always a little dirt in your van and teeth (from endless smiles), race schedules filling your calendar, and your whole heart sitting at that starting gate every single weekend.
As the mom of Johnny Hopper #875, motocross was never just a sport in our family. It was our way of life. The passion started with his dad long before Johnny was even born, and like so many moto families, that love for the sport carried into the next generation.
From the very beginning, we knew Johnny was not going to be a basketball kid. He was going to be a motocross racer. He learned to ride a motorcycle before he ever rode a bicycle, and that was really where it all began, the true start of the moto mom life.
It became early mornings, late nights, road trips, laughter, chaos, and always a "van tan" from endless hours spent between motos. It was friendships built at the track, our moto dog Lucky always by our side, and memories we will carry forever.
Yes, it came with sacrifice, but it also came with so much joy.
Some of our best memories did not happen on the track. They happened in the moments in between.
The night-before prep that somehow turns into organized chaos. Gear everywhere. Someone always missing a glove. Coolers being packed, unpacked, and packed again. Music playing in the van. Everyone moving a little fast, a little tired, but excited all at the same time.
Then the early mornings, coffee in hand, loading up in the dark, heading out while the rest of the world is still sleeping. Those drives? Some of my favorite moments. Laughing, talking, sometimes quiet, sometimes exhausted, but always together. That's moto life and I wouldn't have traded it for anything.
Race days were intense, but they're also full of energy. You build relationships at the track that feel like family. You celebrate together, you pick each other up, and you share in the highs and lows.
As a mom, you're more than just a spectator. You're the calm before the gate drops. You're the voice reminding them they're ready. You're the one saying, "Go have fun," even when your heart is racing just as fast as theirs.
Because motocross teaches more than racing.
It teaches grit. It teaches discipline. It teaches resilience.
And it teaches you how to pick yourself back up, on and off the bike.
Not every race ends with a trophy. Sometimes it's a tough start, a crash, or a long, quiet ride home. Sometimes it is the countless hours spent bench racing in the garage after race weekend, replaying every turn and every mistake, figuring out what went wrong and what could be better next time. But even those days end with lessons, growth, and usually a little laughter somewhere in between.
Watching Johnny grow through this sport has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. From those early race days to now seeing him not only ride but also become a well-known voice in motocross through his podcast, it's been incredible to watch it all come full circle.
People see the success now, the racing, the following, the podcast, but what makes it meaningful are the years behind it. The long days, the setbacks, the rebuilding, and the decision to keep going no matter what.
And here's the part people don't always realize: none of it happens alone.
Being a moto family means everyone is part of it.
Dad in the garage late at night making sure the bike is ready. Me managing the schedules, the gear, the travel, the food, and everything in between. His sister and our family giving up weekends, vacations, and time because this became our life too.
There were missed holidays, long drives, hotel stays, and plenty of moments where we were exhausted.
But there were also sunsets at the track, inside jokes, wins that felt bigger because of the work behind them, and a kind of closeness you don't get anywhere else.
That's the trade.
And it's worth it.
Because what motocross gave our family goes far beyond the track.
It built confidence. It built responsibility. It built strength. It built character.
And most importantly, it built memories and a bond that will last a lifetime.
Yes, there's fear. Every moto mom knows that feeling when the gate drops. That never goes away.
But neither does the pride.
That moment when you see them out there doing what they love, flying, pushing themselves, chasing something bigger, that feeling is hard to put into words. The pride in watching father and son live out a passion that belongs to them. That delicate balance between fear and joy? That is the heart of being a moto mom.
It's messy. It's loud. It's exhausting. It's unforgettable. And it's a whole lot of fun.
And at the end of the day, every lap Johnny takes, every story he shares, and every person he inspires carries a piece of all of it, the early mornings, the late nights, the sacrifices, and the laughter.
That's what being a moto mom is.
And I would choose this life, every single time.
