For Steve Clark it’s a combination of the love of riding and his seeing a need for medics at races and rides. His love of motorcycles began early and at age 10 got his first bike a 1979 Honda XR80.
“I haven’t done a whole lot of racing but when I was the ripe old age of 50 friends talked me into doing my first race, the Virginia City Grand Prix,” he said. “I got the finisher’s pin, talked to the medical director and signed on to ride for him.”
At the VCGP there are several riders that do not race. Some act as sweeps as they follow the racers and render aid when necessary. Other ride as medics and take care of injured riders, sometimes these folks are very busy.
Clark related he got his EMT certification in 1991 but started out with an ambulance service until he joined the Reno Fire Department in 1994. He family actually moved to Incline Village in the 1970’s so that’s where he grew up.
“The VCGP was canceled in 2020 but other buddies talked me to ride as a medic for MRANN,” he said. “Then a friend turned over MRANN’s medical program to me. Up to then each club supplied its own medics to every event.”
That’s when Clark had a vision that the medic program could be more than it was at that time.
“When I took over I realized that standardization was key to operating on a professional level,” he said.
After 27 years with the Reno Fire Department he’s looking toward retiring this year. That will allow him to focus on MotoMedix and grow the organization to more than it is currently.
“I formed MotoMedx as a Nevada non-profit then the IRS granted us as a 501C3 Tax Exempt Charitable Organization,” he said. “The reason is so I could recruit and maintain medics by finding guys and gals that wanted to ride at every race. Now I can get donations from third parties, get funded and offer tax exempt perks for the people that ride for us.”
His plan is to expand the group so they can be at other events as well.
“Were taking this from a grass roots program to a more professional organization,” he said. “We’re still grass roots and married to MRANN. I was just contacted by BBMX as we did one event last year and will do at least three this year.”
Clark is also looking at non-competition events and on March 27th MotoMedx will be at Reno Area Dirt Riders OHV registration drive and club ride. He hopes to grow the group so it can participate in other rides as well.
“We’re still brand new as it formed in October of 2020 but still making inroads. In the last months we’ve gotten a lot of interest from people that want to join our ranks. We have supporters like the Kurt Caselli Foundation as well as Off Road Nevada. In December the Nevada OHV Commission gave us a grant,” said.
He’s using this season to build a large enough group so they can handle events when they overlap. One thing he emphasizes is that participation and training is 100% a volunteer basis as no one gets paid. As a non-profit he has to operate that way.
“I want to find the right guys and gals to establish a professional group. My primary job is to coordinate and get everyone on the same page. There is training and we’ll outfit them with vests and the equipment they need. They ride their own bikes but f they want to put graphics on them that’s okay,” he said.
Those interested can check the website at www.MotoMedx343.com as there is contact information there. Motomedx also has a Face Book page. You can also contact Clark through his e-mail at MotoMedx343@gmail.com.
If all goes well the team will grow this year and by next year he’ll have a group of trained people for races and rides. That will help insure the safety of riders and racers not to mention keeping him busy after he retires from the Fire Department this summer.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
• The planned ride day and banquet for MRANN at Riverfront MX Park in Marysville has been postponed due to the incoming storms.
• After a successful Duel in the Desert in November there was a planned Spring Break for the event scheduled in February. However due to the restrictions put in place after the Duel the promoters had no choice but to cancel the Spring Break.
• Teresa’s Garage Radio Show is on from 2 until 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. Now the show is on the more powerful 1060 AM.
The focus is on everything automotive including women in various fields including racing. There is also a Podcast at amm.streamon.fm and it can be seen live. Co-host Emily Cook has a website and sells merchandise to help her racing program and the site is www.emilycookracing.com.
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We now have seven very appreciated sponsors supporting this site. Please patronize them as they not only support your sport but they help nvracingnews continue. Please let them know you heard about them through this site.
Our newest sponsor is G.I.S.L Land Services that, while having a global client base it has a Western U.S.A. Focus. Owner Greg Ekins is a long time off road motorcycle racer competing in the MRANN Series as well as the AMA National Hare and Hound series.
Among the services offers are Surface and Mineral Title Reviews and Cartographic Services. The website is www.gislandservices.com.
Another great sponsor is General Transmission and Power Train Specialists. The shop is located at 2515 Sutro Street in Reno, a few blocks below Hug High School.
Former motorcycle racer Pete Attashian is the owner and they not only service older and newer transmission but now have a section dealing with high performance units including those used for towing.
The phone number is 775-786-5888 and the shop’s website is www.generaltransmissionreno.com.
Another sponsor is fantastic race photographer Melissa Coker. If you have raced at Summit in Elko, Battle Mountain, Lovelock, Rattlesnake Raceway or Diamond Mountain Speedway she probably has a photograph of your car on the track.
She’s also been at the IMCA Duel in the Desert was well as the Wild West Tour and IMCA Super Nationals in Boone, Iowa. Melissa not only has photos of the cars, and many times drivers, but she can produce hero cards and even a book covering from your season.
To see her collections or to place an order please check her website at www.melissasoutonalimb.smugmug.com.
Two of our sponsors are first class motorcycle shops located in Reno.
Our first sponsor is Reno Motorsports (RMS). Not only do they have about anything a rider might want or need and the store also has a full service shop.
Their location is at 964 Terminal Way, by the intersection with Mill Street. Store’s phone number is 775-322-1499 and the site is, www.rms-renomotorsports.com.
The next shop is Moto-Source located at 3180 Mill Street. Once again they are a full service shop plus about any thing a rider might need or want.
The phone number is 775-856-3855 and the website is, www.moto-source.com.
The next sponsor is an excellent place if you need collision repair on your car or truck. It’s Concours Body Shop, located at 250 Telegraph Street in Reno and has a long history of first class repairs.
Brian Saul is the owner, a car enthusiast himself and he’s committed to continuing the shop’s reputation of quality work. Phone number is 775-329-4557 and the website is, www.concoursbodyshop.net.
Hungry, want a great place to eat, then try PJ&CO for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and it’s a great place to watch your favorite sports. If you’re a rider, well Wednesday evening is Bike Night, always a great time to see some great looking bikes and meet like-minded people.
The location is 1590 South Wells Avenue, just north of the round about. Phone number is 775-323-6366 and their website is www.pjandco.net.
Have a business targeted toward motorsports or an off road demographic? We are always looking for more sponsors and will expose your business to the racing and off road community in this area.
You can contact us either through the comment section of this site or on our Face Book page.
