RENO, NV (June 30) — We have a new sponsor, Kelby Schoorl one with a motorsport background, who wants to connect with racing in this region. He feels his business has something different to offer the racing community.
Kelby Schoort, a Battle Mountain native, almost didn’t choose racing.
“I wanted a 4-wheeler when I was 10,” he said. “My dad wouldn’t give me one, he was a rodeo guy, a bareback rider. So he wanted me to ride bucking horses.”
Well Schoorl had other ideas so he waited and waited. He also had friends that rode motorcycles and asked him to ride one day. And eventually things changed.
“Finally for Christmas my dad got me a 4-wheel a Yamaha Rapter 80 and I outgrew that thing in a couple of months. So next spring moved up to at 250 Honda then about a year later a 400 then about six months after that a 450. I was on a 450 by the time I was 13,” he said.
Back then family had friends that were building the motocross track at Battle Mountain.
“So they were getting it together for racing and scheduled events. It’s actually a nice little track so we went and raced.”
That first race was a bit different than expected.
“I got lapped by two times, I just remember looking at everything and I absolutely loved it,” he said. “So I quickly began falling in love with it and got any job I could find to buy tires, parts for my 4-wheeler as I was riding all the time.”
From that point he and his father began to travel to races. After racing his quad at local tracks they traveled to a national race in Arizona as well as down to Glen Helen.
At that time his goal was to be pro by the time he was 18. He did make to the Pro/Am level then in 2009 graduated from high school but continued to race. He explained when he was racing there would be from 20 to 25 in his class and always finished in the top 5.
After graduating from high school Schoorl attended UNR and graduated with a management degree. He wanted to get into the motorsports business but was unable to so.
Needing to find a job he went to work at Enterprise Rent A Car.
I did retail, sales and customer service,” he said. “I really lucked out, fast tracked myself and was a manager for a couple of years.”
After leaving Enterprise he traveled to Europe then, on his return started a detailing business out of his garage.
“Had a mobile set up, traveled all over Northern Nevada, worked a few days a week then partied. Really enjoyed that.” He said.
About a year later he needed to upgrade his system and, at that same time visited a woman broker for a review of his insurance.
“I came in, didn’t expect much and I probably interviewed her more than she did,” he said. “She offered me a job on the spot and I took it. Three years to the day I started this.”
Now he’s an agent for State Farm and has his own office with associates. The office is a couple of doors away from the AT&T office on Plumb.
Schoorl wants to get back in touch with the racing world and feels he has something to offer.
“We actually have life insurance for people that are risking themselves in any activity like motocross and racing,” he said. “We have a supplemental health policy which is kind of like supplements your standard health insurance and kind of fills the gap that others won’t pay for.”
This includes visits to the ER, ambulance if needed and funds if a person is admitted to a hospital for a stay. He mentioned the supplemental insurance is very economical and is also a good backup.
While a person probably can’t get a racecar insured or maybe even a motorcycle used in motocross or desert racing their trailers can be insured.
“If you have a blow out on the side of your trailer we’ll be able to fix that and included with the damage to the trailer is towing. So if you have to ditch the trailer going to a race,” he said. “The trailer is insured for liability and in the state of Nevada the liability extends to whatever vehicle.”
There is another area that can he insured as most racers carry tools and such in their trailers and trucks.
“You can actually insure personal effects or personal articles like tools, guns for their individual value,” he said.
Another area Schoorl is concerned about is liability.
“I’d say it’s the biggest piece, especially when we’re doing recreation or racing,” he said. “We might not be able to insure your race car but we can insure the driver for liability.
“If you hurt someone you could be liable. Whether on or driving to the track I would say having a reasonable amount of liability around you to protect your assets.”
He explained that home and auto are like two pillars for life and liability. Then one should consider having a medical supplement for things like an ambulance ride, visits to the ER and if a person stays overnight in a hospital.
“You can insure yourself or you can insure your whole family up two lump sum benefits per year. The thing about these plans is they are about a 10th the price of a standard health plan. So they are very affordable,” he said.
Schoorl’s agency is located at 1274 Plumb Lane, a couple of doors away from the AT&T office. Business hours are 9 to 5:30 Monday through Friday but Saturday is appointment only. The office phone number is 775-827-2255.
REPORTER’S DISCLAIMER: I switched my auto insurance from another company to State Farm. For me it’s less expensive for the same coverage.
Once he found out about my racing news website Schoorl approached me about becoming a sponsor. Have to admit he has something to offer the racing and motorized recreation community,
I recently had damage due to a rock destroying the rear window of my Toyota. His associates did the claim in 20 minutes and the glass company had a new one installed in less than two days.
Personally I’d recommend coming to the office and letting them show what they have to offer.
