Terry Cherington

I started riding motorcycles as a kid on dirt bikes, 3-wheelers, and 4-wheelers. I always looked forward to hunting season because it meant we had full access to the forest. In 2005, I got my first street bike—a 2004 GSXR 600—while a good friend of mine had just gotten a 2006 GSXR 750. We rode for years, always following the rules of the road (mostly!). Then in 2008, I got pulled over for reckless driving. I quit riding shortly after my daughter was born in 2009, and the bike mostly sat unused until I sold it in 2014 when I got into drag racing cars.

In 2020, after riding a dirt bike at a family gathering, I decided to get a street bike again. On August 8, 2020, I officially re-entered the sportbike world. I started attending Wednesday night rides and met a great group of people, including Joe Kinsman. Joe and I talked about our riding experiences, and he introduced me to the idea of track riding. I was intrigued, and Joe offered to show me the ropes, suggesting we do a track day at PIR in Portland.

I signed up and met Joe at the track, nervous but ready (or so I thought). As I was preparing my bike for inspection, I realized I needed duct tape for my wheel weights. Just then, I heard a British accent say, “I have Galfer tape—it’s really good; use this.” That was when I met Turin Cox.

On my first time out in the C (novice) class, I got onto the track, nerves racing, when a bike went screaming past me into Turn 1. That was the moment I was hooked. We invited Turin to join our Wednesday night rides, and he became part of the group. Later, Joe mentioned he was planning to go to the Ridge Motorsports Park in October for an end-of-season track day, so I asked if I could join. It was my first time at the Ridge, but the weather didn’t cooperate, and it rained. Not wanting to waste the day, I went out in the rain anyway and discovered a love for track riding. After a few wet sessions, we decided to pack up since the rain just kept coming.

As the season was winding down, I mentioned to Turin that it was a shame we couldn’t get more track time. That’s when he suggested Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, California, which had track days running until late November. We decided to make the 9-hour drive down there together, even though we’d only met a few times before. We arrived, but the fog set in, slowing everything down. Being from the Pacific Northwest, though, we didn’t let it stop us. We went out and made the most of it, competing all day for the fastest session. By the end of the day, we were tied for the fastest lap.

By the next season, 2022, we hit the track consistently and reached an advanced pace by the end of the year. In 2023, we started talking about competitive racing and made a plan: 2024 would be the year we’d step up. 

And that’s where we are now.