It’s dead quiet when the multicolored
jerseys line up at the
starting gate. Suddenly, all hell
breaks loose with the riders
rushing to kick-start their twowheeled
mud monsters when
the metal gate drops. As the
thundering pack rounds the
first corner it’s a race to get
holeshot (motocross jargon for
the first rider through the first
turn, sometimes used as a cash
award at the end of the race).
The next line of riders eagerly
waits its turn to scramble across
the starting gate when the time
is ready.
This is just the first few seconds
of the aptly named “hare
scramble” motocross event.
Unlike motocross, hare scramble
is a shorter series of races
usually across wooded areas and
fairly rugged natural terrain and
with no laps. These (sometimes)
quick, rugged enduros measure
consistent top speed and finish
time and are not for the faint
of heart. Just ask Mississippi
State University senior, Mack
Walters.
Walters is a pre-med student
at MSU with ambitions
of attending Vanderbilt after
graduating from MSU. When
asked how he first got involved
in hare scramble racing, he said
he was out riding with some
friends and they asked him to
race. He accepted the challenge
and broke both of his hands his
first time out. He’s been hooked
ever since.
Breaking both hands would
deter most poseurs from ever
riding again, but Mack got back
up and asked for seconds and
even thirds, accruing about 35
different broken bones, some
multiple times. He is now riding
with the Grand National
Cross Country Series, “America’s
premier off-road racing series,”
according to gnccracing.com.
He’s on the road 15 to 20 weeks
a year doing what he loves. Hare
scramble, arena cross and the
occasional endurance races are
his fallback though.
“My interest in pre-med was
injury driven,” he said. “I want
to finish my schooling, but if
I could do both that would be
great too.”
Mack isn’t without support,
either. Since he has no coach
or team, it’s entirely a one-man
show. He owns and operates
his own equipment and makes
repairs as necessary. These hare
scramble racers truly have to
be a motor-savvy bunch to stay
competitive throughout the year,
and Walters is no different. He
does have friends in the circuit,
however, and also the monetary
and spiritual support of local
sponsors and churches. A few
of his sponsors include Dunlop,
FMF, Starkville Computers and
Cornerstone Baptist Church.
What really keeps Walters
grounded is his faith, he said.
“Faith is a big part of my life.
Before every race, a few buddies
of mine get together and
we hold a prayer to protect all
the riders in the race,” Walters
said.
With 85 to 90 races under
his belt, his prayers have been
answered to keep him wholly
undamaged. Walters also gives
back through his faith by volunteering
for Emmanuel Baptist
Church, the Baptist Student
Union (where Walters is a member)
and also in Lake Forest
Ranch, a Christian summer
camp for kids in Macon. He also
attends Bible study at the BSU,
Wesley, Campus Crusade, Phase
2 and Cornerstone Baptist.
“The beginning of the race is
so intense since you must crank
your bike from a dead start, and
its almost completely silent. The
end is also great when you get
that checkered flag and finally
get to rest for a few minutes,”
he said with a smile.
Broken bones, little rest
between races, on the road
throughout the year and littleto-
no prize purse doesn’t seem
like a lot to offer a rider in hare
scramble racing, but it seems
Walters does it for the competition,
challenge and thrill, each
more important than the last,
or as Walters put it, “pride, fun
and a two-dollar trophy”.
This is Walter’s first time in
the national circuit, and he usually
places in the top five. His
races this year will take him all
over the United States, including
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Idaho,
Tennessee, North Carolina,
West Virginia, Mississippi and
Alabama. He also participated
in Arena Cross 2010 at the
MSU Horse Park.