HEATHER LESSAR

What’s your name?

Heather Lessar

Where are you from?

Sedalia, Colorado

Who is(are) your rider(s)?

Logan Lessar #21 and Colby Lessar #11

How long have you been a moto mom?

I have been a moto Mom for sixteen years and also have the nickname of “Super Mom” by all who know me and I am very proud of that and love it!

Were you into motorcycles before becoming a moto mom?

I was a motocross and supercross racer prior to being a moto mom, racing every weekend with my husband Troy and followed our local SRAC and RMXA series along with the SRAC SX series for several years plus raced some out of state national events including Mini O’s, Mesquite’s National during Thanksgiving a couple of times and raced Amateur day at Washougal years ago. I earned a Championship in the Women’s class in SX and finished a couple of seasons with a top 3 and top 5 finish overall. I have been involved in a couple of the moto mom’s World National Pit Bike Championship races and am undefeated! I have won a snowboard and better yet, I’ve won a CAR! Thank you Motoplayground for hosting these events and giving me the opportunity to do these races and have the bragging rights with my wins! Even after having our first child Logan, I continued to race and loved it. Logan always enjoyed going to the track and to the races watching both his Mom and Dad race. Logan spent a lot of time riding with us casually until he became old enough to ride on his own. Once he turned 3, we then got him his own bike and then it began, the life of a moto mom. I continued to race along with being a moto mom and supporting both our kids with their racing. Colby also started at the very young age of 3 with his motocross riding and spent endless time watching Logan and his mom and dad riding and racing, so he was excited when he too could race. It was a dream come true having all four of us riding as a family together and racing. I remember all of us racing at Mini O’s one year and it was truly amazing. A lot of work for sure but such a fun family trip with a lot of ups and downs but so many amazing memories. The Lessar Family was the Lessar Racing Team for a bit and truly a time I will never forget. Logan and Colby loved having both their parents ride and race and it was the best quality time with family and friends we could have ever asked for. Troy ultimately backed off the racing to be the moto dad and mechanic for me along with our two boys. It was a full-time job and a ton of gate drops between the three of us. Eventually, I found myself wanting to watch and support the kids more than racing myself so I too backed away from the racing and put 100% of my focus on our boys and it has been an amazing journey. Having been a racer myself really helped me to understand the sport and be a supportive moto mom but also play the role of a coach, too. I can walk the tracks with the boys and be able to talk with them about it and give advice or we all bounce things off each other and I love it. Being a mom and having only boys, I love having the connection we do with a sport like motocross and supercross.

Describe a typical race weekend for you.

A typical race weekend for me consists of a lot of work, fun, and focus. As a family, we will start preparing for the weekend on Wednesday with making sure all of the kid’s gear and bikes, etc. are all washed and clean and ready for the weekend. I take care of making sure everything is washed and ready to go along with shopping for the food needed for the weekend. The boys and Troy will take care of bike maintenance and getting everything loaded in the trailer. We will always load Thursday night and have everything to go for leaving Friday for the race. I will take care of loading in the RV all of the food and drinks needed and make sure the kids pack whatever clothes they need. I also make sure we have what we need for our two dogs whether they come with us or if I need to take them to a dog kennel for the weekend. Come Friday, we head to the track and settle in so we are ready for practice to come Saturday morning. I will always handle sign up ahead of time online if possible or once we get to the track. It usually consists of a lot of lines and waiting but a good time to see and catch up with other Moto Moms and Dads or racers. One of the best parts of our race weekends is the social part of it and being able to spend time with our other Moto friends and families. Seeing the kids run around with their friends is awesome. We enjoy the quality time we get with our Moto friends. The moto community is one big family in itself and a big part of what makes motocross and supercross so much fun and exciting for our family. When we travel out of state, we always love seeing those who we don’t live near and having that time to catch up and do some racing together. The kids can run around and have fun yet once the helmets are on and the racing begins, it’s back to business and being focused on why we are there and that is to race and do their best. In some cases, when we travel out of state for races, our weekend might be longer and we start practice Fridays so for those, we start everything a day or two earlier. I always tell the kids and we all try to do the same routine on practice days that we do race days so they get the mental preparation they need to be focused and ready. We always eat a really good meal the night before practice and of course before the racing starts plus get to bed early as well. Eat and sleep is the key to having a good safe weekend. I make sure whatever the kids are eating is healthy and no junk food. Lots of water, good protein, and healthy carbs. We start each day with a very healthy smoothie and a glass of orange juice and then some oatmeal and cereal. Throughout the day, the kids will eat and I make sure they do lots of fruit and hard-boiled eggs and then during a lunch break-we make sure they sit and eat either a healthy sandwich or some chicken and rice or pasta. It’s usually a lot of the same foods every weekend. Depending on the schedule, we may not get too big of a break for lunch so then it’s a lot of smaller meals throughout the day to keep the energy up and the kids feeling good and ready for racing. With having the two boys and in most cases 2-3 classes each, we stay super busy. I go to the gate for every moto and wish the boys good luck and say a few things and then I leave and let them mentally prepare before the gate drops. I make sure to leave time for me to get where I want to watch and video. I always try to video every start and the first turn or two. If I can video off and on throughout the race, I do. It’s hard because I do get super nervous and it can be hard to see all that’s going on while videoing. I don’t talk with anyone during the race and my eyes don’t come off of my boys while they are out there. Although I have done this for years and years, the nerves are always the same and super high and it’s very intense. I know how much is involved to have a good successful safe moto and keeping it on two wheels. I love it and I love watching my boys race. After every moto, I will run back to the pit and talk with the boys. Depending on the outcome of the race, it can be good and exciting or it can be dealing with some upset and frustration. There are so many ups and down in a race day and managing that can be one of the hardest parts of a race day. Sometimes, I may delay going back to the pit to give the boys some time to calm down and deal with whatever has happened when it didn’t go the way they wanted it to go. I usually let them have the time they need before hitting them with any discussions about the race. My husband and I do believe in talking about things pretty immediate so it is fresh in their head yet gives them the time they need to calm their emotions. In most cases, they may have another moto coming up so I do tend to get pretty firm with them about getting focused and ready for the next race. The days are long usually starting at 6 am and ending around 5 to 6 pm. We are all exhausted by the end of each day and its never too difficult having all of us fed and in bed by 9 pm. Once everything is done and its time to go home, we all work together to pack up and get ready to go home. The boys and my husband will handle the bikes and getting the trailer all packed and ready and I manage the RV and get it packed up and cleaned and ready to travel home. We have a really good system and everybody helps. Once we get on the road, we may all talk about the weekend and the ups and downs that came with it or we all relax and just enjoy the road trip home. I usually am in front with my husband while he drives and he and I talk about things while the kids are in back watching a movie or on their phones. Once we are home, we are usually all super tired and we shower and clean up and then get some dinner and off to bed. The weekends go by super-fast and oh boy do we pack a lot in. I love it and am always looking forward to the next weekend of racing!

What’s your family’s favorite meal at the track?

At the track, the favorite meal is barbecue chicken, chicken rice, salad/green beans and then a small amount of ice cream for dessert or popcorn. I always try and have a very colorful plate for dinner.

Do you have any pre-race rituals or superstitions while spectating?

Before the racing begins, I always like to go to the gate for every moto and say a little something or give the boys a fist pump. It is really important for me to have that moment before every single race and if for some reason I can’t go to the gate-we do the same simple routine at the pit before the kids ride away. It prepares me mentally for every single race and makes me feel good knowing I said what I wanted to say which is usually the same every time, “You got this buddy, breathe, win that first turn and have fun”!

Most nerve-wracking moment watching your kid(s) race/ride?

The most nerve-wracking moment while watching the kids is the start. I know how important the start of a race is and how it can make or break your moto. As soon as those bikes start up, the nerves kick into high gear and I get so intense and focused on the boys hoping to see them pop out in front and win that first turn.

Favorite part about being at the track?

My favorite part about being at the track is the time with my family. During the week, life gets busy and both my husband and I run our own businesses and then the kids with their school-our schedules are busy and hectic all week long. The weekends are busy too with the racing yet I truly love the downtime we do get and have together as a family in the motorhome and the pit where it is tight quarters and a lot of togetherness. The memories we have created over the years are priceless and the bond I have with my boys brings tears to my eyes right now just writing this. It’s a dream come true for me to spend every weekend together with my family racing and being together.

Favorite and least favorite part about traveling to the races?

The best part of traveling to the races is the road trips and all the time I get with my husband and the boys. We get so much time to talk and laugh and watch movies together and eat good meals plus we all say how good we sleep when we are in the RV. I would say the least favorite part about traveling to the races can be the time on the road with driving and how tough that can be for my husband. The days are long just managing all that it takes to race so a long road trip, especially with a lot of driving, can be tough. Those weekends where it is close to home, it can be less driving but still a lot of loading and unloading and clean-up which can be tough and so much work.

Craziest travel story?

The craziest travel story – our oldest son had qualified to race at Loretta Lynns National and we planned for a long road trip weeks prior to leaving. We left in our RV towing our trailer and headed for Texas to train in the intense heat to prepare for the Loretta Lynn race. Once in Texas, the heat became crazy hot and it was tough for all of us to handle but we did. The kids struggled with training in the heat but pushed through it and did it. While in Texas, our RV air conditioning stopped working. It was horrible and luckily we had friends at the track we were at and ended up chilling in their RV whenever we could to cool down and have somewhere to go out of the heat. We ended up getting a hotel for a few nights because it was just too hot to sleep in the RV. I have to say, the hotel and a nice cold shower were amazing. It definitely gave us the break we needed after the long days of riding. Then it was time to head to Loretta Lynns so we packed up and got on the road. The air conditioning still not working right and our hope was to get that serviced on our way to Lorettas. We left Texas and were excited to be back on the road enjoying the road trip as a family and talking about and critiquing how the training in Texas had gone all week. Some ups and downs for sure but ultimately, it was a successful week and we felt ready for Loretta Lynns. Unfortunately, we hadn’t been on the road too long one morning and got involved in a multi-car pile-up on the highway and our RV was absolutely totaled. It was hard to believe looking at the damage to our RV and the cars/trucks involved that no one was badly hurt and we all walked away without a scratch.

Troy had done an amazing job handling the RV and the situation and remained so calm and focused that what could have been a tragedy was not. The police showed up within minutes of the crash and shut the highway down for 3 hours. There was so much debris all over the highway. Luckily, our trailer and everything in it (bikes, etc) were not damaged. We sat on the side of the highway in the intense heat for several hours. Once they cleared the highway, we had a tow-truck show up and took all of us and our trailer to a junkyard which is where our 20-year-old RV would also be towed to. From there, we went to a nice hotel in a town nearby and stayed there for a couple of days. Over that time, a lot of tears were shed looking back on the experience and how lucky we were to be alive. The hotel knew what had happened and was absolutely amazing to us and our dog. They comped meals for us and just made us feel at home and welcome. It certainly made a very tough situation easier by their over-the-top hospitality. We managed over the couple days to find another RV through a service and it was perfect. A nice family-owned business and they brought it to our hotel where we then took it and went by the junkyard and unloaded anything we could from our RV and said our goodbyes. It was really hard because we had 15+ years of time with that RV and certainly didn’t plan for it to end this way. Many fond memories in our second home and it was a tough goodbye. We got back on the road and headed for Lorettas. Many knew and found out about our accident and we couldn’t believe the outpour of kindness and help we received from everybody. Our plan was to arrive at Loretta’s a few days before everything started which had changed and we were looking to arrive very late Saturday night which would have us a bit scattered going into Sunday but we were prepared to deal with it. Once we arrived in Lorettas, it was very late and dark and the place was packed. We weren’t even sure where we were going to park for the week. To our surprise, we had a bunch of our friends and families come running up to us and flooded us with hugs and tears and so happy we were ok. They had saved us a spot to park which was amazing and right amongst so many that we knew. It couldn’t have been more perfect and felt so welcoming and we immediately felt at home amongst family. The motocross family really stepped up for us and it still brings tears to my eyes just writing this and just all the love and support that was given to us from so many. There were so many times we questioned even continuing the road trip to Loretta’s because of all that had happened but with all of this, we instantly felt we had made the right decision to come and we’re very excited to be there for the next week and just settled in and enjoy the week ahead at Loretta Lynns.

The most important lesson motocross teaches at a young age.

My older son Logan said, “Motocross is one of the most influential sports in a person’s life. Everybody who I’ve seen at the races treats everyone like family. There’s no castaways and no people left out. Unlike other sports, there isn’t just ‘the group’ that’s better than everybody else. Everybody treats each other as equals which is very difficult to find in other sports from what I’ve seen. Motocross has personally taught me the importance and blessing of family. Nothing is more important than family in this sport, and it translates into life. Motocross has taught me the skill of self-accountability with things like staying focused and staying on top of our school and grades, especially when time is missed at school due to racing and making sure all missed work and tests are made-up, training on and off the bike, being the only one in control of your race and the preparations for that. You have to be self-accountable to be successful with motocross and at the same time successful outside of the races as well. Due to motocross, I’ve begun my path to becoming an entrepreneur. I don’t believe that I would be near as mature and ahead of the kids at my school and my peers outside the sport if I hadn’t done motocross all my life. The drive to be successful in everything I do and always strive to do my best I can attribute to my life as a motocross racer. “My younger son Colby said, “Motocross is so much fun and it takes a lot of hard work to achieve your goals. The harder I work, the better I do he said. Colby commented on how motocross has really taught him about friendship and respect and managing the competitive side of himself and the highs and lows that come with it. He is only 11 and has a clear picture and desire to eat healthy food and consistently workout and stay in good shape for his motocross/supercross racing but also for himself and to make that a permanent part of his life. “Being a good sport and being able to handle the emotions when things don’t go right have been a big part of this sport and I know through life, I will come across challenges and disappointment but no matter what, I have to learn from mistakes I make and keep going forward.” I am proud to be a motocross racer and love all that it has done for me and my family.

What’s your secret to getting all the dirt stains out of riding gear?

My secret to getting dirt stains out of gear is to wash off as much of the mud and dirt as we can prior to putting it in the washing machine. Usually, I have the kids rinse their gear with a hose if it’s super dirty and muddy. Then, I will spray the gear with “Shout” or at least all the very dirty areas and then in the washing machine with warm water. I will put in the dryer for a little bit on low heat and then pull out and hang over our railing and keep drying. It’s a good system and works pretty well.

Proudest moment of your career as a moto mom thus far?

This is a tough question since I have many between my two boys. I will start with a moment with Logan back when he was 10 and racing in the 65 (10-11) class. Logan had never tried for Lorettas and we felt this was his year to do it. With that said, we jumped in with both feet and hit four areas allowing us to do four regionals. After a very long journey with so many ups and downs, and lots of laughter and tears, Logan qualified at the fourth regional we attended. The emotional roller coaster with poor Logan was crazy and it was so much pressure and his confidence took a beating throughout this process. It took a lot from me and his dad to keep his spirits up and keep his momentum going with some of the shortfalls he had along the way. The fourth regional came and Logan had a tough day of practice. Nothing seemed to be going his way. We just kept telling him to put it behind him and focus on the race day and just have some fun enjoy racing the awesome track. Logan did just that. He came out and put down two solid motos positioning himself really well going into the third moto. The third moto came and Logan gets off the gate with an awesome start and was running top 5 and he needed 8th or better to qualify. The last lap came and Logan was in a qualifying spot and I could barely breathe and my hands started to shake and I could feel myself and my excitement increasing as Logan came closer and close to the checkered flag. I ran all the way to where the finish line was and stood there with tears and watched him come across that finish line with the biggest smile and a big fist pump in the air. That was such an amazing moment for me as a moto mom and I was beside myself with joy! My husband was nearby and came over to me and we hugged and I cried. It was such an amazing feeling and I was so proud of Logan and so proud to be his moto mom. I had another proud moment with Colby last year. It wasn’t at a race but during training at our local track here in Colorado. Colby has struggled with jumping and it has been so hard for him and many tears and frustrating moments for him. I take the kids training at least 2-3 days a week and every time we are at the track, I always push for them to focus on something they can improve on and leave each day of training with accomplishing something. With Colby, it had been a huge push with jumping. We had been working on this very strongly and various coaches and drills. Colby is a very stubborn child and he is one who will do things on his terms no matter what people would say or the pressure they would put on him. I knew with enough practice and training and encouragement, the light would come on and Colby would overcome his fear with jumping and make it happen. That day came one afternoon while we were training at Thunder Valley. Logan finished up his motos and decided to work with Colby on one jump. It had been one he struggled with and after a few times, Colby hit it and it was awesome! He was so happy and kept doing it over and over and every time he hit it better and better. I stood there just so happy and proud of Colby overcoming his fear and having so much fun working with his older brother. Then, what came next shocked me. Colby and Logan headed over to an even bigger jump and Colby said let’s do this Logan and then turned to me and said Mom, I am going to hit the road jump. I was so nervous yet excited at the same time. Sure enough, Colby went a few times running up to it and Logan was talking to him and coaching him and then on the third try, he did it. I couldn’t believe it. Colby had the biggest smile and threw the biggest fist pump ever. He and his brother hugged and it was the most special moment for me. It was a very proud moment for me and a true highlight as a moto Mom.

What’s your favorite track?

My favorite track is Gatorback, Mini O’s. We have gone to that race over Thanksgiving now for five years and we always have so much fun and I just love that track. I too have raced that track and although it was very rough and hard, it was so much fun.

Who is your favorite pro racer?

My favorite pro racer is Ken Roczen. He is an absolute miracle to me with all he has dealt with and overcome. His love and focus and drive for this sport is like no other. Aside from his success with his racing career, he has also dealt with so much loss and so much injury yet he manages to keep such a positive attitude and it’s so inspiring. He’s a true hero to me with all that he has done in his young life and how many lives he has touched. He has truly beat all odds with overcoming an injury that many said would have him never race again and here he is, at the top of his class battling for a championship. He is a true example of someone who has worked so hard and stayed focused on what his goals are and didn’t let anyone or anything stop him from doing what he has set out to do. Motocross is such a mental sport and having that strength mentally like he does and pushing through the hurdles that he has just put him in a league of his own and someone I look up to and respect. He is such a wonderful role model for the sport of motocross and supercross.

What is your favorite genre of music?

My favorite generation of music is the 80’s - love it and enjoy dancing to it and jamming out on a road trip or just in my own car.

What is your favorite movie/tv show?

My favorite TV show is Friends. It doesn’t matter how many times I have seen every episode, I laugh and laugh each time I watch that show. Our family loves Friends and it is some of our funniest moments all sitting around watching together and laughing. Not just little laughs but the gut-busting, heavy laughter that most don’t do near enough. My favorite movie is tough because I have so many that I like. I know this is dating myself but I love “Top Gun”. A classic and one of my absolute favorite movies. I am excited about the new one that is coming out at the end of this year.

What is in your red solo cup?

It would be a strawberry/banana/blueberry & more smoothie or Corona with a lime!

Any advice for the moto moms of the future?

My advice to future moto moms of the future is this, “Hang on and enjoy the ride”! Life as a moto mom is like being in a race because it is a very fast-paced life with so much going on and a lot of hurdles to overcome, tons of moments to celebrate, constantly learning as you go and being able to roll with the punches sometimes. It is always an adventure and one that you will cherish forever and never want to end. Be involved and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Anytime you have the chance to learn about the sport and all that it takes to be a racer, do it. It’s a sport that takes so much time and effort for the racers but almost more for mom and dad. It is such a commitment and one that once you start, hang on. It may be a bit overwhelming at first and it might have you second-guessing whether it is for you or not but don’t give up on it before you give it a really good chance. Focus on the fun it brings to your child or children and all that they are learning from it. I truly believe this sport requires so much maturity and responsibility that many athletes won’t necessarily endure with other sports. There is no one to fall back on or pick up the slack if you’re not feeling it or your heads not into it. This sport requires so much work both on and off the bike and those who do take it seriously and do the work needed will see the success they want and strive for. If they don’t, they will keep trying and do what they need to in order to improve and get to the level they are capable of and can be proud of. The relationships you will make along the way with other moto families and moto moms and dads are just priceless. It is a family of its own within the motocross world and people really do look out for one another and it always amazes me how when someone is in need of help, there will be a flock of people right there to assist and do what it takes to help a rider, a mom or dad or an entire family. Whatever it is, the motocross family is there for each other. The life of a moto mom is one I feel so fortunate to have and each and every day, I am so thankful for all the joy it has brought to my life and my family.