SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/470914
YOUNG AND EXPERIENCED 2014 rookie of the year, Tony Gera is one of the youngest competitors in the SCORE racing series at 19 years old. He is a motorcycle rider and competes in the Ironman Class. The Ironman class started in 2013 and is a motorcycle class in which there is only ONE rider to cover the entire distance of the race. In other moto classes like the Pro Moto Unlimited, several riders are allowed to share the distance of the race. Gera is from Santa Cruz, California and is racing a KTM 450 for the 2015 season thanks to Catalina Racing. He joined SCORE Racing in January of 2014 and had an incredible season, winning four out of five races. He nailed SCORE's Rookie of the Year and became the first ever SCORE Ironman Champion. "I got into SCORE racing cause I wanted to take the next step in my career and wanted to go where the fastest people are." says Gera. But after taking the first place spot at the San Felipe 250 held in Baja at the end of January, it's beginning to look like the fastest will have to come to him instead. Gera literally learned to ride before he could walk. He was an avid bicycle racer at three years old and graduated to motorcycle racing after his dad bought him a dirt bike at the tender age of four. He was racing flat track before his peers could even tie their shoe laces. Racing is very much a family affair for the Gera's and after seeing the amazing potential and passion their son possessed at such a young age, they decided to fully support their son's racing career. "My family has sacrificed everything to help me make it here. We are low buck racing. It's just me and my parents" says Gera. So low buck, in fact that he didn't even have proper headlights for the 2014 Baja 1000 and his pit crew consisted of his mom Deena, his father, George and his seven year old brother, Grayson. "I like to compete in the SCORE Pro Ironman class cause I don't need to rely on anyone else. My favorite part about being an TONY GERA, ONE OF THE YOUNGEST COMPETITORS PREFERS TO RUN IN SCORE'S IRONMAN CLASS, SHOWING HE'S GOT WHAT IT TAKES. BY TAYLOR VLAHOS PHOTOS BY ART EUGENIO 066 SCORE JOURNAL