Hello Everyone! Welcome to our Sponsor Bio Series!
This time we had the chance to talk to our longtime member and sponsor Keith Tovey from T3 Racing.
He revealed how he got hooked to our sport, what made him come back to racing and why he became asupporter of the series right from the beginning. We hope you enjoy learning more about Keith as muchas we did!
Woody: So, Keith tell me a little about yourself, when did you start racing Motocross?
Keith: Thanks Woody for doing this; I started racing in 1976, I had bought my first “real” dirt bike (a 1976CR125) and after a few months of riding it I wanted to try racing Motocross!
I went with a buddy and his dad, my buddy slept the whole way to the track, not me!! No way, I could
not sleep I was just too nervous. I actually talked to his dad all the way there!
My first race was in Lakeville IN. I had never been on a real race track before till this day and I found it
quite a bit different from where I had been riding but I was HOOKED!
Woody: Wow, Keith I think a lot of us felt that way in the beginning! Knowing times were different backthen it still, to this day, raises the hair on my neck when we get to the track!
So, tell me Keith, what brought you back to this sport?
Keith: I always stayed in touch with my old racing friends and kind of watched the magazines to keep
current with it. I tried early on to get my son interested but he was too young and the “bug” had not
bitten him yet. We ended up taking up go–kart racing. The “racing bug” was rekindled and stayed freshin my mind and we had fun with the karts for 3 years. Then he wanted to try Motocross again!
The first couple of races we went to I found out there were classes that fit me to a tee! Soon I bought abike and started riding again and talking with my good friend of 40 years Ed Follmar. I was told about all
the racing out there, AHRMA and then Midwest Vintage Motocross. I liked the rules that Midwest

Vintage had allowing young kids to race, so we went that route! Soon I was racing with just the Midwest
group!
Woody: I know how hard it is to move on, but life and reasonability’s of life have a way of using up any
extra time and money to go racing! But hanging on to a dream is a good thing…many don’t.
What made you want to become a sponsor and get involved in the sport?
Keith: Well Woody, I had been racing with the older Midwest Vintage Group for 2 ½ years before you
took over and it was starting to dwindle a bit and I heard you were taking over and I was very interested
in where it was going to go! You invited all of us to your shop in Mukwonago and started to make plansto revive it. I liked you and what you were trying to do right off! But as we talked it became clear there
was a lot to do…as it stood this series was on its last legs and needed a solid plan and, like everythingelse, funds to get it going. One thing you brought up was (and I must say very reluctantly) the fact thatthe first thing we needed to do was to bump up the membership from 30 to 40 bucks for adults. For me
it was a no brainer… Driving home that day I remembered what my Mother used to say when money
was tight and a goal seemed unachievable, “every little bit helps”! So, I drove back up there a week later
to “donate” to the cause and you called it SPONSORSHIP! I have continued to help and be a sponsor andalso help raise funds for extra trophies and all kinds of things…yeah, I was always asking about this andthat and I could tell I was pushing a bit but it’s how things get done and I try all the time to help alongwith my family. I know you well and we’re cool … right?
Woody: LOL…yes Keith we’re cool… I always listened and looked at what you had to offer…some ideas
were just not feasible, but many were very helpful! Sponsors are the backbone of this series…without
them we would go nowhere.
Woody: Where would you like to see this sport go?
Keith: Personally, I feel the sport as a whole is doing ok but as far as Vintage I wish we could reach more
people that used to ride and race our sport…I think if they knew what we were doing they would buy abike and join in on all the fun! I have gotten a good old friend of mine to come out this year and it’s agood feeling to know there is a place to relive our past!
Woody: Keith you hit the nail on the head! We spent a lot of time this winter looking at and building a
new process to reach these people and more…marketing has become the rule of thumb and we willcontinue to push new ideas and work hard to keep what we have and reach even more riders and tracks
to make what we do available to everyone in the Midwest.
Keith what is your fondest memory of this sport starting from early on to now?
Keith: My best memory would be my Dad seeing me race in 76… He always told me riding and racing
was silly and a waste of time…But I loved it so much I kept doing it anyways…then my Dad came out to arace one time at River City Raceway in Lakeville IN and he watched me race and I feel he was proud ofme even though I got a 5th to last LOL! That day he loaded my bike up in HIS truck and we drove home…

He was my step Dad and we had a difficult relationship, but that day everything changed…
These days its seeing my son have the chance to race and enjoy this sport…seeing him on the starting
line I have to admit I had shivers down my spine…then a tear of joy in my eye…when Teresa came into
his life and showed interest and love for the sport it got even better!
Couple that with being with life long friends like Frank and Ed Follmar and their kids at the track…. Well,it doesn’t get any better. We love the family atmosphere and racing…the Friday night cook outs at T3
Racing and Follmar Racing are not too bad either!
In closing I would like to state that I wish I could go back to white number plate backgrounds on my EVO
bikes LOL!!!
Woody: Thanks Keith for taking the time to do this interview…it really shows the depth of your love offamily and for racing Motocross…We here at Midwest Vintage will always work hard to keep this sport
going, to preserve our past and build a future…and NO you can’t have the white backgrounds…LOL!!