Grant Pryor info

Grant Pryor #101
December 24^th 2002
Grant was a very nice young man who was very out going and could talk to anyone who came along. I met him at Sooner Pearl BMX Raceway when he started to race BMX. His first race was a big event for him and myself. Seems that Grant was as many young new BMX riders, he was in need of pads for his bike before he could race his first race. Grant had come to the concession building/tower to talk to anyone who could help him get started and was in a state of confusion which many first time riders go through. I just happened to be in the tower and started talking to him. I told him he needed to have pads for his bike before he could race that day. As I had done many times before I found the duct tape and the pipe insulation which we use for temporary pads for our new riders. I talked to Grant as I started to work on making pads for his bike. He was very enthused to be there that day and was even more excited to begin racing. There was this great feeling when talking to him, Grant was going to be a dedicated rider and had his whole life ahead of him to become a great rider. I gave him his first trophy, his 'First Time Rider' trophy that day. The start of his BMX career was October 6th 2002.

I talked to Grant most every time he came to Sooner Pearl to race and you could see in his eyes he was ready for anything. All he wanted was to be a part of the action and he didn't get upset if he didn't come in first place, I think he knew it would be time before he was the big winner and could accept that fact. One thing about Grant was that he always had a smile on his face even when he didn't finish 1^st place. His only 1^st finish was on November 10^th 2002. Grant seemed to have fun no matter what.

As many had done for the last 2 years we made the drive to Tulsa to race in the biggest BMX race in the world the GRAND Nationals which happen to be during the Thanksgiving holiday each year. Thousands of dedicated BMXers forego Thanksgiving dinner to have a chance to bring home the most prized trophy in ABA BMX a trophy from the GRANDS. This year I had let time slip by and didn't pre-sign my son before Thanksgiving and this year I had to stand in line to get signed up for the weekend. As I walked up to get in line I noticed Grant standing by the sign-up trailer as if looking for someone. I talked to him and noticed his mother who had brought him to race that weekend also standing in line to get Grant signed up to race. I stood with her as we waited for the line to snake its way to the trailer and I talked to his mother all that time. While we stood in line I had my daughter take Grant to the bike inspection area to have his bike inspected so he could practice later. As we stood in line it came time for Grant to practice that day in the first round of practice sessions. I saw him standing outside the line of waiting people with this terrible look on his face. It seemed he was in need of something he didn't have, a full face helmet. He told me that he needed a full face helmet to practice on the track. I told him he would be OK using his regular helmet and he needed to go to practice as he didn't have long to practice and needed to get familiar with the track. He was very concerned about using his helmet so I had my daughter find my son and get his helmet so Grant could use a full face helmet to practice with. The helmet was delivered and Grant got some practice time in that morning. Later that day I saw Grant again and he had gotten over his jitters and had calmed down, he then said "I'm going to use my helmet in practice later". I thought to myself he is going to do good and wished him "good luck". I saw Grant a couple more times during that long weekend of races. The last time I saw him he and his mother were looking for his new riding gloves which had been dropped somewhere in the arena in all the excitement of the races. They had found one glove but the other was nowhere to be found. I helped look for that other glove for a few minutes and then went back to watch the races.

We are one of the last people to leave each time we go to the GRANDS as my son wants to watch everyone finish the MAINS and see the best riders go head to head for the BIG trophies. My son as many including Grant didn't make it to the MAINS this year. I watched the other riders race hoping that maybe next year would be better for my son and all the riders from District OK01. As all the races wound down to the end I thought I would go back over where Grant had been looking for his lost glove and I would look one last time to find the glove for him. I did find a glove although I'm not sure it was his as his were brand new and this glove was a little on the worn side but I picked it up for him anyway. I have that glove in my car to be returned to him the next time I see him but I guess I waited to long.

Grant Pryor, that little guy who had come into our lives as a BMXer has now passed to the afterlife. I want to say to everyone I was very proud of him and all our riders who race at Sooner Pearl. I hope that the little things I did for him did show him there are people who care about others as I think he did. I will miss Grant and hope that someday I will get to see him again and maybe we can ride around the track and talk about old times again.

So long little buddy, take care of yourself and just remember I said a prayer to some of my friends in heaven to get in touch with you and watch out for you till we meet again. They are great people and you can trust them as you trusted me.

You will be missed here and thought of often.
Your friend,
Richard Axtell

Update
December 26^th 2010
Today was not unlike many days long gone but it seems there was an urge to record history again. Upon getting up for the day after Thanksgiving it seems the urge was again knocking around my head saying ‘write something'.
Yesterday was an unusual day. Once again the day finds us in Tulsa Oklahoma for the 2010 edition of the ‘Greatest BMX race in the World'. Now you may say that is really not much to talk about let alone ‘write something' about unless you have raced in this yearly race series, but the urge is here.
My question is where did this urge come from?
It could be the season or maybe a inner feeling that an angel was watching over my shoulder. Could it be a few of us were touched yesterday by this angel? You be the judge.
A single racing glove.
Most of you reading the last line will not think much about that simple statement but that statement brought back a rush of memories and gave me goose bumps several times yesterday evening and may have been part of the cause for a mostly sleepless night and feelings or the ‘urge' to ‘write something'.
Standing on the floor of the QT Arena (as I have many times before) on Thanksgiving Day a small event happened that has changed this weekend holiday again. As said, standing on the floor of the arena a BMX racer came to me with a small problem. Seems there was a missing ‘glove'. That rider was not aware of just how much his small problem would bring back a rush of memories and tears. You see 8 years ago in 2002 on Thanksgiving Day another rider came to me with the same problem, that rider was Grant Pryor.
The weekend has changed for me. As I have (many time before) walked this floor on Thanksgiving weekend I can not help but feel that Grant is here in Tulsa watching with his smiling face saying to himself, been there done that!
Gone but not forgotten.