After watching an Arenacross race at the Montgomery County Coliseum, Jack Singleton told his family that he wanted to race as well. His grandfather, Ronnie Huffman, told Singleton they would look into how to begin racing. The rest is history.
Singleton is the 2020-2021 Mid-South Arena Cross 65 Beginner 7-14 Champion and Youth Pit Bike 12 and under Champion. He was crowned recently during his last race at the Neshoba County Coliseum in Philadelphia.
“Arenacross is motocross racing inside of a building with very tight courses and moves very quickly,” Huffman said.
He said that this was Singleton’s first year racing. He’d only ridden dirt bikes on trail rides, and this was stepping outside of his comfort zone. However, it was something that his grandson wanted to do.
“He’d been trail riding but he’d never raced,” Huffman said.
Huffman said they looked into getting involved in the sport and prepared Singleton for his first race. That first race wasn’t his best, Huffman said.
“It….it wasn’t very good,” he said. “There were some errors and missteps. It wasn’t that great at all,” Huffman said.
His grandmother, Kenna Huffman, said that Singleton never gave up. He was determined to do well and have fun.
“Jack never got discouraged,” Kenna Huffman said. “There were times he was disappointed because he did not do as well on the track as he thought he should. No matter how many times he wrecked or got passed he always rode hard. His whole family encourages him. His Pop was right there coaching and encouraging him at every practice, heat and race. Sometimes when Jack was having a bad track day, they would joke about him taking naps on the track, when he would wreck. It is all about having fun. Are we excited that he has done so well? Yes. Do we get upset with him when he doesn’t do well? No! It is all about having fun.”
Singleton said he’s excited about winning his two championships, but he’s even happier to do this with his Pop.
“I had so much fun this season with my Pop!” Singleton said. “He is the best coach, sponsor, and pit crew, I could not have done this without him! I am so excited that I won two Championships, but it is not all about winning. I had so much fun, traveling and making new friends. I am ready for the next season to start.”
And for them, as long as Singleton’s having fun, it’s really all that matters.
Kenna Huffman said he has the support of the entire family, especially his parents, Paco and Suzi Singleton.
“I knew my boy was going to do well from the first race when I held up a sign saying ‘GO!! #59 Jackson Rosko Pecotrain,’” Paco Singleton said, with a “Dukes of Hazzard” reference.
“I am so proud of Jack,” Suzi Singleton said. “It makes me nervous to see him flying around the track jumping hills, he is so little.”
Kenna Huffman said when Singleton began racing, he was in a different class and on a different bike. As the season progressed, so did Singleton and his bike.
“When they started racing this season, Jack was racing in the pit bike class on his Honda 110. When they started they were only going to a few close by races. It did not take long for us to realize that not only was Jack competitive, but loved it and he was pretty good for a beginner,” Kenna Huffman said. “Three races into the season Jack got his ‘Green Bean killing machine’ as he calls it (Kawasaki 65). Jack is having the time of his life, racing, making friends and making lots of memories with his Pop. Those two eat, sleep, and breathe motorcycles.”
Singleton’s first race was held in Corinth, and they’ve traveled to races in Hattiesburg, Batesville, West Monroe, La., Sulfur Springs, Texas, Texarkana, Ark., Gonzales, La., Winona, and most recently in Philadelphia at the Neshoba County Coliseum where Singleton was awarded two championship trophies and a ring.
However, Huffman said the main thing is that Singleton enjoyed it and that he wanted to work hard to improve. He said he progressed as the season continued, and it definitely paid off.
“He had improved enough to place and to being to place well,” he said.
Huffman said there is an element of danger with racing, and safety is a number one priority. He said there’s been a few hiccups, but nothing major.
“You don’t want to think like that. The positives are better than the negatives,” Huffman said.
He said the biggest change he noticed in his grandson is that he continued to be consistent and gain experiences each time he raced, perfecting what he did from the last race and learning how to be better than his last race.
So, one wonders if his first race didn’t began so well, how‘d he win a championship? As with all sports, the beginning does not predict the ending.
Huffman said that at each race, there was a calculated total and as Singleton placed and placed well, he received more points.
“They tally points all the way through the season from the first of the season to the last of the season,” Huffman said. “And then their all combined. That’s how a champion is chosen.”
And, in his first year, Singleton didn’t do so badly.
Huffman said the season goes from October to March with the last race being held on March 6. He said they are preparing for their second year.
