By Michael Marino

Motorcycling, at its core, is a sport about passion. Those who know the joys and exhilaration of riding a motorcycle can understand why so many people are so enthusiastic about it.

Motorcycle competition is even more fervent, where the zeal for winning and riding are intertwined.

However, the passion for motorcycle competition need not be restricted to on-track success. When AMA members think of motorcycle competition, many recall the great on-track battles they have watched.

However, there is a group of motorcycle racing stars who are not found on the track. These individuals— event organizers, facility owners, and coaches—provide the vision, investment, commitment and sacrifice that makes motorcycling competition possible.

Some of the most influential people in competition never turned a lap. Others made some of their biggest contributions after their racing days were done.

In the world of off-road competition, one off-track all-star is Dan Brown.

With his partner, Catherine Bedley, and his riding buddy, Charlie Roberts, Brown founded and operates the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie, Tenn.

The TTC is also the site of the popular Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro event.

Brown’s efforts to maintain and grow the TTC are examples of how everyone can pitch in and make a difference in their favorite series or racing discipline.

In The Beginning

Brown is an all-around motorcyclist who has enjoyed many different forms of riding.

“My dad bought a little Vespa scooter in the early 1960s,” he said. “That’s probably what got me hooked. He used to let me sit in front of him and stand up on the floorboards when we rode together.”

Since then, Brown has grown to enjoy both dirt riding and road riding.

“I got my first bike when I was 13 years old. It was a little Bultaco,” he said. “I have owned a bike ever since then. I rode motocross when I was a student at Georgia Tech. I now have a Honda ST1100 and have ridden all over North America and the Alps in Switzerland.”

The TTC was an outgrowth of Brown’s broad interest in motorcycling.

Brown served as the Southeastern Trials Riders Association president from 1999 to 2001. During that time, he made friends with former owners of the TTC property.

“They bought the land from a timber company cheap,” he said. “They built the lodge and ran a bed and breakfast on it.”

The STRA began holding trials events on the property, and Brown and Roberts saw potential in the property to become a dedicated trials riding center.

“I had already bought property nearby, so I decided to buy the TTC’s property, too,” Brown said. “I had to take out a second mortgage on my house to do it.”

The Evolution Of The TTC

Ever since Brown bought the land and lodge in 2002, he and his team have worked to improve the facility.

“We added the campground, RV park and cabins to get ready for the 2006 Wagner Cup event we hosted,” he said. “We also added a large shop building at that time.”

The 2006 international event boosted the TTC’s profile within the national and international trials community.

The facility currently hosts one or more AMA-sanctioned national mototrials championships each year.

Complementing their devotion to off-road competition is their focus on preparing the next generation of trials riders.

“Our big thing now is our summer camp for kids,” Brown said. “During my tenure as STRA president, I had the idea to create a youth national championship. We held our first event in 2000, and this year will hold our 19th consecutive youth championship event. The event is open to riders 15 years old and younger.”

Brown said the youth championship has proved popular with up-and-coming riders.

“We get kids from all over the United States and give them an opportunity to ride together,” he said. “The kids feed off of each other and push each other in a way [that] adults never could.”

Despite the wide range of improvements Brown and his team have made to the site, it has been a labor of love to operate the TTC facility.

“We make some money selling rocks. People love to buy rocks from our property as mementos, I guess,” Brown joked. “But overall, we don’t make much money doing this. We do it for the love of the sport.”

The Birth Of The TKO

While “trials” is in the facility’s name, the TTC also has become renowned for its annual extreme enduro event.

The AMA-sanctioned Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro uses the TTC’s rough terrain to create a very challenging riding environment for some of the best national and international off-road competitors.

Brown had wanted to get the TTC into hosting racing events before the idea for the TKO developed.

“We had tried to hold South Eastern Enduro & Trail Riders Association hare scrambles on our property,” he said. “The terrain is just too hard and rocky.”

Brown began working with AMA EnduroCross series founder Eric Peronnard to create the TKO.

“I met Eric at the 2006 Wagner Cup event we hosted,” Brown said. “Eric has a great understanding of fan interests and came up with the idea for an extreme enduro.”

Peronnard and Brown each took the lead on organizing different parts of the event.

“Eric was able to put together the sponsorship funding for the first TKO and organized the pro race,” Brown said. “The TTC took the lead on organizing the amateur competition.”

Their idea has since blossomed into an enormously successful annual event.

“We held our first TKO six years ago, and it has really taken off since then,” Brown said. “Last year, we had 250 amateur entries. This year, amateur registration sold out in nine minutes.”

The Future Of The TTC

The next goal for Brown and his team is to identify the TTC’s next leadership team.

“We don’t have any real big plans,” he said. “Charlie and myself are getting older. Our goal is to keep it going until the next generation is ready to take it over.”

Mototrials, sometimes called observed trials, is not as popular as other off-road competition disciplines. Brown, though, sees great value in trials as a way to grow the motorcycling community.

“Trials is a real fan’s sport,” he said. “You don’t need a lot of land to do it. It’s a sport for everyone, and it’s a great family sport.”

Brown also believes trials is a great training platform for bringing young riders into motorcycle competition.

“Trials teaches youth how to use body position, as well as throttle control and brake control,” he said. “It’s great training for all other forms of motorcycling sport.”

Everyone Can Pitch In

While Brown may be looking for the TTC’s next leader, he and his team have already established something very special.

With the infrastructure, events and strong reputation in place, Brown has a sustainable platform to help ensure the future of mototrials in the United States.

The TTC is a great example of how someone can make an enormous impact on their favorite form of motorcycling competition.

Not everyone can take out a second mortgage on a house to create a training center or develop the next big competition event.

Dan Brown and his team are examples of just how a small group can have a national impact on a motorcycle racing discipline. The size of one’s contribution is far less important than the fact that that person decided to not just sit in the stands and take in the show.