Jamestown man gets second chance at racing

• Rory Beckman

Twenty-eight-year-old Rory Beckman of Jamestown is one of seven racers being featured as part of a new ATV racing circuit in Minnesota called Terracross. (Photo courtesy / Samantha Revering)

Talk about it

When Jamestown resident Rory Beckman was growing up nearly 200 miles away in Wendell, Minn., all he ever wanted to do was become a racer.

From age 10 when his older brother Bryan fixed up a used dirt bike and gave it to him, racing became a love and a passion for Rory.

Now 28 and working full time as a UPS driver in Jamestown, Beckman has found a new outlet for his love of racing in the form of a professional racing circuit called Terracross.

Terracross, which is in its inaugural season, features side-by-side utility vehicles and all-terrain vehicles racing through rocks, logs, mud, tires and other obstacles, according to circuit organizer Joe Duncan.

“Side-by-side units are some of the most popular selling recreational vehicles in the country right now, which is why I think a lot of people can relate to and enjoy this style of racing,” Duncan said.

The 2012 circuit features two live racing weekends, one that already took place on June 22-23 in Elk River, Minn., and the second set for Sept. 8-9 in North Branch, Minn.

Beckman took first place in the June 22 race out of seven racers.

“It was a great feeling,” Beckman said. “This is something I absolutely love to do and I really see the potential of a series like this moving forward in the future.”

Beckman had not professionally raced prior to June 22 since 2008, when the Quad Terrain Challenge circuit he was racing on ceased operations.

Winning is something Beckman has gotten used to over the years, stemming from his younger days as a motocross racer in Minnesota and continuing with ATV racing more recently.

“I’ve won four national ATV events and three Minnesota state championships for motocross,” Beckman said. “For me, it’s like any kind of sport that people love to take part in like baseball or football. I just happen to love racing in general, plus motocross and ATVs are a lot of fun.”

Beckman moved to Jamestown in September when his now-fiancée Samantha Revering took a job at Jamestown Regional Medical Center. He said she has been one of his biggest supporters along the way.

“She’s pretty new to watching me race ATVs, but she’s been really excited to see me doing well and I’m glad to have her there with me,” Beckman said.

Revering said she enjoys getting the chance to once again see her fiancée following his passion for racing.

“I am so grateful that Rory continues to have the opportunities to race professionally,” she said. “For me, the experience to watch Rory drive to the track, take off from the starting line, then race and cross the finish line is very emotional.”

Bryan Beckman said he still enjoys talking about racing and sharing stories with Rory whenever they get a chance.

“We’re both sort of in that next chapter of our lives now, but we still stay very connected to racing because we both still love it,” said Bryan, who continues to promote local races in Fergus Falls, Minn. “We’ve been through a lot together and I’ve almost been like a second dad to him, so I’m proud of what he’s been able to do.”

Beckman will look to continue to build on his June 22 victory at the final two rounds of racing in North Branch, Minn., on Sept. 8 and 9.

The Terracross circuit was featured on CBS Sports Network Sunday, and will be shown at 8 p.m. CST on July 15 and 22 as well, with tapings of the Sept. 8 and 9 races being shown on Sept. 30 and Oct. 7.

Sun reporter Brian Willhide can be reached at

701-952-8454 or by email at

bwillhide@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, sports, news, local, racing