Dear 2WheelTimes.com,

My name is Kim and I am writing you this story about my son Cole and his perseverance, determination, will, and desire to do what he loves. Ride and race dirt bikes and compete.

As some of you know, Cole had a rough time in late 2007 and early 2008.  He suffered four badly broken bones over a ten and a half month period.  Two of which were serious and two that were not too bad.

His biggest disappointment was making the 2007 Loretta Lynn's and then breaking his femur three weeks before he was supposed to go race.  That landed him in the hospital for four days and a major surgery that left him out for four months.

This year he was all fired up and ready to make Loretta's again and unfortunately, he suffered a badly broken wrist that required traction.  This left Cole very frustrated and for the first time in his young life telling us, “I think I need a break, I'm tired of being hurt.”

He took a 4-month break over the summer and had surgery to remove the rods from his femur.  He healed fast and well. Soon as Cole started to feel better, his first question was "WHEN CAN I RIDE?” He was well rested, well healed and ready to get back on the gas!  He turned eleven in September and the only thing he told us he really wanted for his birthday this year was to start racing again.

We started out easy at first but that didn't last long.  Cole started getting 2nd's and then 1st at the GFI/CMC Fall series races.  Even though he only raced four out of the six races, he still ended up coming in second overall in his class.  The final race of the series was at Hangtown two weekends ago and Cole got 1st overall.  Friends began to say, you guys are taking him to the Arizona Open National, aren't you?  We said no, we're just having fun right now and going to start training for Nationals in March.

Well after Cole heard about that, he begged us all night to take him to Arizona.  Nick (Cole’s father) called me at noon on Monday and said, “Can we pull this off? We'd have to leave by tonight.”  Next thing I knew I was getting them packed up and they set off that night for the long haul to Arizona.

I guess it was a good thing our friends and Cole convinced us to let him go because he ended up standing on the Podium in both the Stock and Mod 85cc classes.  Cole's passion for the sport of motocross is stronger than ever, especially considering all the adversity and pain he has endured.  All he wants to do is train and ride as much as possible between now, and March.  He cannot wait for Lake Whitney and the GNC Nationals in Texas and more than that can't wait for the Loretta Lynn Qualifiers. 

While he took time off from riding, he thought long and hard and decided he wanted a completely new and fresh start with a new number and everything.  Cole raced the #75 for years because the AMA assigned it to him.  He felt like that was part of his bad luck spell. He now races the #972.  The 9 represents Sept., his birth month, 97 was also the year he was born and then 72 is the year of the 1972 Chevy Pickup he wants to be his first vehicle when he turns 16.  Not sure, what he was thinking when he came up with that but never the less that is his new number and he loves it.

Thanks for your interest in Cole "Throttle" Barbieri #972 and make sure to cheer him on at a track near you!

Sincerely,

Kim Barbieri

Ukiah, CA