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Jeff Crutcher

@rippinruts

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Midwest motocross guy

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My first race in 1995 was at Challenge Trax, and 31 years later the track is officially closing. RJ and his family have kept the flame burning in Kingsville for the KC moto scene for 40 years, and I’m glad I got to spin so many laps- if not the most laps on the legendary course. I couldn’t sit idly by without gearing up to feel the soil one more time - even though I’m nowhere near being recovered to ride. I “lined up” for the first moto of the ODMC gate bomb and putted my way to a proud 35th, which was nothing more than a celebratory checkpoint on my path to recovery. Pulling off after the checkers and getting to hug Mikey, who is my first friend and fellow racer, there just was no better way to end a 31 year run of fun at Challenge Trax. Grassroots motocross is everything.

The historic icon in the sky

Riders meeting

Mikey giving me the cheer, and getting to battle with Kyle who also has been through hell and back with his body.. unbelievably bittersweet

Yes I got the iconic Kingsville cheeseburger

Old dude moto crew showed up big time for the gate bomb.

Court and I one more time at Challenge

Even though it was nothing beyond pageantry, having my gear on gave me a deeply calming feeling of normalcy.

And proud

I’ve seen this man stand up there countless times, congrats on a legacy RJ

Since 95.

My first trophy

The original moto boys taken in Challenge Trax by @rippinruts

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7 days ago

Day 6: WE’RE BACK! Since my last day of measurement I’ve had so many positives, and today was finally the first day I could get back in the gym. Last time I tweaked my hip nerve that hurts my back and it’s been nothing but rehabilitation since. I completed my 6th week of vestibular rehab with nothing but positives in every direction, turned 38, went to SMX, have had so many good days with Aubree. Everything is moving in the right direction and I’m absolutely PUMPED with how things are going at work. I’m so ready to go to HQ in 2 weeks to see the 2028 gear and get rowdy with my teammates. This week, this month, today; all a milestone. by @rippinruts

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14 days ago

Day 5: I’m stuck at square one apparently. After my last workout on the next I went to the Royals game with Keaton, and during a 2 run home run to tie it in the 10th I jumped up and yelled and apparently blew a brain gasket. It took me a while to get back to how I felt beforehand, just had an overall sense of feeling shitty and cerebrally inflamed. Haven’t been back in the gym until today, everything’s going great until my final set on my 5th (of course) of 6 dead lifts for a whopping 95 pounds and I irritated the dumbass nerve in my back that gives me random fits and usually takes a week or two to stop being a bitch. I had no tightness and was lifting with perfect form, so it really surprised me. Thankfully I don’t have any road time until Thursday of next week.

Today itself, a milestone served with lemons. They can’t all be zingers. by @rippinruts

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a month ago

Day 4: my first two back-to-back days in the gym have officially been married together. I was pretty sore after lifting yesterday - my heaviest lift being a 65lb deadlift (about 150lbs less than normal) - mixed with my first overnights last week and a hot saturday at Kahoka watching practice and vending. I was exhausted this morning and spent most of the day napping and watching nascar, and while my motivation was in the negative my commitment drove me to take action today. Another 30 + 2 spin to build character and break down the inflammation in my body from yesterday’s lift. Today was a milestone. by @rippinruts

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a month ago

Day 3: met an old friend today, the iron. I didn’t lift heavy but I did lift and my balance was GOOD. This long lost friend of mine, the iron, he was very honest with me and served me a big slice of humble pie at no charge. Three months of sedentary life, however, sucked five thousand times more than the difficulty of reconnecting with the iron. A few more weeks of vestibular therapy in its current form as priority one, but today was a milestone. by @rippinruts

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a month ago

Day 2: 30+2 equivalent. I didn’t want to do this today, I had to do this today. Taking the variable of “want” out of the equation simplifies the drive to goal. Resistance is an internal safety net the ego produces to prevent embarrassment and social failure. I’ll hang myself out to dry by admitting I checked my watch SO many times on this spin, and at one point I thought “this is embarrassing” and then I just accepted my current condition is temporary and to accept there’s more time left. The entire time I was spinning my mind was telling me “dude you were using a walker a month ago 15 minutes is good enough” or “I can be proud of 20 minutes”. But those were not what I set out to do.

Pain + resistance = misery. Pain + acceptance = progress. I wish I would’ve known this when I was 20. taken in Lawrence, Kansas by @rippinruts

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2 months ago

The seal has been broken, this is a huge milestone. Canada 2027 MX2 starts now. by @rippinruts

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2 months ago

Now that I’m back to work I’ve been thinking about my occupation as a whole. When I speak with people who enjoy the wealth they’ve earned I don’t really care to ask them how they did it. The success path of “how you did it” from one person to the next usually follows a relatively similar route. Where my interest lies is in their “why you did it”.

My why I’m doing this is rooted in my love for motocross and the local dirt bike shop. Ultimately I strive every day to help keep dealerships profitable and thriving. In its essence it’s a complex job with a simple goal, place the coolest protective equipment within arms reach of the rider. I want dealers to stay open and supporting the sport that has given me a lifetime of memories and triumphs.

Healthy local racing scenes go hand in hand with local dirt bike shops, and I’m here to do my part to ensure the culture and legacy of grassroots moto lives on- and that dealers are a part of the community with two of the most in demand brands to keep them profitably serving the local rider. by @rippinruts

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2 months ago

I’m a long ways from being ready, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. by @rippinruts

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2 months ago

County Fair season is at its peak, I’m seeing the usual hitters out on their grind. Cash crops aren’t just for the farmers: local Midwest pro racers that know the crafty ways of finding hidden gem payouts littered across weeknights through the summer can line their pockets with heaps of cash. In 2023 I built a treasure map of fair races and big cash payouts, often showing up to races 5+ hours away with people saying “what the hell are you doing here?”. The season did get cut short when my bounty partner Jalen broke his leg, some of the races were just too far away to go solo- we originally plotted if I remember correct 27 fair and money races. The plight was powered by Casey’s pizza and I cashed in just short of $20,000 as a has been that couldn’t see at night on one bike in a long bed pickup truck. I hope to see more pro riders go on to chase the loot in one of the most oddball forms of motocross racing, the weeknight faircross. by @rippinruts

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3 months ago

Im gonna try not to be emo here. Wish me luck.

A couple weeks back I went to my brother & sister in laws to do some photos in their home. We had scheduled them a month prior, giving a week buffer between photos and brain tumor removal surgery. I'm not sharing the full story here, it's not mine to tell.

Jeff's idea for the photos were to document them as they were then, because one of the effects of said tumor removal also meant the likelihood of losing certain motor controls, including the side of his face and walking.

To make things worse, Jeffie here was working over the road and had been lifeflighted after a head on collision from a swerving wrong way vehicle on the interstate. Aside from nearly bleeding out on the scene from an arm injury, he was "fine." But then the surgery was coming and all the what ifs between the wreck at the tumor. It was a lot.

A lot for him. A lot for his beautiful wife Aubree.

But they're getting through it - we all are, thankfully. Jeff's surgery was successful-- but recovery hasn't been smooth, easy or close to linear with some hiccups. Again, his story.

I just want to say how thankful I am that this little shit (he may be pushing four-oh, be taller and have 30+ lbs on me, but he's still my baby brother) is still kicking, that Aubree is the best wife and sister in law to care for him, and that there's a lot more photos to take in the future.

And now my crotchety, cranky eldest daughter ass is crying but I'm blaming it on the menopause hormones.

Anyway, much love to @rippinruts & @aubrinatheteenagewitch thanks for being my muses from time to time and loving each other and our families so well. It's the best gifts you could ever give us.

CCAYN. taken in Stag & Bird Curated Photo Experiences • by Courtney Specht by @rippinruts

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3 months ago

I check in tomorrow at 6am for my brain surgery and I couldn’t be more ready. My symptoms have gotten worse with my moving balance progressively declining, headaches every morning, my speech impeded, and hearing continues to plummet. On top of that, on the 11th of June I was driving on a 2 lane US highway to see an account when a distracted driver in a super duty came into my lane and hit me head on. It was a hell of a crash that totaled my truck and spun me off the highway and down the north embankment. My left arm was severely cut, I was banged up, and two arteries were severed. I had to be flown to Columbia so I didn’t lose my arm, and thankfully I was near an EMS station and I didn’t bleed out before help arrived. I’m still recovering from the crash, but thankfully I’m still able to have my brain surgery tomorrow.

I cannot overstate how much my wife has been there to help me and comfort me over the course of the last few months. I’m so lucky to have her.

Tomorrow, I’ll have a team of absolute pros tackling the giant tumor growing on my cochlear nerve. My fingers are crossed for a perfect success under their care, though I’ve accepted the realities and complications that I’ll face on the other side when I wake up tomorrow night.

I’ve lived an extremely special, interesting, and fortunate life so far. I’ve enjoyed a full heart of love from my wife, my family, and my friends. I anticipate to bounce back better than I am today, with a second lease on life.

As soon as I can, I’ll post an update after the surgery. taken in Ku Neurology by @rippinruts

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3 months ago