“When I was a little kid my dad, Jeffrey Gallardo, brought me around the track and got me into racing. I was around 5 years old when I started riding a Yamaha PW 50.” Puna Gallardo then followed the PW
“When I was a little kid my dad, Jeffrey Gallardo, brought me around the track and got me into racing. I was around 5 years old when I started riding a Yamaha PW 50.”
Puna Gallardo then followed the PW 50 with a succession of racing bikes including a LEM 50, a Kawasaki 60, and a series of Hondas starting at 80, then 125, then 250 and finally the Honda 450. Over the years Gallardo has tried trail riding but feels most at home on the motocross track.
In the summer of 2005, Gallardo traveled to Vegas and California for a month visiting friends of the family. The arrival in California opened up a whole new world of racing on larger tracks with softer dirt that delivered more grabbing power for Gallardo. He raced the Mesquite track in two different classes and finished in the top five. Not bad for a small kid in a big playground.
On Nov. 6, 2005, Gallardo, then 16 years old, won a Suzuki motocross bike at David Bailey’s nationally famous two-day motocross school, brought to Kaua‘i by event coordinator Chris Walcher. Gallardo was described at that time in a Garden Island news article as “a dedicated rider at Wailua motocross track and a positive role model for the younger riders.”
At the school Gallardo met former professional motocross champion David Bailey and the riders of the Team WBR Suzuki, including professional riders Ryan Sipes and Ryan Morris. The Mainland racing teams were scouting for new members and Gallardo was quickly picked for their A-list. Remembering the thrill of being chosen, Gallardo said, “They liked the way I rode and I was invited to stay with David Bailey for a week in California.”
As fate would have it, just before he left Kaua‘i, Gallardo took a serious spill off one of the big jumps at Wailua motocross track. When the bike landed on the track the wheel zipped out sideways sending Gallardo rolling over and over, tearing up ligaments in his arm and banging his head hard enough to almost pass out.
The accident brought on severe dizzy spells which continued for the next two years. Determined to follow through with his dream of going professional, Gallardo made the trip to California after taking some time to heal his bruised body. Even though the trip to California was an important step towards professional racing, the injuries sustained from the Wailua crash have put a halt on Gallardo’s dream.
After returning to Kaua‘i, Gallardo gave some serious thought to his future and chose to take some electronic technology courses at Hill College on O‘ahu. Upon graduating from Hill, he landed a job at Barking Sands and his life has remained steady as a needle on a compass.
Over the years, Puma Gallardo has continued racing in Hawai’i at Kahoka on O‘ahu and the Kathie, Maui, motocross track. In 2006, he raced on Maui even though the physical damage from the Wailua accident caused him tremendous discomfort.
“I figured that I paid all this money so I might as well go for it,” he said. Even with the dizziness pulsing and swirling through his head, Gallardo grimly strapped in, cranked up and blasted his way into second place.
A few months back, Gallardo once again began setting his sights on professional racing. Motocross takes one long arduous practice day at a time to sharpen those mad skills, get the nerve reflexes firing in syncopated rhythm and get some smooth high-flying airborne maneuvers going.
Almost every week you can find Puna Gallardo practicing his skills at Wailua.
“Every time I go out on the track I learn something new,” he said.
Within the past few years the protective neck brace has become the standard in motocross racing and for the most part prevents head injury like the one Gallardo received in 2005. Whenever he goes to the track Gallardo wears a helmet, knee braces, chest protector, kidney belt, racing boots, gloves, goggles and the all important protective neck brace. These days it’s all about safety first and going airborne second.
Gallardo’s bike is a Honda CRF 450R and, with the exception of an after-market air filter and handle bar, is completely stock. With a shrug of modesty Gallardo said, “It’s all about the rider.”
One of Gallardo’s long-time friends is Riley Takeyama, who is both an expert motorcycle rider and top rail dragster racer at Kaua‘i Raceway Park at Mana. Takeyama offered these words to describe Gallardo and his smooth as silk riding skills: “Motocross is more about the rider than the bike, it’s 70 percent rider and 30 percent bike. Hands down, Puna Gallardo is a top expert motocross rider on Kaua‘i.”
When asked why, with all the pain he has suffered, he continues to motocross week after week, Gallardo said, “It’s fun, it’s a rush and it’s in my blood.”
• Leo DuBois can be reached at ldubois@kauaipubco.com.
