July 27, 2010 — The ESPN X Games is always a popular summer event to view on television and this year’s event will feature the debut of Lassen County’s very own motocross rider Beau Meier.   

“I’ve always wanted to go watch it and now I get to watch and race in it,” said Meier.

A lifelong resident, Meier qualified for the event by placing third in an event known as the Extremity Games held in Michigan on May 29.   

Meier said the X Games is invitational, and he received the invitation by placing in the top three.   

During the event in Michigan, Meier rode four motos on the day which proved to be a formidable challenge.   

Possibly costing Meier the second place position, he broke a titanium footpeg but managed to race past three riders, securing fifth in moto two.   

The final moto proved to be his best ride of the day as he got a third place start and raced with the second place rider, managing to pass him at one point.    

The lead rider encountered problems and dropped off the pace thus putting Meier into second on the moto.   

His 5-2 finishes were good enough to secure the third place overall and a qualifying spot at X Games 2010 in Los Angeles, Calif.   

Meier will be participating in Super X Adaptive, a race for amputees and paralyzed riders.   

Meier, 22, was taking a break from racing because of knee injuries and decided to play a more “traditional” sport and joined the baseball team for Lassen Community College.    

At an away baseball game when Meier, 19 at the time, suffered an injury that caused him to lose his lower left leg about 8 inches below the knee.   

It was during a pre-season tournament in Fremont, Calif. when Meier and some of his teammates went to dinner after games. They decided to go walk through the train that was blocking the road and crossed the train tracks.   

“When we walked back, the train was still parked, blocking the street. I was the last one to go out of the four of us and right when I got onto the train, the train backed up and (pinned) my foot to the train, between where the train cars hook up,” said Meier.   

The train carried Meier down about 100-yards with his friends chasing the train, knowing Meier was stuck.   

“When it stopped everything came apart so I was able to jump off,” said Meier.   

D.J. Simon managed to get to him first and tried to call an ambulance while helping Meier back to the street.   

“I had my arm around him while he’s trying to talk on the phone and I knocked the phone out of his hand and it ended up breaking,” said Meier. “So I gave him my phone and that’s when Brett Low got there and he just gave me a piggyback ride to the street.”   

Lowe said he carried his friend for about 300 yards with the help of the others and the guys were able to carry Meier back to the middle of the road to wait for the ambulance.   

“I was the calmest person there,” said Meier. “When (my foot) got crushed it just went numb. I was just sitting there relaxing waiting for the ambulance and these guys are running around trying to figure out what they’re supposed to do and like ‘I’m alright guys, I’m alright,’ just trying to calm them down.”   

He was taken to the emergency room and then quickly sent to Stanford Hospital where they did three separate surgeries on Meier’s foot, the final being the amputation.   

“They tried to beat around the bush but I already knew and I didn’t really care. It didn’t bug me,” said Meier.   

He spent 10-days in the hospital and even spent his 20th birthday there.   

A motorcycle rider since the age of 10, Meier took a break from the circuit because of his knees to play baseball and while visiting home one summer, Meier saw the Super X-Adaptive race.  

“I decided I wanted to do that so I went out, bought a motorcycle and started training,” said Meier.   

The only adjustment Meier made was his shifting but Meier said he adjusted to the difference quickly.    

When he was younger, Meier picked up racing quickly and began winning local events, such as the Nevada Series.    

Meier said he raced literally every weekend throughout his amateur career.   

He began moving through the amateur ranks, taking many wins and placing well in noted amateur events such as the Mammoth Mountain Amateur National.   

Meier began to receive compensation as an amateur from various industries associated with the racing scene like Suzuki Motorcycles, Scott Goggles and receiving local support from local bike shop owners.   

After realizing he was able to still compete, Meier immediately began to train and is once again competing at a national level, able to get a spot for the upcoming X Games.       

“There are six amputees and six paralyzed riders, each in its own class but all 12 will be racing at the same time,” said Meier.   

The race will be six laps on what is known as the supercross style track. It is a track located in a stadium and the track is all hand-made with plenty of jumps and lots of obstacles.   

The race for X Games 2010 will be taking place on Thursday, July 29 at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles and will be broadcast on ESPN on Friday, July 30.