Macaluso excels in motocross

By Laurie Gordon

Joseph Macaluso's sport is something unique. The sophomore at Lenape Valley High School has been receiving regional and national recognition at motocross events thorough the northeast. It takes commitment, it takes balance, it takes training, and it takes sticking to a diet and staying in shape — and his dedication has earned him a lot of success and enjoyment of the sport of motocross.
Macaluso said it all started when he was a little kid living in Arizona. "I always just loved to go fast," he said. His dad would take him out on his motorcycle and young Macaluso thoroughly enjoyed the speed. When he was four or five, the family moved to New Jersey to a neighborhood that didn't have a lot of space but backed up on woods. It was then that Macaluso got his first motorcycle. "The area in the woods was just big enough for my size at the time," he said.
One day, Macaluso saw actual professional motocross racing on TV, and instantly wanted to be a professional racer. He was eight at the time and broached the subject with his father. "We got a new race bike because I had outgrown the one I had at the time and went to a race that April in Millville," he said. Macaluso placed seventh out of 14 kids in his class, and he has been racing ever since.
His motocross is a family affair, and he calls his mom his trainer. "She helps me with hard times at school and life itself and teaches and trains me," he said, "She gets me going to the gym and gives me a diet and food plan."
Dad's a big part of the team too, and Macaluso calls him his mechanic. He takes care of my bike when it breaks and drives me to all of my races. It never gets old. We have a great time on the trips to events."
The hard work has paid off and Macaluso was recently awarded 4th place status for the recently concluded 2015 season. As a 15-year-old and preforming on the largest of cycles, he has achieved this honor competing in the adult classes against men in their 20s. He was awarded 4th place status for the recently concluded 2015 season.
Macaluso said his long-term plan is to own his own motorcycle store. "Until then, after I graduate from high school, I plan to work as a mechanic on motorcycles and cars and save up to one day have my own shop."
Kids at Lenape Valley High School find his sport very interesting. "I ride with a couple of kids from school and those who don't ride find it pretty cool and ask me questions," Macaluso said. "I show them videos and some of the stuff blows their minds — especially the balance and technique it requires."
His grandfather, also a Joseph Macaluso, said, "Every grandfather is proud of any successes, no matter how large or small, of all of his grandchildren. I am most impressed with what Joey has accomplished because of the individual commitment he has had to make to excel in this rather strenuous and also dangerous sport. The successes he has achieved have been the result of his personal commitment to the sport and the tremendous unseen hours of both practice as well as maintaining and building his motorcycles."
Granpa Macaluso applauds Lenape Valley on the quality of students they are developing. "Joey and other students dedication to outside activities are character building and will carry over into their adult careers, whatever they might become."
As for now, Macaluso is eagerly awaiting the arrival of April and his first race of the 2016 season.