It's interesting how it works out like that sometimes. I'm sure your parents were proud of you having a distraction in your youth that was positive and gave you focus and determination.
My dad raced dirt track stock cars for a couple of years when I was like 7 or 8, that coupled with all of the cool mid 70's car chase movies at the Drive in Theatres, the seeds were planted and I was hooked on racing and chasing. I would ride my 20" Schwinn around the neighborhood wearing an old football helmet, making engine and shifting noises pretending. He gave it all up as the family needs grew. But once we hit teenage years, motorcycles came into the picture in our neighborhood. He helped us work on them, but that was about the extent of it. He did buy a used Triumph Tiger Cub that kept him busy in the garage for awhile. But then he sold it to his brother which really surprised me. When I began racing with all of you guys a few years back, and he began seeing the bike collection grow, I could see the pride in his eyes.