And while it took Bowmanville's Zenon Nelson a few more years than most to get seriously involved in his sport of choice, which turned out to be motorcycle racing, once he did, it had the desired effect.

"Just getting too many tickets on the street and I needed to do something different before I lost my licence for the umpteenth time," he said with a chuckle when asked what got him involved in the sport back in 1989. "A friend in town was racing so I got some pointers off of him and he helped me out quite a bit those first couple years."

Now 38, Nelson plies his trade on a Suzuki GSXR 600 and competes in the Superbike and Pro 600 events on the Parts Canada Superbike Championship circuit, which makes a stop at Mosport International Speedway's four-kilometre road track this weekend.

Nelson admits to being a little more familiar with other tracks such as Shannonville, but he carries a particular fondness for his home track.

"I've been there quite a few times, but I am actually more familiar with Shannonville because Mosport has only come to be in the series recently," he said. "It hasn't been in the series the whole time so I haven't put as many miles on here but it is certainly nice because your friends come out to watch here. It's so close for everyone and it's a fun a track to ride. It's so fast and flowing."

Nelson estimates the top speed reached on track's back straightaway approaches 270-280 kilometres an hour.

After struggling during the last event at the Race City Motorsport Park in Calgary, Nelson, who sits 22nd out of 31 in the Superbike points standings and 13th out of 23 in the Pro 600, is hopeful of a rebound.

"We just got back from Calgary a couple weeks ago and we had a terrible showing there so I'm looking to turn around the season on a track I love," said Nelson.

Nothing was mechanically wrong with the bike that weekend according to Nelson as he placed the blame squarely on his own shoulders for struggling to get up to speed on the bumpy track.