The Buller family continues their racing legacy with a third generation coming up. In 2021, all three generations were able to compete in the Great Plains Vintage Motocross event in Farragut, Iowa, where they all had some success. Matt Buller, Kermit Buller, Chris Buller, Izzy Buller, and Elliot Buller are pictured from L to R.
You might say, “It’s in the DNA” when it comes to racing in the Buller family. Ten-year-old Elliott Buller, son of Chris and Cami Buller, is a third-generation Buller racer like his father, Uncle Matt, and his grandfather, Kermit Buller.
His family’s racing roots go back to the 70s when his grandfather Kermit competed in motocross as an AMA Pro racer. “He only gave it up when he started farming, but his racing days weren’t over,” said Chris.
Today, Elliot competes in area motocross events in Nebraska and Iowa and loves it. He admits he likes the thrill of racing and the speed. He races in motocross events on his 65 Cobra in classes divided by age, skill level, and bike size. Of course, his bike has been modified and fine-tuned with the help of his dad’s mechanical skills. He’s had some success, winning a few championships for accumulating the most points during a racing season. He usually competes in about 6-10 events, traveling to tracks in Alma, Homer, Norfolk, and Pleasanton in Nebraska. They also travel to White Cloud, Kansas, and Farragut, Iowa.
The Buller family has been involved in all kinds of racing, but the family business was born from Kermit and Mary’s go-kart racing back in the early 80s. Kermit and Mary raced go-karts for a few years, and Mary gave it up when she was pregnant with Chris, but their involvement in the karting world was just beginning.
What began as a hobby quickly became a thriving business, Buller Built. Their business took off selling their exclusive “Bully Clutch” and other go-kart accessories and engines. When their boys were old enough, they traveled the country to go-kart events promoting their business while Chris and Matt raced their go-karts showcasing the Buller Built products.
Until a few years ago, Chris and Matt were regular competitors with their Late Model race car and ran it at McCool Junction Speedway and other area tracks for several years. “It got really hard to keep it up since working on the car nights during the week takes so much time. It was really taking away from our family time, but I still miss it,” Chris said.
“Motocross is the most family-friendly competition you’ll ever find. It’s reasonably cheap for kids to enter and purchase a bike, and they can compete according to their skill level and age. It’s a sport where you can participate alongside your kids,” said Chris. Safety is an issue, so Elliot always wears a helmet, chest protector, neck brace, and plastic boots when riding.
The sport of motocross is held on dirt tracks with rugged terrain and hills for jumping. Chris and his brother Matt built their own practice track just south of Henderson on a farm his mother owns. They have spent countless hours moving dirt, building jumps, and weed-whacking, making it a pretty decent track.
They open it up to others in the area who want to practice motocross and enjoy sharing their love of the sport with others. “The track is as good as some we compete on and is .8 miles long with about 15 jumps. It’s fun to show up on Sunday afternoons and see other kids and their dads using our track. Sometimes, we have about 10-20 guys show up to ride,” said Chris.
These pictures were taken at the Buller track by Cody Farrel.
When Chris was in high school, he remembered how much he appreciated the late Jess Huebert doing the same with a dirt track he opened up for kids to use south of Henderson.
“Jess considered it a ministry for keeping kids out of trouble and providing them with something healthy and fun to do. I can’t replicate what Jess did, but it’s great to provide a track for riding dirt bikes with some of the same guys I used to ride with at Jess’s place now ride with their kids!” Chris said.
During the pandemic in 2020, Chris and his brother Matt took up entering motocross events. “I’d been riding dirt bikes my whole life, but I’d never raced competitive motocross. It was something available to do during the pandemic. I like to run in the fast gate, but I’m usually at the back of the pack,” said Chris. He thoroughly enjoys the sport and rides a KTM 350 bike in competition.
In the off-season, the Bullers are often working on their bikes. Elliot is learning more about the mechanical side from his dad, who always has a collection of vintage bikes he’s either restored or working on. “There are special vintage classes for the older bikes where it’s pretty laid back, and it’s sorta like a car show where guys can put on a helmet and show off their bike,” Chris said.
Chris admits between him and his dad and brother, they’ve had more of their share of accidents, but it was Matt who had a scary and serious one about one year ago. He had a freak accident during a motocross event in Farragut, Iowa. “The worst thing happened to him when the guy behind came over a blind jump and landed on Matt. He suffered a broken back, crushing 12 vertebrae and a broken shoulder.”
Amazingly, Matt has recovered from his accident, and in true Buller fashion, he’s back in the saddle after competing in a few events this past summer.
Chris and Cami really enjoy the family atmosphere and the good vibe at the motocross events. “I make sure everyone is fed, hydrated, and wearing their protective gear! We bring our camper along, making it much more comfortable for our family,” said Cami. Their older daughter Izzy, has raced a few times and still likes to get out and ride for fun but not competitively.
Although the Buller family certainly has a long legacy of racing in their blood, they realize it’s not just about racing but a great way to spend time with their family and share their love of the sport with others.
