Dirtbike Star

Chapter 3: My First Race

Chapter 3  

My first race was at the Steel City National. I was a nervous wreck. Colton Nurenburg was also accepted on the team for such a valiant effort. 

In my first moto, I surprised everyone by grabbing the Holeshot and leading half the race. Around the halfway point, my fellow teammate, Adam Cianciarulo, passed me. He was the reigning champ and I hadn't expected to be able to keep up with him. I did my best though and finished in second place, two seconds behind him. 

On the podium, everyone was saying that I had made a great opening dayview. Erin Bates asked me if my goal was to win the overall. I answered that all I wanted was to be here and race. 

Once again I got the Holeshot and checked out. Adam got a bad start and I knew that this was my chance. But Cooper Webb wanted to win it too.  

When the two lap card came out, Webb a second  

behind me. Three corners later, he was breathing down my neck. I shot him with roost every time I could, and that helped for a lap. Then he used his passing spot on me. 

He cut me off, I almost went down, and I kissed my chance at the overall goodbye. Then an old voice came into the back of my head.  

"Never give up." My dad had told me that before I ever had raced. I still was close enough to Cooper, why give up? 

I rode like a madman to catch back up. When we came to the stairstep section, I tried something new. I jumped a jump that nobody had ever jumped before. I landed next to him, and with my momentum, I had no problem passing him. I rode as fast as I could, and that gave me a one and half second lead at the finish. I couldn't have felt any better. What a day!