Young rider sets sights on professional racing
Brendan Hoover
When Austin Medrano found out that a huge pile of dirt was to be moved from a parcel of land behind Tator’s Cafe in Mustang, his face lit up as if he had just heard about gold deposits in California.
“What are they going to do with it?” he asked his father.
“I told them to send it over to our place,” Will Medrano replied.
Young Austin brushed his long brown hair from his face and seemed pleased. The dirt would help soften up the motorcycle track they had built on their land outside town.
“That hard red clay is bumpy to ride on,” his father said.
Austin, a sixth grader at Mustang Middle School, has been riding for four years now. He started off riding small dirt bikes and first raced in Enid in 2002.
On Saturday the 12-year-old won his third race in a row this season in the amateur 85cc class at the AMP Winter Nationals in Harrah. Austin is atop the point standings for the series with 60 points and is the defending champion in that class, where children near his age compete.
But even more impressive may be that he also leads the standings in the amateur 250cc open class this year in the same league, where he competes with many racers twice his age.
Austin came in second in the 250cc race at Harrah on Saturday, just behind defending champ Justin Elswick.
“He was holding me back,” Austin explained about the finish. “I tried to take the inside line on him but he would not give it up. He was too wide.”
Since he began racing competitively in 2003, Austin has racked up a slew of victories. A sampling of his accomplishments include: the 2004 Ada Sports Park 85 cc Championship; the 2005 Five State 85cc Gold Cup Championship; the 2005 Budweiser Outlaw Winter National 85cc Championship; and the 2005-06 North Forty Summer/Spring 125/250 Championship.
Austin’s goals include becoming the American Motorcycle Association Amateur National Overall Champion within three years, and to become a pro rider with five years.
“I like the feel of the bike, the pressure of the competition, and the speed of the race,” Austin said.
Will Medrano said he is proud of his son, but admitted he gets worried sometimes about a crash.
“So far we’ve only been racing flat tracks. The motocross can be too risky. Still, I’ve seen kids get shucked right off the front and get run over by their own bike,” he said.
Saundra Medrano, Austin’s mother and a nursing professor at OSU, was slow to warm up to the idea of competitive racing, but supports her son, his father said.
While upcoming events for Austin do include tracks with some jumps, the young champion seems to know no fear. In his first 250cc race in October, he finished third of twelve and flew down the track at 86 miles-per-hour.
Austin credits family friend and pro rider Bret Sowders of Bethany for helping him rise to the level he has.
Austin and his father have sent out portfolios in hopes of earning a sponsorship, but so far have received none. Will Medrano said Adams Tuning in Bethany and Wedman’s Motor Sports in Oklahoma City have helped them keep their motorcycles in top shape.
Austin maintains a B-average in school while keeping his busy racing schedule. His other hobbies include video games, skateboarding and soccer.
When that dirt that Austin was so pleased to learn about arrives to the Medrano property, he may find a willing challenger to his dominance: his five-year-old sister Katie.
“She rides, but she doesn’t like getting dirty,” Austin said.
Brendan Hoover
When Austin Medrano found out that a huge pile of dirt was to be moved from a parcel of land behind Tator’s Cafe in Mustang, his face lit up as if he had just heard about gold deposits in California.
“What are they going to do with it?” he asked his father.
“I told them to send it over to our place,” Will Medrano replied.
Young Austin brushed his long brown hair from his face and seemed pleased. The dirt would help soften up the motorcycle track they had built on their land outside town.
“That hard red clay is bumpy to ride on,” his father said.
Austin, a sixth grader at Mustang Middle School, has been riding for four years now. He started off riding small dirt bikes and first raced in Enid in 2002.
On Saturday the 12-year-old won his third race in a row this season in the amateur 85cc class at the AMP Winter Nationals in Harrah. Austin is atop the point standings for the series with 60 points and is the defending champion in that class, where children near his age compete.
But even more impressive may be that he also leads the standings in the amateur 250cc open class this year in the same league, where he competes with many racers twice his age.
Austin came in second in the 250cc race at Harrah on Saturday, just behind defending champ Justin Elswick.
“He was holding me back,” Austin explained about the finish. “I tried to take the inside line on him but he would not give it up. He was too wide.”
Since he began racing competitively in 2003, Austin has racked up a slew of victories. A sampling of his accomplishments include: the 2004 Ada Sports Park 85 cc Championship; the 2005 Five State 85cc Gold Cup Championship; the 2005 Budweiser Outlaw Winter National 85cc Championship; and the 2005-06 North Forty Summer/Spring 125/250 Championship.
Austin’s goals include becoming the American Motorcycle Association Amateur National Overall Champion within three years, and to become a pro rider with five years.
“I like the feel of the bike, the pressure of the competition, and the speed of the race,” Austin said.
Will Medrano said he is proud of his son, but admitted he gets worried sometimes about a crash.
“So far we’ve only been racing flat tracks. The motocross can be too risky. Still, I’ve seen kids get shucked right off the front and get run over by their own bike,” he said.
Saundra Medrano, Austin’s mother and a nursing professor at OSU, was slow to warm up to the idea of competitive racing, but supports her son, his father said.
While upcoming events for Austin do include tracks with some jumps, the young champion seems to know no fear. In his first 250cc race in October, he finished third of twelve and flew down the track at 86 miles-per-hour.
Austin credits family friend and pro rider Bret Sowders of Bethany for helping him rise to the level he has.
Austin and his father have sent out portfolios in hopes of earning a sponsorship, but so far have received none. Will Medrano said Adams Tuning in Bethany and Wedman’s Motor Sports in Oklahoma City have helped them keep their motorcycles in top shape.
Austin maintains a B-average in school while keeping his busy racing schedule. His other hobbies include video games, skateboarding and soccer.
When that dirt that Austin was so pleased to learn about arrives to the Medrano property, he may find a willing challenger to his dominance: his five-year-old sister Katie.
“She rides, but she doesn’t like getting dirty,” Austin said.
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