A Black Mountain resident is aiming to place in the top five at the Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals.

Casey Keast, 18, got into dirt biking when he was 11.

This will be his second time competing in the MX2 category (250 cc) during the national competition, which starts this weekend in Kamloops at the Whispering Pines Raceway.

According to the motocross website, 香蕉视频直播渢he MX2 class is the breeding ground for up-and-coming talent and throughout its history has been mostly dominated by young Canadian racers.香蕉视频直播�

Keast feels confident about the races, after placing ninth overall last year.

香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 know what the expectations are this year. You always figure out your realistic expectations after the first race,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Keast will be racing against 40 other motocross riders, starting on what he calls 香蕉视频直播渉is home turf香蕉视频直播� race track, which he has grown up racing on.

The Rutland Senior Secondary graduate hopes to make it to the podium in this competition, racing full-time after graduation last year.

His love of dirt biking and the realization that he was good at the sport came to him at 11. By 15, Keast was starting to think about becoming a professional racer.

So far, one of his favourite things about competing is the places he香蕉视频直播檚 had a chance to visit.

香蕉视频直播淲hat I like about it the most is the traveling and the places I get to see香蕉视频直播� all the cool places that people normally don香蕉视频直播檛 get out to go see,香蕉视频直播� he said, adding he香蕉视频直播檚 enjoyed visiting places tourists wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 normally visit.

Keast travels to California in the winter to train because there aren香蕉视频直播檛 as many opportunities in the Okanagan for a professional racer. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 almost a second home to me,香蕉视频直播� he said, adding Kelowna and California have a similar feeling due to climate.

Sitting on the bike, revving his engine and waiting for the start, Keast doesn香蕉视频直播檛 think about the race as it香蕉视频直播檚 happening.

香蕉视频直播淢ost sports you don香蕉视频直播檛 really have time to think about what you香蕉视频直播檙e doing, you just go as hard as you can,香蕉视频直播� he said, loving the adrenaline rush.

香蕉视频直播淎fter the first two laps in a race you don香蕉视频直播檛 even remember anything, it香蕉视频直播檚 just like pure adrenaline. You just go. My favourite thing about it is just riding as hard as you can and your body is completely dead after.香蕉视频直播�

In his spare time, he plays basketball and snowboards at Big White in the winter. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 one of the harder things about the sport. I don香蕉视频直播檛 get to hang out with friends (as much),香蕉视频直播� he said.

His mom got him into the sport professionally.

香蕉视频直播淢y mom was the one that wanted me to start racing. She inspired me to get out there. She must have just known that I香蕉视频直播檇 like it a lot.香蕉视频直播�

Keast香蕉视频直播檚 father loved dirt biking as a kid but couldn香蕉视频直播檛 do it professionally due to financial circumstances.

It makes Keast grateful for the opportunity.

香蕉视频直播淎nytime I香蕉视频直播檓 in California riding and I have a bad day, I think about my parents and what they do for me and how fortunate I am to be able to ride just this day, let alone staying down there for a month.香蕉视频直播�

The nationals, celebrating its 25th anniversary, starts June 2 and 3 and will stretch across Canada, from Kamloops to Ontario.

carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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