Local boys racing to motocross nationals

The world of motocross racing has become more than just a hobby for three local racers as they get set to compete at the national championship in Ontario this August.

Nine-year-old Dylan Cormier, along with David and Devon Strang - brothers who are 13 and 15 years old respectively - each qualified for the national event and are preparing to head to the Walton TransCan Motocross for a week of racing against fellow motosport enthusiasts from all across Canada.

Dylan says he was excited to learn he qualified for the national championship, sponsored by the CMRC (Canadian Motosport Racing Club) when invitations to the event were sent out in the spring.

I cant wait to race there, he said. Itll be my first nationals race and my first race away from home.

The Grade 4 student from Salem Elementary adds that hes only been racing for about three years, and got into the sport thanks to his father.

One day I turned on the television when I was three years old and watched a motocross race and I asked my father if I could race, he said.

Two years later, Dylans father Tim remembered his sons request and bought him his very first motosport bike. While many his age were still mastering the use of training wheels on a regular bike, young Dylan quickly excelled at the sport and over three years later has won every race in the spring series this year except for two races.

Brothers David and Devon have each been racing for four years, and both share Dylans excitement at the chance to race against fellow motosport enthusiasts from across the country.

While David is all set to race for the first-place title, older brother Devon is currently nursing a broken arm back to health.

I hope to be able to race because I broke my arm practicing, Devon said.

The 15-year-old firmly believes hell be able to race, but admits the thought of racing against his younger brother adds a bit more stress to the race.

Hes younger and if he beats me itll be weird, he insisted.

The three boys will head to Canadas largest outdoor motocross track on August 15, where event organizer Chris Lee says just shy of 1,000 participants will line up to race, with over 25,000 in total attendance.

For the amateurs, its a limited entry event, so they have to actually qualify in their home regions, Lee said. They have to run a series of races in the spring called Amateur National Qualifiers.

The results of that series, based on the racers performance, then determine if they qualify for the national event.

Age groups range from the four-to six-year-old peewees to racers well into their 60s.

From there, skill levels along with the age groupings separate the racers into categories that fit their qualifications.

Lee says that motosport racing is a unique sport, and is unlike any he can think of when it comes to other types of motosports.

Its a unique combination of physical demands and being on something motorized, he said.