Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126013
EEleven-year-old Rex Smith captures National Mini title • ~ By Steve Foitle E • Motorcy cle raCIng requIres a special breed of person ready to accept the most torturous circumstances, in some of the most 00 C'J I-< IU out-of-the-way places, and usuill y for not much more than bus fare to the next town. .A professional racer spends many years perfect- ..0 ... o o - '0 ing ' his sty le, and developing eno ugh courage, so that when he does finally make the to ur, he will have a greater ch ance for success. Rex Smith, Jr. , an l l -year-old sixth grade student from So ut h Gate, Californ ia , wh o j us t ca ptured the Gra nd Nat ion al Min icycl e Championship in th e 0-83cc cl ass of g- I I year olds is a case in point. At th e age of eight, Rex began riding and racing with older ch ildren at tr acks close to his ho me . His enthusiasm for the spo rt promp te d his father to b uy him his firs t mo to rcy cle and in the next three years of competition. Rex earned more than three hundred trophies in local events. Motorcycling has become the main at tracti on in Rex Smith's life . A student at Standford Avenue Elem entary School, Rex still finds time to practice abo u t 10 hours a week with organized . races on Saturday and Sunday. Last Spring, after much preparation and training, Rex Smith, Sr ., felt that his son was finally ready to branch out into races outside of the local compe tition and signed him up for the Gran d National MinicycIe Championship Series - an II race series in cities as .far away as Tuscaloosa, • t • NOVEMBER 7-9 NOVEMBER 1-2 Championsh·p Motorcycle Drag Races FREMONT RACEWAY FREMONT, CAUFORNIA \ ..... ,....., 1......,17) ~......,_Left Oft aww... Ro.f (-.....ct .... _ _1 • 50 IRWINDALE RACEWAY IRWINDALE, CAUFORNIA' eor- 210'- . , .. .,........ ..... _-, ...... !-'alI to5 ,_.,. • Alabama; Jackson, Mississip pi and Dodge City, Kansas. Rex, mounted o n a Yamaha YZ80 and carrying the colors of S & L Yamaha of Hu n tington Park, proved his ability by promptly taking first pl ace ho nors in four races and second place in another. As the summer to ur wound to a close , Rex Sm ith, J r., headed home wi th first p lace in his poc ket and a world of experience be hind him . Rex is a Ii ttl e too young to make a firm co m mitme n t as to his plans for the fu ture , bu t if you we re to ask him now what he wan ts to do, h is answer would not be hard to gues s. Motorcycling is in his blood, he eats it, breathes it , lives it - a fanaticis m no t too unc ommon among t rue enthusiasts. His rather husky, four feet six inch es, 100-pound frame radiates motocross and drives him on wh en his mind is saying, "I've had enough ." When racing, hi s only desire is to win and all his happiness revolves around victory. Upon Rex 's retu rn to California after the long race tour, he was asked which city from the circuit was his favorite . He thought awhile , looked up with a contented grin and said " T uscalo osa." Knowing that Alabama can be pretty hot and sticky in the summertime , I retorted, "Any particular reason for your decision ?" "Sure," he said, "that's where] won my first race !" You can ' t tell me success is no t sweet. •