HORSHAM Motorcycle Club has two members participating in the MX Nationals, which is being raced in 10 rounds at venues across Australia.
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The two riders are Cory Watts and Lachlan Davis.
This will be Watts’ third year participating in the competition.
In his first year of riding at the nationals, Watts raced just four rounds of the 10 – and in 2016 he raced in the MXD under-19s class.
This year is his first year racing in the MX1 450 Pro class.
Watts grew up at Warracknabeal and works on a farm south of Donald. He is 18.
“It’s good racing against people you looked up to as a kid,” he said. “(Not) every person gets to experience something like that.”
Watts rides a CR5 450cc Honda.
“My first race was on my fifth birthday,” he said.
“My older brother was into racing before me and that’s how I got into it.”
Watts said racing motorbikes was exhilarating.
“It’s great racing in these competitions because you meet so many people,” he said.
“I work a lot on the farm, now, so I don’t have a lot of time to ride – but when I can I do. I take any chance I can to ride.”
In the first round of the nationals, Watts was involved in a crash and sustained a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
This meant he had to sit trackside for the first three races before he could get back onto the track.
“I had to build muscle around the knee before I could race again,” he said.
“I certainly have butterflies in my stomach. I hope I do alright.
“I’m looking forward to having a crack at the best.”
Watts said he had always dreamed of racing in an event such as the MX Nationals.
“Meeting those guys on the line and then going to battle with them is awesome,” he said.
“It would be nice to get on the podium at my home track.”
Cory’s father Kenny Watts said if it was Cory’s day, he could place within the top 20. He said Davis could breach the top 10 in the MX1 class.
“He had a great qualifying two weeks ago,” he said.
“He has brought his good form from the Victorian Moto Titles into the nationals and it would be an awesome effort for him to breach the top 10.”
Davis has been a member of the Horsham Motorcycle Club for three years and works on a farm near Hamilton.