6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 18-24, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com 831 No brakes? That doesn’t trouble Alex Martin. In speedway motorcycle racing, the machines have only one gear and nothing to slow momentum other than the throttle or gravity. And Martin—an 18-year-old senior at Salinas High School—is the national under-21 champion with his eyes on a world title. He has a way of making the act of harnessing a dirt-chewing beast sound almost casual. “The framework and components are very light, so they’re easier to maneuver,” Martin explains. “But one wrong turn…” In November at Kern County Raceway in Bakersfield, Martin was thrown from his mount during the championship heat and sprawled motionless as a medical crew rushed to his aid. Moments later, he was back on the bike for the restart of the race. He jumped to the lead and held on for the title. On May 20 Martin will compete in the U21 world championship round, held in Denmark. “It would be cool to be the fifth American to win a world championship,” he says. No American has claimed the U21 world crown. The closest was Shawn Moran, who earned the U21 European championship in 1981. “It’s a little nerve-wracking, but it’s possible. I know I have the experience and I can win races.” Martin unwrapped a Yamaha as a Christmas present when he was 3 years old and has been riding ever since— often with his twin brother, Sterling, who was twice named national champion at the junior level. His interest in motorcycle racing began at an even younger age. “Growing up, my dad would mention the word ‘motorcycle.’” Martin recalls. “In his office there was a picture of him racing.” One day, Steve Martin rummaged up VHS tapes from his days on track. “I thought that was the coolest thing ever.” Speedway races are run on flat dirt ovals and it all happens fast—four riders competing over four laps, with each heat over in about a minute. Riders fling their bikes into corners in a controlled slide. There’s no time to recover from a mistake. But the format quickly becomes routine. The machines themselves take some getting used to. “It’s not the easiest sport to get your hands on, but I make do with what I have,” Martin says, adding that it took two racing seasons for him to learn to anticipate how his bike would react as it skidded in the turns and regained grip. “A lot of it comes down to knowing where the traction is going to be,” he points out. “When I get in the zone, all I see is the checkered flag.” His mother, Margaret D’Arrigo Martin, says she worries more about other riders spilling in front of Martin than him crashing out on his own. (In Bakersfield, another rider was judged to have caused the crash, which led officials to start the race over.) “Alex has always had good control,” D’Arrigo Martin observes. “He’s really smooth in the turns.” When Sterling Martin decided to stop racing a couple of years ago after a successful run, Alex Martin begin finding his groove. He won a national long track title and set his sights on the U21 trophy. When he won in Bakersfield, a month before his 18th birthday, news spread quickly through the speedway ranks. It’s not a mainstream sport in the U.S., however; his achievement trickled into Salinas. When his classmates heard about it, they became curious. Other students would approach him asking, “Are you a national champion?” But speedway has a tremendous following elsewhere—particularly in central and northern Europe. Martin traveled to Poland in advance of the Denmark event to train. He also visited Europe last year to work with coaches and run with some of the world’s best. Martin hopes to catch the attention of a European-based team so he can turn professional. If the opportunity doesn’t come this year, he will attend Chico State and continue his amateur speedway career. His near future will become clearer on Saturday, May 20 on a dirt oval in Vojens, Denmark. But Martin already knows what he’s doing after the race. “The day after the world championship I fly back and get ready for graduation,” he says. Speedway Racer Alex Martin is about to graduate high school, but first he’s trying for a world championship. By Dave Faries “You build a bond with your bike,” says Alex Martin, who at 18 is a national champion in speedway and is competing for a world title. He got his first motorcycle as a toddler. “Anything on a bike, I’ll try,” he adds. “When I get in the zone, all I see is the checkered flag.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE PETE RICHMOND Local People, Local Bank Banking is better when it’s locally sourced. You receive personal attention from local experts, access to decision makers, and exceptional customer service. If you’d like some fresh ideas on how to grow your business, contact us. Our team is ready to serve you.
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