COLBY LESSAR

What’s your name and where are you from? 

Colby Lessar and I am from Sedalia, Colorado.

What classes do you race?

I race the 65cc (10-11) and (7-11) classes and I’m on the #11 KTM.

How did you get into motorcycles?

My entire family was racing including my dad, mom and older brother. I was always at the track and watching all of them and then started riding and racing at a very young age and loved it. All I wanted to do was ride my dirt bike.

Tell us about your first race.

I was 4 years old when I did my first race and it was so much fun. I had my parents and brother and a bunch of friends cheering me on. I got a great start and ended up doing good. They gave us all trophies and that was so cool. I decided to do more races after that and became hooked.

What other sports do you like?

Football, basketball, mountain biking, snow skiing.

Describe a typical day at the track for you.

A typical day starts early and I get up and stretch and then eat a good breakfast. We usually have to drive a bit to get to a track to train and once we get there, I help unload and then we check the tires on the bikes and fill the gas and lube the chain. I will do a warm-up before getting on my bike so I am ready to go. I usually look to get in three to four motos, all very hard and focused. I will either start with stand up laps or end with stand up laps. Some days, we will focus more on drills than motos and other days, just motos. We always include practicing starts where we will do a start and then a one-lap sprint or a start and jump into a full moto.

Favorite meal to have before you race? 

I love to have a healthy meal so I have plenty of energy for the next day racing. I like turkey and chicken with steamed carrots, mashed potatoes or pasta and green beans.

Best moment on a motocross bike?

The best moment on my bike was practicing at Thunder Valley. My mom and brother and I were at the track. There were a couple of jumps I was struggling with and I was determined to do them. My brother got done riding and decided to help me. We went over to one jump and he really helped talk me through what I needed to do and I did it. I ended up doing it over and over having so much fun and got very comfortable with it. Then I turned to my brother and said, let’s go do the other one. It was bigger and for sure took more commitment. I was ready and felt ready. Sure enough, my brother talked me through what I had to do and then stood at the top of the jump. My mom was right there to support me. I did a couple of run-ups to it and then went for it. I cleared it and wow, it felt amazing. I was so happy and I had really accomplished a lot that day and overcame some serious fears I had with jumping. Both my mom and brother were jumping up and down and cheering for me. It felt so good and later I told my dad and showed him the video which my mom had taken and he hugged me and was so proud of me. It really was a big turning point with my motocross riding.

Best road trip story.

There are so many road trips we have had that have been so fun but there was one where we spent a week riding in California just going from track to track which was awesome. We were not racing and just having fun exploring different tracks and seeing a bunch of pros and top amateur riders at every track we went to. We spent one day where we rode Pala during the day and took a few hour break, then rode an amazing track that night under the lights which was so cool! After our week of riding and training hard, we ended up going to the Monster Energy Cup race to watch and that was the first time I had been to one of those races. It was such a great way to end an amazing week. One of our best family trips for sure.

What’s your favorite track to ride?

I love going and racing the track at Bar2Bar.

Who is your favorite professional racer and why?

Ken Roczen is my absolute favorite. He is such a nice person and someone who I look up to and respect. He is a miracle with all that he has done after the injuries he has had. He is so inspirational as a person and as a motocross rider.

Who would you like to thank for helping you out?

I am so thankful to both my dad and mom for all that they do for me because it’s a lot. The time and effort to take us training, traveling around the country to different races, making sure my equipment is always ready to go, making sure we are well-rested and eat well. My brother is always very supportive of me and helps me a lot with training and learning how to do things. I like riding with my brother so much and he really pushes me to go faster and encourages me to do jumps I am scared of. I also wanted to thank my coach, Rob Imondi who has really helped me so much with my riding and my confidence. I have struggled with some fear and jumping and still do and Rob really helps me with it and is so supportive of me every time I see him and when we are at the races. If he can’t actually be there with me and I am struggling at a race, he will talk with me on the phone and that is always helpful.