OWEN SHULL
What’s your name and where are you from?
Owen Shull from Casey, Illinois.
What classes do you race?
51cc (4-8), 51cc (7-8), 65cc (7-9)
How did you get into motorcycles?
My dad used to race motocross, so it has always been in my blood. Buying my first dirt bike was kind of by happenstance. We were at a motorsports store just looking at bikes and we overheard a man talking about trading in two Honda CRF 50s. When he decided not to trade them in at the store, we approached him and asked if he was interested in selling one or both to us. He took us out to his house and showed us all his bikes and we ended up buying my first bike!
Tell us about your first race.
We have a race track in our hometown of Casey, Illinois: Lincoln Trail Motosports. It was February and we had heard their first race of the year was coming up. At the time, I’d only played around on my Honda out in the yard; I’d never been on a real race track. But when my dad asked if I wanted to try racing, of course I said YES! On the morning of practice day, we drove to a store to buy a chest protector because we really weren’t prepared to start racing. But once I got out there on the track, it just felt natural and I haven’t slowed down since!
What other sports do you like?
Second to motocross is soccer. I enjoy soccer because I love to run!
Describe a typical day at the track for you.
My day always starts with my mom helping me get my gear on. Once I’m ready, my friends and I usually play around on bicycles or build a toy dirt bike track. My sister is always there with us too, riding around on her Stacyc or playing with friends. My dad is always looking over my bikes, making sure everything is the way it should be. My favorite part of the day is race time! When I’m getting ready to race, I’m usually pretty quiet and focused. When the race is over, I talk to my dad about the race and then I go back to playing with friends.
Favorite meal to have before you race?
I don’t usually eat big meals on race days, usually some eggs for breakfast and then I’ll snack on fruit and yogurt throughout the day.
Best moment on a motocross bike?
Battling with my buddies, especially all the battles between me and Mav Snider. We’ve had some good ones!
Best road trip story.
Last year driving to Texas with my buddy Connor for the Regional. We got to ride together in the RV which made the drive a lot more fun and we stopped to do fun things along the way, like hitting the go-cart track!
What’s your favorite track to ride?
Lincoln Trail Motosports. Not just because it’s my home track, but because they have the best facility and the best staff. They do so much for the riders and really show their appreciation to us each year.
Who is your favorite professional racer and why?
Ken Roczen because he’s fast and he wins a lot of races. I also like his hairstyles.
Who would you like to thank for helping you out?
Definitely my parents. I couldn’t do any of this without them, their support means everything to me. Also, my sister, Lila, for cheering the loudest for me and my grandparents for their encouragement. I also want to thank my sponsors: Minton Cycle, Git Sidewayz, Oil City Cycles, Thompson’s Motorsports, Epoch Energy LLC.