Alex Vestal has been invited to compete at the Monster Energy Cup Supercross this weekend in Las Vegas.
According to a press release, the Monster Energy Cup Supermini is by invitation only, and it only invites 20 of the best up-and-coming racers.
Vestal’s participation in the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, earned him a spot at this upcoming race. Scouts for the upcoming Las Vegas competition were in the audience at the Loretta Lynn Ranch.
“The people that invite kids for this race (Monster Energy Cup Supermini) watch there and see who does well and who they want to invite,” Vestal said.
Vestal is excited to ride in front of a larger audience.
“This is my first time going to that race,” Vestal said. “It will be really cool getting to go in front of all those fans and stuff, just get to see what it is like.”
Fifteen-year-old Vestal has been racing since he was 10.
“At the beginning, it was just kind of something we did for fun,” Vestal said. “Then probably in the last two years, I started taking it really serious and working hard at it.”
Competition drives Vestal, and he likes comparing himself with other top riders and seeing if he can beat them.
“I am pretty smooth compared to most riders, I don’t crash that often,” Vestal said. “Jumps were always just something I was good at, but now after practicing I have gotten better at turns.”
At home, Alex’s father, John is his mechanic. According to Alex’s mother, Sandra, Alex is his own mechanic on the road.
“It is a Kawasaki 100, it is called a supermini dirt bike,” Vestal said. “It is a two-stroke, and Pro-Circuit does all of my motors, so we send my motor to them and they repolish it and make it quite a bit faster.”
Vestal has a few sponsors now and hope to gain more and make motocross and arena cross his career path.
The Monster Energy Cup is a daylong event, starting with a pit party at noon. The Monster Energy Cup gets under way at 6 p.m. with an Amateur All-Stars race and the Supermini race.