WASHOUGAL — Jeremy Martin has the championship. He has the points lead.
“Obviously they want what I have,” Martin said of his competitors in the 250 class of the Lucas Oil U.S. Motocross Championship. “I’m not ready to give it up yet. I’m enjoying it.”
Meanwhile, a rookie from Oregon hopes to one day capture that glory.
Chris Alldredge of Powell Butte is in his first season with a factory ride, racing for Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki.
“It’s amazing. Less than 1 percent of riders get this kind of opportunity. I’m very thankful, very happy,” Alldredge said. “It’s a long road. Hopefully soon we’ll be winning some races.”
The 250 class is a mixture of experienced riders and young stars on the rise. Most want to one day race at 450. But make no mistake, this is not minor league to the 450 major league. It is motocross. It is extreme. It is racing.
Martin has one more season of 250 racing after this one. Long term, he wants to ride at 450 and be just as successful as he has been at 250.
Short term, though, it is getting into crunch time for the 2015 season. Martin and Alldredge will be racing Saturday at the Peterson CAT Washougal National, the ninth of 12 rounds in the series.
“You can’t look at the big picture of the championship, even though you want to,” Martin said. “If you focus on the championship it will eat you alive. It’s a long season.”
Martin, riding for Star Racing Yamalube Yamaha, has won four of the first eight events in the series and has a 19-point lead over Marvin Musquin with four events to go this summer.
Alldredge, meanwhile, is gaining experience, looking for a breakthrough moment. He did finish third in the first event of the season. He sits 13th in the points race.
“As a pro, they’re paying you to do a job, and that’s to win for them,” Alldredge said.
This year, he is learning what it takes to become a winner.
Now 19, Alldredge became enamored with the sport when he was 3 years old, when he and his dad saw Supercross on TV.
Chris asked his dad for a dirt bike for his fourth birthday.
“He got me one. The rest is history,” Alldredge said.
Martin also started when he was 4 years old in Minnesota.
“It’s my life. It’s all I’ve ever known,” Martin said. “I’ve been able to grow up as a person and gain confidence through racing dirt bikes.”
Martin has also grown into a champion.
Alldredge would love to know that feeling one day, as well.
250 NOTES — Musquin has won three events this season, one behind Martin. … Cooper Webb, who missed four rounds this summer due to injury, took the overall last week in Minnesota. … The first 250 moto will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, with the second moto starting at 3 p.m.
