Two-wheel speedster to race in Zimbabwe
The plucky little motorcrosser has his sights set on winning nationals this year.
Eight-year-old Toti two-wheel speedster, Luke Grundy was selected to race for SA at the FIM Africa Motocross of African Nations at Donnybrook Raceway in Zimbabwe from 28 to 30 August.
His selection comes after some fantastic results in the national and regional MX leagues, including a third place last week at Thunder Valley in Pietermaritzburg in the regionals, a third in Port Elizabeth in the nationals, and victories of 12 seconds in the first race and 17 seconds in the second at Springfield three weeks ago.
“I don’t really know why I’m racing so well lately,” said the Amanzimtoti Primary School pupil. “I’m very excited about racing in Zimbabwe, although I’ve never been there before.” Luke finished second overall at the regionals last year, the first year he raced competitively, and is currently lying third overall in his first season of nationals, and leading the KZN conference.
At Port Elizabeth last month, where he had never ridden the track, his parents Moira and Chris told him they would be happy if he finished sixth, but the little racer scooped the hole shot in the first corner and ended fifth in the first race. In the second he finished in the top five and third overall.
He is featured in this month’s edition of Dirt and Trail magazine and was interviewed for the Ignition TV programme.
At Springfield last week he was told he was the first KZN rider to win the 50cc race in 50 years.
“I’ve only been riding for about 18 months,” said Luke. “I got my first bike, a peewee 50 when I was three. My dad used to race, so I wanted to start. My next bike was a Honda CRF 50, but I didn’t like it. Now I ride KTMs and I’m on my sixth one already.”
Moira said Luke is very disciplined when it comes to his racing. “He is not interested in other sports. If he is racing the next day, he goes to bed early and eats healthy. Everything with him is motorbikes.”
His coach Andre Dearden has called Luke ‘something special’ and his goal is to have him racing in worlds in 2017.
The plucky little motorcrosser has his sights set on winning nationals this year. He is only 15 points behind the leader, with three races remaining. “I think I’m going to catch him,” he said confidently. “If I win at Teza on 10 October I can do it.”
The season concludes at the Smoking Pistons track in Johannesburg on 31 October.
Luke is sponsored by Iguana Door Installations and Outback Racing, but his parents are always looking for more sponsors to keep up with the financial rigours of national racing. If you would like to sponsor him, contact Moira on 082-930-2520.
