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Forkner to represent Cobra in international competition
"I did really good at the Spring Nationals. I mean, there's other fast Cobra riders, but I'm the fastest Cobra rider they have so they sent me down there to show off the bike."
Austin Forkner credited his performances at this year's Spring Nationals at Lake Whitney, Texas and Oak Hill Raceway in Decatur, Texas with earning him a trip to Belgium in July to compete in MX Master Kids -- an international motocross racing event in Limes, Belgium.
This event, which will draw nearly 1,000 participants this year, is the largest amateur team motocross event in Europe.
The coordinator of the trip, Mike Burkeen, said that a number of things went into the selection of the riders who would represent Team USA.
"I like them to be competitive, and like to win," he said. " But second, even bigger than that, I pick great families."
This is the fifth year that team USA has visited Limes to compete in the event and the team is poised to continue building on the success they have enjoyed in previous years. Every year that team USA has competed at MX Master Kids, they have posted very strong performances, dominating most of the events , but due to eligibility rules, have been able to bring home just one team championship
Forkner said that he felt a certain degree of pressure to continue the winning ways of Team USA, but was still very excited about getting the opportunity to compete in the event and considers it just like any other national event like the ones he regularly competes in. "It's exactly like Loretta Lynn's and the big national events here, only we're going over there," he said.
The event itself will be run over two days on the weekend of July 11 and 12, but the entire trip will keep competitors in Belgium for the week, as the first three days are designated for team meetings, race preparations and testing.
The first morning of the event will be designated for practice, followed by the first two qualifying motos in each class. These motos will be used to determine who will race in the 40-rider gold medal final the following day.
Two more motos will be held on day two that will count toward the final championship points standings for the event. All riders who do not make the gold medal final will compete for the silver on Sunday morning in a two moto final.
The team championship will be determined by the best 16 moto performances of each team in Sunday's gold finals and Team USA has very high hopes of taking home the gold medal once again. Trophy presentations will be made on Sunday at the conclusion of the gold medal finals.
Forkner will be joining several returning Team USA riders, including 2008 65cc and 85cc champion Matt Burkeen, who became the only rider in the event's history to win two classes in the same year.
Last year's event was Team USA's best showing ever, as Bryce Stewart won the Schoolboy class, Blake Hovis took the gold in the Collegeboy class and Austin Root earned a second place finish in the 85cc senior class.
Forkner and his parents are equally excited about the opportunity he has been given to go to another country and compete at an international level, but Forkner has still tried to keep a clear head and focus on his goal of properly representing Cobra Motorcycles.
"If I would win, that would be really good for the bike. Then, everybody down there would think that they're really good bikes,"he said.
The new motorcycle that Forkner is trying to represent is the 2009 Cobra CX 65, equipped with numerous improved features over the 2008 model. With lighter weight cases, all new transfer and exhaust port timing and a stiffer clutch actuator for more consistent clutch release, the new CX 65 has become the pride of the Cobra lineup and Forkner has taken his opportunity to represent it and the Cobra company very seriously.
Team USA is set to leave for Belgium on July 6, with high hopes of returning with the first place team trophy in hand on June 13.
"The kid (Forkner) has every opportunity to win," Burkeen said. "I know that no matter what happens, he's going to go over there and represent the team well."