By Staff
Local BMX racer to represent United States in World Championships
The community of Hartselle has produced some outstanding athletes. Some of these athletes have made it to the very top of their chosen sport. Others make it to the top and continue to strive at being among the elite.
Such is the case of 15-year-old Hartselle High School Freshmen Samantha Storey.
Storey just started her third season and already has impacted her chosen sport of Bicycle Moto Cross (BMX) racing. Currently ranked fourth in the nation, Storey finished last season ranked number 13, qualifying her to represent the United States in the BMX World Championships to be held in Perth, Australia this July. With the 2003 season four months underway, Storey has finished no less than fourth in different events and captured a perfect weekend in Indianapolis.
The sport of BMX racing may be new to some, but to the state of Alabama, BMX is no stranger.
Oak Mountain BMX in Birmingham has the honor of being the longest running BMX track in America sanctioned by the National Bicycle League (NBL). Sam, who started racing in California, took an unscheduled leave from the sport when her family moved to Hartselle after her father retired from the United States Marine Corps after serving 22 years.
For nearly 3 years after their move, Storey could not find a track that was closer than a four-hour drive. Seth Kimbrough, a world-class BMX X-Game competitor from Hartselle, told Storey and her brother, Andrew, who also is nationally ranked, of the track in Birmingham.
It is there that Storey has gained notoriety for her skills as a racer.
Often pitted against and beating the boys of her age group, she has become a crowd favorite and a role model to the younger girls. Within a year, Storey had been offered sponsorships by several teams. Signing to ride for Clayborn (an Alabama-based bicycle manufacturer specializing in BMX race bicycles) last May, Sam found herself among the elite as she began her trek on the national circuit.
Storey became interested in racing at the age of nine while watching her brother race. At the age of 10, Storey perched herself atop of the starting hill waiting for her first starting gate to drop.
The untimely break served to only fuel the fire for her to race a 20 inch bicycle on a dirt track filled with jumps, turns, and riders determined as she.
A BMX race typically consists of 3 moto's. These are elimination races that will transfer the top riders into a main event.
Unlike conventional sports that can be found on most athletic fields, BMX racers cannot depend on the help of teammates or the wisdom and inspiration of a coach's game plan – they must depend solely on their individual dedication and determination to win. Although Storey's chosen sport is that of individual accomplishment, when she is not training she can be found hanging out with friends at various youth groups around town and the local jumps at Sparkman park.
Recently, Storey has stepped up her training pace hoping the payoff will be standing on a podium next to the worlds best BMX racers.