Josh Lajiness wins first in motocross

There is a Deer Park High School senior who is tearing up motocross tracks across this country.

Josh Lajiness, 17, won first place in his division recently at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn’s ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

“Some people do it for just recreational purposes and whatnot,” Lajiness said. “I’m trying to make a career out of it.”

Lajiness’s journey to the national championships started when he was 3 years old and his dad, Phil, put him on his first diminutive motorcycle.

“Back in the day, he and his friends rode a lot,” the younger Lajiness said of his father.

At first Josh Lajiness raced just for fun. His family has a track on their property in Deer Park, and he and his friends raced their motorbikes in the spring and the fall before the earth and grass was too dry.

He said that three years ago he started to race at competitions, and felt he had to catch up with everyone else since he started competing late. Many motocross racers start as young as 6.

To get to the national competition, Lajiness first had to do well in races locally. There was a competition in Spokane first, then the regional competition in Washougal, Wash., and the top four racers in each class moved on to nationals.

Lajiness raced in two classes in the competition. He placed first in the MX Lites C Modified class, and 36th in the MX Lites C Stock class.

His prizes included $2,000, a wakeboard signed by professional motocross rider Ricky Carmichael, a trophy and bragging rights – which is good, since many of his classmates know that he races, but not the importance of the competition.

“They don’t actually know what a big race it is,” he said. “It’s not really a mainstream sport.”

His win also caught the attention of several new sponsors, to help him on his journey to becoming a professional racer. His local sponsors include Spokane Powersports and The Shop.

Motocross racing is physical, and Lajiness said he has a trainer to work with him on cardiovascular exercises. He also maintains a special diet during racing season.

“The fitness is a huge part of getting faster,” he said.

And getting faster is what he wants to do. The C in his class refers to his skill level – the lowest of three levels at the championships. He wants to work his way up.

He has made friends with racers he admires, and is learning from them. Riding on different tracks also is helping him develop skills, since every track is different.

Time is short: There are a few professionals in their 30s. Age 21 year is “probably when you are at your peak,” he said.

But if the motocross doesn’t work out, Lajiness has a backup plan.

He wants to go to college and maybe study business, or work for his father’s business, Smiley’s Concrete. He hasn’t made up his mind just yet.

“It’s too much to think about right now,” he said.