THE FRONT ROW with Jason Elliott, August 17, 2013

To get to the National Motocross event in Tennessee, Athol's Derek Valenzuela had to make some sacrifices and tough decisions to get there.

Long hours at work to afford the entry fees, having to miss his high school graduation.

But it all paid off.

VALENZUELA WON the 450 C Class at the recent national championships in his first trip to the event, held at Loretta Lynn's ranch in Hurricane Mills.

Valenzuela,18, competed in two qualifiers, finishing in the top 12 in the first and top four in the second to advance to nationals.

"It was really hot and humid," Valenzuela said. "It had rained on and off the day before we got there. It was miserable to be riding (in the heat), but it was good just hanging out with the other competitors."

Valenzuela only got into riding a few years ago.

"My dad and his family were really into it," Valenzuela said. "We used to go riding in the desert in California, but never really got into it. Once I did, I got a job and have been paying (to enter competitions) ever since."

Getting there also meant he had to miss his graduation from Timberlake High in June.

"It was kind of sad," Valenzuela said. "But it was totally worth it now that I won. I went through practice and all that. Seeing everyone walk, I kind of felt left out. But I knew it was for a worthy cause."

To make his money, Valenzuela works as a box boy at Super 1 Foods in Rathdrum, as well as work at Silver Beach Resort in Spirit Lake.

"I'd been working 12-hour days just to go there," Valenzuela said. "I didn't have any help as far as big sponsors go. I had some discount sponsors, but had my family help me out a bunch."

With the money he earned working two jobs, he paid for entry fees and his motorcycle. His family chipped in for gas to nationals.

"We found a way to make it work," Valenzuela said. "It was pretty amazing. It seemed like the people without money gave us something to help get there and it seemed like they had the biggest heart. It made me feel really special just getting there."

He won the event with a two-stroke bike, while some of his competitors with faster, four-stroke models.

ANOTHER LOCAL rider, Ryan Breece, finished 16th out of 42 in his 450B stock race at nationals. Breece injured his wrist at a qualifier in Minnesota and was just returning to riding at the time of the event.

After finishing with the top three lap times in practice and races, the rain caught up to him.

"I just couldn't come out in the front in the beginning," Breece said. "And the mud had got to me. The heat wasn't a factor at all. In fact, it was hotter in Idaho than it was in Tennessee. It was definitely another great experience under my belt."

Breece is now turning pro, competing in events around the northwest.

Valenzuela is still weighing his options.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet," Valenzuela said. "I'm thinking about going to college, but I don't want to waste my money, then decide to turn pro."

Both have made the transition to the pro ranks, competing in an event at Airway Heights last Saturday.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected].