“Local motocross racer hits the dirt to pursue his dream” BY: Tana Suggs
Oftentimes kids of all ages are enamored with fast cars and motor bikes, so growing up with a parent who drives or rides would make it perhaps even that much more enticing to a youngster. That’s the way it was for Auston Albers, who is now 25, and a motocross competitor and trainer. Albers said he saw his father race when he was younger and with all the bikes, four-wheelers and go karts around, he said it kind of rubbed off on him. “…I saw dad doing it, so I wanted to do it as well,” he said.
Albers, a self-proclaimed “gear head,” has been racing in the motocross circuit for about 20 years now, after starting at what he called “the ripe age of 5.” During the years Albers has competed in many amateur and professional races all across the United States and has brought home second and third place wins in the amateur races and a few 10th place finishes in heat races at professional events.
But Albers said, in motocross, it’s not necessarily about the finishing score of the race that gives him a sense of accomplishment. “It (motocross) teaches you to take each race and situation as a complete, new scenario,” he said. “Every time I throw a leg over a bike it’s its own challenge.” Albers admits to a mixture of nerves and excitement just before a race.
“…I get nervous and fidgety while I’m on the starting gate and when the 30 second board goes sideways, five to 10 seconds before gate drop, it all goes away and all you see or think about is what’s right in front of you,” he said. “Kind of tunnel vision, you don’t hear or see the 60 thousand spectators, let alone the motorcycle next to you. It’s you and the bike you’re on and that’s all that matters.”
Just this past summer Albers was set to race 12 rounds of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross series, but a torn MCL in his left knee during round two in Colorado put him out for the remainder of the series. But, as many people know, motocross can be a dangerous sport and injuries tend to come with the territory, and Albers said that injuries are one of his biggest challenges. “I’ve had more broken bones and surgeries than most would care for,” he said.
When he’s not on the bike Albers has been helping others learn the ropes of motocross training a few area youngsters interested in the sport at a track called Scrubndirt in Monroe. And while Albers said it helps him make a little supplemental income in race season, the training is not about the money for him, but rather it’s his way of giving back. And one can sense that he approaches training others with a lot of heart. “It’s like a little kid at his favorite professional sporting event waving to his favorite athlete,” Albers explained. “If the player ignores or responds positively to the kid, that’s a life changing experience in a positive or negative way and I want to make a positive influence.”
Suwanee resident Vaughn Balter’s stepson, Dylan Espinosa, 12 and a student at North Gwinnett Middle School, has trained with Albers, and Vaughn said Albers has been wonderful in working with the youth, not only in Georgia, but with some professional youth clinics in Alabama as well.
“He is such an inspirational figure for Dylan,” Balter said. “He teaches some of the techniques that kids can easily understand, even the very young riders. He works with them, positively, until they can duplicate the technique and the kids can’t believe that they finally did it. The confidence boost carries over into their personal lives.”
Albers said many people have been very helpful to him in his journey pursuing his motocross dreams, more specifically, Gary Harvin, owner of Earth Pro Land Surveying & Planning. Albers said Harvin gave him a job and has been helpful in so many ways, including giving Albers the flexibility in his schedule that he needs so he is able to practice and go to races. For anyone who is looking to pursue motocross, Albers offered up some sage advice. “This isn’t a stick and ball sport, the harder you try doesn’t always mean you’ll be better,” he said. “You have to enjoy doing it. You’ll put in more effort and hit the ground more times than you care or anyone else who cares about you for that matter, and if you’re not having fun, then why are you doing it?”
