Seventeen-year-old Adam Bury of Milbank is serious about his fun. Bury’s hobby is motocross racing. He’s good at it and has a room full of trophies to prove it. Two years ago, he was the top racer at the Midwest Regional Shootout. He made first place by accruing the most cumulative points in his region. “That was a proud moment for him. He worked hard to get that far,” said Adam’s mom Nicole. “He raced in about 15 events.”
Adam explained, motocross races are run over natural and man-made terrain courses with hills, jumps, and tight turns. They typically consist of two races, or motos, in each class. A combined score from each moto is calculated to determine the overall placing. Adam normally races in the 250B and schoolboy classes. “Since I race in two classes, I usually race four times during an event,” he said.
The top eight winners from each area advance to a regional event. The North Region consists of South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Kansas. The top four winners from each region advance to the Loretta Lynn event – the Super Bowl of amateur motocross. “That’s where all the professionals get their start, get scouted, and get recognized,” Adam said. “That used to be a goal of mine, but not anymore.”
Adam said once a racer sets his sights on the Loretta Lynn, racing becomes his life. “You typically train from three to four hours a day and most racers are home-schooled. You also have to be in excellent physical condition. It’s a whole different level there. Everyone is out for blood.”
A year ago, Adam broke his right wrist and suffered a severe concussion during a race in Frederick, South Dakota. “It got pretty intense out there,” he stated. “I don’t really remember what happened, but I decided I want to race more for fun.”
This year, Adam raced in two events, one in Nebraska and one in Reliance, South Dakota. In June, in Reliance, Adam finished sixth in the 250B class and third in the schoolboy class. He also plans to race in Renner; Little Falls, Minnesota; Yankton; Jamestown, North Dakota; and Mankato, Minnesota, later this summer. “But, I’m focusing more on just having fun,” Adam said.
Adam’s fun extends to his entire family. They often go to Adam’s races and camp in their fifth wheel. A toy hauler attached to the camper holds his bikes and all the necessary tires and gear.
Motocross has also created a special bond between Adam and his dad, Jerry. “My dad never raced dirt bikes, but he raced snowmobiles. He always wanted to race, so now he takes care of my bikes,” Adam said. “You always have to have a bike ready to go. If you miss a race, you miss out on those points, and it’s hard to make them up.”
Adam has two bikes he uses for races and a private practice track at his house in the country. “We had the track designed to be as close to a professional setting as possible,” Nicole said. It has all the turns and jumps incorporated into it and would be approximately a mile and a half long if stretched out.
Though Adam doesn’t intend to become a professional motocross racer, he has no plans to quit racing. He’ll keep competing as long as he remains healthy and racing continues to be fun. Even big boys love playing in the dirt.
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