The Racer

THE RIDER: Mike Leavitt

THE STATS: District 34 250-Open A/Expert Champion, +25 A/Expert Champion

THE RUB: Won all of his 2009 races and both championships on an underpowered 250cc two stroke.

THE PLAN: Enter, qualify, and race selected AMA Pro Nationals on the two fifty cc two-stroke.

HOW WE GOT HERE: Mike Leavitt is one of District 34’s favorite sons, he is a twelve-time Loretta Lynn’s National Amateur Championship competitor which makes him one of the nation’s best Pro-Am riders. Mike is a former D34 Champion in the 80cc class. He has qualified for the Nationals in his home state of New York – Unadilla to be precise. While he could have added more District titles to his credit, he chose to travel to the big races, the national amateur circuit and eventually the Pro Nationals.

In spite of all this, this talented young man gave up motocross; the cost to benefit ratio of racing a modern four-stroke at the Pro level wasn’t paying returns. He was miserable though as a warrior without a war to fight usually is. He decided to go back to what he learned to ride on, a lightweight two-fifty two-stroke and the rest is history. He won not one but two District 34 titles on the two-stroke beating all comers, including former nationally ranked Pro riders, Carlo Coen, Mike Spear and Kurt McMillen.

Then the light bulb went off:  “Why am I putting an additional four thousand dollars into my 450f when for five hundred dollars I won a championship on a two-stroke. The bike is a ton lighter; it handles much quicker, and is way more fun to ride.” During timed lap sessions at his personal track, Leavitt was 3-4 seconds a lap faster on the more agile motorcycle.

“It just made more sense,” was Mike’s reasoning. Along the way he picked up ardent two-stroke fans, John Nicholas and Derek Harris who started the “Project Two-50” program. The intention is to do what has not been done in recent years: race a 250cc two-stroke in the AMA Pro Motocross Nationals.

“I’m confident I can do it with the right support. I’m ready to race and training like a beast for this challenge. I’m in the best shape of my life and I’m just hoping the fans can get behind “Project Two-50” and help us see it all the way through.”

Bio written by Michael “EasyWriter” James.