TARBORO —
Robbie Anderson started riding motorcycles at the age of five as a hobby, but as the years went by he started racing in Motocross races competitively. He had a dream of one day making it to the highest level of competition which is racing at Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.
Anderson who is 15 will be a sophomore at Tarboro High School had his dream finally come true after he qualified a couple of weeks ago in Pell City, Ala. in the Southeast regionals where he finished third in the 250 C Modified class and sixth in the 250 C Stock class. By qualifying that means Anderson is listed as one of the top 42 motocross racers in the nation. The event at Loretta Lynn's Ranch will take place July 29 through August 4.
Anderson finally made it to the big show after trying to reach that pinnacle for the last few years, but always just came up a little short. Now he has the opportunity to show what he is really made of.
"I am excited to be able to get a chance to race at Loretta's," Robbie said. "I have tried for so long to get there and have finally accomplished my goal to race with the elite."
Anderson has his sights and goals set high when he goes and racers in the big event. He wants to finish in the top 3 in his classification so he can earn a spot on the podium.
"If I make it up on the podium I know I have succeed," Robbie said. "If I don't make it on the podium in the top 3 then I want to at least finish in the top of my class. Not finishing on the podium won't be so bad, but that is where I have set my goal to be."
To qualify to race at Loretta Lynn's Ranch you have to be one of the top 12 American Motorcyclist Associations (AMA) finalist in the regionals or be a previous champion.
"Being one of the top racers makes me feel good about all of my hard work I have put in," Robbie said. "I work extremely hard each day to make myself better. I go out and work on my jumps and things like that."
According to the AMA website, what makes the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships unique is that the rider has to prove that they are one of the best in their area, then region, before they are invited to race at Loretta Lynn's Ranch.
The AMA amateur national program includes 50 area qualifiers and 12 regional champions. Several thousand riders compete for the 1,536 qualifying spots that are up for grabs.
Anderson tried to qualify through the Northeast regionals in Pennsylvania a month ago, but came up a little short and didn't qualify.
"It feels good to know that I had another chance to qualify a second time this year," Robbie said. "I have worked hard to get to this point to be a good racer and I want to be able to say I made it there and was competitive."
After Robbie didn't qualify in the regionals the first time around this year, he and his father, Junior Anderson came back home and thought about what could make Robbie more competitive and be able to ride with others in his class.
Junior sat back and thought that if they could find another 250 motorcycle for racing then his son would be able to race with the elite. So Junior made a phone call to his parents Don and Ruby Anderson and told them that it wasn't Robbie that was the reason he couldn't compete, it was the motorcycle. So the Anderson's sat down and searched to see what kind of motorcycle they could find at a good deal. They found a 2012 Honda CRF 250 R which is what Robbie raced when he qualified at the regionals the second time around to qualify. Junior received the motorcycle still in the crate and put the bike together. Robbie road the motorcycle a couple of times around the house to get use to it and then the first time he put it on the track to race, he finished third in the 250 C Modified classification to advance to Loretta's.
"It makes me so proud of my son to know he has made it this far," Junior said. "When he qualified it brought tears to my eyes with excitement and joy. I knew he had it in him to be able to advance to the next level. He works hard to be the best he can be and has not given up yet."
The Anderson's work isn't done once the race is over with. When they get back from the race track they start back over again by cleaning up the motorcycle and begin to make adjustments to it so Robbie can be ready for the next race.
Robbie is planning on racing in one more event at Busco Beach in Goldsboro this weekend before they take off to go to Loretta Lynn's Ranch for the big event.
With their sights set on going to Loretta Lynn's Ranch to race, they still have some work to do. The Anderson's are looking for a little help from the community to help make this dream come true. It is going to cost them around $4,000 to make the round trip to the ranch and back. They are looking for donations to help make this dream possible. They are accepting donations from businesses and personal donations to help make Robbie's dream come true now that he has qualified. If you want to donate to help the Anderson's you may contact Junior at 252-813-7860.
The Anderson's have a few sponsors already that help them out, which is Twin County Motorsports, Suburban Grill and Pro Action Suspension.
Sports
Related Photos
-
Robbie Anderson, 15, practices jumping hills Tuesday behind his house. Anderson qualified to race with the top 42 elite riders at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.
-
Robbie
-
Junior
Anderson’s dream comes true
- Sports
-
-
Cobb, Rhodes inducted in Cougars Hall of Fame
PINETOPS – The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars athletic department inducted two legendary coaches into their Hall of Fame Monday night. Former football coach Raymond Cobb and former baseball coach Bruce Rhodes were the recipients of the awards.
-
SWE Athletes of the Year
SouthWest Edgecombe Cougar Dawson Gould was named Female Athlete of the Year and Kenneth Plummer was named Male Athlete of the Year Monday night at the Cougars annual athletic awards banquet. Gould played volleyball, basketball and softball. Plummer played football, ran indoor and outdoor track.
-
Pinetops 300
PINETOPS – With the threat of rain during the weekend, it put a little damper on the Pinetops 300 Tractor and Truck Pull attendance. Friday night there was a large crowd in attendance, but not the amount it has been the last several years. There was 500 less people in attendance Friday then there was a year ago, but it didn't stop the pullers from slinging mud everywhere. The fans in one section even had a chance to see what it looked like when a belt breaks on a fine tuned machine. During the Mini Modified run, Thomas Coleman, of Stoneville, had a belt break on his KB 526 Pure Hell ride and the belt slung into the crowd. No one was injured.
-
Vikings, Cougars compete in 2-A state meet
The Tarboro Vikings and SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars had six girls apiece competing in the NCHSAA 2-A state track meet in Greensboro Friday at North Carolina A&T State University.
-
Six Tarboro girls to compete in track finals
Motivation is a big part of the Tarboro Viking girl's track team's success this season. They enjoy working hard during practice for their coach Rickie Dozier and get fulfillment when they compete in events. Friday will be no different for the six girls that are headed to Greensboro to compete in the NCHSAA 2-A state championship meet at North Carolina A&T State University. They will compete in three relay events and the long jump.
-
BIG FISH
Camden Grant and her boyfriend Ricky Davis, Jr. caught a 10 pound carp at a state wildlife pond Wednesday morning off of Highway 33 just outside of Tarboro. Grant said she caught the fish on a piece of shrimp around 10:30 a.m.
-
Vikings ousted from playoffs by Jaguars
CARRBORO – After defeating the No. 1 seed in the playoffs Friday, the Tarboro Vikings forgot one thing, they had to hit the ball again Tuesday against the Carrboro Jaguars or their season would be over.
Tarboro failed to be productive at the plate and were eliminated from the NCHSAA 2-A playoffs after losing 8-0 in the second round. Tarboro never gave in after getting down early, but they just couldn't catch a break offensively and get anything going after trailing by five runs after the second inning. -
Cougars finish 7th in state golf match
The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars went through the regionals and won by four strokes. They just couldn't get it going in the state golf championships Monday or Tuesday at Longleaf Golf and Country Club in Southern Pines. The Cougars finished seventh as a team after shooting 658 over the two day period.
-
Vikings advance to second round after defeating Bunn
BUNN – The Tarboro Vikings brought their "A" game and some lively bats with them Friday night when they defeated the Bunn Wildcats 7-5 in the first round of the 2-A NCHSAA state baseball playoffs. The last time the Vikings won a playoff game it was at the same location five years ago.
-
Bess hired as new Vikings basketball coach
The Tarboro Vikings have made a coaching change in boy's basketball. They hired Reggie Bess as the new Vikings skipper April 26. Bess is a former Viking basketball star who played for Tarboro in 1995-96. He was part of a team that went to the Eastern Regional finals in 95.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness
New Forecasting Tool Eyed for Hurricane Season
Meet MJ, the Bike Riding Tabby Cat
Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam
Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge
Weiner Launches Bid to Become NYC Mayor
Okla. Teens Get Video of Deadly Tornado Overhead
Man Shot While Questioned in Boston Probe
School Storm Protection Spotty in Tornado Zones
9-year-old Tornado Victim Loved Family, Singing
Moore Native Toby Keith Tours Tornado Damage
Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage
Okla. City Mayor: Up to 13K Homes Hit by Tornado
Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London
Paperless Scanner, Vision of the Future
Florida FBI Shooting Has Boston Bombing Links
Garcetti Elected Los Angeles Mayor Over Greuel
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
IRS Official Pleads 5th Amendment
Lawyer: Feds Investigating Susan Powell Case
