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Local rider gets back on track

Sports reporter

When he was 10 years old, Brent Potocnik rode dirt bikes for fun. Nine years later, he's riding one for real.

Potocnik, who graduated from Centre High School in 2006, was the typical high school athlete. He played football for the legendary Bud Peterson, wrestled in the winter, and played on state tournament baseball teams in the summer.

Deep down inside, however, he had a passion for something a little different. Something a little bit louder and a little bit dirtier than your traditional sports.

Motocross.

"Racing is my whole life," Potocnik said. "I think about it every day."

What makes that statement interesting isn't just the fact he has a passion for the sport, it's that after having a love for riding bikes for so long, at 19 he's just now getting the opportunity to live out his dream.

Back in action

Brent's father Paul rode bikes for fun as a kid, and Brent did the same when he was old enough. However, the summer before his freshman year of high school, Brent broke his leg during a crash. He then tore his ACL shortly after in a non-biking accident, and it was then Paul and Brent both decided he wasn't going to ride again.

"I didn't want to see him get hurt," Paul said. "Nobody wants to see their kids get hurt."

So from the eighth grade until after graduation, Brent never even touched a bike.

That was until the itch came back.

Paul had heard some of his friends talking about bikes they had purchased for their sons, so he went out and got Brent a KX125 so he could race in some open-beginner classes.

Brent didn't really get into it as much as he thought he would, but eventually did sell his bike to buy a 2004 KX250.

He raced in some events, including at Green Acres Raceway owned by Ron and Shelli Hardey of Marion.

After slowly getting back into it, he again sold his bike for the newer one he now owns: a 2007 KX250.

Getting serious

Now, the racing for fun is over.

Sure Brent enjoys riding, but it's turned into more than just messing around on the track.

He has been to nearly ever race on the Central Kansas Motocross Series circuit since the season started in May.

"I try to hit as many races as I can," Brent said. "I'm going to a race no matter where it is."

While most of his racing has been motocross, he raced in his first supercross event July 14 at Jeeps track in Park City.

Supercross involves more technical jumps and has less straight-aways, causing more accidents.

Brent was fourth in the 250c class, and took 10th in the 125c class. He wasn't then, and still isn't, worried about getting hurt.

"It's part of the game. You better expect to wreck," he said. "If you don't like wrecking, you better not be [racing]. It's going to happen whether you are trying to or not. When you are on the track you don't think about it. You just try to go as fast as you can."

Brent said while he loves both moto and supercross, Super is what appeals to him most.

"It's my favorite, but it's more dangerous," he said.

However, it was back to motocross Aug. 5 at Green Acres, where Brent once again proved he can hang with others in his class.

He was third out of 23 in the 125c class, and fourth out of 10 in the 250c.

"I feel I learn quick," he said.

Although he is only in the middle of his first full competitive season, Brent knows this is what he wants to do for a living someday. He promised himself when he came back from Manhattan Vo-Tech for a nine-month course in heating and air conditioning, he would settle down in Marion County and focus on racing.

He told his father he would find a place to live, earn some money and credit, and begin to learn what adulthood is all about. When he is ready, Brent wants to race somewhere out of state.

"I want to move down South," Brent said. "That's where all the fast [riders] are."

He's hoping he can earn some sponsorships and race professionally along the way. Right now, racing every weekend gets pretty expensive.

Each event is at least $100 Paul said by the time you account for travel, food, entry fee, and anything else during the day. Add on the fact Brent has spent nearly $2,000 of his own money just on bike repairs, and the total amount each year can be hefty.

Racing professionally would not only eliminate the costs, but hopefully put some money in Brent's pocket. And while that will be nice, it isn't the only reason he is trying to fulfill his dream.

"I want to be one of the best riders around," Brent said.

With the talent of a veteran, and the confidence to go with it, there isn't any reason he couldn't do just that.

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