Pearson rides to 16th in ‘The Loretta’ motocross

To even compete at the national level in any sport is quite an accomplishment. But to finish 16th against over 40 of the country’s top motocross motorcycle riders will really put wind in your sails.
Slader Pearson, 17, a Sierra Home School senior, did just that earlier this month.
Pearson qualified to compete in the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships at the Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, TN. The race was formerly known as the Loretta Lynn National Amateur Championships, but in the motocross world it is still referred to as “The Loretta.”
There are three classes of competition: A for professional; B for semi-pro; and C for amateur. Pearson races in the C class at the 125cc and 250cc level.
Slader started racing in the 85cc class at the age of 12, just five years ago. “My dad used to ride dirt bikes as a kid. When I was younger he took me to a race. That’s when I kind of got hooked on it,” he quietly said.
He was racing against riders with years more experience and track time, with anywhere from three to five more seasons straddling a two-wheeled rocket.
Pearson was one of the 42 fastest racers in the nation at “The Loretta” at his competitive class level.
In the first heat, he managed to wind through the field and finished 22nd. In the second heat, Slader and another rider tangled and crashed at the start, but he still managed to chase the leaders and spin his way to the 22nd position again.
“I had a really good start in the third heat,” Pearson explained. He managed to move all the way up to 8th before the checkered flag fell.
Through a combination of factors and finishes, he wound up 16th overall in the 125cc C class.
Most riders never qualify for “The Loretta.” It takes years of real on-the-track competition and training, plus just the right combination of high finishes in area and regional qualifiers to make the grade.
In his first area qualifier at Hangtown near Sacramento, Pearson needed to finish in the top 12 in his class. He took fourth place.
With that under his belt he moved on to compete in the closest regional, which was the motocross track in Washougal, WA.
The regional qualifier consists of three heats to determine final placement.
Riders pick a chip before the race to determine where they line up at the start.
Unfortunately, Pearson’s chip read No. 42. His starting position was way, way out on the outside. Remarkably, he weaved his way through the 40-plus riders and finished seventh.
In the next heat, Slader crashed with another racer. That collision bounced him out of the competition.
His next chance to qualify came at a race on the Pollack motocross track in Southern California. He captured fourth overall in the 250 cc C class, but fifth in the 125cc C class, where he needed to be in the top four to qualify for .
Back to Sacramento he went to compete in his third qualifier for the 125cc C class. He rode away with a second place finish and enough points to qualify to compete in “The Loretta.”
At the AMA championships, Pearson qualified to compete in the 250cc C class. He did, on his 125cc bike because he didn’t have a 250cc bike. He didn’t place in that race but concentrated on his class specialty, the 125cc.
Pearson hones his skills on the practice track in Tulare. It’s a fast and furious sport both on the practice track and during the races. He broke his leg while practicing at age 13, and repeated the injury the following year at 14.
“The start of the race is the most important. Everyone goes crazy. You could pass 15 riders in a turn at the start, so it’s everything,” Slader explained.
Besides racing, what Pearson really enjoyed at “The Loretta” was “hanging out and floating the river with my friends,” Slader said.
His next challenge is the California State Championships at Mammoth Mountain over the Labor Day weekend where he’ll be racing. He will be competing in the same 125cc C class. “There will probably be around 40 qualifiers in my class for that race,” Pearson said.
His ultimate goal is to become a professional motocross racer. “My goal is to go pro and get a factory ride. Professionals make a good living and the manufacturer picks up all the expenses,” the hopeful 17-year-old mentioned.
Slader is the son of Robert and Crystal Pearson. They own Pearson Excavating, Inc. and Take and Bake Pizza on Highway 140 in Mariposa.