News : Local Motocross racer Austin Kemp is points champ in two events

Austin Kemp's project for the 2012 Fair is a door modified to be a trophy shelf.

Austin Kemp of rural Garrison has won two points championships in his first year of Motocross.

Fun City: Austin says it is his favorite Motocross track in Iowa.

Austin Kemp listened last year as his dad, Corey, discussed the hobby of go-cart racing.

But as he thought about sitting in a small car, with all four tires hugging the track and both feet securely inside the vehicle, one word came to mind: Boring.

He decided that motocross -- with hills and jumps and other opportunities to race with space between him and the track -- sounded much more fun.

Austin races his Cobra and Apex quads in the 50SS, 50CVT, 90 CVT and 90 Mod classes.

Now, in just his second year of racing, Austin, the son of Corey and Nikki Kemp of Garrison, has another reason to enjoy racing: He's a champion. Twice.

The last races of the season take place this weekend, but Austin already has enough of a lead to know he will be the points champion in the AMA District 22 50cc and 90cc quad events. He won't receive his trophy for a few months, but will be recognized at Hawkeye Downs.

"Nibbles," as he is known (although he won't let his father say why) at the track, has finished first or second in most of his races this year.

The whole Kemp family has been involved, helping Austin with his machines and accompanying him to races.

"His sister Alli, is his biggest cheerleader, followed closely by his grandparents," says Corey, who adds that Nikki has been known to help in the garage late at night ,changing motors, as well as packing the cooler for those weekend trips.

The tracks where Austin races can be found at http://www.ia-district22.com/tracks.htm, which include:

Cedar Valley Trail Riders (Hawkeye Downs), Cedar Rapids
Fun Valley Moto X, Montezuma
Riverside Raceway, Winterset

The tracks are often similar to supercross style tracks, with a lot of jumps where it takes an aggressive rider to excel, says Corey. Austin says his favorite track is at Fun Valley.

AMA District 22 is the entire state of Iowa, so it's a traveling series. In addition to winning the AMA District 22 in both the Quad 50 and 90 CVT classes, he has these track championships to his credit this year:

Quad 50 Cedar Valley Trail Riders
90 CVT Fun Valley Moto X
Quad 50 Riverside Raceway - Potentially, last race is Sunday
90 CVT Riverside Raceway

Austin has a few sponsors:
Heath Racing out of Wadesville, Indiana
G Force Powersports out of Royal Palm Beach, Florida
Larry Killam Racing Engines out of Ankeny, Iowa

In addition to racing, Austin also likes football, basketball, baseball, camping, boating, and hunting (he just got his second deer last week).

The Door

Vinton Today first met Austin at the 2013 Benton County Fair, where we saw his door project. He and his father added shelves to a large black wooden door, which now hold many of his racing trophies.

"I bought an old wood door at the Habitat For Humanity ReStore in Cedar Rapids," says Corey. "I had Austin remove the hardware, fill the holes with wood putty, sand it, prime it, and paint it."

Then Austin found some old wood in the barn for shelves and his dad bought brackets. He then put on some of his favorite stickers and sponsor stickers and the 2012 mailbox numbers to represent those trophies are from his 2012 season.

"2012 was his first year racing and we only made about 1/2 the races, which resulted in Austin getting 3rd place in AMA District 22 (the biggest trophy on the door). Austin likes the idea of doing a door trophy case every year, says Corey who then jokingly asks if anyone has a garage door for 2013 they want to get rid of?

Next year

For 2014, Austin and his family are going to attempt a balance of AMA D22 races and the AMA ATV National Circuit, which is a traveling series of the best of the best in the Nation.