24th-Annual Roadracing World Young Gun Honors:
By David Swarts
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 24th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
AMA Pro races and Championships, including eight AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (8 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 11 and 18 (as of the start of the 2020 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships on a 125cc two-stroke/250cc four-stroke or larger racebike or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Alexis Olivera
Age: 15.
Current home: North Port, Florida.
Current height/weight: 5’4”/120 pounds.
Current school grade level: 9th grade.
Began riding at age: 9 years.
First road race: 2015, Dublin, Georgia, Herrin Compound Scorcher Series, Kids Class, 1st place.
Current racebike: Kawasaki Ninja 400.
Current tuners/mechanics: Kris Olivera (father).
Primary race series: MotoAmerica Junior Cup.
Top sponsors: Fran Haasch Law Group, BikersPost, Bell, Dunlop, Roaring Toyz, Motul, NGK, TrackWorx, Spears Racing, Galfer, Zero Gravity, Woodcraft, Vortex, EK Chains, M4, Thermosman.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2019 season, co-rode to 2nd in two N2 Racing/WERA 2-hour Lightweight Endurance races, won 1 FMRRA Expert race and took 14 podium finishes, won 5 CCS Expert races and took 9 podium finishes; 2018 season, won SuperBike 300 Amateur CCS Florida Championship, won Moto3 Amateur FMRRA Championship (overall 11 race wins, 20 podium finishes); 2017 season, 4 race wins, 20 podium finishes as Amateur with FMRRA and CCS
2020 racing goal: Be the first female to win a MotoAmerica race.
Racing career goal: Make a living doing what I love – racing.
Racing hero: Ana Carrasco.
Favorite track: Pittsburgh International Race Complex
Favorite hobby: Reading Manga.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Hanging out with my friends.
