Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed North America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 25th consecutive year of showcasing what is actually an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica/AMA Pro races and Championships, including nine MotoAmerica/AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (10 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 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2021 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships 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.
Mikey Lou Sanchez
Age: 10.
Current home: McDade, Texas.
Current height/weight: 4′ 6″/69 pounds.
School grade level: 4th grade
Began riding at age: 3 years.
First road race: 2018, Texas Mini GP, Katy, Texas, Jr. Motard, 1st place.
Current racebikes: Ohvale GP1 160 & 190, Honda NSF250R, Moriwaki 250.
Current tuners/mechanics: Mike Sanchez (father) and Trinity Richardson (mother).
Primary race series: Cuna de Campeones (Spanish) Moto5.
Top sponsors: Roadway Traffic Control, AGV Sport America, Arai, JPino Competicion, Fondu, Williams Custom Painting, AAA Lift Trucks, 212 Decals, Texas Dog Magazine, 3:16 Trackdays, Pawelek Financial, Texas Motorcycle Academy, Corsawerks, Niemi Fine Art, Woods Cycle Country.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2020 season, won MotoAmerica Mini Cup 110 and 160 National Championships, won 3 Texas Mini Grand Prix Championships, won 2 Mad Dog Flat Track Championships at Colin Edwards’ Texas Tornado Boot Camp; won a CMRA Formula 2 Novice race; 2019 season, won 45 Texas Mini Grand Prix races, won 11 American Super Mini GP races, won 7 CMRA races, won 8 Mad Dog Flat Track races.
2021 racing goal: Win the Cuna de Campeones Moto5 Championship.
Racing career goal: Win the MotoGP World Championship.
Racing heroes: Colin Edwards, Kevin Schwantz, Ben Spies.
Favorite track: Hallett Motor Racing Circuit.
Favorite hobby: Semi-trucks.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Riding horses.
