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 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (11 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 2022 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: 11.
Current home: McDade, Texas.
Current height/weight: 4′ 8″/80 pounds.
Current school grade level: 5th grade.
Began riding at age: 3 years.
First road race: 2018, Katy Texas, Texas Mini Grand Prix, Jr. Motard, 1st place.
Current racebike: Moto4.
Current tuner/mechanic: Jose Pino.
Primary race series: RFME ESBK Moto4 National Championship.
Top sponsors: Roadway Traffic Control, Williams Custom Painting, Fondu, Moto Liberty, Texas Motorcycle Academy, Niemi Fine Art, San Marcos Iron Doors, Studio Three49, Harris Hill Flattrackers, Corsawerks, Arai Americas.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, finished 9th in Cuna de Campeones Moto5 Championship (1 podium, 4 top-5 finishes in 13 races), won CAV Moto5 National Championship race at Jerez, won multiple CMRA races; 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 Grsand Prix races, won 11 American Super Mini GP races, won 7 CMRA races, won 8 Mad Dog Flat Track races.
2022 racing goal: Win ESBK Moto4 Championship.
Racing career goal: Win the MotoGP World Championship.
Racing heroes: Kevin Schwantz, Colin Edwards, Ben Spies.
Favorite track: Circuit of The Americas.
Favorite hobby: Diesel Trucks.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: A cowboy.
