Harvey earns spot on factory team

There was definitely plenty of pressure on Aron Harvey a few weeks ago as he tried out for his first factory team in motocross racing.

It was likely going to be his only shot to be a part of a factory team this year. Otherwise it was probably going to be another expensive year as a professional. "I'm just trying to make some money so I can keep going," Harvey said.

But that changed considerably when Harvey came through with flying colors as he was the only one chosen out of all the racers who tried out several weeks ago in Calgary, Canada, for the Toyota-Yamaha Blackfoot Fox Racing Team. The 20-year-old Harvey, a 2005 Carson High gradaute, was the consistently fastest racer during the tryout, which landed him a spot on the team.

As a racer on the team, Harvey will have all of his expenses paid for. He will receive a set of practice motorcycles and a race motorcycle. From repairs to the motorcycles, parts, race equipment and trailers to haul the motorcycles, the team will provide for everything.

Harvey will continue to live in Carson City and race with the team on weekends in Canada. The team will also pay for his flights from Carson to Canada.

"I can do my career without having to worry about paying for stuff," Harvey said. "It's all take care of. I get to go out and try to make a living."

The nine-race series in Canada that Harvey will participate in will begin in May and will last throughout the summer.

"This was my last chance to gete something for this year," said Harvey about the tryout giving him the opportunity to land a spot on a factory team. "It was probably one of the most nervous days I've ever had. I knew I had to lay it all out on the line and get it done and that's what I did."

During the tryout all of the racers covered a standard outdoor motocross course on the same motorcycle. None of the riders were familiar with the course. "It was all fair," Harvey said.

Each rider took a 15-lap turn around the course that lasted about 20 minutes. Harvey consistenly finished each lap in one minute, 39 seconds while all the other riders were in the 1:40 range. So Harvey covered the course about 15 seconds faster than the other riders.

"It's way cool," said Harvey about making the team. "I had to race against some pretty fast kids. It was pretty cool to get picked."

Harvey knows the pressure isn't off just because he made the team. He'll be the only rider on the team in the 250F class while the rest of the riders on the team will be in the 450 class.

"They wanted somebody who was going to win so that's what I've got to do," Harvey said.

Harvey was a national champion on the amateur level before turning pro in 2006. Harvey has consistently finished in the top three in all of his pro races.

The riders who have been beating Harvey race in the world's top series, the American Motorcycle Association circuit. "They're the best in the world," Harvey said.

"It's been really good," Harvey also said about his pro career so far. "I'm getting beat by top factory kids. "I was really happy with what I did this year."