Pittsburgh teenager ready to compete on the world's stage for motorcycle racing
SHALER, Pa. (KDKA) — A Pittsburgh-area teenager is headed to Europe to prove he is one of the best.
Ryder Davis is 14 years old and already one of the best motorcycle road racers for his age in America.
"I actually won both national championships in MotoAmerica, the (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme), which qualifies me to go race in Spain," he said.
In November, the Armstrong School District eighth-grader will be in Europe to take a shot at being the best in the world in his class.
"I couldn't ask for a better son," the boy's father, Casey Davis, said.
The 14-year-old's crew chief is his dad, who owns Extreme Auto Glass. When he is not putting in windows, he is taking his son around the nation to race. It's incredibly expensive and time-consuming, but for dad, it's worth it. He says his boy was born to ride.
"I realized Ryder could ride when he broke his arm and one of the first questions out of his mouth was when am I going to be able to get back on the bike?" he said.
So, just how fast does Ryder, who everyone calls Ryder the Rocket, go?
"Probably 130 miles an hour," Ryder said.
And yes, he's wiped out a few times.
"Some crashes hurt more than others," Ryder said. "I'm mostly on my butt or my back."
But for Ryder, it's part of the gig and all worth it. You have to pay the price to be the best.
"I want to be the world champion," he said.