Port Elizabeth motorcycle racer Dominic Doyle will swap the shores of his hometown for the race tracks of the US when he participates in the final rounds of the MotoAmerica Championship later this month.
Doyle left earlier this week ahead of round eight of the series to be hosted in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from August 24 to 26.
In total, he will complete the final three rounds of this year’s edition before competing on a full-time basis in next year’s edition of the championships.
Doyle has steadily risen through the local ranks of motorcycling and will realise a childhood dream when he takes to the US tarmac.
He will compete in the Super Junior 300 class and said he was excited about going back to compete in the series where he has had two previous appearances, in 2016 and again in 2017, as a road racing world wild card rider.
“I am excited to be returning to take part in the final rounds of the MotoAmerica championships for this year, but more so that I will be returning next year as a privateer on a fulltime basis,” Doyle said.
“I am going into the competition with an open mind, which I have learnt from past experiences is the best thing to do, because going into a competition like this with too much confidence could lead to disappointment down the line.
“The level of competition is very high, but with the right level of training and practice, I think I can be competitive,” he added.
Coming from humble beginnings, the 17-year-old adrenaline junkie has made waves in the sport since his first introduction to racing.
“I just love the sport. The adrenaline rush it gives me, coupled with my desire to want to be better, is what I think inspires me to continue pushing hard and doing the best I can,” he said.
He started racing motocross in the novice 50cc class at five years old at the Rover Motocross Club. Racing on a PW50, Doyle had impressive performances competing in local club races.Not long after, he progressed to a KTM 50cc motorcycle and competed in various races across the Eastern Province motocross scene. It was here he started raising eyebrows by putting up some dominant displays in the class.
In 2009, he moved across to Supermoto racing in the Bay, in addition to competing in the national series events.
Midway through 2013, he turned his attention to the NSF 100 series and immediately showed his determination to do well, again raising eyebrows among the racing elite in the series, achieving a number of overall second-place finishes that year.
At the end of 2013, Doyle attended a training camp in Cape Town, offered by the South African Motorcycle Racing Academy, before later participating in a two-hour endurance event, where his team obtained third position.
In 2014, he participated in a majority of the Cape Town regional races, finishing second in most of the events.
He then attended a training camp where he received guidance from former MotoGP3 rider Joey Litjiens, of The Netherlands.
He also raced in the RC 390 regional series, where he finished third overall in the open class.
Doyle hailed the support he receives from his family and admits that without them none of his achievements would have been possible.
“My dad has been supporting my racing all my life and has gotten me where I am today.
“When I am in the US my mom and step dad will be supporting me, although my dad will still play a big role,” he added.
Algoa Motorsport Club’s Lucille Elliot said the club was extremely proud of Doyle’s achievements and wished him the best of luck for his future endeavours.