Ryan Trout’s motocross quad went airborne on a jump in a recent competition. Ryan Trout, son of Alan and RoAnn Trout of Staples, may be only 12 years old, but he’s already amassed a garage full of trophies from his years of racing motocross events on ATV’s and snocross on snow machines.

Ryan’s No. 68 is a frequent number on the winner’s stand at events around Minnesota. He’s developed a great deal of skill, having been racing since his dad put him on a machine when he was 22 months old.

“I like the snow cross racing better (than motocross). It doesn’t hurt as much when you crash and you have more power too,” Ryan said.

“Mom was not real happy about the first time. His dad put him on a snowmobile at a radar run on Fishtrap Lake,” his mom, RoAnn Trout, said. She added, “But you ran a picture of him in the Staples World so that was good.”

Ryan Trout displayed his trophy from the moto cross nationals race in June in MIllsville. Last month, in the first ever National Motocross race held in Minnesota, Ryan finished in sixth place in the eight to 15 year old category, competing with 21 other young racers. He was running at Spring Creek raceway near Millesville, just outside Rochester. In a few weeks he’ll be running in another national event in Michigan. “Usually we do the Minnesota district circuit,” RoAnn explained.

In the winter, Ryan has been racing snocross events but in the past year has branched out to run cross country. Those races have been in Minnesota, North Dakota and in Michigan. He finished second this past winter season in the junior, age 10-13, cross country series, with two first place finishes.

“Cross county is a little more fun than running a track. You go further and you get more miles. You get to ride a lot longer,” he said.

Ryan Trout’s No. 68 chewed up the dirt as it rounded a corner on one of the tracks he raced at this summer. Hitting the jumps on the

tracks is a thrill he’s gotten

so used to it’s automatic. “From experience, you just

hit the gas at how fast you

need to go,” he said. All

the competitors do that. “We’re all friends until we

race and friends after we race.”

His best memory in racing? Ryan had trouble picking just one, but recalled “I beat last year’s champ by four minutes in one snocross event,” he said. “Going to Nationals at Millsville was another top experience.”

His only serious injury didn’t come during a race. Instead it was during some down time after the races were over. “I hit a jump on a pedal bike. I was just screwing around on this bike. The front end took a nose dive and I went headfirst. My head hit the ground and I got a concussion and I strained all the muscles in my neck.”

He was treated at a Rochester hospital and back at the track shortly. But there was no more racing for him that weekend, his mom put her foot down.