Hi guys... I recently got my 20th win in intermediate to advance to Expert. I was super excited since I had an up and down season this year. Its pretty cool to be 7 years old and turn expert. I believe I am one of only a couple 7 year old experts in my state which makes me even more proud in my 3rd year of racing. 

What really made me confused though is the fact that before I turned 7 in August, I raced a lot of 7 year olds at 6 years old and I wasn't expected to win a lot, but I did. I got a lot of my wins in 7I at 6 years old because there just wasnt a lot of 6 I guys to race and I got better faster and I didn't feel pressure. I actually liked racing the older, faster kids, it was cool. And after a while I stared to beat them all. I eventually had a couple kids move up and I actually had a class! I didn't really lose much. It was cool because racing against the older kids made me faster. I saw that. But then the time came where I turned 7 and all the same kids I was beating as a 6 year old started beating me back in the 7I class. Even the ones where I went to their home track for the first time, and I still beat them pretty good, they were beating me. I couldn't figure out why. Was it because after I got some 6I guys to finally have a class, I didn't have to push as hard to win? Did I get slower or stay the same speed? Dad wasn't happy, thats for sure. He changed my bike a few times but nothing seemed to work. It really wasn't that fun.

What I learned is; there was nothing wrong with me or the bike. I'm just a 7 year old and the other kids where getting bigger than me, maybe a little stronger, and definately a little faster. Dad says "maturity." Dad still says to me every practice or race, "I don't care about the wins right now...I just want you to give 110%, 100% of the time...the wins will come. Have fun, learn that although winning is fun, a good race battling your friends is just as fun." So that's what we did! At some point you get into a class where everyone has a chance to win because we're all that close. That's racing. That's what makes it fun. Don't get me wrong, I always try to win and I still get mad when I don't...for a minute...and then I realize I got school in the morning! And when I get home and do my homework, I get to ride again! And then I get to race them all over again and I have something to look forward to achieving. I also like playing other sports for fun and I use what I learn racing for those sports too. It definately helps. 

Turning 7X is just like the time I went back to racing my old 7I buddies...only now, there's no 7X guys to race! I have to race 8X. What! I won't be making the same mistakes again. Learning is fun! Racing is awesome and I know I will be a winner again. Most of all, I get to ride and race with the best expert kids in the country. Thats pretty awesome. So don't get frustrated if you felt the same way I did. Never let being a kid get in the way of racing...and never let racing get in the way of being a kid. Have a blast! See you on the track... Bring it on dudes!

Declan "THE DIESEL Sims

Narrated by DAD