Full throttle: Sam Drane's epic year in American racing

Forbes teenager Sam Drane has made his final amateur season one to remember on the American motorcycle circuit. The 15-year-old switched between flat track and road racing, balancing three separate racing programs - and his work paid off spectacularly. By the end of the year, Drane had secured third-place finishes in both the MotoAmerica Twins Cup and Talent Cup championships, collected the road racing and flat track Nicky Hayden awards, on top of national amateur titles. Competing in both road racing and flat track isn't as straightforward as it sounds - the 15-year-old learning to adapt his skills, equipment and riding styles as he moved between disciplines until flat track wrapped up in July. “They’re definitely two different things, flat track and road racing,” Drane said. “The gears on the bike are different, the grip level’s way different. “It’s kind of like playing cricket, then football, that’s basically what it’s like. Still a ball but way different.” The challenge only made his results more impressive. Drane dominated the flat track Amateur Nationals, winning all four flat track classes he entered during the week-long event to be presented with the Nicky Hayden Horizon Award for the sport. He went on to win the memorial award for road racing when he won one of his two classes at the AMA Road Race Grand Championship. The award isn't only for on-track success, industry coverage of Drane's award explained it recognises a rider who best represents Hayden's professionalism, civility, grit and determination. Sam's juggling act will come to an end next season when he plans to focus exclusively on the MotoAmerica Twins Cup, a move he believes will allow him to continue building on the gains made during a breakthrough campaign. Racing the larger machine against more experienced opposition proved a steep learning curve early in the season, but one he adapted to quickly. “The bigger bike’s a lot better, faster people to race with is also really good,” he said. “It’s a big learning curve.” Drane announced himself as a contender by winning a race in just his second Twins Cup appearance and continued to improve as the championship visited increasingly technical circuits. “We went to a bit more technical tracks and I struggled a bit but really started to figure it out towards the end of the year,” he said. Sam and his older brother Tom (featured in last week's Advocate) raced through the American season with the support of parents Matt and Lisa. The family spent much of the year travelling across the United States, Matt driving the truck equipped with living quarters and a workshop. "The longest drive’s probably like going from Forbes to Darwin. It’s definitely a lot," Drane said. With his final amateur season now complete, Drane returns home to Forbes carrying momentum into what shapes as the biggest year of his career. “I’m really excited,” he said. “I feel like I’m a lot fitter than last year and just excited to get started.” With a full-time focus on Twins Cup ahead, Drane believes next season “should be massive”.