Out of the Blue | Katie Benson | Presented by Schrader’s

Out of the Blue | Katie Benson | Presented by Schrader’s

By Jensen Amyotte

Name: Katie Benson

Date of Birth: January 17, 2003

Hometown: Greer, South Carolina 

Grade or occupation: Sophomore in College 

Race Number: 28

Bike: Yamaha 250

Classes: Women 

Who/what inspired you to get into the sport of motocross and how long have you been racing/riding? 

My whole family raced and I grew up going to the race track. My first time at the track was when I was 2 weeks old. I always looked up to my sister and told her that I was going to beat her one day! My first race was when I was 4 years old at Budd’s Creek. 

When not on a dirt bike how do you keep yourself busy? Are you involved in any other sports or extracurricular activities?

Yes, I am actually in college online for Business Management, so whenever I’m not racing or training I will usually be working on school!

As a racer, are there any obstacles you feel a female racer has to deal with that maybe a male racer does not?

Yes, I think there are definitely obstacles that a female racer has to deal with that a male racer does not. I definitely had to prove to a lot of people that I can actually compete with the boys and I had to make them believe in me as a female racer. 

What event do you look forward to most every year, one you don’t ever want to miss? 

A race that I look forward to every year is Loretta’s! I have been for 10 straight years and have even won before! 

What are your biggest accomplishments to date?

My biggest accomplishment to date was winning Loretta’s in 2020. Also, I won the AMA Female Racer of the Year award! That is definitely one of the coolest awards I have won. 

What is the biggest lesson that motocross racing has taught you so far?

The biggest lesson that motocross has taught me so far is that I have to work hard for what I want. 

Are there any females out there who you feel have paved the way for other girls to be successful in motocross?

A female that I feel has paved the way for other girls is Jessica Patterson who is a 7x WMX champ. Jessica actually trains me now at her new facility LVL UP in South Carolina. 

What kind of track/dirt do you feel you excel at most and why? 

I feel that I excel most at fast tracks with deep ruts!

If you ever have children will you give them the option to race as well? 

Yes, I will. If they want to race I will support it 100%. It has been a very big part of my life and I would love to share my love for this sport with them! 

What was your first race number and how did you choose it? 

My first race number was K8. I chose that because my nickname was Kate and my dad’s number was 8, so it kind of went together. 

Do you see yourself ever competing in the Canadian WMX Triple Crown series? 

Yes, I do, I think it would be really cool to make a trip up to race the WMX Canadian Triple Crown Series. 

Who would you like to thank? 

I would like to thank my mom and dad for supporting what I love to do. Monster, Fox, Dunlop, Triangle Cycles, Blu-Cru, FMF, Adept, and Mika Metals.