Brad Lowery's 2011 Yamaha Y2450 isn't the one collecting rust. Battling a knee injury for most the year, Brad is the one working out some kinks.

Brad will be traveling to Gainesville, Florida, over Thanksgiving to take part in the 2010 Winter National Olympics. The event is a MotoX and Supercross race, a sport Brad has been taking part in since he was 12 years old. Now a senior at Guilford High School, Brad is hoping the knee injury he suffered won't hold him back.

"In the national championship race, my goal is a top-10 finish overall," Brad says.

Brad will compete in the Open Stock and Open Modified groups. Open Stock means riders' bikes have had no modifications made to them, while in Open Modified, riders are permitted to "soup-up" their rides. Most of the bike work rests squarely on the shoulders of its owner.

"How long you spend riding is how long you spend working on it," says Brad. "I probably average 30 to 40 hours a week, I work on it every day after school. "

Brad says his bike needs an oil change for every five hours of work. The engine must be rebuilt every 20 hours. To keep his Yamaha running well and looking good, he power washes his ride after every use. But Brad doesn't have any sponsors or pit crews to do the leg work for him.

"My stepdad helps, but the bike work, I do everything," he says.

Brad's work has paid off. Among multiple top-three finishes in his career, Brad is no stranger to seeing the checkered flag waving in front of him. In 2009, he was the 250 Amateur Spring Series Champion, Open Amateur Spring Series Champion, 250 Amateur Fall Series Champion, Schoolboy Fall Series Champion, Open Amateur Overall Series Champion, Schoolboy Overall Series Champion, and the 250 Amateur Undefeated Overall Series Champion. He also won the 125 16-18 class Capeway Rovers New England Motocross Series and the 25 Lites class Winchester Speedpark Supercross.

"I'm pretty nervous on the line waiting to get going for the gate to drop," Brad says. "You feel that adrenaline, it is a cool feeling, not like any other sports. When you are riding, you are concentrating so much that you are free from anything else. It is fun for sure."

Living in Guilford means Brad's practice and racing all depends on the season. Limited by cold and rainy times, Brad is looking to relocate south for college. He is considering the University of Florida, Clemson, Mississippi State, Alabama, Auburn, and Georgia Tech.

Riders in southern states have more time to practice and are more accustomed to the heat which Brad will experience in Florida next week.

"All those riders ride year-round. They are used to the heat," he says. "The big thing for me is keep my speed consistent."

Brad is equally as decorated off the track as he is on it. He was a three-year letterman for the Guilford alpine ski racing team. He was named the team MVP as a freshman and sophomore and the team's captain as a senior.

Brad was also selected to be a student representative on the accreditation committee for Guilford. He additionally was handpicked to serve on the Steering Committee for the Capstone Project. Then as a junior, he participated in piloting the program. The Capstone Project is a senior project that includes research, a lengthy paper, a project, and a presentation in front of administrators, community leaders, parents, and students encapsulating his high school career.

Brad says he'd like to study mechanical engineering and hopes one day to start his own business. He doesn't believe he'll make a career out of bike racing, but he would like to stay involved in the sport. Brad's idea is to create after-market accessories for bikes which he could sell online.

No matter what kind of parts Brad or anyone can make for a bike, Brad reminds everyone the key to motocross is the rider.

"Racing is 95 percent the rider. All bikes are pretty similar as far as speed," says Brad.