“The air smells like race fuel. You can feel the roar of engines in your chest. Dirt bikes fly into the air off jumps right in front of you, shaking the ground as they land. People tailgate all day and talk to strangers like old friends. Kids are running around barefoot and covered in dirt. Three-year-olds fly through the pits on miniature electric bikes.”
To an outsider, a motocross race might look chaotic and dangerous. But to 16-year-old Brody Pacheco of Boerne, it's home. "The motocross track is unfiltered, and it's perfect in every way," Brody says, his passion for the sport evident in every word.
That passion has carried him from his first wobbly ride on training wheels at age three to qualifying for the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, the country’s largest and most prestigious amateur motocross event, held annually at Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. There, over 1,500 riders compete across dozens of classes after progressing through local qualifiers and regional championships, serving as a launchpad for future professional motocross stars.
Competing at Loretta Lynn's Ranch this past summer was both a dream and a test for Brody. Only 40 riders from around the world earn a spot in each class. The brutal track conditions and the pressure of racing against the top riders in the nation pushed Brody to dig deep mentally, and he proved he belonged with the best with a top ten finish in both the Supermini 1 and Supermini 2 classes, which are the most elite of the youth classes in dirt bike racing.
Brody's love affair with motocross started early—really early. At just three years old, he climbed onto his first dirt bike, training wheels attached. "I remember it was scary at first, but that quickly changed to fun," he recalls. "The training wheels didn't last long."
Like many riders, Brody was following in his father's tire tracks. His dad would take him to local courses to practice, and by age seven, Brody was ready for his first race. He landed a third-place trophy that day, confirming what he already suspected: “Moto was in my blood.” His first win later that year sealed his fate. "That's when I knew in my heart that racing motocross was going to be more than just a hobby for me," Brody says.
Despite the individual nature of racing, motocross takes a village, and Brody's village is substantial. Since those early days with training wheels, his parents have championed his dream. In fact, his dad's commitment runs so deep that he pivoted his entire career, becoming a full-time dirt bike mechanic to support Brody's journey while still earning an income on the road. "My dad has never missed a moment," Brody says. "He has always been there to take me from practice to training to races."
Brody's siblings compete in their own sports but cheer him on at his races when they can. His extended family traveled across Texas to watch him race in his early years, but now that he competes at the national level, they follow along via live stream and live timing, flooding his phone with supportive messages after each race.
The support extends beyond family, too. Costs such as equipment maintenance, gear, race entry fees, training, and travel expenses add up quickly at this level of competition. Local businesses have stepped up as sponsors to invest in Brody's journey and help keep him competitive. Still, Brody takes a matter-of-fact view of his success: "There are a lot of people who help me, but at the end of the day, nobody else is responsible for my results other than me."
These days, taking responsibility for his results looks like training at Millsaps Training Facility, a distinguished motocross academy in Cairo, Georgia. He wakes at 7:30 a.m. for gym warm-ups at 8:00, then rides from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Afternoons bring more gym work and crosstraining—weights, cardio, yoga, jujitsu, road biking, running—all designed to build the strength and endurance required for elite-level racing.
Even with the grueling schedule, there are moments in his day that look like those of any other teenager: schoolwork, chores, and downtime to chill with friends. Brody doesn't see his dual life as a student and an athlete as a burden. He's completing school online at his own pace and is scheduled to graduate ahead of his peers.
What makes someone dedicate their teenage years to a sport that requires traveling hundreds of miles, living away from family, rigorous training, and riding through injuries and exhaustion? Brody's answer is simple: love for the sport, the community, and the lessons it's taught him. "No matter where you're racing, it feels like everyone is one big family," he says. "Whether you're at the local track or a professional race, you can get up close and personal with the riders and mechanics throughout the day. There are no closed doors."
Beyond the camaraderie, motocross has taught Brody discipline and accountability, lessons that will serve him long after his racing career ends. "To be successful, I have to put in the work," he explains.
That mindset is driving him toward the professional ranks, and every race brings him closer to that goal. In the future, Brody sees himself on a factory team, living every young dirt bike kid's dream. But even if professional racing isn't in the cards, he still wants to be involved in the motocross industry somehow. One thing is certain: he'll still be riding.
"Racing motocross is not just a sport, it's a lifestyle," Brody says. "From the outside, it can look reckless, but it takes grit, dedication, and sacrifice. We race tired, sick, injured… it doesn't matter. We do it because we love it."
Find Brody on Instagram @brodyzane158mx.
“There are a lot of people who help me, but at the end of the day, nobody else is responsible for my results other than me."
"From the outside, it can look reckless, but it takes grit, dedication, and sacrifice… We do it because we love it."