Oklahoma's rookie motocross racer scores high

By Amy Lester, NEWS 9

An Oklahoman is turning heads all over the country. In his rookie year as a professional motocross racer, Trey Canard is already up on top.

"I like to think of myself as dedicated and know what I want and give it my all, all the time," Canard said.

His dedication is well beyond his years. At just 17-years-old, Canard is a professional motocross racer.

"Your level in the sport can change at any point in time; just try to keep your head down, do the best you can every day and not get full of yourself," Canard said.

Canard won the championship title in his rookie year.

Moments later a proud Canard took the podium and said:

"Man, I've been dreaming about this since I was three-years-old, for it to finally happen is unbelievable for me," Canard said.

A few months have passed since that day, but having the trophy has changed him very little.

"Pretty cool, I'm pretty happy about it," said Canard. "I personally don't think I'm that great."

Canard continues to work hard at the sport. He spends hours on his motorcycle and in his gym training every day and he's even on a special diet.

"I don't want to be treated any different," Canard said. "It's really nothing that special. I'm just another person who puts his pants on, one leg at a time."

Canard said being humble and level headed come from his family.

"We try to keep it real," Canard's mother, Kari said. "Sure, you feel pride, but you try not to get puffed up and arrogant."

Kari is his biggest cheerleader. She travels with him, and runs the Canard ATV and cycle shop in Elk City. Even she is impressed with his level of commitment.

"I wish I was that disciplined," Kari said. "I've been trying to quit drinking Mountain Dew for eight years, but he's a machine."

She remembers when her son hopped on his first bike, at just three-years-old.

"He had such good balance," Kari said. "We thought he could ride, he was racing a week after he started riding."

Canard started riding, following his father's lead. They went to races together and then one day a freak accident forever changed the family.

Five years ago, Canard's father, Roy, was out working on a tractor in an area used to be the family's practice track, when the tractor fell on top of him and killed him.

That didn't tear the family apart; instead, it brought them closer together.

"You just take one day at a time and do what you have to do," Kari said.

Canard never thought of giving up after his father died.

"A lot of people would've kind of quit, I don't think that's ever what he would have really wanted me to do," Canard said.

Instead, his loss drives him to perform even better on the track.

"It gives me a little extra motivation to go out there and do it for him and just put all my effort into that," Canard said.

That effort, that focus, that determination will likely keep Canard on top, where he plans to win more titles. He'll spend his days preparing for them.

"There's a lot of cool places out there," Canard said. "I know Oklahoma might not be the best place but it is to me, and you can't really take that away from someone."

Right now, Canard is competing in the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship series.