Most Likely To Succeed?
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED?
Thirteen-year-old Red Bull Rookies Cup contender Benny Solis Jr. proved that he was the kid to beat in the inaugural Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup season. He racked up four wins in five races including Barber Motorsports Park, Infineon Raceway and two victories at the Laguna Seca doubleheader during the MotoGP weekend.
Who is this fast kid and where did he come from?
The Southern California native got his first taste of motorcycling on a 50cc KTM, but he preferred play riding over racing. After seeing his former roadracer dad Ben Sr. on a Honda RS125, he knew that asphalt was in his future.
“My first roadracer was a Honda NSR50,” he said. “At first, I just went out for a couple of track days and practiced, but then my dad took me to a CMRRA event to race my NSR. I competed with that club and also in SCminiGP for two years. I eventually won the NSR Cup,
80cc GP class and the USGPRU West Coast 125cc GP series.”
After watching good friend Cameron Beaubier race in the ’07 MotoGP Rookies Cup and then move on to the Red Bull Academy in Spain
this year, Solis decided that was where he wanted to be, too. With the announcement that a U.S.based series was in the works, he signed up and made the cut.
When asked why he thinks he was so successful this past year, Solis had this to say: “I don’t know. I mean I’m just really trying hard at every race My dad has told me that he’s taken me as far as he can get me. So now that I’m here I need to do my best.”
As for his future: “I’m only 13, so I still have plenty of time. If Red Bull doesn’t want to take me to the MotoGP Academy, I’d be happy to do the MotoGP Rookies Cup in Europe where my goal would be to finish top five,” he said. “Then I would like to get on a factory 125 Grand Prix team.”
No matter where he ends up, Benny Solis Jr. may one day soon be America’s roadracing future. Blake Conner
