Avila Ready to Show His Ability at Sacramento Mile

AMA Pro Grand National Championship
Round 7: Sacramento Mile at the Cal Expo Center

Courtesy of Circle Bell Motorsports
Photo by Dave Hoenig
SACRAMENTO, CA, JULY 26, 2012

Northern California rider Mickey Avila is ready to show his ability aboard his SDI Insulation-sponsored Harley-Davidson when this year’s Sacramento Mile thunders into action on Saturday, July 28, at Cal Expo.

Mikey Avila (33E) is ready, willing and eager to tackle the Sacramento Mile again, this time in the Pro Twins.

Born in Monterey, California, and now a resident of Madera, California, this 19-year-old young gun has been riding since he was 3 years old and racing since the tender age of 4.

“My dad bought me a motorcycle for my third birthday,” Avila explained with a smile. “It was love at first sight, and I pretty much took to it like a duck takes to water. I ran my first race when I was 4 and took the win. The more I raced, the more I loved it. In short, I was hooked and knew that I wanted to become a professional racer.”

Moving up the ladder of success, Avila continued to fine-tune his two-wheeled skills, earning numerous victories and accolades along the way. Taking three regional championships and three National Championships at the age of 16, Avila also received the AMA Dirt Track Horizon Award, which is presented annually to the rider showing the most promise for success in the Pro ranks.

Turning Pro in 2010, Avila competed in the AMA Pro Grand National Singles and scored three podium finishes and eight top-five finishes, ending the season in third overall in the points standings. Last season, again running in the Pro Singles, he earned six Grand National Pro Singles victories and finished second in the standings. This year, flying the SDI Insulation banner, he has taken another leap forward and is contesting the AMA Pro Twins Grand National Championship.

“I am really excited about racing this weekend’s Sacramento Mile,” Avila said with obvious enthusiasm. “This is it my hometown track, and my family, friends and sponsors will all be here, which makes it doubly special. I really like the track. It is fast, it is safe, and it is fun! I led most of the Pro Singles race at Sacramento last year, and had Mikey Martin not managed to draft by me just before the checkers, I would have taken the win!

“Our luck wasn’t too good at Lima and Hagerstown,” he continued, “but hopefully we have shaken off the bad luck and the third time will be the charm. Joe [Bisha], my tuner, has both of my SDI Insulation Harley-Davidsons really dialed in. With Joe, I have learned an incredible amount in the first few races and we are definitely good to go.

“The competition in the Pro Twins class is amazingly tough,” Avila concluded. “With six races down, we’ve had six different winners. There are a whole bunch of riders who can take the checkered each time out. You really have to be on top of the game every second you are on the track, and that’s what I am planning to do on Saturday.”

In addition to SDI Insulation, Avila is sponsored by Serramonte Ford, Circle Bell Racing, Boughner Racing, Mack Daddy Racing, Galvin Precession Machining, Arai, Kal-Gard, Alpinestars, Motion Pro, West Coast Hotshoes, K&N Filters, Dickle Racing, Fox, Matrix Concepts, Works Connection, Hooper Motorsports, EBC Brakes, Allwood Construction and Moroso Construction.