Young Amado racer wins motocross title

The average second-grader spends his or her day going to school, playing with friends, doing household chores or playing video games.

Connor Giardina is not an average second-grader.

The 7-year-old Amado resident is one of Southern Arizona’s finest youth motocross racers.

Last week, Giardina won the 2006 AMX Series title, capping a tremendous motocross season.

“We’re so proud of Connor,” said his mother, Renee. “We couldn’t be more excited about everything he’s already accomplished.”

Connor won the overall points competition by a healthy margin. His prize package included a Diamondback BMX bicycle, two new pairs of racing goggles and a first-place trophy that stood at least two feet taller than the 4-foot, 1-inch Giardina.

An awards ceremony was held for Connor’s first-place finish at the Phoenix F1 Raceway.

Connor’s love for motorcycles began at a very early age. His father, Joe, would let Connor sit on the handlebars of the family motorcycle as an infant.

“He was making motorcycle noises before he learned how to talk,” Joe said.

Shortly after he learned to walk, Connor jumped on his first bicycle. The training wheels came off two weeks later, as young Connor was flying up and down his parents’ driveway.

At age 4, Connor rode his first motorcycle. He took to the sport quickly, showing immediate potential.

Before he was even enrolled in school, Connor won his first motocross race at the Pima Motorsports Park.

“Motocross is so much fun,” Connor said. “I love going off the jumps.”

A standard motocross track is roughly 1.5 miles, with sweeping turns, steep jumps and step-ups punctuating the dirt surface.

Connor’s regulation KTM motorcycle can reach speeds up to 60 miles per hour, with his modified cycle going even faster.

Since Connor began official competition, he has won more than 70 trophies and medals. The family has lost count of his first-place finishes.

“We had no idea he’d be this good, this fast,” Joe said. “His trophies have started to overtake the garage.”

Joe serves as Connor’s mechanic, making sure his bike has enough oil and double-checking Connor’s gear bag.

Joe also owns and operates Custom Touch Painting with his father—giving Connor one of the sharpest motorcycles on the track.

Connor’s motocross competitions have taken him all over the Southwest, including tournaments in Paca City, Okla., Las Vegas, Nev., and all over California.

In order to finance these trips, Connor has a long list of sponsors, including Bernie’s Cycle, Rocky's Shell, Arizona Elite, Custom Touch Painting, O'Neal, Dunlop, Renthal, Scott Goggles, ASV, Acerbis, Berik, DeCal Works, Fiberwise, RB Components and MotorTabs.

Some of these trips last as long as two weeks, meaning Connor has to work extra hard to keep up with his classmates.

In between races, Connor attends the Montessori School in Tubac.

“The people at Connor’s school have been absolutely wonderful,” Renee said. “They know his schedule, and they’ve been extremely cooperative.”

While he’s serious about his studies, motocross is Connor’s passion.

When he’s not riding at PMP or competing in Phoenix or at Acatillo Raceway in Eloy, Connor is either watching old X-Games tapes or riding his BMX bicycle.

With the AMX title under his belt, Connor is going to spend most of 2007 competing against the best youth racers California has to offer.

“They have some fast kids in California,” Renee said. “But Connor is ready for them. We’re still in search of a motor-home sponsor to make the jump to the California circuit.”

As he continues to hone his skills on the track, Connor hopes to one day compete for a national championship and be mentioned in the same breath as his hero, 15-time champion Ricky Carmichael.

“They call him the goat,” Connor said. “It stands for the greatest of all time.”

For more information on Connor’s motocross career and sponsorship opportunities, please call Renee at 360-7969.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9736