At age 6, when his peers were learning how to ride bicycles, Ryder Yeckley began dirt bike riding, inspired by his dad. Two years later, he was racing.
“My dad had done it since he was a teenager and wanted me to try and see if I liked it,” Yeckley, a freshman, said. “I first started riding in the summer of 2015, and it made me excited when I threw my leg over the bike and made my heart pump in a good way.”
In fact, Yeckley got his middle name, which he goes by, because of its link to dirt bike riding. He said his dad “likes to joke with me, saying ‘Ryder’s riding.’ ”
Yeckley found that the people he surrounded himself with while riding brought out the best in him, motivating him to continue racing.
“The friends and families I’ve met from racing have been able to help me improve as a racer and a human being,” Yeckley said. “They have been able to motivate me and teach me qualities to better myself.”
Yeckley earned a fifth-place finish in nationals in 2022, and he had a top-10 finish in local racing in 2023. The dirt bike nationals season runs from February to October, while his local racing season goes from March to October. Yeckley said he has experienced some challenges in the current season, but it is going well.
“I tend to have a good wreck (each race), such as riding too hard over my head, hitting a tree or rock, falling off my bike, so I fall in my race position. But I’m expecting a few more top 10’s and 5’s here in the next few races,” Yeckley said. “This year has been different because I’ve moved up in age divisions, so I’m one of the younger people in my classes now. But I already have a few top 10’s and 20’s this year, so I’m happy with that.”
Yeckley’s dad, Ryan, and brother, Dylan, also race with dirt bikes. Due to the age gaps and being in different race classes, they don’t race with each other, but when they do, Yeckley is excited to see them.
“If I race in the youth class and catch up to my brother, it feels good to push him and for him to push me too,” Yeckley said. “When I race in the adult class, I have only seen my dad once, since there are so many classes in between us. But when my dad did catch me, he pushed me and got me out of my slump.”
The main thing you need to race is conditioning. If you can last for the two hours of racing, you’ll do well.
— Ryder Yeckley
Dylan Yeckley, Ryder’s younger brother, is the American Woods Racing Cross Country 2022 50cc champion in the age 7 to 10 division and the Eastern Racing Off-Road Championship 2023 65cc overall champion in the age 7 to 10 division. When Dylan races against Ryder, he feels motivated.
“Racing with Ryder made me feel motivated to go fast and try to catch up to him,” Yeckley said. “My brother influences me by pushing me and making me want to go faster.”
Ryder’s dad, Ryan Yeckley, didn’t have a dirt bike when he was young. Eventually, he bought his first one at age 14. Because of this, he wanted to introduce the sport to his kids after they showed interest.“This is pretty much our lives,” Yeckley said. “Everything is based off of where and when we are racing.”
Nationals, held in locations throughout states such as Pennsylvania, the Carolinas, and Georgia, have the best competition, and racing there is the most effective way to hone skills.
“Putting him out in the mix with the best kids is the best way to develop,” Ryan Yeckley said.
Since Ryder Yeckley competes with the best racers in nationals, he trains throughout the week leading up to a competition.
“The main thing you need to race is conditioning. If you can last for the two hours of racing, you’ll do well,” Yeckley said. “You need to be strong.”
Yeckley has had many injuries that have forced him to end various seasons early, including a torn right ACL in 2019, and then another torn right ACL, a torn meniscus, and a broken left tibia in 2021. And in 2023, he broke his right collarbone and was out for two months of the season.
Ryan Yeckley said it is difficult to watch his son be injured.
“It’s a pretty terrible feeling knowing your kids are going to be out for a good bit, while everyone else is progressing,” Yeckley said. “It’s pretty hard on us watching him race knowing injuries are definitely going to happen.”
Dylan Yeckley said he’s proud of his older brother for his dedication to dirt bike racing.
“I have seen Ryder be very dedicated recently,” Dylan Yeckley said. “Every time he races, he is making progress.”
Ryder Yeckley said he won’t be going professional as a racer, but he expects to maintain it as a hobby.
“It is almost impossible to go professional in this sport and make a comfortable living. I’ve had too many injuries, so I most likely won’t be able to make a career out of it,” Yeckley said. “I see this being a hobby I will continue with my family and friends for the rest of my life.”
