Wagga's Byron Dennis will get a shot at Supercross after a top-three finish at the Australian Junior Motocross Championships

On the back of a podium finish at the national motocross titles, Wagga's Byron Dennis has been invited to race at the Australian Supercross Championships event in Wollongong next month.

It caps a big year for the 12-year-old who's been riding since he was five when dad, Ben, put him on a Honda 50.

"I love it. It gets you away from a lot of stuff and it's just fun, stress-free. And I get to meet a lot of people," Byron said.

Stress-free for some. His mum, Katie, is terrified of the transition to tackle Supercross but knows it's a massive opportunity and one the rider, his dad and his coach all know he's ready to make.

"It's been a big thing for me to allow him to do that, kids break their arms, their femurs, just like that. But you've got to take the step to Supercross one day so you've got to let him do it," Katie said.

"It's a big ask for young kids and I hesitate, because he's 12 and he's the youngest one out there. But Byron will be out to win."

The year seven student was among 100-odd riders, most of them two years older, in the under 15s at the Australian Junior Motocross Championships last month.

After two days of time trials and two days of heats, he qualified for the three-race finals, where he claimed a fourth and a sixth before flying home to win the last and finish third overall in the 85cc class. (He can't race on a 125cc until he turns 13).

"I wasn't too happy with the sixth but I was really excited when I won the last race," he said

"I thought I had a fair crack at it and I would've been happy with a top five."

It stamped the rider from the Riverina as rising star in the sport and fuelled his ambition to go pro by the time he's 16. Byron is on the bike most afternoons and heads to Nowra for training with coach Greg Moss once a week. The chance to have a crack at Supercross ups the ante.

"It's a bit daunting. It's a bit different, like 10 jumps in a row, so it's a lot more about rhythm instead of speed," he said.

"Yesterday I come off on a jump down there. I come off the seat and had to ditch the bike in the air. It cartwheeled, and cartwheeled onto me. I've been down at the physio because I've got a sore shoulder, sore elbow, sore back.

"But I like it. It's pretty fun if you get the rhythm right, the flow. I think I can go really well if I put my mind to it and stay safe."

That crash got his mum's heart pounding. Katie said she might be a nervous mother but the family loves the sport, including Byron's sisters Eliza and Piper.

While many emerging stars of the track are home-schooled and virtually on the road full-time, they're maintaining a home base, family life and ensuring schoolwork, with the support of The Riverina Anglican College, is also a priority.

"The intensity has picked up in the last six months. It's been a learning year for all of us. I think Byron took a lot of it in and our expectations had to step up a bit when he started winning and doing quite well," Katie said.

Byron has played rugby league and union and enjoys mountain biking but the motorbikes are a bigger commitment now.

He's got the backing of KTM Newcastle while Wagga mechanic Steele Willis looks after his bikes. Kidsons Cycles also help out.while the Dennis family say they've loved being a part of the Wagga Motorcycle Sports Club who are big supporters of his development.

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