This time last year, Wagga's Billy Clark had just won a motorbike in a raffle at the Wagga Motorcycle Sports Club.
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Twelve months on, Billy's chasing another early Christmas present - this time in the form of a podium finish in the statewide 'Sultans of Slide' motor racing series.
On Friday morning, the 10-year-old and his family headed for Kempsey, on the mid-north coast of NSW, for the third and final round of the inaugural flat track cup, a new series designed to inject new life back into dirt track racing.
After finishing third at Wagga last month and third at Appin, south of Sydney, last week, Clark is second overall and in the box seat to finish second or third in the championship.
"I beat the Australian champion once, and I came third overall," Clark said of the Appin event, where he enjoyed a win, a second and three thirds in the five races on the day.
"Excited" is how he felt after tasting victory when he beat national dirt track champion Sam Drane (who had won all five races in Wagga).
Clark learnt to ride early, and had his moments.
"I done a front flip on the bike, let go of the bike and I done another front flip," he recalls of his worst stack a few years ago.
"I got up. I wanted to keep riding! But they said no."
But he only started racing after his raffle win. He's outgrown the TTR 50 but fallen for the sport. While he rides motocross because it's available, he's found a love and talent for dirt track racing.
"He loves going fast," mum Nik said.
"He's only ever had one speed. And it was never slow."
Clark's been to Albury and Bega for racing, taking on 13-year-olds when he was still nine. Add in the two Sultans of Slide events and he's still only raced four times on dirt. Ever.
This Saturday is another new experience, with new tyres going on for the oil-based track at Kempsey.
His home club will be cheering on from Wagga.
"This time last year Billy didn't have a bike," Wagga Motorcycle Sports Club president Adam Beck said.
"He won a bike from our club in a raffle at the Stadiumcross burnout rec night and now 12 months later, Billy is banging bars with state and Australian champions.
"He's a good example that nothing is too hard and we are proud of his accomplishments within the club and representing the club... we wish him all the best and we're sure that he'll kick butt this weekend.
"If this is what he can achieve in 12 months of owning a bike I can't wait to see what the next 12 months bring for him and his family."
Beyond this weekend, the Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships next year will be Clark's goal.
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