DALLAS Skeer is a young man on the move.
The 15-year-old from Furner has been chasing his dream – and fast.
The last season of motorcycle racing has seen Skeer claim two titles in his home state – the South Australian Limited title and the Cafnix Limited title – along with the Victorian Hartwell club’s 125cc title, a second in the George Carrick for up to 250cc grand prix bikes on his 125cc bike, plus a second place in the Moto3 for the club after completing only the final three rounds.
Not only that, he also finished second in the Australian Moto3 Championship.
To say it was a big year is an understatement, with the commitment by the young rider seeing him compete at 17 race meetings, finishing on the podium in all of them.
Considering he is still ineligible to hold a South Australian driver’s licence, it is an even more impressive feat.
But you would not know it, with the quietly spoken racer level headed considering the success he has tasted.
“I’m racing seriously, but I treat it like it is for fun,” he said.
“I would like to make a career out of it if I can, so it will get more serious as I go on, but you see a lot of kids change their attitude.
“That’s not me.
“I just want to stay how I am.
“Dad has instilled most of that attitude in me.”
His father Michael has been along for the ride the whole time, ensuring his son has every chance of success.
That commitment is not lost on Dallas.
“If it was not for him I would not have a bike and I would not be able to get there to race,” he said.
“Next year I can get my licence, so I can drive while he rests.
“We might get home at midnight and he starts unloading the bikes while I go to bed.
“All the stuff he does in the shed … he is always working on the bikes so they are ready.
“He organises the sponsors, the entries, everything.”
Despite the workload, Skeer said it was something special to share with his father.
“When we get older we can look back on it and remember being there,” he said.
“The memories will be good.
“There are some funny times and there are some tough times, but you just have push through them.”
From now Skeer’s career takes another turn, with a 600cc Suzuki the next weapon of choice and the Australian championship in his sights.
The main issue is his age.
Skeer cannot race or practice on the bike until he turns 16, just a couple of weeks before the 2018 season kicks off.
But he can ride at coaching days, which he intends to make the most of.
With one day already completed, he is pleased with the new machine, despite having to contend with the extra bulk.
“The new bike is twice the weight and twice the power of my Moto3,” he said.
“We are just starting to do the strength and conditioning training I need for the bigger bikes.
“I was on the bike for the first time last week and was only three and a bit seconds off the lap record at Mac Park.
“I adapted quicker than I thought.
“I thought it would have more power than it did, so now it is mainly the weight.
“It is 180 kilos and I’m used to 80 kilo bikes, so I was a bit sore after it.”
Skeer said one of the biggest issues was simply muscling the bike around the track, with MacNamara Park providing plenty of twists and turns to push the slightly-built rider to the limit.
He will need to be up to speed when the season begins, with plenty of other challengers making the most of their age, currently practising on tracks around the country.
“A lot of kids are stepping up next year in teams,” Skeer said.
“A lot are from the 300cc production class and they will have a lot more bike time than me.
“I will have to get used to it as quick as I can.
“I can handle the power and once I build a bit of muscle, with a couple more rides I should be on the pace.”
Skeer hopes to make use of Levi Day’s coaching clinics, where Australian champion Josh Waters will be in attendance, along with the previous owner of his new bikes Ted Collins.
With the season fast approaching, he is confident by 2018 everything should be in place to mount an assault on the championship and with the ability he has shown in recent seasons, he could well be on the pace from the outset.
