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Posted: 2024-11-01 23:12:14

At just 11 years old Cruz Brahim was born to ride motocross. 

The boy from South Hedland, about 1,600 kilometres north of Perth, has been speeding around dirt tracks his entire life.

Cruz's small hands attempt to balance his large helmet, wobbling slightly before it slides down on top of his head. 

"Should I warm her up, Dad?" he asks excitedly, revving his blue motorbike over and over. 

young boy in safety gear leans over a small blue motorbike with a smile and a thumbs up with a red dirt background

Cruz Brahim has set his sights on a career in professional motocross. (ABC Pilbara: Jessica Shackleton)

Cruz is an average height for a child his age, but carries a big presence amongst the stacks of red dirt, disappearing completely between mounds before shooting out metres into the air. 

"It feels so good riding. Just the adrenaline of being in the air, soaring through the sky," he said.

"It's not scary. I just ride and it feels great.

"I knew I wanted this [as a career] when I got my first north-west podium on 50s [cc]."

A family affair

The zest for dirt biking started with Cruz's grandparents Donna and Tony Hannson who have been involved in motocross for almost 35 years. 

"Grandad is the mechanic. He does all the bike work for everyone," Ms Hannson said. 

"Cruz's mum Jayde rode for a little while, then all the kids wanted to ride.

"We live for it, it keeps us young." 

After moving to South Hedland six years ago, Cruz, alongside his older brother and sister, got involved with the motocross community, going on to win multiple competitions throughout the state.

His older sister Aleira most recently took out second place overall for the north-west as the only girl in the 85cc class. 

A girl and a boy with a motorbike.

"I'm very, very proud of Cruz," says older sister Aleira Brahim. (ABC Pilbara: Jessica Shackleton)

"Cruz always teaches me everything, we always train together," Aleira said.

"He's faster than me, I will admit that."

Father BJ Brahim chuckled and said he had "married into" motocross and had never ridden a bike before he met Ms Brahim.

He acknowledged that while the sport undoubtedly came with risk, it was important to let kids be kids.

A young girl in pink riding gear and helmet rides a motorbike through red dirt

"She's had a pretty good year," says father BJ Brahim about 13-year-old daughter Aleira. (Supplied: Brahim Racing)

"You can break your leg doing anything. Just going to school, riding scooters around the skate park," he said. 

"You've just got to put your kids out there.

"If that's what they want to do and that's their passion let them follow it." 

Representing WA 

Last month, Cruz was the only applicant from Western Australia to be selected to compete in the Motocross Australia Yamaha YZ65 Cup in New South Wales. 

It will be his first time racing on a competitive supercross track, with thousands of racing enthusiasts expected. 

A man in a black shirt with black hair points out to a mound of red dirt at a speedway track

BJ Brahim built a supercross track from scratch as soon as the family heard Cruz would be competing in the YZ65 Cup. (ABC Pilbara: Jessica Shackleton)

As soon as he was selected Mr Brahim got in contact with the Port Hedland Speedway to arrange building a supercross track for his son to practice.

"Within three days I was down here digging and making jumps," he said.

"I'm not happy with it yet but it's a start.

"It'll be good for the Pilbara. There's nothing like it up here." 

Supercross is traditionally more technical than the longer run-ups and higher jumps featured in motocross. 

A mound of red dirt sits in front of a wall displaying Port Hedland with wire fencing on top of the wall

The Brahim family spend their weekends practising around Karratha and Port Hedland Speedway. (ABC Pilbara: Jessica Shackleton)

It consists of tighter turns and a shorter race with higher intensity. 

Grandparents on both sides of the family were instrumental in setting up fundraisers to send Cruz and his motorbike over east. 

"I can't wait to see him. It's a whole new ball game for him," Ms Hannson beamed.

"Cruz has been practising his autograph.

"It's a big achievement for a boy from the bush."

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