The heat was unbearable at Freestone Raceway in Wortham, Texas. It was the Friday before the race and I noticed a young man with his girlfriend working on his bike. I introduced myself to them and shortly after, we were all walking the track and talking MX. It was Derek Anderson’s second pro race and he was excited to show his stuff. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any footage of Derek that Saturday, as he didn’t quite make the two motos.
I got plenty of footage from the races that followed, as that race was the only one he didn’t make. Derek proved himself by qualifying the rest of the season and moving up to around mid-pack.
In the seasons to follow, Derek not only improved as a racer but had quite a few really cool web series. “Driven to Ride” and “Man vs. Moto” both documented the day-to-day life, trials, and triumphs, of a privateer. I recommend checking them out.
Wherever his journey takes him, I know he’ll be successful because he has a real talent for conveying the sport, in a very real and raw way. He has put his whole heart into living his dream and that makes the difference. He has a real passion and it shows not only in his riding and web series, but in THE ART OF MOTO as well.