Team DNA Energy Drink /
BTOSports / BBMX signs rookie sensation Kyle Keylon to their new Lites program
for the 2008 season. Keylon is coming off a strong amateur career as an
American Honda support rider and a 3rd place overall finish in the Motocross
Pro Sport class the 2007 Loretta Lynn's Amateur National. The team is
extremely excited to be working with Kyle as he is full of potential and comes
from a great family which is a key factor in a strong pro career. Keylon
will contest in the 2008 AMA East Coast SX Lites Series and select AMA MX Lites
races next summer. The entire DNA Energy Drink / BTOSports / BBMX team is
proud to have Kyle on board for 08'.
Keylon also made his pro debut this past weekend in Millville, MN
as a support rider for the BBMX team. To start getting his feet wet with
the pro racing scene and the team itself, Kyle and the team chose to start him
off in the Motocross class as he has spent most of his summer training on a 450
for Loretta Lynn's. Kyle did not disappoint by having the 10th fastest
qualifying time in practice Sunday morning and then going 29-13 for 20th
overall in his pro racing debut.
The first moto he had a pretty good get off which landed him in the mud, losing
both his goggles and gloves. After a quick pit stop for some new goggles
he actually climbed back up to around 25th position by the half way mark, all
the while riding with no gloves, before another small fall slowed his
progress. The second moto saw him with a good start and then settle in
behind teammate Jason Thomas for a solid 13th place moto finish.
Kyle will also be racing the next two rounds of the MX Nationals at Steel
City and Freestone County Raceway in TX. If you are going to be there
spectating, please stop by the BBMX tent to get the rookie autograph of one of
the sports future rising stars. And if your lucky, you just might be able
to get an autograph from his dad as well, the 1981 AMA "Rookie of the
Year" and 250 MX National winner, Kenny Keylon.
For more team news and updates, please log onto www.ButlerBrothersMx.com
Story Written by: David
Pingree
Publication: www.RACERXILL.com
Original Publication 8/16/2007 by Racer X.
Students
of the sport probably recognize this kid’s last name; and you should. His
father was Kenny Keylon, the 1981 Rookie of the Year and winner of the 1982 St.
Petersburg national. He was the first Floridian to win a national motocross
event. His son, Kyle, is now coming into his own. After strong rides at
Loretta’s, Kyle rode his first national last weekend in Millville with the
Butler Brothers Motocross Team. By all accounts it was a successful debut.
Racer X:
Kyle, you raced your first national ever last weekend and walked out with a top
twenty. That’s pretty good!
Kyle Keylon: Yeah, I got 20th overall. I went down pretty hard in the
first moto on the first lap in the whoops. I got a bad start and was trying to
come through the pack and I swapped out pretty big and crashed. I didn’t have
any gloves or goggles so I had to stop and get new ones. I ended up 29th in the
first moto. The second moto I got a better start; about tenth. I faded back
because I was having some goggle problems again. I went back to sixteenth and
then got a second wind and came back to thirteenth. That gave me twentieth
overall.
That’s a great finish for your first race. Did you win
a title at Loretta’s?
Nope. I had some bad starts and ended up third in the
MX Pro Sport and sixth in the MX A class. They were decent finishes.
Do you live in Florida with the Butler Brothers?
Well, I live in Florida but they live a lot further south than I do. I’m in the
center of the state in Brooksville.
How big of a role has your dad
played in your riding?
Well, he got me into racing. He was a great rider back
in his time. He helps me a lot with line choice and little things like that.
It’s just good to have him around helping me.
Are you going to stay with the BBMX team for the rest
of the nationals?
I actually signed a Lites contract with them for 2008.
I am going to ride the east coast SX series and the nationals with those guys.
Have you ridden much supercross?
I have a track at my house. It’s pretty gnarly. I just
wanted to start getting ready for supercross and it helps a lot. I think I’m
going to get it rebuilt here soon because it’s covered in weeds now.
Who do you ride with down there?
Tim Ferry lives ten minutes from me. Reed is close and so is Jason Thomas, Josh
Grant, Grant Langston and a bunch of amateur guys.
What was the biggest race win for your dad?
In 1982 on May 2nd he won the St. Pete’s national in the 250 class. He was the
first rider from Florida to win a national ever.
Does he pull that out at parties a lot?
No, he doesn’t talk about it too much. I think he’s more proud of being rookie
of the year the season before. He finished third in the series that year.
Does it add any pressure having a father that was
successful in the sport?
No, I try not to think about that. He did what he did and now I’m doing my own
thing. I want to do more than what he did so I just focus on that. I don’t feel
any pressure though.
Do you have any goals for these last few races?
I haven’t set any specific goals for myself this year.
I just want to do the best I can and see where I finish. I did qualify tenth on
Saturday at Millville so I feel like I have the speed to get into the top ten.
I’m not sure If I’m doing Glen Helen but I will for sure be at Steel City and
Freestone.
I’ve heard they dumped a ton of sand on the track in
Texas. That should suit you well, being from Florida.
Yeah, I was looking at pictures of the track just a few minutes ago. I ride the
sand all the time down here so I hope the sand really is that deep. That would
be great for me. I have a huge sand pit right across the street from my house.
What sponsors do you want to thank?
All the guys on the Butler Brothers team and also Fox Racing and Vortex are
still helping me a lot.
Good job last weekend and good luck at the next rounds.
Thank you.
