Ben Kelley - 2015 ISDE Slovakia

My name is Ben Kelley.  I am 19 years old and have been riding and racing dirt bikes since I was 5.  One of my life long goals has been to race in the International Six Days Enduro. The ISDE is the worlds oldest offroad motorcycle event and is considered the Olympics of offroad racing where riders from 35 countries come together to compete for the World Trophy. This dream became a reality last year when I qualified in June and was selected to represent team USA as a member of the Tony Agonis club team at the 2014 ISDE in San Juan, Argentina! Racing the 2014 ISDE in Argentina was an opportunity of a lifetime. The ISDE is a long, hard, and grueling six days of racing, riding over 100 miles each day. It not only beats you up physically but also mentally as you are riding for over 7 hours a day. You are challenged on all levels, in all different types of terrain, from dust to mud, and rocks to sand. To top it all off and make it even harder, you have to do all the bike work yourself, and you are only given 10 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at the end of the day. Finishing the ISDE is an accomplishment in itself. I was able to finish the week of racing strong, placing 5th in the E2 class and 8th overall, earning a gold medal.

This year the 2015 ISDE East qualifier was held in West Virginia, on May 2nd and 3rd, round 2 of the Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series.  Saturday consisted of 8 special tests, followed by 6 special tests on Sunday. After the two days of racing, special test after special test, as fast as you could go, I finished 2nd in the E2 LOI class and 6th overall. Later in the week I received a call from the AMA telling me that I qualified and had been chosen to represent team USA in the 2015 ISDE in Kosice, Slovakia.  I will be racing as a member of the Tony Agonis club team and am ready to once again represent team USA proudly on the world stage at the 2015 ISDE.  

Your support last year was invaluable in helping me realize my dream and I would very much appreciate your support again this year in my quest for gold in Slovakia.  Thank you all for your continued support.  Go Team USA!