LOCAL Moto cross rider, Nate Shortt’s stars changed in 2024 when he found a coach and was accepted into the Virtual Schools Victoria program.
Shortt has raced motorbikes since he was seven years of age, and at 14, the planets are coming together. Since establishing a coaching relationship with Adrian Salmon, Shortt’s riding has improved and he has levelled up from B grade to A Grade.
It was Salmon who encouraged Nate to try solo speedway for a bit of fun in between competitions. Together they built a speedway bike from the ground up.
The lighter the frame the faster the bike can go, riders even forgo some of their suspension, and all of their brakes. Riders bash out four quick laps inside a fully fenced arena in this adrenaline fuelled spectator sport.
When Shortt competed in the Down Under academy for future stars in January at Mildura he finished 3rd in only his fourth ride.
Shortt’s mum, Sarah said it turned out to be another thing Nate was doing really well in.
Being a student with Virtual Schools Victoria, a home-schooling initiative made space for Shortt to attend the Federation International de Motocyclisme (FIM) Speedway Grand Prix (SGP) in Gillman, along with 23 other students.
Held in January Nate said being selected Down Under academy for future stars of Speedway was a highlight for the new year.
Nate said a highlight of the experience was meeting the greats.
“I got to hang out in the pit with Max Fricke,” he said.
“I raced on the Saturday in the FIM Oceania Speedway Championships. The track was pretty rutted up by the time we got on to it,” Nate said.
Nates also building a speedway track on the families 24-acre property and has been allocated five acres for the construction.
Since Nates sister also loves riding- on horseback. The siblings are using the rural property to its full potential.
“My coach brought a bob cat and excavator over so I can make a track at home to practice on.”
Next, Shortt is racing to represent Victoria in the 2025 MXGP in Darwin at the end of the year when he competes in the first qualifying round of the MX3 class of the Senior Vic titles at Wonthaggi on his 250.
To keep up with Nate, follow him on Instagram nateshortt_n8mx.