Young Canton rider heading back to national championship event

Canton’s Justus Pearston, 9, will be racing at the AMA amateur motocross national championships later this month. (Photo courtesy Pearston family)

Later this month, Justus Pearston, a nine-year-old from Canton, will be competing in the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) amateur national championships in Tennessee for the third consecutive year.

The races will be held July 29 through Aug. 3 at the Loretta Lynn ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.

A year ago, Justus finished second in the Micro E (4-7) class with a time of 2:42.9, three seconds off the winning time in the four lap race. He rides a Colonial Power & Sport backed by New England Racing Fuel KTM 65.

Local sponsors also include Strictly Dirt of Canton and Milford Riders Motorcycle Club. Justus trains with professionals Chris Canning (of CT too) and Keith Johnson, an eight time national champion, at The Wick 338 in Southwick, Mass.