Dirt bikes get Joel's heart racing

Joel Diblasio has been riding dirt bikes since he was six or seven years old. His mum started taking him to races and he became hooked on the sport.

A few years ago he was in a car accident and couldn’t ride for five years. But he’s been back into it for a couple of years and the 24 year old currently sits at the top of the rankings for C grade seniors (on 250cc bikes) for the North Coast.

Races generally feature up to 30 competitors who have to complete 5-7 laps of a course. Points are awarded on where you finish in the races, not for stunts and tricks. Two weeks ago Joel got two firsts and a third for a total of 70 points out of a possible 75 at Maclean and hopes he will be bumped up to B grade for the next round at Coffs Harbour on March 20-21.

Joel practises two nights a week up at the Gold Coast and on private tracks on the North Coast throughout the week. He ultimately hopes to turn pro, but at the moment he works part time and has a couple of sponsors to help him out financially, but is always looking for more.

“I’ve had a few spills. I’ve broken a few bones, shoulders, arms legs, it’s pretty standard doing what I do,” he said casually.