Casey Stoner

Date of Birth: 16th October 1985In his first year of road racing, 2000, Casey won
Country: Australiathe Aprilia 125cc championship, his achievement
Team: Ducatiled him to be noticed by many people and the
We've all heard the phrase "Racing's in his blood"...interested parties happened to include on Alberto
A true testament to that fact is the Moto GPPuig - the GP racing great. Alberto asked Casey
rider Casey Stoner. If you take a look at his dateto come on over across the channel to take part
of birth, you can see that he's currently only 21,in the Spanish Championship riding for the
and he's already been in the Moto GP class for aTelefonica Movistar team. He obliged, of course.
full year. He just won the Catalunya Moto GrandAs usual young Stoner wanted to take on as
Prix, in a dog fight with Valentino Rossi he provedmuch riding as he possibly could so he raced in
to all and sundry he can mix it up with the best.both the English and Spanish championships -
Let's take a look at how he got to where he is:despite not being able to race in all the races due
His first race was when he was four years old, into conflicting race meet dates Casey still finished
an under nine years old race at the Hatcher's dirtsecond in both championships in 2001.
racing track on the Gold Coast of Australia - he'dAt only 16 years old 2002 Casey got a seat with
already been riding bikes since the age of four.Safilo Oxydo LCR in the GP, and no not in the
Between his very first race win at the age of12cc category but rather straight onto a 250cc
nine and the age of fourteen, young Masterbike. The following year he rode in the 125cc
Stoner won 41 dirt and long track titles and 70category for both Lucio and Safilo Oxydo LCR
state titles. One feat he achieved that illustratesand at the end of the year at Valencia he took
his passion and "need" for racing was done at agehis first race win. From there he raced for first
twelve. Over one weekend he raced in 5 differentKTM, helping the team develop a bike that could
categories in all 7 rounds of each capacity. A mildfinish on the podium and also giving them their
restful weekend only consisting of 35 differentfirst win ever. The next season he went to race
races... Not much for a twelve year old. Not onlyfor Lucio Cecchinello's team again, this time on a
did he compete in all these categories andAprilia 250cc. He battled with Dani Pedrosa taking
different capacities, the young Casey Stonervarious podiums and wins in the season. In 2006 hi
went on to win 32 out of the 35 races. Yes, youfinally realized his dream of racing in the Moto GP,
read write. There were five Australian titles to beonly 20 years old, he finished eighth in the
won that weekend, Casey won all 5!championship as a rookie.
The legal age to enter into road races in Oz is 16,2007 has seen him take his first win already, so
at 14 years old Casey Stoner and his parentsthere's obviously much more to come. It's going
agreed he was ready to move up onto roadto be a great season to watch, and it's also going
racing so they packed up the family and movedto be great watching the youngster Casey
to England- reason being that the legal age forStoner challenge for the championship. So when's
road racing in that country is 14.the next race then?