When she was 4 years old Sadiee Gorrell decided to check out some local ATV races. She’s been racing ever since and last year claimed the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Women’s Amateur National Championship.
Now a 15-year-old sophomore at McClain High School, Gorrell spends most weekends on the road with her family, traveling the east coast from Florida to New York to race her four-wheeler.
“She had a friend at school who owned a local racing series, the Southern Ohio CC, and we took her to race there and that’s how she got started,” said Sadiee’s mother, Danielle Gorrell. “She’s hoping that when she turns 16 can go to the women’s pro division, but she can’t do that until she’s 16. That’s as high as she can go in the women’s classes, but she has raced against the boys, too.”
It appears Sadiee may be ready to make the jump to pro. In 2015, she captured the GNCC national title for girls ages 8-15 and last year she also won the local OXCR women’s championship in the 250cc class. She will move up to 450cc ATVs when she turns pro.
“It’s a very demanding sport,” Danielle said in explaining what keeps her daughter interested in racing. “You have to be very physically fit, and she likes working out, and then there’s the excitement of it all.”
A mostly A and B student, Danielle said Sadiee played softball until this year, is in the McClain choir and hopes to play soccer this fall.
“Sometimes it gets a little hard because she has to miss school a lot on Fridays,” Danielle said. “We race most weekends and sometimes it’s a 16-hour-plus drive just to get there. This week we’ll be in North Carolina and that will take about seven and a half hours each way.”
Sadie’s future is still up in the air, Danielle said. She said Sadiee may try to make a career out of racing, but also plans to go to college.
“She’s a very good rider,” Danielle said. “We’re just trying to get her a little recognition.”
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522 or on Twitter @13gillilandj.
