RACING Mason Robertson is going off-road for success after impressing in his latest motocross outing.

The eight-year-old, a P4 pupil at St Kenneth's Primary School in Ballingry, has found a new focus after changing bikes and competing against older kids.

And Mason returned home after a very creditable performance at the Aberdeen & District Motocross Championship recently, where he finished 8th.

His mum Lesley said: "We went up there just to have him beat his lap time, we didn't expect too much from him.

"It was more, this is his first year on a 65cc bike, use it as training and to get consistent lap times and he did that.

"He started out about the five minutes mark and by the end of the championships he was down to three-and-a-half minutes."

She added: "His starts were phenomenal, he's always right out of the gate and into the first corner.

"He was solid and consistent throughout the championship, and was keeping pace with the leaders for much of it."

The Times previously reported about Mason's first motocross race, which took place in Wales in the summer, and he "surpassed all expectations" as he competed against 36 riders.

Lesley explained: "His dad, William, and his brothers and sisters always had an interest in motorbikes but nothing too serious.

"However, for Mason it became an obsession and he wants to do supercross when he's older!

"He started when he was three-and-a-half at Kingdom Off Road Motorcycle Club, he had a shot on a wee bike and loved it.

"He was hooked.

"It became more serious when he was five, every night he was 'Can I go out on my motorbike?'"

She continued: "He had a wee 50cc to begin with but Covid took effect and he couldn't race.

"In January we thought rather than leave him with the 50cc, we'd let him try the 65cc for a year, to get used to it before he competes.

"But he had other ideas!

"As soon as he could race he wanted to do it, even though he was racing against much older boys who had a lot more experience at this level."

His mum said: "Usually the 65cc class are aged between 7 and 11 but many of them don't race until they're nine.

"Mason just turned eight in July and he was adamant he wanted to race."

The Ballingry racer, who's backed by a number of generous sponsors and has his own YouTube channel and social media pages, has now headed into winter training and wants to compete again when the dates for a winter motocross series are announced.

Asked what she knew of the sport before Mason took it up, Lesley admitted: "I had no knowledge whatsoever! Now I eat, sleep and repeat motocross and I've learned how to change the back wheel and do some of the mechanical stuff.

"I've picked up on what the coaches have been telling him too so I can tell him if he left it too late to come off the corner or was too quick on the brake!"