McLean makes 'Young Guns' roster

By John Hopkins

Coaldale, AB's Royce McLean is the lone Canadian among 28 up-and-coming racers profiled in the 2009 Young Guns feature in the April, 2009 issue of California-based monthly Roadracing World.

The 14-year-old won last year's USGPRU West Coast 125cc Championship and will compete in the Yoshimura Pro Sport Bike division of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship this summer, racing for Yamaha.

The Young Guns section was introduced by Roadracing World in 1998 as a way to profile North American road racing talent. Competitors between the ages of 12 and 20 who have won Expert-level road races or championships aboard motorcycles 125cc or larger are eligible for recognition.

Past Young Guns include Nicky, Tommy and Roger Hayden, John Hopkins, Ben Spies and Jason DiSalvo. Canadians Kevin Lacombe, Andrew Nelson and Chris Peris have also been profiled.

McLean started racing at nine years old in the Alberta Mini Roadracing Association and is under the wing of former Canadian Pro racer Steve Dick, who previously worked with former Amatuer Sport Bike champion Jeremy Leduc and current rising Pro star Brett McCormick.