When Nitro Circus arrives in Warrnambool, King’s College student Skye Kelly will be revved up for an amazing performance.
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The 14-year-old has been counting down the weeks until the global daredevils arrive in the city.
Expecting a crowd of 10,000 to its freestyle motocross, BMX and skate event on April 14, Warrnambool’s Reid Oval is one of just eight venues across Australia to be chosen to host the adrenaline-filled event.
For Skye, it’s the show’s energy that has her fuelled up.
“The motivation for you to actually get onto motocross and ride your bikes instead of just sit on your bum and do nothing,” she said.
Jumps, stunts, bikes and cars, they all make up the passion that Skye Kelly has for her hobby.
Some might say she had no choice but to grow up loving engines.
The year 9 student has racing pedigree on both sides of her family tree.
Her grandfather raced go-karts and her her father, Troy Kelly, competed in motor-cross events for years before he broke his back during a training session.
The family now manage Warrnambool’s yet-to-open motor museum at Fletcher Jones.
It was actually Santa who surprised Skye with her first love, a pink quad bike, when she was just four years old.
She had already started the affair as a toddler when she wrapped herself in her Lightning McQueen bedspread until it wasn’t age-appropriate anymore.
“At 18-months-old we took her to a racing event,” her mother, Meg, said. “She was in pram and she was beside herself with excitement.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Despite her dad declaring “no child of mine will race motors”, Skye refuses to give up her love of all-things motor-related.
While other teens spend their school holidays on relaxing, Skye is kept busy washing and polishing the vehicles at the motor museum.
“I love it,” she said. “I have my favourites and my hands are small enough to clean the tiny spokes on a few of the older cars.”
Skye already has a stake in the family’s car future. Her parents have purchased a famous 1969 Dodge Charger in her name.
“It’s General Lee,” she said. “And it’s the actual car from the Dukes of Hazard movie.
“My dad and I have watched every episode. We’ve been doing that since I was two or three.”
Parents Troy and Megan Kelly said while Skye’s future aspirations were yet to be determined, her love of racing was never in doubt.
"She was three when she asked her poppy if he'd be in the pit crew when she raced when she was old enough."
