Madi Stroschein Rises To The Podium
Story By: Madi Stroschein
Photos Provided By: Denise Stroschein
Hi, I’m Madi Stroschein and I am an twelve-year-old racer from Southern California. My story all started with my first trip to Glamis at just five weeks old. From there, I continued going on trips as often as possible. As a baby, my Mom would pack me up in my Dad’s truck and take Sand Highway all the way to Oldsmobile to meet up with the rest of our group that rode there through the dunes. After I turned one, my Mom would strap my baby seat into our Yamaha Rhino and take me on rides. My parents told me I would swing back and forth from the roll cage like it was a jungle gym and also would sit in the driver’s seat pretending to drive. I got my own dirt toy, a Yamaha PW50, when I was four, and then at age eight I went to four wheels with a Yamaha Raptor 90.
In 2017, my family and I went to Laughlin, Nevada, to watch the UTV World Championships. I already wanted my own RZR, but after watching the UTV 170 class race, I wanted to race one. It looked like so much fun! I had been playing softball since I was four and my parents were reluctant to let me switch sports. Luckily, they had both grown up riding with their own families as kids, so it didn’t take too much convincing.
With the help of my Papa and Grandma, I got a Polaris RZR 170 at age ten. I was so excited and drove it around my backyard as soon as I got it home. After a few desert trips, my parents decided to enter me in my first race. Racing wasn’t new to my family. My Papa raced motorcycles and dirt bikes in motocross, desert, flat track, and road racing. My Grandfather Stroschein raced desert; my Uncle Dan raced motocross; and my Mom and Papa even raced Sea-Doos together, but racing a UTV was going to be different. My Mom did a lot of “Googling” and found the Dirt Series, which is based right here in Southern CA.
I raced my very first race in 2019, in the SideXSide Regionals on the Lucas Oil track at the Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, CA. It was raining the whole time, and I was soaking wet, covered in mud from head to toe. It was so much fun, and I placed first in my class. The next day I went on to race in the Dirt Series on the National Track, and it was also super muddy. I’ll be honest, I was a little nervous about riding up Talladega. The mud was a lot like driving in really soft sand at Glamis, which I think helped me through it. I kept the gas pinned and went for it. I placed first again in my class. I was super excited and racing UTVs officially became my new sport. I raced the whole 2019 season in the Pure Stock 170 class in the Dirt Series and SideXSide Regionals. I led in points the entire season in both series, winning two Championships. I also won first place in my class at the West Coast Championships. Racing the same class in the 2019 Lake Elsinore Grand Prix, I came in behind the first-place leader by one second.
This current season I’m racing a 2013 Polaris RZR 900XP. Wicked Creations in Garden Grove, CA came through for us on the build and it came out awesome! I’m still getting used to the differences between the 900 and my old 170. It’s obviously a lot faster, and a lot more fun too. I haven’t been able to race as much as I planned this year because of COVID, but I’m getting more comfortable the more seat time I get. I was able to race two rounds of the Dirt Series, placing first & second, and finishing one round of the SideXSide Regionals with a second place finish before they were put on hold. I started racing the GBC Tires Stadium Short Course Series in the 800-900 Open Class. In the three rounds to date, I have placed third, second, & first.
My goal for the rest of the season is to improve my lap times. My long term goal is to qualify for an age waiver and race in the 900 Production class in the WORCS series. My favorite track is the Lucas Oil course at Glen Helen. When I’m not racing, I like to ride horses and take surf lessons from my Uncle, and of course, go to the desert where it all started! I hope my story encourages other young girls to go for their dreams and start racing.
I’m really lucky for all the support I’ve gotten and would like to thank my sponsors: Mr. Concrete LLC, Pressure Pro Inc., 5150 Whips, Pacific Finish Coating Inc., Eibach, Slick Products, Gibson Exhaust, Triumph Motorsports, All Terrain Concepts (ATC), No Limit Offroading, 909Grafix, and Safe View. Follow @madi.stroschein_424 to keep up with me!
