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Australia has one of its youngest ever motorsport world champions after 10-year-old South Australian Dexter Warren won the UTV World Championship in Barstow, California.
Warren finished his podium celebration by spraying apple cider, then giving the crowd a thrill with a ‘shoey’ and an ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi’ shout-out.
Warren and his family have been chasing their UTV offroad dream in the United States for the last four years because Dexter was too young to race in Australia.
Warren started in 21st position in the world championship event, which slotted him on the 11th row for the two-wide rolling start on the one-mile (1.6km) circuit.
He picked his way through the 22-car field and set a quickest lap of 1:53s with an average speed of more than 60km/h.
At the end of the 25-minute race, he was in the lead after overcoming the thick dust and several lapped cars and became the first non-US born driver to clinch the 170 open title.
“The track was a little rough and bumpy, but the car held together and we got there,” said Warren.
“I just had to send it on the big jumps and hope it all held together.
“We have been running a similar suspension for four years, so physically we knew what to expect and we really had the car dialled in.
“I have to thank my family and all my sponsors who have helped me get here.”
It was Warren’s third attempt at the UTV World Championship.
In 2019 he came to an unfortunate finish crashing out just 50 metres from the start line and last year he finished second.
The Warren family temporarily relocated to Phoenix, Arizona in February last year in an assault on UTV racing.
During the last 20 months, Warren has won several titles and major event races and has an incredible 82 percent podium finish rate from his 120 race starts.
He has also built himself as a well-known character, despite his age, and has not only become popular because of his commitment and accent, but also his impressive mullet hairstyle.
Dexter returns home to Australia in November and is hoping that a full-time youth offroad race series can be developed in his home country.
