![Hugo Holmes proudly wears the green and gold in the US. Picture supplied Hugo Holmes proudly wears the green and gold in the US. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/1f3969a7-4572-40dc-a5ff-f9226188787f.jpg/r0_0_3000_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He came, he saw, he conquered.
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Gunnedah's Hugo Holmes, a precocious motorbike racing talent, has beaten the Americans in their own backyard.
In his US debut, the 10-year-old won the 65cc production class (7-11 years) at the prestigious AMA Flat Track Grand Championship in DuQuoin, Illinois. He finished third in the 65cc modified class.
Representing Team Aus Racing, the 2022 two-time national champion overcame fierce competition and unfamiliar tracks to win by a massive 22 points.
"I thought, 'Why not mix it with them, show them what the Aussies can do,'" Hugo said.
"I wasn't expecting to get the No. 1 plate. But yeah, I'm pretty proud of myself."
Hugo said his performance showed that "anything's possible".
"I just thought to myself, 'I can do this'. And I went out there and won."
"I get nervous here and there," he added. "But then I just take nice big breaths, and it goes a way."
![Hugo celebrates a win in the US. Picture supplied Hugo celebrates a win in the US. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/7ddec43a-75a0-4bb7-bec4-55550101c742.jpeg/r0_3_1242_701_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Hugo's US experience was made even better because he got to experience it with his family: mum Chloe, dad Dale and big sister Arabella.
At the conclusion of the US's premier amateur flat-track event, the family travelled to LA. While there, they visited Disneyland.
"It was good, because my whole family went over there," Hugo said.
They arrived back home early Tuesday evening, with Hugo resuming his year 4 studies at St Xavier's Primary School the following day.
"Like, I didn't get to see them for three weeks," he said of his classmates. "So it was pretty fun to go to school and see all my friends."
Dale Holmes said his son's US performance was a surprise.
He said:
Got a few trophies. And got the No. 1 plate to bring home, which was pretty cool, pretty exciting.
Hugo will compete at the national track titles at Raymond Terrace next month, and hopes to compete at next year's AMA Flat Track Grand Championship.
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