“I got the holeshot and led the entire thing from start to finish,” he told MaxxDaddy. Crossing the finish line was definitely the highlight, he added, because at that point, “You know you made it, and you know you actually did it. You’re kind of shaking the whole time.” Cycle News described the excitement in its June 28 issue: “Dietrich rocketed around the outside of the first turn when the gate dropped, taking full advantage of the berm to grab the lead and practically seal the win.” Round 7 was held June 11 in Washougal, Washington.

Depending on conditions, Dietrich rides the MaxxCross IT or MaxxCross SI for both racing and training, and he has nothing but praise for their performance and durability. “They’re just really good tires, and they’re excellent for practicing because they’re tough and durable. The races I do, they’re two hours long, and [the tires] are still in great shape at the end of two hours - when my competitors’ tires are not. When we’re up on the podium, everyone looks at the tires; some of my competitors’ tires, they’re just chunked up. I like to comment on the podium about how I’ll run my race tire in practice next week because it’s still good.”

He trains three times a week for around two hours each ride – and that doesn’t include competing on weekends. When not training or racing, he’s at the gym for a minimum four hours per week, riding bicycles or his jet ski, or hanging out with his friends.

Just 18, Dietrich has been riding since age five, and he started racing a year or so later. He’s in his third year of sponsorship by Maxxis, and his second as a pro.

With his first win out of the way, he has his eye on his next goal: a championship. “I just want to continue working hard,” he said. “I’m still really young, so I have a lot of time.”