19-year old Danny Eslick is a hot young rider in AMA competition this year. The Broken Arrow, OK, native is third in Formula Xtreme points and 11th in Supersport heading into Mid-Ohio. Eslick began the year 4th in the Daytona 200 and has five other top six finishes in the class for MPT Racing Suzuki in what is really only his second full season roadracing.

"We had a good head of steam after Daytona," he says. "Everything's gotten better and we're taking it one step at a time. We're trying not to get overexcited or too anxious. We're trying to roll smooth and consistent -- in the top five in Formula Xtreme and near the top ten in Supersport. I've had a couple of off weekends but it's gone pretty well."

In FX, he's been battling Chris Peris and Ben Attard in the races. "I've got to be beating those guys to get a real good ride," says Eslick. "We're all at the next step, I guess."

In Colorado, Eslick led Peris and Attard for much of the race, but fell while looking for his first time on the box in AMA racing. "I was close to the podium at Pikes, but I fell down. At least I got up and finished fifth. We know we're getting close (to the FX podium)," said Danny.

While Suzuki provides Eslick and mechanic Grant Matsushima some support, he's not satisfied with where he's at. "The faster you go, the better it is financially. That means I have to go faster!" laughs. "We have 462,000 miles on our truck." Eslick and his mother drive to all the races.

The former dirt tracker switched to roadracing, like fellow Oklahoma native Gary Nixon. "I had fun, but I want to be on the asphalt roadracing," he says. Eslick's older bother AJ still dirt tracks for a living.

The last three rounds of 2005 will go a long way towards seeing if Eslick is ready to step up to the next level.