By Michael Butler

Monster Mountain in Tallassee is well known across the country as one of the top motocross tracks. One of its students is becoming known as one of the top riders in those same motorcross racing circles.

Halo Densley, who attends the Monster Mountain Training Academy, has qualified for the 2025 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Tennessee. Only a select number of riders reach the pinnacle of the prestigious event, which draws the elite of the elite from across the world.

“There are thousands and thousands of us trying to go to Loretta’s,” Densley said. “At area qualifiers (AQs), they take the top nine. There’s about 200 of us at AQs. There are AQs all over the country. At regionals, there are 40 people in each of the heats. They put the top 16 from each heat together and you have to get top six in that to make nationals.”

Densley has already graduated high school despite just turning 17. He dedicates most of his days to weight training and riding.

“I’ve been working on this almost every single day for about two and a half years.”

In addition to local training and racing, Densley has traveled to states like Michigan and Virginia to compete.

“You’re driving all night and all day to get to one race,” he said. “You have to wake up at 5 a.m. It’s 100 percent work.”

Densley hopes to work his way up the amateur ranks to reach his ultimate goal, turning professional.

“There are people from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, coming from all over to this race,” he said.

Densley grew up in Freeport, Fla. before moving to Tallassee almost three years ago.

“I like Tallassee a lot. It’s a small town just like Freeport. It’s a nice place,” he exclaimed. “When, I was 12 or 13, my parents bought me my first race bike. I just love the dirt bike life, but motorcross is a very hard sport. You’ve got to have the right mind. It’s a lot of pressure. Everyone’s looking up to you. It takes a lot to stay on that bike out on the track.”

Kendall Mason is one of the trainers at Monster Mountain who thinks Densley has what it takes to win at the highest level.

“He is very disciplined, and he wants it,” Mason said. “If he puts his mind to it, he can do it.”