BIRDBORO, BERKS COUNTY, PA-- Matt Hougentogler of Wrightsville has been racing dirt bikes since he was 4-years-old but it hasn't been an easy road to get where he is now.
"Getting to where I am now was definitely tough," said Matt Hougentogler, professional dirt bike racer.
There are no local tracks for Matt to get time on the bike.
Matt and his dad spend multiple hours on the road; traveling to keep his dream alive.
"A long hard road to get here. None of this is easy to be at this level to race. Got a lot of sacrifices," said Matt.
Getting the bikes ready to race is a full-time job in itself, along with working 40 hours a week and then finally, trying to find time to hit the gym and spend time with family.
According to Matt, "Never loosing sight of the dream. Every time I get on the bike I have fun. Once it stops, then maybe I'll stop. I just enjoy it so much it is hard to get away from it."
In his 25-year career, Matt has won over 100 races.
This season marks his third year as a professional rider, and he doesn't see an end in sight.
"I'm still hungry. I want to do it as much as I can, as long as I can," said Matt.
Matt will compete in the biggest race of his career.
He qualified for the Loretta Lynn Regional Race in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, July 31 through August 5.
This qualification means Matt is ranked top 40 in the country for motocross.
"I've been trying to do this my whole life. I just materialized at a young age. Never had the luck to get myself in the position I did today. It's going to be tough. The competition is the best in the world. You have to be strong," said Matt.
Matt had even opened eyes to some young local riders as someone they look up to.
He had a little bit of advice for the young generation of riders...
"Have fun with it. Don't loose sight of what you're doing it for. Just enjoy it. Have fun," said Matt.
You can follow Matt's journey through his professional career on his Facebook page at, Matt Hougentogler.