Garrett Lasure makes a jump at a BMX event. The Columbus East senior has signed to compete for Factory LSG in 2024.
Submitted photo
Garrett Lasure won seven state BMX titles between the time he was 5 years old and the time he entered high school, but by that time, he was more interested in basketball.
But after a couple years away from the day-to-day grind of BMX training and racing, Lasure found that passion again.
“I was a little burnt out, so I took a little bit of a break,” said Lasure, a senior at Columbus East. “I was starting high school and I was into basketball, so I played my freshman year. Then my sophomore year, I did this thing called ‘dirt jumping,’ which is kind of like BMX, but more for fun.”
Lasure had the idea to get back into BMX competition around this time last year and started racing in March. He won an eighth state title in September.
Earlier this week, the 17-year-old signed to compete for the Factory LSG team in 2024.
“It’s a factory racing team, and they have all sorts of ages of people on it,” Lasure said. “They have riders all over the country and quite a few in Canada, as well. We have 8-year-olds, and we have a few older people on it.”
Factory LSG is owned by Donavon Long, who lives in San Diego. He coaches and runs the team with his wife Traci.
“They just help all the riders out in all the ways they can,” Lasure said. “Donavon is a great coach.”
Garrett Lasure
Although Lasure plans to go to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to train at BMX headquarters for a week or two in the summer, he plans to stay in Columbus and continue training at the Columbus BMX track at Dunn Stadium.
“I have everything I need here right now,” Lasure said.
Lasure’s father Kris, a former rider himself, used to manage the Columbus BMX track.
“He raced quads and dirt bikes when he was younger, and he was really into that,” Garrett said. “In 2010, we learned that there was a BMX track just a few miles from our house, and we decided to give it a shot.”
Garrett was planning to attend Purdue beginning next fall, but now that he will be competing for Factory LSG, will stay home and take classes at IU Columbus. He might go to Purdue his second year.
“We’ll see how the first year goes with all the travel and everything,” he said.
Beginning with a January race in Florida, Garrett will compete for Factory LSG in 13 nationals races. The schedule also includes events in Virginia, Oklahoma and Texas.
“A few of these, I’ve never been to, so this will be quite a new experience,” he said.
Garrett is signed with Factory LSG through the end of 2024. If things go well the next couple of years, he might consider turning pro.
“It’s a possibility,” he said. “I know what I’m capable of, and I know if I keep working at it, we’ll see what happens. (Age) 20 to 21 is the average age. I’m racing the 17-to-20 Expert class, which is the top level for my age, and the after that, the top guys in that class usually go pro.”
Garrett is glad he decided to get back into BMX racing after his hiatus.
“This has been one of the greatest years of my life,” he said. “It’s been so much fun.”
