Since he was 7 years old, Kirk Hines has been building for this chance.

And not even a setback two years ago could stall him out.

Hines, a 15-year-old motocross rider from Slippery Rock, will compete for a national championship at the Loretta Lynn Amateur National Motocross Championships, which start Monday and run through Aug. 7 at Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

"It's been a goal of mine for a long time," Hines said.

And he will finally get his chance in both the Stock and Modified divisions at the event.

He won both divisions at a qualifying event and finished second in Modified and fourth in Stocks at the regional recently.

Just getting to Tennessee and the nationals was wrought with obstacles bigger than the mounds of dirt he jumps

Two years ago, Hines broke both wrists during an event when he took a jump too fast and landed awkwardly on the slope of the next jump.

Last year, Hines barely raced.

"I didn't really race much the last two years," Hines said. "In 2002, I was hurt all season, and last year, I raced maybe twice."

The injury in 2002 was particularly tough.

"I couldn't do anything for a couple of months," he said.

But this year he found a renewed zest for the sport, racing at every opportunity and re-capturing some of the form of his younger days, when he nearly made it to nationals as an 11-year-old.

"I rode all over," Hines said. "I went to Georgia. I went to Florida. I just practiced and felt good. I picked up where I left off."

He will compete in the 125cc class in both the Stock and Modified divisions. Strangely enough, he will ride the same bike in both.

He will ride against 42 motocross drivers, some of whom get their bikes for free from sponsors.

Hines calls them "factories," and he also calls them formidable foes.

"They are 42 of the best motocross riders in the nation," Hines said. "But I'm up for the challenge."