Aden Thao
Aden Thao is a Hmong-American motorcycle racer from Fresno, CA. HE started racing at 15 years old and in a short time has rose to the top of the sport on the U.S. and International stage. Aden has raced in MotoAmerica and as part of Andifer Racing Team based in Spain.
Race to the Top
When Aden Thao stepped onto a motorcycle for the first time at fifteen years old he could have only imagined that it would be the beginning of an incredible journey. A journey that would take him racing across America, competing against the best in the world in Europe and Asia and lighting the Olympic torch at the SEA Games in his ancestral home land of Southeast Asia.
Aden was given his first motorcycle as a birthday gift during his teenage years and began making daily trips to the track. After about two months of riding and training he received his racing license and began a meteoric rise in the sport. During 2018 he entered his first race in Willows, CA (north of Sacramento) and after competing as an amateur for about six months moved into the expert class on his Kawasaki Ninja 400RR. Aden continued his training at the California Superbike School alongside professional instructors and former MotoGP riders such as Toni Elias, Josh Hayes, Bryce Prince, Andrew Lee, Eric Kondo, Brian Bartlow and Rich Oliver and began racking up titles across the United States. That earned him a spot on the MotoAmerica circuit, home to the most competitive riders in America including Lao American Sports Hall of Fame rising star Toby Khamsouk. Toby and Aden were both recognized by Road Racing World as Young Guns of the Sport. “We are like family and support each other”, Aden’s manager from Calishine Racing said of the Khamsouk family.
Aden’s performance on the track has him ranked in the top five in the nation and he represented the United States on the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, setting a lap time record, winning a championship and taking third overall in the series. In 2022 Aden caught the eye of Andifer Racing Team based out of Barcelona, Spain, and was offered a contract for the 2023 Yamaha R6 - R1 Championship Cup.
One of the greatest honors of Aden’s young career will take place at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia where he will be making a special appearance and lighting the Olympic Torch. The 2023 SEA Games will be particularly special for the Lao and Hmong communities in America as several young athletes from among the Lao American Sports Hall of Fame rising stars will be representing Laos.
About this Article
Information for this article came from Calishine Racing. All photos are courtesy and copywrite of Calishine Racing