Racing all-terrain vehicles is in Ryan Ellis’ blood.

At a race in Mount Pleasant, Ellis flipped his ATV on its side during the warmup session. He sliced his left leg as the ATV’s foot peg stuck in his skin.

“I could see muscle and it later scarred,” Ellis said, revealing his circular scar located on the inside of his leg near the kneecap.

He still competed in the race and finished first in three out of the four races that day.

“I couldn’t walk or start the engine,” he said. “Someone else had to start my ATV for me.”

When Ellis was 3, he was introduced to his first vehicle. He drove a four-wheeler made by Power Wheels and later switched to a four-wheeler powered by gas at age 5.

“My uncles used to race cars, and I was always around things that had wheels,” Ellis said.

At 16, Ellis began his racing career without his mother’s knowledge.

“She was worried about me getting injured,” he said. “But I loaded up the ATV and went to a race behind her back.”

He arrived home later that day with his first trophy.

Now, Ellis is a 19-year-old freshman in electrical engineering who placed second overall in point standings for the American Motorcyclist Association District 22, amateur B class.

The ATV racing season begins early spring and ends in the fall. This year, Ellis has raced almost every weekend in his second full season.

“I feel more comfortable on an ATV than I do in cars. They just stop faster,” Ellis said.

There are three classes for amateur ATV racers. Class C is the lowest skill level designed for new racers. Class B is for more experienced racers that are not yet comfortable in Class A. Class A is a step away from professional ranking, he said.

Next season, Ellis will race in class A because of his second place finish.

“I felt I was ready for it halfway through last season,” he said.

Ellis isn’t alone at Iowa State in his enjoyment of racing ATVs. James McNaul, freshman in agricultural engineering, has raced ATVs since he turned 15.

“I tried it once after hearing my friends talk about it,” McNaul said. “After one time I was hooked.”

McNaul raced Ellis in the B class and said his friend had a good year.

“Ryan beat me more this year than he did the previous year,” he said. “But he has gotten a lot better.”

The two teamed up with another friend and entered the 12 Hour ATV Race in Fort Dodge, where each person rotated driving one-hour shifts for 12 hours, with only a two-hour intermission.

Ellis said that racing ATVs is somewhat soothing.

“It’s relaxing,” Ellis said.

“You’d think it would be intense but you’re just reacting and not really thinking. It just flows.”

The team finished in fifth place in class B for the 12-hour race. It will air on the Fuel cable television channel in February.

McNaul said he hopes to race professionally before his ATV career ends.

“Either one of us [Ellis or McNaul] is capable of being a pro,” McNaul said.

“It’d take a lot of work, but it’s within reach.”

Ellis said turning professional would be exciting, but there’s not enough money involved to support the investment.

“It would be nice to turn pro, but for what you pay you really don’t get much back,” Ellis said.

Neither is looking for a way to get out.

“I don’t know what I’d do without racing ATVs,” Ellis said. “I just really enjoy it.”