A 16-year-old Napier Boys High School year 12 student who has been competing in motocross for nine years, Ayre will race a Yamaha YZ125 in the 15-16 years 125cc class, one of six championship classes which will be contested at Fernhill's Ngaruroro Raceway from Friday until Sunday. While Taupo's Wyatt Chase, the defending champion, is the hot favourite and unlikely to be beaten, Ayre will aim for a podium finish in the 30-strong class.
"I have come up through the grades with Wyatt. I've never beaten him but I've got close to him a couple of times," Ayre explained.
"Obviously I want to capitalise on the home track advantage and I've been putting on lots of training off and on the track."
Ayre has completed plenty of high-intensity gym work, running and cycling with the aim of increasing his endurance levels and aerobic base to cope with his seven-race schedule at his fifth nationals - two on Friday, three on Saturday and two on Sunday. Points over the seven races will determine the overall placings.
"You are rewarded for consistency," Ayre said.
Along with Chase and Ayre, Taihape's Hayden Smith and Mangakino's Maximus Purvis have been mentioned as other title contenders in the class.
A national Supercross champion, Ayre hopes to become a professional rider in the future and compete overseas. World-class riders including Taranaki brothers Darryll, Shayne and Damien King, Motueka's Josh Coppins, Bay of Plenty's Ben Townley, Hamilton's Josiah Natzke and Otago's Courtney Duncan are all products of previous junior nationals.
After this weekend's event Ayre's attention will turn to the Hawke's Bay championships, the Hawke's Bay Motorcycle Club's Magic Series and events in Taupo.
"Basically I race all year. I don't have time for other sports and that's the level of commitment required," Ayre added.
Hawke's Bay's Jye Deacon will also be out to make the most of the home-track advantage in Ayre's class. Another Bay rider, Luka Freemantle, is among the favourites in his 85cc class.
Ohaupo's Trent Collins is one rider who will hope to step up and be counted this weekend. He finished runner-up to Ngatea's Ben Broad in the eldest of the junior categories last year and, with Broad now categorised as a fulltime senior racer and out of the junior scene, the way is perhaps clear for Honda rider Collins to dominate the 14-16 years' 250cc four-stroke class this time around.
Collins will, however, be wary of the threats posed by riders such as Tauranga's Josh Tredinnick, Feilding's Tony Cvitanovich, Wellington's Adam Moss, Hawke's Bay's Hadleigh Griffiths, Opunake's Liam Read and Balclutha's Madison Latta, to name a few.
Dunedin's Grason Veitch won the 11-12 years' 85cc class last year, but will step up to the 12-14 years' 125cc class this weekend and he will expect tough competition from riders such as Palmerston North's Zac Jillings and Tuakau's Jesse Te Kani.
Racing begins at noon on Friday and 10am on Saturday and Sunday.
