Two of Johnny Upton’s passions in life are darts and motorcycles. When they go head to head, motorcycles usually win.

“I only play three or four (tournaments) a year. I’m usually at a bike rally,” Upton, the new president of the Vicksburg Darts Association, said with a smile.

When Upton does play in tournaments, though, he always seems to do pretty well.

For the third time in five years, Upton has qualified for the American Darts Organization’s National Cricket Championship in Las Vegas, on Jan. 29-31.

He advanced by winning the ADO’s Region 3-3 tournament in Hammond, La., in November.

He also qualified for the national tournament in 2006 and 2009.

Cricket is a darts game in which players must hit a series of targets on the board — Nos. 15-20 — before their opponents do the same. After hitting each of the required numbers three times, a player must also hit three bull’s-eyes. In ADO tournaments, players play a best-of-three series against each other.

Unlike past trips to the nationals, when he was admittedly nervous, Upton said he’s more relaxed and confident heading into this year’s championship.

“The last time, the guy who won it, Darren Young, I played him in the first round and almost beat him. He got me 2-1,” Upton said. “After getting to know and play some of the best in the country, you feel a little more confident. That’s some of the best in the country that hasn’t turned pro.”

And most of them are shoulder to shoulder with each other, literally, at the national championships. The sheer number of darters competing in the early rounds of the tournament can create cramped quarters.

“After you get used to it, you don’t even notice,” Upton said. “Unless you pay attention, you don’t even notice what’s going on around you. You tune it out.”

The 61-year-old Upton has enjoyed success without the same amount of dedication to his craft as professional darters. Besides his shunning of the national tournaments, he said his practice schedule is a fraction of the time of his more accomplished competition.

“Most of the time it takes somebody from two to four hours a day. I usually practice a couple hours at a time. I like to throw and watch TV,” he said.

Upton quickly added that while his practice regimen isn’t intensive, his ability to focus during tournaments has helped a great deal. When going against the best, he knows there’s little margin for error.

“When I know every dart has got to count, it really drives you,” Upton said. “Those guys don’t miss many darts, and if you miss you’re probably not going to get a chance to come back.”

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Contact Ernest Bowker at ebowker@vicksburgpost.com