Photo courtesy of Kayleigh Haywood

Hey Adam! What’s been going on since the GNCC season wrapped up?
Not a whole lot, things have kind of been winding down. We got home pretty late from Loretta’s and I had Monday off work. I woke up Monday morning, washed my bike and got everything all cleaned up and my buddy wanted to go do some motos so we went riding on Monday. Since time changed when you get off of work it’s pretty dark out so I’ve been taking this week to just relax. I’m ready to start hitting it hard again cause I’m already getting the itch.

Already? It’s only been a week!
Oh yeah! [laughs]

I know the season just wrapped up but do you have any offseason plans to prepare for the 2012 season? Like staying up North again or trying to head South?
I would really like to go South but I got a really sweet job up here. I work in a warehouse at a sugar factory where I handle packaging and things like that. Originally they were a European company so they give us a lot of benefits. Like I get two weeks paid vacation and that’s just starting out. I haven’t even been there a year yet. That’s huge! That really helped out this Summer with all the traveling I had to do. Living up here in Illinois we have to do a lot of travelling for every round so I used up most of my vacation in the Summer months. But if I can get a little bit of vacation or some personal time I would really like to head South and do some more riding. I think that’s a big part of why I had such a slow start this season. If you look at the points, I had great results at the end of the year but I had a really rocky start to the year. Besides a really good ride in North Carolina there was nothing else was really impressive.

We’re going to try and do a lot more riding and hit the gym really hard. If I have time in between all that I might try to hit the slopes a little bit. A little snowboarding if I get the time. I really don’t have anything planned , it’s just going to be by the seat of my pants.

Photo Courtesy of Kayleigh Haywood

You mentioned the slow start of your season. Back in October you did an interview where you were asked you how you thought your season was going. From your response it didn’t come across like you were very happy with your results. Since that interview you’ve won the Open A championship, finished 7th overall in the OMAs, and taken home some top amateur honors. Let me ask you know, how was your 2011 season?
It didn’t start out as expected. I didn’t expect to come out and dominate but in 2010 I had a pretty solid year. I had a couple of podium finishes and even won the Snoeshow round. I didn’t really battle with Ashburn, he really dominated the Open A class, but me and Chase Bishop always seem to go back and forth and, like I said, I had a lot of podium finishes. I didn’t really hear from anyone else all year. Then this year, the first half of the season I hardly had any podiums other than 1 win. I was basing my expectations off how I ended in 2010 and it wasn’t what I expected. I kind of hit a wall there. I was doing another series with Chris Bach, the MAXC in Indiana.

Yeah, I’ve heard of that one.
It was a great series and it was something to do on the weekends other than just ride my local stuff. The local stuff back at home wasn’t…it was just the same old tracks and I was racing against the same people. So it was nice to try a different series, meeting different people and trying different things. That series helped me out a lot this year and I was racing guys I would see at the GNCC series. It was a big help and helped pull me out of the rut I was in. I also started riding a lot better and getting more aggressive at the GNCC series and was really able to pull it together for the last half of the series. I’m happy with the way things ended, a few bad lucks here and there, but I’m definitely glad I won the championship. Me and Chris Douglas had a really good battle this year but it was really a bummer for him that he didn’t get to race the last couple of races cause I think it would have made for some really good races. I’m definitely happy with how I ended up.

Do you think the Open A class was pretty stacked this year compared to previous years?
This was only my second year racing the GNCCs but the talent was deep! Corey Macdonald put in some impressive rides. Chris Douglas, he surprised me the most the year as he really put on the heat. He got a lot of really solid finishes. Chase Bishop, Cooper Bailey, Matt Crouch, those boys seem to have a lot of bad luck this year. They’re great kids and I wish them well but they seem to get terrible luck whether it was bike problems or whatever have you. But the talent was way deeper than I expected.

Photo Courtesy of Kayleigh Haywood

On the OMA weekends you were racing against a few of the top GNCC pro guys like Whibley, Bach, and Ashburn. Do you think running up front with those guys helped you improve as a rider and carry some confidence into the GNCC weekends?
I’ve raced the OMA series all my life. That’s what got me into racing and that’s just what I’ve grown up doing. It’s a great series. Jimmy pretty much brought everyone in. Everyone that’s doing them now, Jimmy brought them here. He’s kept that series alive.

I’ve had a little bit of bad luck. I was pretty disappointed with how things went in that series as far as results go. But I had a few good battles and I always felt like I rode good it was just one of them things where all my bad luck seemed to be in the OMA series this year. That’s racing though. I tried to keep my head up and keep plugging away at it. There were a couple of times where I think I could have gotten a few podiums. I’ve gotten podiums in the past but I’ve been a little off paced from Jimmy and them. I’m always right there with Scotty, I always seem to be his pace, but I make more mistakes than him. I would keep up with him until the inevitable little tip over or my front end would wash out or something and he’d get away from me and I could never reel him back in. Or I’d run out of time or whatever the case was. But I was definitely disappointed.

So, do you think lining up with those guys helped you come GNCC weekends?
Yeah, it was good for the nerves. Every weekend this year I was lining up with guys that weren’t there to mess around. They weren’t weekend warriors. It was good for the nerves to help get used to that idea.

Speaking of weekend warriors, it’s fair to say that you’re a great example of a weekend warrior. You work full time during the week, ride when you can, and then hit the races on the weekends. You’ve been racing against other guys that don’t have to worry about anything other than training and racing. Do you think you’re at a disadvantage compared to them or does it give you added motivation for race day?
It’s definitely a disadvantage. I wake up every morning at 6 o’clock and go punch in a time clock. To be honest with you I’d rather be waking up every morning and heading to the gym. But it’s not realistic for me right now. I have to support my habits [laughs] for my racing. The biggest disadvantages come in the offseason. For me that’s where I tend to unravel. I still work out but it’s nothing compared to seat time, seat time is everything.

Photo Courtesy of Kayleigh Haywood

Earlier you mentioned you were really disappointed with the slow start you had this season. What’s your game plan to avoid the same thing happening next year?
Well we used to do it a lot when I was a kid, we used to put studded tires in. A bunch of us buddies would just go out and ride in the snow and ice, frozen ground it didn’t matter. You tend to beat up some equipment when you do that but in the past 3 or 4 years I haven’t studded up. I don’t ride in the winter time very much. Every one in a while we’ll go to an indoor place but the closest indoor place is 4 or 5 hours. It’s never heated, ground is still frozen and it’s never really any fun…expensive. I think this year I’ll have a set of wheel studded up and try to ride as much as I can. Instead of going out and play riding I’m going to try to do motos, ride a turn track, or whatever the case may be I’m going to be out there trying to slay and try to get a work out out of it.

Are you currently working with any trainers or are you doing it on your own?
My brother-in-law started doing P90X and stuff like that. About a year ago he started doing P90X because it was the talk of the town. With that he got the bug, started getting the itch, and he started working out. I always have him on my case but he kind of started his own gym thing where he has his own weights. There are a couple of guys that go over to his shop everyday to workout. Nothing official or anything like that but it helps to have someone in the family that’s trying to keep you in shape. But, yeah, it’s all on my own. It’s tough, but you punch out of work, hit the gym thing, come home and get a little time to yourself. You do what you have to do.

What about your 2012? Do you have anything setup yet?
[laughs] Well, after the past couple of weekends I’ve had some really, really good finishes. I’m very happy with how my overalls have been recently. I’ve been looking for those overalls all year long. It’s got a lot of people back home excited cause they think that as soon as you start riding well everyone comes knocking at your door but that’s not the case. I wish it were that easy but I’ve been talking to a few people about some things. But it’s all been maybes and possibles. As of right now I’m still planning on doing what I’ve been doing. I have a bunch of good people on board with me. Fly Racing is back. SIDI, G2. Other than the original sponsors, the guys that help you out, there’s nothing with bikes, parts, or anything like that. I’m riding for a shop out of Iowa, they’re a Kawasaki dealership. Great Guys! They help me out quite a bit. It’s nothing too fancy.

Photo Courtesy of Kayleigh Haywood

Are you staying in the Open A class?
As of right now I’m waiting to see how the top amateur thing pans out. I know me and Grant Baylor had to be real close (Editors Note: As we were wrapping up this interview we both got the email saying Grant Baylor received the Top Amateur award). I guess, as of right now, I will probably stay in Open A. I’ve never really rode a 250f before let alone raced one. I really like 450s but I grew up on 2 strokes. I really don’t know, it’s all up in the air still. If something comes along and they want a XC2 rider, I’m more than willing to give it go. Without that kind of support, to do it on my own…

Any shout outs you want to throw out there?
You know I got to thank you boys! I’ve got to thank my girlfriend, Kayleigh Haywood. She’s been to every race with me this year, every single one. She puts up with my bitchin’. She’s always there to encourage me and help me out. She goes on track walks with us. She’s a part of it as much as I am. I’ve got to thank her. Mom and Dad, they’ve supported my dream since I was a kid, they’ve had my back since day one. All my friends and family. The guys at Fly Racing; Dale Spangler. Pro Moto Billet, G2, SIDI Boots, Scott Googles, RaceTech Suspension, K&N Filters, Nate with Dirt tricks, and everybody!

Thanks Adam! Good luck in 2012!

Hey Paul, how are things going today?
Good, Sun’s out and the weather is warming up.

Whibley tearing it up at last year's Georgia GNCC.

Great. So first off, congrats on your first win of 2011 at The General. Tell us about that race.
Thanks, it was a pretty fun race. To swap positions so many times with so many different riders and have a bunch of us up front makes for an enjoyable race and an exciting one for the fans. To come out on top and the end probably makes it a little more enjoyable for me.

It was definitely exciting! In Florida you broke your radiator on the first lap, what exactly happened?
I got the holeshot, then I think it was Mike Brown passed me before we got into the woods. It was a bit dusty and I hit something unseen, like a root that shot me off toward the side off the track. I regained control to avoid a head on with a tree but as I swerved to miss the tree the radiator clipped it and pretty much destroyed it. So I came back into the pits before I had even done a mile for a new radiator.

That’s a tough way to start the 2011 season. At the end of 2010 you were on a roll, did you feel any pressure to continue that momentum coming into 2011?
I wouldn’t say pressure to continue the momentum, I would call it desire and determination.

What did you do through the winter to prepare for the 2011 season?
Well I try to avoid winter and head back to New Zealand for summer there. I took November off and had some fun. December and January was back into training working with my trainer back in NZ to inject some fresh training sessions into my workouts to improve on some weakness and prevent a plateau in my fitness. Also raced most weekends.

Well, it seems that hard work payed off in Georgia, what are your hopes for Steele Creek?
I plan to get back on the podium at Steele Creek. Consistency is what championships are built on.

Looking forward to the rest of 2011, how do you see the season playing out for you?
I have a good team behind me with some great sponsors backing us all the way. Katherine (my wife) is huge help and Scotty (my Mechanic) is doing everything to make sure the bike is what it needs to be. Randy Hawkins is also doing a great job with the whole AmPro team.

What do you think you need to do to lock down championship number two?
Like I said, I need to be consistently on the podium, take the wins when the opportunity presents itself and remain healthy. Championships are won on your worst days so we can’t have any more days like we had in Florida.

The Axeman won't settle for anything less than the #1 plate in 2011.

Last year you wrapped up another OMA championship, how are your chances looking for 2011?
As good as any other year, it is what you make it. There are always new guys coming into the series and adding to the depth of talent. It looks like Russell Bobbitt will be running the series this year as well so it will be good racing with him.

Speaking of OMA, when transitioning to GNCC, what are the biggest differences between the two series?
The OMAs are more fresh tracks and they dont generally lay out the tracks to accommodate the quads so you get more single track. The GNCCs get a lot rougher and are more open courses to allow for quads and the higher number of entrys.

Both of the series have their signature “tough” event. Which do you feel is more difficult, The Snowshoe GNCC or The Moose Run OMA?
That’s a tough question. I personally struggle more at Snowshoe just because I don’t particularly like that track. The Moose Run is tough though but it’s a race that I really enjoy. Mud holes get big and deep, some tight woods and big logs to cross.

Alright Paul, that’s about it. Who would you like to send to thanks out to?
All the sponsors who are backing me to win this again. AmPro Yamaha, Monster Energy, Shoei, Smith, Sidi, MSR, Vortex Ignitions, G2, Tireballs, CTi, Factory Connection, Kenda, FMF, CV4, Works Connection, GYTR, Yamalube, EBC, Cycra, Pro Taper. Thanks.

Thanks Paul!

For those not familiar with Ben Weathers would you give us bit of background information about who you are?
I’m 32 years old , originally from Iuka, Mississippi and have been around motorcycles my whole life.

How long have you been involved in racing/riding? Did you plan to get into this Industry?
My first bike was a Suzuki JR 50, I was 2 years old and my dad thought it would be a good idea to get me into riding. My dad started riding I think before I was born and then started racing in the early 80′s. From then on I have been hooked. My first race I believe I was 8 or 9. I raced youth races until I was old enough for SERA Enduros and Mid-South Hare Scrambles. My parents would always take me racing because my dad raced too. We would always make a trip to Loretta Lynn’s every year for the Wiseco 100 Miler Series back then. I actually raced at Loretta’s back in like 1986 or 1987 I think. The youth course was like 9 miles of the 13 my dad raced later that day… It was nuts on KDX 80!!! Those hills are huge on a 80! This was the beginning you could say for my passion for motorcycling.

Not only does he know his way around with a wrench but he rips on a bike. Photo courtesy of Passion4dirt.com.

Of course I thought about working in the industry growing up but it didn’t hit me really until I was in college. My first job powersports related was at Lake Hill Motors a Honda-Yamaha dealership back in MS while I was attending a local community college. I moved on to Mississippi State University were I worked at Village Cycle Center in Starkville, MS. Then in 2004 I got the opportunity to work for KTM as a Dealer Service Rep.The job was based in Florida so I moved to Tallahassee and went to work. My region covered Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. I lived in Tallahassee until January 2008 then KTM had an opening that would put me back closer to my family so I moved back to Mississippi. The year of 2008 was really tough on the motorcycle industry and I lost my job in August of that year due to the economy. I took a couple weeks off and rode my KTM 950 Adventure as much as I could. Then went back to work at a local Honda dealership. Moving on to 2009 I was offered a job at Fox Racing to be a sales rep for North Carolina and South Carolina. I really liked the Carolinas so I relocated and went to work for Fox Racing. That job lasted a year and ended in Jan 2010, again due to the economy. The economy has really been a thorn in my side as far as industry jobs go. So jobless again, Bart Hayes offered me a job to manage Genuine Dirt Racer and that is where I’m at currently.

I had the pleasure of meeting you with Chris Bach recently. Tell us your role with his racing program and how you two met and started working together?
I knew Chris by racing Mid-South Hare Scrambles, we didn’t hang out but I knew of him. The first time I really hung out & rode with Chris was when he came down with Dustin Gibson they camped out in my driveway for 2 weeks. Dustin came down to do some riding and we did some testing to get him ready for the XC2 class that year. Basically, from that trip on Chris and I stayed in touch. Chris would call and ask question after question about the motorcycle industry and/or racing. Basically I try to be a “voice of reason” for Chris and try to keep him headed in the best direction possible on and off the race track.

Behind every great rider is a great mechanic. Photo courtesy of Lauren Bodinet.

The first time I helped him at the races was at Steele Creek in 2009. He stayed at my house that weekend and I just went to the race to watch, be the goggle guy and gas man. He didn’t have the best of days at Steele Creek that day and was just upset after the race. He had already been out west to prep for WORC’s and that fell through because of sponsors and such. He left that and decided to come back and do GNCC’s. He was just frustrated with his efforts from the beginning of the season and I could tell from our ride home from Steele Creek that he wanted to win bad. He had been training with Troy Ross when he was staying out in CA and they had things in line as far as training goes. So, when we got home after the race and broke down all his prior GNCC’s. I was like, Chris lets do this because you need to see positives along with negatives from each race. He looked at all the prior races and realized he had the speed all he needed was confidence and consistency to win. He left my house the next day for home and told me that he had what it took to win, I said show me.

I know you work at Genuine Dirt Racer. Can you tell us about GDR and your roles there?
GDR is a authorized Husaberg dealer and is owned by Bart Hayes in North Wilkesboro, NC. We specialize in Factory level preparation and WP suspension service for your Husaberg or KTM. We are also the US representative for WP suspension offering dealer programs, retail sales and services to the public.

I came on board in January 2009 as the shop general manager, head of covert ops and espionage.

Is it true Bach wears the same pair of “lucky motothongs” at every race?…..you can tell us, we’re discrete…
Well…I don’t know about a pair of “lucky motothongs” in his case…But I did wear the same boxers for every race day in 2010. They have $100 dollar bills printed all over them.

There you have it! So if you notice Ben at the races with a cheesy grin, it’s probably because he’s rocking his “Makin’ it Rain” boxers!

Thanks for the time Ben! Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
No prob Rob anytime!

Anybody you there you want to thank?
I will like to thank Bart Hayes, all the guys at Ride PG and Allen “Ricky” Reins for all that he does at GDR !

The Dr. D headquarters in Norco, CA

So Terry, thanks for taking some time to tell us what’s going on over at Dr. D for 2011. Let’s start off by recapping some of the new things that happened back in 2010.
This past year certainly had its share of highlights with more racing success on the amateur championship level, more US Supercross teams choosing DR.D, two (2) National Titles (250 &450) in Canada, and a handful of Off-Road titles. In addition, Doug Dubach continued to put his stamp on the sport as he ‘tested’ his exhausts winning his 8th Loretta Lynn title, his 18th Vet Championship and the 2010 Vet United Stated Grand Prix and we tasted gold as DR.D backed Matt Buyten won his 3rd X-Games Medal.

From a product standpoint, DR.D redesigned every KTM system and made a large push with many of the KTM MX and Off-Road teams in the states, Europe and Canada. Dubach’s efforts and input from many of KTMs best riders paved the way for new DR.D exhausts now in production. The press reviews of the DR.D KTM350 and 450 systems were phenomenal and KTM sales began to match those of the more popular DR.D exhausts like the CRF450 and YZ250F. The goals and efforts we applied to the KTM line certainly is a highlight for DR.D.

Do you guys have plans for anything “Brand” new this year that we haven’t seen before from Dr. D?
The most noticeable change for 2011 is the addition of the PhD resonance chamber on several of our 2011 systems. Dubach and his staff have tested a myriad of variations on virtually every off-road bike imaginable. It’s important to note that resonance chambers do not improve the power character on all makes/models. If there was no benefit, no gain in power, to a particular model DR.D won’t add the PhD chamber.

While we certainly understand the marketing impact of a resonance chamber, if the product does not pass Dubach’s track-testing and the PhD does not improve power/power character there is no way he signs off on production. Currently, DR.D offers seven (7) models that feature the PhD. We recognize some customers may desire a PhD on their respective system/bike but they should understand, and trust, that if the system does not include a ‘chamber’, the unit did not improve with it. DR.D believes the passion for superior track-tested exhausts is more important than slapping a chamber on all exhausts because it looks trick.

We also recently launched an addition to our NSS (Next Step Seminars) with the new Doug “Doctor D” Dubach Riding Schools. While Dubach is certainly busy testing for Yamaha, Dunlop, Kayaba and running Dubach Racing Development, he received so many requests during the NSS presentation to host riding schools that he will make the time and host one or two per month. The schools are one-day sessions at the DR.D Test Facility in Temecula, CA and more information can be learned by calling DR.D at 951-808-1114 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 951-808-1114 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or by clicking here for Dubach Riding School.

Let’s talk exhaust. You guys always claim that every bike is tested for max power and usability. How much research really goes into developing the exhaust for each model? I mean, it sounds like you guys get to ride way too much!
First, let me clarify the max power reference. Dubach understands from his background, 20+ years as Yamaha Factory R&D rider, that for off-road/motocross bikes, it’s not necessarily ‘max power’ but rather your secondary reason of usability. It’s the roll-on out of corners; it’s the hit when and where you need it, whether that’s to hop over a log or clear a double out of tight turn. The pursuit for peak horsepower on a dyno, to show a graph often is a disservice to the customer, it’s unusual that others will seek out a peak horsepower number. If a bike, say a KTM in stock trim, has a decent bottom, weak mid power, and too much top end power, there’s no benefit to making a peak number and adding more to the top. Dubach understands even the best riders in the world are very rarely holding it wide open.

That is where DR.D stands apart, the time and the effort riding stock bikes, utilizing several head pipe, mid, and muffler combinations to identify the best power character for that particular engine. Running a dyno wide open to find a peak number is the anti-Dubach approach.

Just another day in the office for the Dr. D test riders.

Sound is an increasing threat to our sport. Give us the inside scoop on what MX exhaust manufacturers are doing to combat this and still make power.
DR.D certainly has been at the forefront of sound reduction. Before the AMA implemented their approach, DR.D was already producing exhausts that met the more stringent FIM standards to support our teams oversees. Dubach/DR.D did not go the traditional route of inserting quiet cores into an exhaust to reduce dBs; while that approach may reduce dBs it restricts power. While most of us prefer a quieter exhaust, none of us want to sacrifice power. DR.D constantly engineers and tests our system throughout the year and makes improvements to the internal core to reduce overall sound increase overall power and control.

We have a lot of amateur racers out there like me reading this article. You offer several options for each bike: slip on vs. full system and also different material options. Which exhaust in your line up would you recommend for the average off-road racer and why?
Certainly there are benefits to be gained from a full system verse a Slip-On as power is often gained in the headpipe. For the average rider we recommend Stainless Steel/Aluminum, it’s the most durable and affordable system in the DR.D line up. For faster racers, the benefits of reduced weight, typically two (2) lbs, with Titanium or Carbon Fiber systems are justified. While there are claims to the contrary, there are no performance differences between materials.

Are there any major changes coming to the Dr. D exhaust line up in the next year, including sound output?
An area in which we made dramatic improvements in 2010, and one in which we are continually improving, is exhaust packing life. Currently, DR.D offers two types of packing, Standard and Pro Pack, the difference being cost and lifespan. While we are confident we offer a superior packing, we understand customers would benefit from longer intervals between packing. The Pro Pack we offer is an excellent option for fast racers, desert riders, or even those who just don’t want to repack as often with Standard packing. The drawback is some additional weight and costs verse standard packing; this is the issue we want to improve. DR.D has few innovative approaches in R&D at this time that are being evaluated and tested.

Holiday Rebate Dr.D is offering through the end of January with 20% off all exhaust

Tell us the truth: Have you ever passed Doug on the track? Even if he is lying on the ground….
I have! I wish I could end this answer at the “I have” point but Dubach is likely to read this interview. Truth be told, we were at a Yamaha Press Introduction for the 2006 YZ125 and the track had several jumps. Dubach rode the ‘sedate’ TTR225 and I was on the brand new YZ125 and absolutely worked him, beating him to the finish line by over two seconds.

(Editor Note: We confirmed this story with Doug Dubach, he did verify, but he added that Beal left out that Dubach beat him at Glen Helen, fast track with no large jumps, a week later on same bikes)

Make sure to take advantage of the Holiday Rebate Dr.D is offering through the end of January with 20% off all exhaust! ! For more info on Dr.D products go to www.DubachRacing.com or log on www.WPS-INC.com to find your local dealer.

Chris made a mid-year move to a KTM 450.

Hey Chris! How have things been going since the 2010 GNCC and IXCR seasons have wrapped up?
Really good. I took a couple weeks off to kind of reorganize and reflect on how this season went and look at what worked and what didn’t work. It’s only been a month and a half and it seems like we’re back in the full swing of things.

The offseason is definitely flying by! Looking back, how did the 2010 season go for you?
The beginning of 2010 definitely didn’t go as I had hoped. I was on the smaller bike, which is what I had always ridden, but things just weren’t working out. I would have times where I felt really good on the bike but something dumb would happen and my results didn’t reflect what I was capable of.

You mentioned you spent some time reflecting on the season. What do you feel worked for you and what didn’t work as you would have hoped?
As far as my training program, Troy and I have made some changes that he feels are necessary to better suit the 450. It’s really just more time on the bike now, testing with the new linkage and just getting things ready. I’ve figures out some of my weaknesses on the bike and will be working on them too.

Though the GNCC season didn’t go the way you wanted you won the IXCR Championship! Tell us a little about your IXCR championship season.
That series is so much fun. Jeff Rowland and the whole IXCR crew put on a great series. The tracks kind of resemble a GNCC in the way that they are fast but there are definitely a lot more tighter sections. Indiana has the best dirt hands down, so you know the races are always going to be sweet. I remember my first IXCR back in like 2008 I think it was, my axle came loose on my bike so I came through scoring and went back and tightened It up. when I went back out to the track I was in a huge hurry and blew through the actual scoring tent where the workers were and cut there power cable with my wheel! Scoring went out and they were super pissed. I don’t think Jeff realizes that was me!

Fly Racing will be supporting Chris in 2011.

During the Summer break from the GNCCs you made a few changes to your program, switching from a Kawasaki to KTM and racing 4 Stroke A Lites and moving to Open A. What sparked such drastic changes mid season?
Basically this all started with me wanting a 450 just to practice on and see if I liked it. I was going up to Bach’s to work with our riding coach Tyler Thompson of TMA almost every week. I rode Bach’s 450 up there and we did some lap times and I was definitely faster on the big bike. My results weren’t where we wanted them on the 250f so we went for the 450. With some help from GDR and Clockwork we got it dialed in and went racing.

What are some of the biggest changes you noticed moving from a 250 to 450?
The 450 is a lot faster. Things happen much quicker, and my riding style fits this bike better. I’m not the kind of rider who bounces off things and hits the rev limiter every second which is how you have to ride the 250f.

Looking at the results since Unadilla it seems you’re better suited for the 450s. How hard of a transition was it going from the 250s to 450s?
Since my style suits the 450 so well, the transition was pretty seamless with the help from the guys at GDR, Ben Weathers, Bart Hayes, and Alan Reines. The transition would have been impossible without them.

Photos courtesy of Chris Couch.

Aside from training and practicing you’re also a Dean’s list student majoring in Mechanical Engineer. How do you balance the time needed to be up and coming racer and a top student?
The hardest part isn’t the school work. It’s actually going to school. A lot of times I’ll want to go ride and I’ll have class at that time. So it’s really just being able to balance it and know when its better to skip school or the riding. Everyone thinks engineering is super hard. it’s really not. As long as you do all the homework and attend class as much as you can you ll do fine. I rarely study (Laughs)

What’s the plan for getting ready for the 2011 season?
It’s pretty much the same as last year. The day after Christmas I’m heading down to Florida to continue testing. Kanney and I will be staying near Waldo and the location is great. I’ll be literally next door to TMA, and Nate is an awesome training partner. With the program that my trainer, Troy Ross, has laid out it’ll be nice to have someone by my side while I’m killing myself.

Looking further ahead, what are your plans for moving up to to XC1 or XC2?
We’ll just see how things go I guess. I’m not really looking that far ahead, mainly just focusing on this year and what has to be done. As of right now I’d say I’d like to ride XC1 and skip XC2 based off the fact that I ride the bigger bike better. But we’ll just have to see how things play out in the future.

I saw recently that Fly Racing is helping you out for 2011. Who else is going to be helping your program next year?
Yes Fly Racing has stepped up big time and those guys are awesome. Troy Ross will be wearing me out again next year and most of the other players will be the same, Clockwork, KTM, Lexington Motorsports, GDR, PG, Dirt Tricks, FMF, Scott, with the addition of some new guys that aren’t quite ironed out yet.

That’s all I had Chris. Thanks for the time!

Nate celebrating his win at Snowshoe.

Hey Nate, how’s it going?
Things are going pretty good, I’ve been keeping busy getting back to health and also planning out my 2011 season.

So what have you been doing with your winter break so far?
Now, I’m strong enough to be training again but the winter has set in and that’s kept me to just planning out the details of racing for next year.

What are your plans for the rest of the winter and preseason?
I’ve got a snowboard trip for my birthday, then Christmas, then I’m headed for better weather to start training and testing for the new season.

Let’s go back, how did the 2010 season go for you?
The 2010 season was like an unfinished puzzle, I had 4 races in a row that were all far below what I was capable of on each day, I think my season started with a motor failure, a loss of a podium on the last lap from taking a rut I got stuck in, racing with a cold, and a crash and a mild concussion. After that I don’t think I rode for two weeks until Loretta’s and even went and worked for two weeks just to get away from a black cloud. I came back and podiumed at Loretta’s and got the season back on the right foot there. Unfortunately I still had two more mechanical failures before we even got to Snowshoe where I feel like I could have at least been on the podium. Then a win at Snowshoe and a second at Dilla and I was hot to make a comeback and that’s when I got hurt at the Titan. All in all, it was a really awful season but I still feel like I got alot out of it that I can carry into the future.

What was the high point of 2010?
Snowshoe was obviously the highest point of the year, I really wanted that win, and I had gone into that race knowing it was mine to lose. A few miles into the race alot of the guys were like fish out of water and I was already really having a good time and enjoying that track so it gave me a real sense of patience on the day. Then at the end, having that patience is really what locked the win in for me.

Now, with that race being pretty tough, does that inspire you to try any extreme enduro races such as Erzberg, Xtinction, Hells Gate, etc?
I’ve always wanted to do those races, I really enjoy them but I hate to say that those kind of races cater too much to the trials guys that I couldn’t kid myself. Now with so many world championship trials guys crossing over it’s not looking good for offroad guys in those events. What I really want to do is some of the races in Sweden, like the Gotland Grand National and the Novemberkassan. I would say those two races, and the A4DE are the three races on my bucket list.

What about the low point of 2010?
My low point, well there’s a string of events I dont really want to make public that were pretty sad, But I would say even though I got hurt at the Titan and my future was uncertain, at least I had come off some really good races and had proven some people wrong. The real lowpoint for me was probably after Ohio and Somerset, Where respectively I lost a motor with only a few miles left and lost my front brake and in both cases I at least had a podium on those days. It seemed like by then, even when these things happen that weren’t my fault it was like I had been given up on.

When you crashed at the Titan, what exactly happened and how long did the recovery take?
At the Titan, I crashed immediately at the beginning of the third lap, I had just held my braking point too long and and entered the dip at the end of the straight with too much speed. When I landed, I hit my face on the bars and knocked myself out, collapsed my lung and broke my wrist. I spent 3 nights in the hospital in Tennessee, and my parents actually had to drive there and bring me home as I couldn’t take a flight due to the cabin pressure and the lung. I’m actually still going to therapy till the end of December for my wrist.

Then the salt in the wound was being cut from the team around the same time, how did you find out about that? Was there any explaination?
I think it was only a few days after I got home and I was told. I had been told until that point that I was in line for a contract and I was in their plans but I think that that is just the way it goes. I know that KTM had been quite interested in Mullins for a while, and I think that when KTM said that I was in their plans I feel that I was in their plans in the event that they couldn’t sway Charlie away from Yamaha. Now looking back, its fine, Charlie has had a great year and he certainly deserves a good contract, and KTM needs a GNCC championship from an American to avoid the criticism that only they can win when the bring a ringer from EWC. For me, I never achieved my potential with the team, and I didnt bring them what they felt they had payed for, so its best that we shake hands and wish each other luck.

Crossing the finish line and taking the win at the Snowshoe GNCC.

Looking ahead to 2011, what’s going to be happening in Kanney’s world?
For 2011, I will be doing all GNCC’s and I feel very very good about how my program is coming together. It’s all shaping up to be something really good and there’s alot of very motivated people around me to help me achieve my goals. Soon I should be able to make an announcement with all the details. In addition to that I’m hashing out all the pros and cons of what will end up being my second championship. I’ve put a poll on my website for everyone to go to and voice there opinion on what they think I should do. I’ve come to the decision between OMA, NEPG and National Harescramble. I also want to try and make an EWC and as Many J-Day Grand Prixs as possible.

Do you have certain expectations for 2011?
I don’t have any expectations but I have set my goal at winning the Title for both Championships I end up pursuing.

What can we expect out of the Bach vs Kanney battle in 2011?
The 2011 Bach vs. Kanney is going to be a war. I know he’s already on site testing and training with the new bike and I expect him to be alot stronger than he was in 2010. Unfortunately it’s still a few weeks till I can get onto the bike seriously so I’ve been crushing games of chess left and right. I’m going to break him down strategically until he’s got no where to go. I’m really going to crush him coming down the home stretch. He told me last night that he’s going to crush me this year because I don’t start racing till round 6, and that I can’t ride white dirt or clay well. I almost suplexed the guy standing in front of me when I read the text. Bach is dead. Period.

Did you have any other offers on the table for next season?
I did have two offers to consider and spent alot of time working on another one which I felt was where I wanted to be but unfortunately that fell through. Now that my plans are nearly final, I feel like its turned out for the best and I think that it’s going to be the best bet for me to achieve my goals.

Where can the fans go to follow your season?
For the remainder of this offseason and the upcoming preseason I will be keeping my website, www.kanney116.com, updated as frequently as possible. Now that I have a little more freedom I want to be a lot more accessible to fans and riders so I’m going to try and keep interesting polls and features on my site.

Alright, that’s going to wrap it up. Is there anyone you want to thank?
I’d like to thank KTM USA for three very good years and giving me the opportunity to represent them on their official team. I’d also like to thanks all my fans, friends and family for their ongoing encouragement to return from these injuries and continue to persue my dream of winning the GNCC Title.

Cool, thanks Nate!
Thanks!

In this installment we talk with STS Motorsports’ owner Steve Winiarz. Steve started STS in 2007 and is quickly making a name for himself in the bike graphics market.

For those not familiar with Steve Winiarz and STS Motorsports can you give us a run down about yourself and your company?
I am 22, live in Somers, CT, and own STS Motorsports. I started the business when I was in college just for something fun to do and now I am doing it full time. I do Bike Graphics, Jersey Printing, Banners, T-Shirts, Vehicle/Trailer Wraps, and so much more. STS sponsors Bob Santheson (XC1 Pro), John Day (XC2 Pro Lites & JdayOffroad.com) and a couple other regional New England riders. With John Day we also design and print everything for his series, J Day Offroad. From his website to Event T-Shirts, banners, and plaques.

I can’t even begin to imagine how one goes about starting off in bike graphics. What drew you to designing graphics for bikes?
I actually started in detailing dirt bikes……needless to say that didn’t work(Laughs). After that I started to think that there really wasn’t a graphics company in the Northeast. There are but I feel they are more on the super local level, and nobody ever has anything good to say about them. I wanted to fill that void. I never went to school for design, I just bought the design program, started designing my own stuff and then contracting the printing out up until I knew I could afford a printer/laminator/etc. I now have my own Printer, Laminator, and Garment Printer.

STS Design for the J Day Offroad Series

What do you feel sets STS apart from other graphics companies out there?
I work with every customer that places orders through STS Motorsports. Whether it is Leatt brace decals or a full bike, I make sure the customer is 100% satisfied with their products. The customer has the freedom to change any color to any feature of the graphics which is something I knew I always wanted when ordering graphics. With every order, I e-mail proofs to the customer to ensure they are thrilled with what they have ordered. If they aren’t crazy about the proof, I make unlimited changes until they are happy. You’re not just a number when you order a set of graphics, you’re a rider like myself. STS ensures to satisfy every field of expectation, whether it is style or durability.

Thanks for the time Steve! Do you have any parting words for our readers?
Big thanks to everyone who has made the 2010 season a success. Check our website December 1st for all of our 2011 graphics. Also thanks to Rob and the other contributors at Offroad Junkies for putting together quality material every week. Thanks a lot for the interview!

Be sure to check out STS-Motorsports.com to check out all of their work!

Awesome! I know I had a good time at the VCHSS race, and congrats on the good ride. Now to get this thing started, how did you get involved in the off-road racing scene?
My uncle got me started in local harescrambles up here in PA shortly after my cousin had started racing. My first ever race bike was a ttr125 haha! We decided to do the whole GNCC series in 2008.

Ha, the TT-R is the universal midsize bike! Coming into these final 2 GNCC’s for 2010, you’re tied for third in the Womens class. What’s your strategy for the final rounds?
Aw man i can’t tell you that! haha na, I ‘ll just ride to the best of my ability, and put my best effort forward. And work on those starts!

How has the 2010 GNCC season gone for you so far?
It’s had it’s ups and downs, I had to miss FL for school, but had some decent finishes at most of the rounds after that. At the Penton I had a bad race due to mechanical problems, but kind of redeemed that with a second at Snowshoe.

You’re riding a 2 stroke while the rest of the top Womens riders are on the 4 stroke, where do you feel the 2 stroke has it’s advantages over the 4 stroke?
I do feel like I’m at quite a bit of a disadvantage with less power and traction on the 144. Some of those hills are pretty difficult on the bike, but it has two advantages over the fourstrokes in that if i stall it in the woods, or crash, i know I’ll always be able to 1. pick it up, 2. start it.

Picking it up and starting it are definitely some advantages that are just a little helpful haha! In your racing career, what has been your greatest achievement?
Honestly theres no one greatest achievement for me so far, its just been all the little ones coming together putting me where I am right now. racing has also let me get to know and be friends with people I otherwise would have never met, some who even live across the country.

Now you’re a member of the new Keystone Offroad Racing Team, tell us about your involvement with the team.
The Keystone Offroad racing Team is made of jedediah haines of the XC1 class, Zack Smith of the 250 A class, Ian Pannebakker of the A lites class, and me in the women’s class. I got involved pretty much the same time as everyone else. we all have the drive to do well in racing, and positive attitudes and personalities that make it easy to get along with each other and work well together. We each have what I guess you could say are jobs within the team, I’m going to school for graphic design, so i can help with getting logos and graphics put together.

Nice! Maybe you could have your own awesome graphics company one day! As a gift, would you rather recieve tons of sparkly jewelry, or a new purple powerband?
I’m really not much for bling bling, I can’t get over how much guys will spend sometimes on that stuff for there lady friend, so I’d have to say the purple powerband, it will make me go faster too!

Good choice! What do you feel is the biggest challenge for a Womens rider?
Mainly size. Strength comes with that too, it’s a lot easier for a guy to handle a 450 for two hrs and still have more energy to go. Most of the girls either have to lower their bikes or deal with not being able to reach the ground right. Haha, there’s so many times were i’m stuck, crash and have a hard time getting the bike upright again, or just find myself dabbing air in a rough technical section that i say to myself, dang i wish i was a guy, or guys have it easy. But I’m sure there’s a few cases where it’d be better to be a girl.

What would you like to see happen with the Womens class in the coming years?
Basically I just want to see it grow. more riders equals more competition which i think could lead to a women’s pro class. i’d love to see women’s racing in GNCCs get as big as women’s racing in moto has. Just this past year I really think the women’s class has come a long way, all the girls are stepping it up, which is a good thing.

What would you like to see happen with the offroad scene as a whole?
Again i’d like to see it grow, and ultimately offer more/bigger opportunities as far as jobs go in racing offroad. It would really help if the economy could get back to where it was a few years ago if not better, so more people could afford to participate in racing.

Out of all the tracks you’ve ever raced, what is your favorite?
I like most of the tracks we race, but i never had much luck the Penton. I really like Steele Creek, Somerset, Snowshoe, and The Titan was cool too. Ironman’s always a fun track too. But over all, I think Snowshoe has to be my favorite because the track is challenging, but not too hard in the morning race and every year it’s so fun to hang out with friends the whole weekend.

Snowshoe as a whole is just amazing haha. Let’s do a little word association, state the first word (or name) that comes to mind for each…
Bike: yamaha!
Gear: One industries
Awesome: 70 degrees, no humidity, sunny, on my dirt bike
Interview: Offroad Junkies!
Friend: Jesus
Pin it to win it: When in doubt tap it out
Goon: Trey Canard’s got mad goon skillz
Powerband: Hold on!
Flame Sticker: So 2006
Milk: Was a badddd decision
Taco: Without meat please
Jared Bolton: Thank you for the interview!

Awesome! I’m fairly certain Ron Burgandy would be proud. Alright, before we wrap it up, who would you like to thank?
I’d like to thank God for keeping me safe in travel and racing. My uncle Tony smith for getting me started in racing and supporting me throught thick and thin, and just the whole Smith family. My mom for her support and the rest of my family and friends. FMF, Sixsixone, One Industries, Utopia optics, boyesen, jason raines, Tag, Sunline, drew from DEF, Scott from Toy Tech, Offroad Junkies, and anyone else I may have missed!
Thanks LeeAnn!

How hard was Snowshoe this year? I’ve never made it to that round, is it really as hard as everyone says it is?
Yes and No. It’s for sure the hardest event of the series in technical terms. But as a whole… it’s not a super tough course, there’s just tough sections. The length is what makes it tough I think, and when the tough sections get chewed out they get REALLY hard. I just came into that race as prepared as I could be for the conditions, and it worked out in my favor for sure.

Now that you have a few weeks off from the GNCC schedule, what are your plans until the next round at New Berlin in September?
I’ve been racing every weekend since the last race. Mostly just local stuff, but it’s good to hit the races I grew up doing. We are a little over a month out from Unadilla, and Kanney is already talking trash… so I have some stuff I need to get done next week, then I’m heading to the GDR/Ride PG shop in NC so Ben can get my bikes freshened up, then its straight up to Nate’s house in New York to learn all his secrets so I can use them against him at ‘dilla. :-) haha.

Give us a quick look into your training schedule during the season. What do you do to stay in shape and be able to keep that pace for three hours?
Play chess. C’mon man, you know I can’t give out that info!

[SinglePic not found]Any top secret plans to race the new KTM 350 next year? Have you gotten to ride one yet?
I actually have no offer of any sorts from KTM to ride any orange machine in 2011, so I’m a free agent as far as I know… So I could actually be riding the couch next year, haha. Well, not really… I’m racing next year for sure because I know I can be a championship contender, and if it means I have to buy my bikes again like I did this year and hammer out podiums, so be it. But hopefully one of the teams in the pits recognizes the effort we are putting in over in my camp and I can get a job. I would like to stay orange for sure… it’s what I’m used to.

I have rode the 350, and it’s sweet. KTM has done a great job with the new chassis, linkage, and EFI. I won’t be on one this year, but don’t be surprised if you don’t see one lining up at a GNCC.

Looking ahead to next year, what is your game plan to be the top XC-1 rider?
I think we are just going to keep the program we have right now and just keep doing what we are doing. In the off season we will break down the program and our 2010 season, find any holes we can, and plug the holes and get to work on making it a better deal for next season. I have great people around me that make this all possible, they have the hard jobs: I just ride the bikes. My progression this year has been HUGE, and if the season ended today, it’s a great year for all of us, and we are all excited for what the future has in store.

Not including riding/racing dirt bikes, what do you like to do in your spare time?
Spare time?? What’s that? I wake up in the morning and train, I work on bikes, I eat lunch, and I ride in the afternoon… by the time I get home at night and showered up, its 8:30-9pm… And time for bed!

Do you remember your first Offroad Junkies interview at the River Ranch round? We want to know how much Charkie paid you to wear that ORJ hat!
HAHA! Charkie didn’t pay me anything… I think the site is cool and it’s a nice break from the typical moto site, so I’m glad to do interviews with anyone from ORJ, anytime.

What is your favorite offroad racing website? (Hint – it must end with the word junkies…)
ORJ.com!

I know you just getting started in what looks to be a long racing career, but have you thought about what you want to do when you retire? Maybe write articles and do interviews like this for Offroad Junkies… They keep telling me my check is in the mail???
Man… IDK about that “the checks in the mail” stuff. Long term I would love to step into a spot like Rodney Smith @ Suzuki… I think his job is sweet. Or Randy Hawkins… he also has a sweet job… or even Jason Raines. Those guys all had great racing careers, and then stepped into positions that are still very involved with the racing community. This is my life… I can’t see myself in any other line of work.

[SinglePic not found]Anyone you want to give a shout out to or thank?
This list is HUGE. Everyone knows the big sponsors, so I’ll save those for last.

I really can’t thank everyone around me enough. Bart Hayes, Ben Weathers, Jeremy Ketchum, Performance SuperCycle, Kevin Schuler @ Clockwork KTM, Troy Ross, Tyler Thompson and Thompson Training Facility, Everyone at WMR Competition Performance in FL, George Pollard… These are the people that are the core of this program, and they are the ones who pulled every string, every favor, and really made this happen for me this year.

For the political stuff…. I have obviously been blessed with some great sponsors this year. Without them I wouldn’t have the machines that are GNCC podium quality.

Performance Super Cycle, Clockwork, RidePG, GDR, WMR1.com, Renthal, Maxxis, Rekluse, FLY Racing, Scott, RPM Racing Team, KTM North America, Cycra, FMF, Fluidyne, TireBalls, Sidi, TM Designs.

Thanks for your time Chris and we’re looking forward to you staying on the podium for the last part of the season!

Josh
hey mate, sorry about the other day, ran out of time

Charkie
yeah man thats cool. We didnt want to get sloppy 3rds!

Charkie
would you say that you still have a “strang-lehold” on the championship?

Josh
hahha, id like to think so

Charkie
can we make this into a facebook interview for offroadjunkies?

Josh
yeh sure man

Charkie
ok cool

I heard that you crashed hard at a worcs race? how are you feeling from that and what happened?

Charkie
how do the WORCS and GNCC series compare? good and bad

Josh
well the worcs race last weekend was so fast compared to a gncc.. its hard to comapre they are both super tough but i enjoy doing them..

worcs is almost a 2 hour mx

Charkie
no I meant like the girls there. Where are the best looking girls?

Josh
haha, oh well its sunny most of the time out here so the girls wear different clothes, but overall its probly on par

Charkie
Have you considered racing an ATV at the GNCCs? Maybe in 2011? Doing like a reverse Barry Hawk?

Josh
uh na not really, i mean i would do one for fun if i had a chance and I had wrapped up the championship… those things look gnarly

Charkie
well do you have a deal for next year yet?

Josh
no not yet but im planning on the same thing

Charkie
Have you ridden the new RMX much?

Josh
no I have only ridden it up and down the road a few times… It seems like a good bike though

Charkie
We are headed into Yadkinville, what are you thoughts on that track? Are you excited to spend some time back in NC?

[SinglePic not found]

Josh
I like that track, I got my first GNCC win there and It was also my first ever gncc back in 2006.

Im looking forward to going back there

Charkie
ok, 1 more question then Ill let you go

what has been the most unique request from a fan that you have had?

Josh
ha, Im not real sure.. I wish i had some good ones but you gotta remember we are just off roaders, we ride in the trees so there isnt a whole lot we get apart from the kisd asking for goggles and gear and that..

Charkie
ok well thanks a lot Josh

we will see you in Yadkinville

Josh
yep no worries

sounds good

Charkie
anything else you want to add?

Josh
uh just thanks to all my sponors and that, fmf, makita, suzuki, moose shoei, eks brand, sidi..

thats about it man