Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126511
the Alabama Two-Day Qualifier I had problems on day one (Saturday) with the very wet conditions so myself and Kevin Brown hopped in my van and split for Ohio where, 12 hours later, we arrived. I went to Husky. got the Automatic, and put some ligbts on it so I could ride an enduro Sunday. I didn't even know how to start it when I got to the event, but a friend of mine showed me the ins and outs. I adapted pretty good because I I.ook overall. My first ride made a believer out of me. You mentioned high school athletics before, what did you play? I'm a competition lover, I've loved competition since I was knee high to a grasshopper. In high school I tried to play everything I could. At defensive halfback and offensive running back. I played more defense than I did offense. I liked it better because I like to hit people. I was always a go-getter and I probably liked football more than anything. I played guard in basketball. I was in the 112 pound class in wrestling. I played a little bit of golf-- I playa lot of golf on my off time right now. Anything that says competition and has a little bit of skill involved I love to do. Was it family influence that got you into sports? Yes, my father was always athletically inclined. My brother was a very good football player and he played every sport coming and going. I was not really great at anyone sport, but I could play them all and throughout high school in whatever sport I played I was always on the starting lineup. How about motorcycling? My uncle brought the first motorcycle into the Cunningham family and my dad and my uncle would go out riding. Finally, my dad bought a motorcycle, then it was my older brother and my cousin. Before long it got to be, "Well, we've got to race, no more playing around on Sunday, we've got to race." So they started into racing and before long my brother had to have a better motorcycle so my dad bought him a Penton and I acquired the Honda_ From there it kind of led up to my raci ng ca reer now. Why do you ride the ISDT? Why do I ride the ISDT? I feel it's a p=onal thing. There's a lot of p=onal pride in achieving a goal which a lot of riders can't achieve. I like competition and in the' ISDT, you have competition from many countries and you get to travel around which I like to do. The biggest thing is the self-pride and self-satisfaction you can get by winning a gold medal. Have you set yourself any goals for this year? I don't like to set goals because if I don't reach them then I feel bad about it. I guess deep down inside I would like to do as good as I've done this year. I would like to win another ISDT gold medal. I would like to be District II champ again, but it will all depend on what my schedule looks like for the Nationals. I would like to be the best in both, I want to be in the hunt no matter what I ride_ That's the best way to put it. I want to do good and would like to say just how good I think I can do, but I really don't know. I don't think anybody knows. Do you think Dick Burleson can be beat? Well, I feel there isn't anyone who can't be beat. I would say yes, Dick can be beat. But it's going to take a few years for someone to beat him. I have to admit Dick is very experienced and that means a lot in enduro riding. Right now there are a lot of young guys like Johnny Martin, Randy Martin and myself right in there -- in the hunt. We just don't have the experience that Dick has and it'll be at least another year or two before someone dethrones him. • The new generation M-X boot._. LOOK AT THE NEW PROTECTION ... Why settle for buckets on your feet to achieve the protection you're looking for in a racing boot? 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