Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Manager) Dave Arnold is there and he talks 1O everybody and helps out lOO." Many times when a rider switches to a new team, there is a period of adjustment to the new bike and surroundings. But in Stanton's case, there ha been no problem adjusting 1O the Honda environment. "I talked to (Scott USA rep) Bevo Forti about it, and he just said to go out and trail ride on the bike 1O get used to it," says Stanton. "That's what I did. I just went out and rode the trail and had fun, I didn't even touch a track. I think that's what helped out the most, just gelling familiar with the bike oUl in the woods." One other thing that certainly helped Stanton improve over last season was his stay during the winter with friend, new teammate and multi-time ational and Sopercross Champion Rick Johnson.. Instead of spending the cold winter in his hometown of herwood, Michi~an, Stanton came 1O Johnson's EI Cajon, California, home where he stayed from just after Christmas until midFebruary. During that time Stanton trained, rode and studied the champion's lifestyle. "He didn't give me any tips," says tanton, "I just learned lillIe things by staying with him, riding with him every day, watching him and doing things he does. He doesn't want to give me any tips because I'm the competition. Just staying with someone who's been through it all and knows everything about it helps out a lot." Stanton and Johnson became friends a few years ago when Stanton was just getting tarted as a professional. According to tanton, they often talked and just became friends, although Stanton ays that they only "have a few thing in common. "He's from the fast-paced city and I'm from the country," explains Stanton. "We race motorcycles and we train, but that's about it. We don't have a whole lot in common but we get along well." "We just started talking and hit it 0((," says Johnson. "We respected each other, and I always knew he was strong and fast. He didn't pull an attitude on me." Johnson even recommended him to Honda team manager Dave Arnold at the end of last year. Ju t because they're friends 0(( the track doesn't mean that either one will give up anything to the other on race day. "We can go out and practice and train lO~ether, and then when it comes llme for the race he's the enemy," say Stanton. "If it comes down to taking him out, you've got to do it." And although Johnson is a good friend, Stanton would like to break Johnson's dominance on the sport and take his place at the lOp before Johnson moves on. Stanton hopes to be beating Johnson steadily next year, but knows that it will be tough. "He's a tough competitor and never dies, never quits," Stanton says. "That's what it takes 1O win, and I'm starting to get that feeling." Stanton first got that feeling when he beat Johnson at the Atlanta Supercross on February 25. Although Johnson attacked, Stanton was tough and Johnson ended up going down trying 1O pass him. The win gave StanlOn a much-needed confidence boost, and he figures if he beat everyone once, he can do it again. . Since Johnson injured his wrist at the first outdoor ational, Stanton won't be going up against his friend now for the Supercross Championship. But just because the dominant rider is out doesn't change Stanton's race strategy. "I'll just take it like any other race," says Stanton. "With Rick being a good friend it does bother me, but I'll just block it out of my mind. You can't take it any easier just because one person is out, there's a lot of competition." And the fact that he now has a healthy lead in the Camel Supercross Series points standings and everyone is suddenly chasing him for the $50,000 bonus for taking the title at the end of the season, doesn't change anything either. "Every time I go to a race I think I'm a lap behind and just go out and race as well, fast and aggressive as I can," he says. "Ri k's out, but you never know, someone could land on me any time and then omeone else would be looking good. You never know what's going to happen, you just' ride and if you win, you win. If you're winning races or being consistent at each race, you'll be up there for the championship." Stanton has always been consistent. Last year he hovered just inside the top lO in most supercross mains and stayed within the top five at - the 250 and 500cc Nationals. The year before that he was consistently one of the lOp supported privateers in the Nationals, and before he broke onto the ational scene he was a consistent winner in the amateur ranks. Stanton first began his racing career as a child when some friend near his Michigan home got him started in racing. His family got inlO racing as a hobby, and his older brother John also raced. Both boys began to do well at local races, then ventured ou t into the more competitive amateur cir- cuit. Stanton picked up some support from Yamaha, and that support gradually increased until his results earned him enough backing from Yamaha to do the Nationals in 1987. On the way up, things were never particularly easy for Stanton. He comes from a family farm, and before he started winnin~ enough money to pay for his raang, Stanton had to earn it during the winter months. "Since we don't race in the wmter back in Michigan, I would cut wood . and sell it in the wintertime to make money," Stanton says. "We worked hard and earned our own money, and it helped out. You worked for your money, you went out and raced the summer season and wanted it that much more." One other thing Stanton wanted was to make sure he finished high school, regardless of a busy race schedule. "My number one priority was to finish school and get a diploma; you're not racing forever," says Stanton. "I had fun in school. In my last year I went to Florida to race the whole winter, my chool sent my work out to me and I sent all the homework back. I flew home and took my exams, and I actually did better doing it on my own." Being from the country, tan ton likes to be on his own and go off and do things by himself. Getting to know him can be difficult since he's shy, and he can come off as unfriendly to some people. But the more you get to know Stanton, and the more he knows you, he begins to open up. "When people get to know me they say I'm crazy, I do a lot of crazy things," he says. "I like to go out and do safe, fun things." He's a little elusive when it comes to describing tho e crazy things. "Just crazy things out on the farm, crazy things in vehicles, or playing in the water." Stanton likes 1O Jet Ski, water ski and spend time with his family. He also alluded to chasing deer on the farm in his truck. It's also no secret that he makes some pretty crazy bets with his friends. Stanton has spent five nights sleeping outside in a dog house in Rick Johnson's back yard after losing bets on who would win supercross races, and he even wagered a week of working at a McDonalds on the outcome of the Camel Supercross Series. And according to Johnson, a lost bet at the Colorado River saw StanlOn water skiing naked, and Stanton lost half the hair on his body in another bet. "He's so strong as a person and he has a lot of little boy left in him," says Johnson. But despite all the craziness and life on the road as a factory star, one thing Stanton still loves best is the family farm back in Michigan. "I still love 1O go back and drive the traclOrs and bale the hay, or just spend time back there," says Stanton. "It's been in my blood for oiong." Stanton plans to return to the farm someday when he's finished racing, but not necessarily to work it. "Not unless things get a lot benerr', he claims. "Farming hasn't been that good with the drought and crop prices being bad. And people are turning away from beef, and my parents are beef farmers. They're doing well, but the whole firming industry hasn't been good. "I would like to take over and keep the place in the tanlOn name, though." If Jeff StanlOn keeps doing as well as he has been lately, continues to win, and takes the Supercross Championship, the family farm hould be .safe. • 13

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