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/127751
it so much. Growing up, my parents were pretty strict, and I guess that's why I'm not getting a big head. My iter was always the troublemaker, but I was never in trouble. I've alway been quiet and kept to myself. So now that the season's over, what are you doing for fun? Well, now I fmally have a week or so off. Testing with Kawasaki is like a fulIon job with aU the testing. I haven't played golf in about a month, so that's what I'll do a lot of. I'll also do some trials riding, I like that. Trials is a little different type of training. It's fun, it's pretty safe, but you still have to use your clutch and throttle. I'm going to try my first trials competition this winter. I also ride my bicycles a lot. I'm going to try to get a lot stronger this winter on them. Stronger... When Suzuki told you that you needed to get stronger on a 250, did you agree? Do you need to bulk up for next year's 250 series? I don't think that was my problem. I've been racing 250s since I was 15 years old. And back then, I actually rode a 250 better than a 125. What are your thoughts about racing a 250 next year, and about your new team? I'm super-excited. The bike is great, and the team is gomg to be good. I had a lot one lap. There was nothing really happening this year. I knew on a supercross track I didn't have to worry about him. But outdoors, he's a really good outdoor rider and we battled, but there was no run-ins. How do you think the two of you will get along, now that you're on the same team? Well, even before when there was friction between the two of us, it wasn't like me going over to him and wanting to beat him up. I might have gone over to him and said something, but then the other magazines write shit and blow it out of proportion. There's nothing personal, we played basketball together a lot this year on Saturday's before the Nationals, and lately, I've been seeing him every day at Kawasaki testing. So your Kawasaki testing has already begun? Aren't you contracted with Suzuki through the end of the year? Well, I'll be officially released from my contract at the end of October, but for now, things are just kind of low-key. Roger DeCoster and Roy Turner came to an agreement about Suzuki releasing me early, and Kawasaki releasing Mike LaRocco early for testing. I'll be on a Kawasaki at the Osaka and Tokyo Supercrosses. You mentioned that you were a bit distracted by your contract negotiations. Did it get stressful, trying to sort out the Suzuki/KawasakiIHondalAxo/Fox deal? Yeah, because every day that I was at home during the week, that's all we talked about. It was stressful, I didn't know what I wanted to do. I was really confused until Kawasaki stepped up and made things clear. For about a month, things were pretty ugly around here. The dollar figures that I've heard are very impressive. That must be pretty incredible - five years ago you were on allowance, and now your making hundreds of thousands of dollars... (Laughs) Yeah, I mean it's pretty neat. Hopefully, I'm still the same person. If I'm out at a mall or something, people don't know the money I make, because I don't show it. I don't know, it's pretty cool. I like going to the bank. You bought a house recently... Yeah, it will be about a year pretty soon. That's about the biggest change in my life, but I still live with my mom and dad. When you bought your house, did you do so with the intention of having your parents move in with you? Yeah, T guess so. T pay all the major bills, and they do stuff like buy the groceries and pay some of the Httle bills. I get along really good with my parents, and I didn't want to really live alone. I would probably be pretty bored. I'm only going to be 20 in November. So at 20 years of age, you own your own house and 'are letting your parents live with you. Is that your way of paying them back? Ye~itis.(Laughs)But~s also my dad's way of paying me back. Now that it's my house, I try to keep the garage really clean, and he'll just come in and throw his stuff around and leave things everywhere. It's funny because I used to do the same thing to him at the old house. It's funny how the roles have reversed. I would assume that since it's your house, there's no curfews of any sort... Well, they still look out for me, but it's not like they tell me to be home by 10:30 or anything. The stereotypical role of a factory motocrosser is that of a real swingin' dude with loads of girls. How does that sort of thing work out with your parents living with you? Oh, you mean my movie-star lifestyle? (Laughs) Well, the couple of girls that I met this year had to meet my parents. This one girl that I brought home - I was showing her around the house, and when I got to my bedroom she asked me why I was staying in the master bedroom. I said, "Well, because it's my house." I don't know if she thought I was lying to her, or if she didn't believe me, but that was the last time that I saw her. Then there was this girl from Flori- da that I £lew in and she stayed with me for two weeks. Before she came my mom was like, "Oh, I'll get the spare bedroom cleaned up and ready for her." And that's where she stayed. That was my mom's approach to the situation. Other than the house, have you splurged on anything else? Well, T bought myself a car, but it's kind of my mom's. I gave it to her on Mothers Day, a BMW 325is. It's pretty nice, but sometimes I don't even drive it very much. I mean, I'm always going riding and I'm always in my truck. I feel kind of funny, though, you know? I'm kind of young, and I'm driving around in this sports car. Like when I pull up at a traffic light, I wonder what people think. I guess I shouldn't worry about that stuff, though. A lot of people in your position £launt their rewards. What's keeping you so realistic? . Well, when I drive the car, that's what I think it looks like. It looks like that's what I'm trying to do - show off - but I'm not. My friends all think it's pretty cool, but I guess that's why I don't drive " of success in '91 as an intermediate aboard a Kawasaki. I won almost every race that year, even on the 250. What are your goals for 1996? Well, to win the outdoor 125cc series. It will be my third full year in that class. I won a couple Nationals in '94, and I was consistent in them in '95. ow I'm going to try and put both of those together. A lot of people look to you as the next natural talent to come along and beat Jeremy McGrath. What do you expect to do in 250cc Supercross? Well, I feel really good on the bike and I don't want to push it too soon. But look at McGrath - it kind of happened for him right away, and hopefully it will be the same way for me. If not, I think that after this first season I'll really know what 250 Supercross is all about. I definitely want to be on the podium. Winning one will be quite a task, but that will all depend on McGrath. I've .beat everyone else in the class at one time or another, but I've never beat him. But top five in the 250 series and podium finishes are my goal. For sure. ~ 00 '""' ~ Q) 2 u o 23