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/127870
especially cool because m y teammate and good friend, Jake Zemke, finished second. I pretty much stunk on the 600, though, and I was bummed because I really like riding my 600 and usually do okay on it. D i d the 883s help you with your Nati onal program, an d vice versa? I think riding both bikes helpsp ut, but sometimes I would rather be riding only the 750. We had to work on the 883s as well as ride them, which is definitely not easy. However, without rid in g the 883 last year, it would have been tough to get s u ch a good 750 . The 883 cl ass worked as a ma jor stepping stone for my career. The 883s seem to be constantly under attack by someone. What do you see in th e fu ture for the 883 program? Right now, I don't have a clue what the AMA is doing with the 883 class or even dirt track. I don't think the 883 is a good alternative to the 750. But as a support class, I think it is a great idea. Many people don' t like the 883s because they seemed to push the 600s out - but that was the AMA, not the 883 class itself. I think we could ride all three 'classes without a problem at most tracks. Let's g et back to the Nationals. You were able to campaign the entire circuit. At what point did you feel that you crossed the line as a full-fledged racer? After I mad e the main event at Springfield, I felt like I was one of the guys. I have been d evoting my life to racin g since I was 7 years old, but to run with the fro n t o f th e pack on a mile really ma de me fee1like a racer. Do any tracks help prepare you for any others? No. What does prepare you is the experience gained from racing wi th the top guys on a weekly basis. One track will not necessarily train you for another. Mechanically speaking. how was your year overall? We had a very solid team to work wi th, thanks to Bill Barrels and Tony Dodge, and especially because of Gary Baehler, w ho was working on the 750s most of the year. We got along just great-and he w as able to set the bike up perfect for me so all I did was rid e the track. What are yo~r plans for the off-sea son? Ri ght now, I a m hold ing dow n the couch, wailing for my neck to get better from w hen I crashed at Del Ma r. I' m going trail riding as soon as I ge t the clearance from the doctor. That's what I do all winter long. Wh at about trai ni ng? I would like to call trail riding my train ing for the winter. I would like to go up north and do some ice racing. too. For me, mental preparation is more importa nt than physical p reparation. Being ca lm at the race track is so mething I need to work on. How d id you decide on National number 20 for next year? Well , I wa n ted n umbe r o ne, but it w asn't available. No, seriously, I became good friends w ith Eric Bostrom over the las t few years, and was his teammate in 1996. He was number 20, as was Chris I Carr. I' m honored to run the same number as my two heroes. What wiII be your racing program .for 1998, and what are your goals? I am looking forward to a great next I yea r. It is a relief to get my rookie year l behind me so that I can get on with the learning p rocess. There a re so many good riders out there, and it's impossible to predict how I will do . Realistically, I want to finish inside the top 20 in the point standings, and make more .main events. cr . ~immy Button wl]l] This is your chance to meet Sb.owtime and Button-fly ! Wednesda y, J anuary 7, 199 8 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. 47