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/128644
2000 ANIA Grand National Champion Joe Kopp 6 c I t o n q S TO RY B y S COTT R OUSSEA U P HOTOS B y S COTT R OUSSEA U AN D F LA T TRAK F OTOS sh ou ld be petr ified from the 25 -degree cold ou tside the window, but ins tead it is fe ar th at creates the shiv ers up a nd dow n m y s pine as we hurl a round on the iced- gla ze d two lan e roadw a ys just ou tside the bustl ing metropolis of Mic a h , Washing ton, a town which features just on e bu ild ing , a U.S. Post Office. The fea r is brought on by J oe Kopp's driving. "We used to have a gas station here , but now we have to drive over to the next town to get gas," Kopp sa ys with a chuckle as we hammer down the road in his pride and joy, a 19 7 3 Ch evy lo ng bed p ick up kn own as "The Mauler," a machine more suitable as an entry in the local demolition derby than a licensed street vehicle. In the bed of the truc k are his constant companions , golden retriever Fritz, along with two labs , Sasha and Tuffy. I 4 JAN UARY 3 , 200 1 • C II C I e n e vv "Chec k th is out," Kopp tells me as he ba cks off th e throttle of "Th e Mauler," whic h beg ins to groan and e mi t a serious vibratio n th a t p ractically ra tt le s th is rolling sc ra p heap right off the road. I look ba ck to see the dogs ' ta ils wag ging as I try to bre a k the c rust off the passenge r-si de lap belt, which appa rently hasn 't needed to be ad justed for use in a decade . "I think tha t the be a rings in the transfer case are bad," Kopp s ays. "It always does that when I let off the gas." He then picks up speed and attempts to show me h is best im person ation of a rally racer o n the icy mounta in two lane s near his home . When we get to his pla ce ... if we get to his pla ce ... I plan to call the boss and a sk abo ut haza rd pay. Suddenly, we approa ch the top of a hill th at overlooks a rath er exp ans ive valley and Kopp veers off into a driveway. My roller coaster ride from he ll completed: Thank you very mu ch for riding , now please un latch y our safety bell, exit through s that rusty door to your rig h t and try not to step in y our own vomit, we have just reached Joe Kopp 's seven acres of hea ven . A beautifully a ppo inted wo rkshop looms as the maj esti c cente rpiece of the property , practically ca st ing a shadow ov e r a scabbed-on s ingle -wid e mobilehome trailer . You've got to love a gu y who has his priorites str aight. Wood s moke trails lazily out of the chimney portal on the trailer, leading me to believe that it might be a source of warmth. I suggest that we go inside and get started with the ta s k a t hand. But we ha ve to see th e shop first, and meet th e horses, Mojo and Cash. Fina lly, we head inside the aged but ve ry homey trailer. I hand Kopp m y tape recorder and show him where the mic is and what buttons to pu sh . I am ready to get underway with my interv iew of the reigning AMA Grand Nationa l Champion , not to mention th e gu y who won the AMA Supe rTra p p SuperTrackers title for the second str aig ht year and a lso ba gged an AMA Nation a l Hot Shoe title. In 2000 , Kopp did it all. 11 IJ 11 e n fj ., 16 'd