Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

~ INTERVIEW Jeff Stanton Euros put on more of a show. They take care of us really well. They fly us to wherever we have to go and they pay for everything. That's why I don't understand why our manufacturers don't all work together. Those European promoters pay our flights, hotels, expenses and give us start money to show up, so those races are fun for us. What do our promoters do? Maybe shoot off a couple firecrackers, .and that's it. Firecrackers are fine, but the Europeans put on a show. "Some riders don't put out full effort (at the European races), but I try to win. If everything's going good that day and I feel good, then I'll go for it, but it's hard to go 100 percent all the time, especially when you're doing 56 races a year." Despite his complaints, Stanton does enjoy supercross, and has three titles to prove it. But he doesn't feel that stadium races should ever completely take the place of the traditional motocross series. "I think you have to have both. Our sport originated with the Nationals, and everybody'S trying to switch us over to supercross because you can pack the people in there and keep them out of the rain and weather, but we still have to ~ Though he is anything but flashy, Stanton's consistency is second to none. 18 Championship, he was satisfied and he wanted to find another challenge (road racing). I can understand that, but I get my satisfaction out of the actual racing, not just from winning titles or setting records. I'm in the sport for the long run. If I set all the records, that's great; If not, at least I tried my best." Though he enjoys racing supercross and motocross, Stanton still sees plenty of room for improvement in th~ sport. "The (supercross) track builders these days don't use as wide a range as they used to. They use the same basic layout and put it in every stadium. They should J,llake the tracks more technical. When Stadium Dirt Designs (reknowned track-builder John Savitski's company) was in there, you'd go to a different track every week and it was different. To me, there's no reason to have two sets of triples on a track. It's stupid. Sometimes there's three sets. You could put something else in there and it would be just as exciting. There's tons of different things (they could do). I could sit down and do a better job than what they're doing. All the riders know they have to jump triples, so it just makes it easier. The more different stuff you have, the tougher it is to get the hang of it all." In addition to track design, Stanton also sees other areas where supercross could stand some improvement. For a model, Stanton says promotors need do nothing more than take a look at their European-counterparts. "When we go to the overseas supercrosses at the end of the season, the have the Nationals to keep the variety. The promoters are making tons of money at supercross, so they wimt to shit-ean all the outdoor races. Then the outdoors guys get pissed and want to shit-can the supercrosses, but you need to keep both." Both of Stanton's National MX titles have come in the 250cc class. Unlike most riders, he skipped the 125cc class when starting off, instead .going straight to the .premier 250cc and 500cc divisions. "I never really raced a 125," says Stanton. "I rode a 250 with Yamaha, and I stayed with 250s when I joined Honda, to back up Rick. It was kind of hard at first, just trying to keep from killing myself. I was basically learning as I went along. At first I liked outdoors better because I was better at it, but now I'm just as good at supercross, so I like them both about the same." Surprisingly, with all his success, Stanton still has yet to earn a title in the 500cc class. That is an obstacle that he would like to overcome in 1993. "I can't point to anyone reason (that I have yet to win a 500cc title). In past years, I've crashed at the wrong time. You've just got to stay on the bike the whole time. It just comes down to being consistent. Kiedrowski rode good; He was more consistent than I was this year. It wasn't just a matter of me backing off after winning my other two championships. "I can't predict what the AMA and promoters are going to do with the 5OOs. I hope they keep them around. This year (1993) there's only four races, so it doesn't look good. I think a variety is good. That's what the spectators like to see." Stanton mentions the spectators and fans frequently during conversation, and it is apparent that he thinks a lot of them, a fact that he confirms. "Without them, I wouldn't be where I am today. I'm not flashy, but I try to make all the fans happy if I can. If I sign 5000 autographs a weekend and piss a couple people off and they write in letters to the magazines, I'd say that's a pretty good percentage...Without the fans, I wouldn't be where I am today, and I appreciate every one of them that I have." As he admits, Stanton is not a flashy tider. Instead, he prefers a more conservative apt>roach, and that also comes across in his personality. This is a fact that some criticize Stanton for, claiming that it is his responsibility as a champion to be more dynamic, both on and off the track. "People don't know me," explains Stanton. "I'm not an outgoing person. I'm not shy, but I'm to myself. I don't jump through everyone's hoops and tell them what they want to hear, and maybe that's why some people get down on me and accuse me of being boring. Everybody'S got their own opinion, but I can't change. I do things that fit me and that are comfortable for me, and that's been successful for me. I've got six championships. Some of the flashier riders we know don't have any, so I'll stick to what works for me and do what I have to do. I don't feel pressured to beat anyone. All I have to do is race my own race. If Jeff Stanton goes out and does what he has to do and does a good job at it, then the results u'sually t:N come."

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