VOL. 51 ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 16, 2014 P163
of your program. You've always been fit, but
this year it seems you took it to a new level. Is
that an advantage you have on your competi-
tion?
I don't know. Some people think I train too hard
for this sport, but I was a wrestler in high school,
and I've always felt the harder
you work, the better you're go-
ing to be. I've been fortunate
to have the right people be-
hind me to train the right way.
Having that base, I think, will
help me even more as I get
older. I look at a guy like Joe
Kopp, who was a threat for the
championship all the way to his
last year, and I think it had a lot
to do with the training he was
able to put in his program.
In terms of the future of
flat track, the DMG should
be putting a lot more focus
on the sport since it's not
running road racing any-
more. Do you think that will
benefit the sport?
I really don't have an answer for it. I hear about
this person being let go or that person, and I think
some of those people have really benefited the
sport. I look at Chris Carr and Ronnie Jones, as
examples, and wonder why they aren't brought on
board to help the sport. They have a proven track
record. I think keeping Steve Morehead there to
handle the day-to-day tasks at the track is a good
thing. I think he has a good handle on it. I want to
feel the same way about everybody involved in the
sport. You look at a guy like
Dan Johnsen—he doesn't have
a big dirt track background of
some of the other guys, but
man he wants to be there, he
wants to learn and be the best
he can be at what he's doing.
I heard they got rid of Al Lud-
ington, but now are thinking
about bringing him back in
some way. Al and I might butt
heads at times, but here's a
guy who's been around as a
mechanic and understands it.
I think they have some good
people that are a benefit to the
sport, but they need to have
some guys who are in there
who have seen the good and
the bad and know the contacts, know what it takes
to make the sport its best. I think we need to have
a lot more races, maybe in the 17 to 20 range. I
know it's tough because of the economy.
How about the direction they're going with
TV with Fan's Choice?
I think Fan's Choice is definitely something that
is going in the right direction. With smart TVs out
there you can pretty much watch the races live.
The more and more people get used to that it will
eventually get the attention of sponsors. They still
have some technical things to figure out, but I think
they're in the process of making it badass every
time we go out there. It's definitely a stepping-
stone in the right direction. Now they just need to
get the advertisers, the interviews, the features
and things to make the broadcasts more like a top-
notch production. CN
"THE HARLEY
XR750 IS PROBABLY
THE BEST FLAT-
TRACK BIKE EVER
MADE, WE'RE STILL
TALKING ABOUT A
MOTORCYCLE THAT'S
A LITTLE BIT BEHIND
THE TIMES."
Occupational hazard: Mees shows off his welts
from this year's Mega Mile in Virginia.
