We recently spoke with Chad Wienen about his season so far in 2013. Wienen is the current points leader in the 2013 Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship, sanctioned by AMA, as the series heads into Round 9 of the 10-race series next weekend at RedBud MX in Buchanan, Mich.

ATV Motocross: You’ve had an exceptional season so far, taking seven of the eight overall wins. To what do you accredit your success?
Chad Wienen: We’ve put together a really solid program. I’ve had the opportunity to hand pick each sponsor and have the best products on our bikes that I know can win championships with. Along with that comes a lot of hard work and not to mention a little luck!

Have you done anything different this year than in years past, as far as your training regimen goes?
Probably the biggest thing is that I give myself time to recover after hard days of racing and riding. In years past, I would always push myself, but I’ve learned giving yourself time to recover is just as important as the time you spend training.

What is the most difficult part of running the Wienen Motorsports team when you also have to concentrate on your own racing?
Making sure all of the riders have everything they need to go out and perform while keeping all of my practice machines together in between building and rebuilding my race bikes.

Do you have any pre-race rituals?
This year we’ve been eating Hamburger Helper the night before every race!

What do you typically listen to on the line?
AWOLNATION. And I’m really loving me some Radio Active right now.

What’s the last thing you think about before the gate drops?
I’m willing to do anything to be the first guy around the first turn.

If Wienen Motorsports were to take on another team member, what would you be looking for in the rider?
I would look for a rider who has as much passion for the sport as I do, and has as much drive as I do to be the best. It would also be important for the rider to be a positive representative for our team on and off the track.

When you signed your first factory deal, did you feel that it could lead you to a championship?
Yes. When I first signed with Suzuki, the machine had already been proven. My mentality back then was to ride it as hard as I could for 20-plus minutes, and most of the time the machine and I didn’t see eye to eye on that.

What manufacturer did you always hope to ride for?
Before I signed my first factory deal, I had spoken with Donnie from Yamaha about wanting to get on their machine, but they didn’t have the budget to bring me on. It turns out six years later we finally made a deal and won our championship together.

Do you have a strategy to conclude the 2013 season?
Keep doing what I’ve been doing, be consistent, and keep dedicated to riding and training. It’s gotten me this far and I don’t see a reason to change that now. I strongly enjoy heading to RedBud to race each year. We have a huge family and fan following coming up to the event, and I’m looking to put on a good show for them.