Site Lap: The Anticipation's Rising

Site Lap: The Anticipation's Rising

TimeFriday, February 7, 2014 | 4:00 PM
by:
TimeFriday, February 7, 2014 | 4:00 PM

Another week closer and the palms are becoming a little sweatier and hearts begin to pound as round 1 of the Mtn. Dew AMA ATV Motocross National Championship draws another week closer. Aonia Pass Motocross has been the debut round for the new season the last few years and as the new season approaches new things are on the horizon. MAVTV airing all rounds of AMA Pro ATV MX, a new PR firm hired to help promote the sport, a new pro format, a new track as well as the return of an old favorite brings lots of reasons to anticipate the new season of racing.

I did finally talk to Chad Wienen and it is amazing how he basically echoed exactly what I have been witnessing and only had a little more to add. His exact words were, “The Wienen Motorsports Team is doing great!  I have been in Florida since After Christmas and have been riding with Chris Borich and Johnny Gallagher. Plus my newest addition to the team Nick Gennusa has arrived and is ripping on his new Wienen Motorsports YFZ450R.  Thomas has been staying in Texas and has been training hard as well.  Big things are in the works to debut at round one!” And it seems the only addition would be the “something new at round 1” statement. I don’t know about you but I am kind of curious.

Wienen Motorsports is doing great, and ready to debut something new at round 1!Photo: Hill
Wienen Motorsports is doing great, and ready to debut something new at round 1!Photo: Hill

Joel Hetrick is busy training in the off-season as well. Hetrick says his return to the Can-Am has been a smooth transition and he is looking forward to the new season. He says he feels confident since his mechanic Darrin Thomas returned with his working knowledge of the machine and they are hopeful for what the season holds. Even last season they spoke a lot and he still helped him out a bit on the Honda. Joel says he is glad to have him as his mechanic and he has gotten the Can-Ams dialed in. Joel is currently in Louisiana at Greg Paffords place training and says they haven’t been together much this year but are keeping in touch.

As far the off-season Joel says things are “going pretty good”.  He got another practice bike earlier this year and had it set up as a race bike in a week or two he is planning to test the shocks. He said, “I am pretty much just fine tuning at this point. Been going to the gym every day and riding every day depending on weather. It is good testing a lot more than I have in the past so I think that will give me an edge for the first race.”

As Joel moves the JB Race Team that leaves a huge hole under the Hetrick Team tent and it looks like that may be now filled. Hetrick Racing announced that Nick Moser has joined the Hetrick Racing team for 2014.  Nick Moser is going to compete in Pro-Am Class at the 2014 Mtn Dew AMA ATV Motocross Championship Series on a Corrosion Specialties / Hetrick Racing Honda 450R. This should be a positive impact in Moser’s program. Moser is fast and now with guidance seasoned veteran team leader Rich Hetrick it might be the combination that the #77 has been looking for.

Joel moves the JB Race Team for the 2014 season.Photo: Hill
Joel moves the JB Race Team for the 2014 season.Photo: Hill

On the Women ATVMX scene it looks like Maci Devenport is throwing her hat into the ring in 2014. According to a recent Facebook post, “Quitting is not an option!” and went on to say that she would return to the nationals. I for one hope that everything works out and this young lady is able to come spread her wings and fly at what she loves best.

That’s about all I have this week. Let’s check it with “Tweeter Master” Ken Hill and see how things look from his mountain:

#20 Josh Upperman
#20 Josh Upperman Photo: Hill

Thanks Rodney,

Ashley Schiermeyer is a name many of you are going to get to hear from especially if you are a Pro or Pro Am racer or team manager. If you are a sponsor, you will probably have some dealing with her as well. Who is she?  She is a member of the PR firm “Next Level" and will be attacking the series with her skills to help promote and improve our standings and visibility especially on the social media side of things. Ashley is part of a team that was hired to do work on the Mtn Dew ATV Motocross series and they have quite a list of clientele attached to their résumé including the Monster Energy Supercross series and the Amsoil Arenacross series.

She has already been tweaking things on this side of the series and I have been listening as she is starting to get a grasp on the differences between the motorcycle world and out ATV side of the universe. I have a feeling it will not take her long to be eyeball deep in our series with a full understanding of what is needed to bring us more in line with our social media. Emails should be going out any day to those who will need to deal with her and the new marketing team, so look for it and join us in this new avenue of promotion!

#1 Chad Wienen 
#1 Chad Wienen  Photo: Hill

That is about all the inside line stuff I have for now. The powers above have me learning some new things so that I can better help promote the racin' nation and use more of this newfangled technology to help spread the word and keep the world in tune with all the action. I might even have a few surprises for them, even though I am certain they are so deep into all this that catching them off guard will take some doing, but that won't stop me from trying!

This week I have tackled Twitter. I know, it’s only been around forever and you have to have been living under a rock not to use it. Well, call me a caveman because I have rarely used it over the years, they just do not pump the cell signal to my cave enough for me to use a cell phone here! @# And all that stuff used to be reserved for blocking out curse words so I have to reprogram my brain just a wee bit. Now it’s onto Instagram! If I looked a bit dazed at round one you will now know why!

#13 John Natalie
#13 John Natalie Photo: Hill

That is about all I have this week. The months have counted down and we are only weeks away from kicking off the 2014 season so I hope everyone is getting close to being ready for the first gate drop!

Thanks Kenny and I can’t wait to see what the new PR folks can drum up!

That’s about it for this week. Till next time, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs.