by: Rodney Tomblin
Friday, February 21, 2014 | 2:30 PM
As the Steve Miller Band put it “Time keeps on slipping into the future” and the future is basically here. There are a few last minute details being worked out right now but for the most part its full steam ahead at this point and in only 4 weeks’ time the 2014 Mtn. Dew AMA ATV Motocross National Championship will be here.
The preseason warm is in full swing and some reports coming in of racers seeming to work harder than ever. I spoke with ATVRiders.com and ATV/Side x Side Insider Magazine’s Harlan Foley last night and he told me he had been super busy recently and currently actually catching up with many of the top contenders for the 2014 season.
Harlan said he had spent some time in Florida with Chad Wienen and Nick Gennusa who were actually training with GNCC stars Chris Borcih, Johnny Gallagher and that insane gang of racing fanatics. Reports of the two champions pushing each other to untold limits on and off the track have been the norm. Harlan said that each rider was learning a lot of each other and each are benefitting from the company they are keeping. I have seen some chatter on some of the social media of people asking questions as to whether these guys were going to be trying a little crossover action for a little extra fun. I asked Harlan if there was any talk of that and he told me basically what we already knew which was that he hopes to do the GNCC Finale at the Ironman in 2014. He had hoped to do it this past season but due to scheduling conflicts he couldn’t make it.
The other side of that is whether or not the 5 Time Defending GNCC ATV Champ Chris Borich will race an ATV MX round and Harlan said that Borich was looking amazingly fast in the sands of Florida and conversation leaned toward Red Bud being possibly his best chance of a decent finish compared to all the other tracks. Red Bud in longer and rougher and Borich know sand whoops and rough so that might be the one if it happens. Who knows for sure but it will be fun when/if either make the crossover for even just one race.
I also asked the question of Harlan how Nick Gennusa looked on the new Wienen Motorsports ride. I for one know that with any new program change there has to be an adjustment period for the riders and the new team he has joined. Reports were that Gennusa was a perfect fit basically from the word go and the Blu Cru will be represented well in the Pro Am class. Harlan echoed the same sentiment saying that other than making the adjustment visually from seeing him on yellow machine of a Can Am to the blue of the Yamaha that Nick was comfortable and fast and that he should be a contender for title this year in that class.
Another contender in the Pro Am ranks is that of Duck Lloyd who ended his season last year early with a couple of broken legs. Duck did all the necessary things to get back onto the machine and is heading to teammate Jeffery Rastrelli’s this week in Florida. This will be good for both as Duck will be able to gain some valuable speed from Rastrelli and with the fire that seemed to be catching for Rastrelli late in the season last year Duck as a riding partner may keep that momentum rolling as they ready themselves for 2014.
It has been reported that Nick Denoble plans to make a return again in 2014. After talking with Nick in depth about the subject he told me that some folks may have gotten a little confused by some statements he had made concerning the 2014 season. Nick told me “Yes, I will be racing but no I will not be contending the 2014 nationals.” He said that he does intend to hit a select few but will be focusing mainly on some regional stuff he has worked some deals with. Whatever the final decision be we hope the best for Nick. Remember he wasn’t going to race and didn’t even have a program until two weeks before the start of the season when he got the call from Mike Walsh from Walsh Race Craft to fill a vacant spot on the team that opened last minute. You can listen to my and Harlan’s conversation linked on my Facebook page from Quad Radio. It should be up this weekend.
I also spoke with Matthew Keesee who says he has been pretty busy this offseason. He says he has never really worked so hard getting ready for a new season. Matthew says that he has been doing a lot of off bike training and running trying to get his cardio strong for the intense season ahead. He said that he is just getting back on the quad and hasn’t been able to ride any this offseason due to the horrible weather he has been faced with all winter long.
Keessee plans to run the Production A, 450 A and possibly Collegeboy. He says he knows it will be a big step from the B classes but is optimistic of his chance and really excited at the move. Matt is a very quiet kid off the track but has shown great speed and talent in the ATV Nationals scene. I feel he should be one to put on our “ones to watch list” because this kid is about to explode into a star. I may start calling a Super Nova because his future is so bright.
Let’s check in with Ken “Gotta Keep It Short…. don’t me short” Hill:
What the heck happened to this week! There is so much going on that the days just zipped right on by! It may have gone by so fast due to the incredible amount of work getting done. Twitter and Instagram are off the gate and doing well as we start building a fan base. Next Level is taking charge of a few areas and we are all too happy to let them lead so that we can get things going in the direction we want them.
If you haven't had a chance, check out the new "On the Gate" interviews on ATVmotocross.com. These are quick, easy to read and full of info to keep the racin' nation up to speed on riders from all over the series. We have been using a myriad of ways to do these interviews so that we can accommodate racers no matter where we catch up with them!
That's about all from me this week. Twenty-Nine days and a wake up until we see the first gate drop of the 2014 season!
And that’s if for Site Lap this week. Till next time, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs.