The list of great people involved with Blackfoot is almost endless and this is only a small sample. I am sure that most of you will have another full list of riders, mechanics and support personnel that could fill an entire issue. This is by no means a definitive list, so sit back and read what some of the people behind Blackfoot have to say about their time with the team.

Jason Mitchell

Owner, Blackfoot Motorsports

Did you expect the team to have the amount of success that it did when you started?

We started the team to promote our dealership and because we are passionate about our industry. Like anything, when you put your heart and soul into a project like the race team, good things happen. As things developed we were fortunate to align ourselves with quality sponsors, staff, supporters and riders, who all contributed to the success of the team. Therefore success was the end result through teamwork, focus, integrity and professionalism.

What do you think was the biggest achievement of the team?

The team had so many huge achievements over the years. We were honoured to be selected the 2002 EA Supercross Team of the Year, finishing one-two-three in with our last year with Honda. We made the switch to Yamaha and responded with the championships the team won. We became the benchmark for professionalism on and off the track. Working with riders such as Jimmy Nelson, Dusty Klatt, Colt Facciotti, Tyler Medaglia when they came to us on a downward turn in their racing careers and built them into championship riders. And most importantly, we led the industry with quality staff, manufacturers and sponsors who showcased their products at the highest possible level. 

Was it your intention to change the face of Canadian motocross?

I do not think we had any intentions at all, other than competing at the highest possible level to see what would happen. It really was building the right team that brought it to the level it was and it was everyone involved that changed the face of Canadian motocross.

On a personal level what did the team mean to you?

I put everything I had into the team, while still maintaining my dealership obligations and duties, and was fortunate enough to be rewarded with the 18 national championships. The team success was the reward for a lot of hard work and it meant a lot to myself, as well as my partners and dealership.

How difficult was the decision to cease the operation of the team?

Of course it was a difficult decision, however, there were many factors to consider that brought us to the final decision. Family, health, time commitment, partnership obligations, the state of the industry and of course budget were all considered and reviewed during the decision-making process. In the end, we believe it was the right decision and I look forward to a new chapter in my life.  

Is there a chance that Blackfoot will ever return to the motocross scene?

Blackfoot has a long-term reputation of being passionate about racing. The original owner Bruce Cameron was involved and we have carried this heritage forward. We have supported, and will continue to support, the local series. As well, Blackfoot Direct, in conjunction with our dealership, will continue to support the Allison family going forward.

Joe Skidd

Long-time Blackfoot Team Manager and suspension guru, Superior Suspension Settings.

What impact did your involvement with the team have on you personally and professionally?

It was huge. Basically I had just moved back home to Canada that year from Europe; I was overseas for 10 years. I had just had enough of Grand Prix racing and didn't really have a plan in place of what I was going to do when I was done there. I had a few bucks saved so I wasn't in any hurry to find a job or anything like that. It turned out that I got a call from Al Dyck who said that he thought the Blackfoot team could really use my help. I thought, well I don't really have anything on the go, so I will give them a shout and see what they say. Basically they called me the next week and I went to a few races in the States with them, a few Supercrosses, and it looked like we definitely had lots to do together. I had a lot to offer them and they had a team that, at the time, needed some help and some structure, and bang, off we went. Then that turned into a nine-year relationship; that’s as long as I have ever worked with anybody.

What do you think the key to Blackfoot’s success was while you were there?

We had a really strong group of people. We hired the best in every aspect and I guess the key to that is putting the funds in place. Blackfoot was committed to racing before I got there, then they basically wanted to move it to the next level, and to do that you have got to be funded. They had spent bucket loads of their own money to realize that this racing thing was cool. Then we needed to get everyone together to pay their share so we could do it properly, and that is kind of what happened.

During your time with the team what do you think the team’s biggest achievement was?

I think what became kind of evident was that the team had a lot of ultimate success because we had a lot of successful riders. It is a little bit like kissing your sister when you have JSR (Jean-Sebastien Roy) there. He has already got a championship in his pocket and he has already done all the hard yards to figure out how to go fast. But to add to that, when the team started to expand and then all of a sudden you are not first, but you are first and second and then you add a class and you take guys that no one has ever heard of, like Randy Valade, and make them champions. I don’t want to stand on a soapbox and scream at people but, to me, what that tells me is that the team and the equipment are successful. You plug just about anyone in and it went on from there. You know, Colton was a quitter; Jimmy Nelson, you couldn’t get him to finish a moto, all of these people we kind of fixed. A lot of the stuff that got fixed about these riders was just taking the team’s experience, exposing the riders to an alternate way of doing things that they had done before and voila, all those championships just kind of came out of that. Like I say, I hate to sound like an egomaniac or anything, but the team really made a big difference.

Do you think the way that Blackfoot ran their program contributed to changing Canadian motocross at all?

Absolutely. The level was pretty low in the early part of the last decade and every year, all the other teams basically took lead and copied the way things were done. Even physically at the racetrack they’d say, "Oh this is the way they set up the wash bays; this is how many people they have and this is what their jobs are." KTM was always one to pay attention and do a good job of plugging in what they needed to do to try and get closer all the time. So absolutely it set the bar, but everybody answered. There are a ton of people who came and went from our team and worked on other teams as well. So once you have been inside our team, and then gone to another team, it’s a lot easier because you’ve been exposed. Pat O’Connor was a great example, he was young when he joined us and we just didn’t really have anything for him when he was available, but when he jumped onto that Leading Edge team he brought a lot of experience that he got with us. Pat is good on his own, but like I say, everyone has a chance to learn no matter where they go. So, they definitely changed motocross in Canada.

What was your most memorable moment with the team?

Having the whole team be Team Canada in 2007 at Budds Creek was an interesting moment.

The Motocross of Nations was always a thorn in my side because it was something that was never funded properly and my buddy in Australia, who runs the team there, was lamenting to me the year after in England, “I can’t do this anymore, they ask me to do this on a shoestring and I have had enough of it.” I asked him how much he got and he said $185,000 to run the team and no remuneration for himself. But I just went, “Wow, you got it rough.” Inevitably, anytime that I got involved in the Motocross of Nations I ended up going out of pocket with my own money because there are just some things that you can’t stand to let go because of money. Like people eating and things like that.

In 2007, team Yamaha—Blair, Colt, JSR—was a wicked team and we had a great result and we worked hard. And some people finally noticed how hard we worked and it was cool. Also, being part of Canada’s best ever result in Leirop in 2004 at Motocross of Nations. I hate to call the Motocross of Nations highlights, but they are interesting moments. Going one-two-three with Blair, JSR and Dusty, that was a cool thing—it was all good.

Dean Thompson

What impact did your involvement with the Blackfoot motocross team have on you personally and professionally?

Personally it gave me huge respect for professional racing and the effort that it takes to be successful racing at this level. In the past I was a fan and always wondered why racers and teams did not go and contest races such as Supercross, MXoN, US Nationals after Walton etc. I, like many other enthusiasts, wanted to see our best racers at all the big events, and wondered why they did not just ship the bikes or put them in the back of a van and drive there. Once I actually spent some time behind the scenes, I realized to my surprise that it took much more than a bike in the back of a pickup and a registration form! Preparation, support and 100 percent effort is what it takes to be successful, not only in racing. If you really want to be successful at anything in life, but you go into it half-assed, you are just setting yourself up for failure. Blackfoot never did that and it’s something valuable that I learned and continue to apply in my life today.

In your opinion what was the biggest achievement of the team?

I think the biggest one would be the ability to take a rider that a team previously may have given up on, see the potential of that rider still, and turn them into a champion. There is more to racing than having a pretty bike and nice gear under a semi. It is the time and effort a team is willing to put into it prior to the season starting. Blackfoot was the team that believed that the effort and money needs to be spent before the gate drops and not after.

How important do you think Blackfoot was to Canadian motocross?

Blackfoot was key to putting the best foot forward in Canadian motocross in order to put it on the map south of the border. In the early years with AMA supercross, strong showings at the MXoN when properly prepared, investing in the sport and paying riders a decent salary and purchasing a transporter. Finally towards the end of our run, being one of the only teams that saw the importance of Canadian riders and investing in them in order to be champions so all the Canadian kids have something to aspire to, this way there can be another generation of fast Canadian riders for us all to cheer for.

What was the key to Blackfoot’s success?

Teamwork plain and simple! It is not a rider, mechanic or any one individual that makes a team successful, but rather it is the sum of its parts that make a winning formula. When you have the mix of the best riders, mechanics and sponsors success comes natural and it is a continuous cycle, not only to attract the best, but to retain the best of our sport. 

What will you miss most about the team?

I always enjoyed talking with the sponsors during the year. It was the relationships that we had over the years that were special to me personally. To get on the phone after a successful weekend and talk about it like a fan and to share the excitement of racing together was special. At the end of the day we are all passionate about motorcycles and racing, which is what attracted us all to this sport in the first place. Not being at the races, in the trenches so to speak, will be different for sure and I will miss that, but I will always continue to be involved in racing in some capacity. To be involved at the highest level in Canada and to share the success with my teammates will be missed.

But that being said we will continue to support the Allisons at a national level, through BlackfootDirect.com and also getting to more of a grass roots level of racing involvement here in Alberta. I am looking forward to working with our past sponsors through our online and off-road division BlackfootDirect.com and continuing to offer the best in racing parts and accessories to all racers across Canada.

Do you think that Blackfoot was instrumental in making Canadian MX into what it is today?

No doubt in my mind Blackfoot was instrumental in making Canadian MX what it is today.  Blackfoot always had the best riders, best truck, coolest posters, best staff—everything. That was the way it was when I was a fan like everyone else, looking in, and was exactly the way it was when I was first hired till the day we retired. When I joined the team back in 2005 I knew it was the team to be associated with. Everything Blackfoot did was professional, it was treated like a business and not a hobby, but at the same time we all still had fun along the way.

What is your most memorable moment with the team?

I would have to say it was 2006, which was our last year with Honda. We won the MX2 West with Jimmy Nelson and then went one-two-three with Dusty, JSR and Blair. Honda gave us notice that they did not want to continue racing in Canada. We did not know what to expect next as we just had our most successful season ever to that point. We made the announcement at Walton that the relationship with Honda was over and that our future in racing was uncertain. Shortly after that we entered discussions with Yamaha and were able to come to a deal with them and also take our relationship with Red Bull to the next level. It was a very emotional year for everyone.

Randy Valade

Marketing Manager for MSR and 2003 125 East Champion.

What impact did your involvement with Blackfoot have on you personally and professionally?

Blackfoot helped me out tremendously. They are definitely the team to be on in Canada and I received a ton of publicity from it. They ran a very professional program and expected you to do well. I believe that by being a part of the team it helped me with future deals. It was unfortunate that I could only be a part of the program for one year but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

How important do you think Blackfoot was to Canadian motocross?

I believe Blackfoot was the key to Canadian motocross. They had the most professional team and from what I saw they had a lot of pull in the series. I hope the series does not lose steam by them dropping out.

Where do you think Canadian MX would be if Blackfoot never formed?

I think they have a good series, but with Blackfoot it gained a lot more recognition. They did the most promoting the series and their team. Anytime I think about Canadian motocross, I automatically think Blackfoot.

What is your most memorable moment with the team?

My most memorable moment would be winning the 2003 125 East championship. The team was great, our bikes were top notch and I can't thank my mechanic enough, Todd Kuli!

Todd Kuli

Former Blackfoot mechanic and Inside MotoX & Off Road's technical guru.

What impact did your involvement with Blackfoot have on you personally and professionally?

I worked with Blackfoot (then with Honda) in 2003. In a professional sense the experience was invaluable. I worked alongside some of the best technicians in the motocross business including Andrew McClean, Joe Skidd and Tony Tonelli. The learning curve was steep, but I tried to absorb as much as possible. While I had always considered myself a very competent mechanic, the professional racing world was a rather large eye opener. From testing to building bikes to race weekend maintenance it was 100 times more than I had ever experienced but I liked the challenge and the opportunity. One thing that always stuck out for me was during testing, when we're trying different forks and triple clamp combinations. Typically, at home, changing out a front end would have been a leisurely job. In the race team world you need to have it done in 15 minutes because you have a crowd of people waiting on you. Speed and efficient movements are the two things that always stuck with me after that summer. I still change tires the 'Tony Tonelli' way to this day.

On the personal level, I certainly grew a lot that summer. I was proud to be part of that team and have made lifelong friends because of it. We worked hard together and there was never a time where you were alone... if you got in a bind and needed help there was always somebody there. In return, if one of your teammates was struggling you jumped in to ease the pressure. For that same reason, it sometimes got a little overwhelming. When you spend Friday to Sunday together from sunup until sundown working under the proverbial microscope with the same people, egos and attitude can sometimes get tempers to the redline. As much as I loved the guys I worked with, there were times where it almost went to fists. At one point I was taking up a pool to get one of our guys a hooker so he would stop being such a miserable prick.

It was a big commitment for me personally as I was working at a career in industrial hydraulic design and on top of that my dad was struggling with some serious health issues. I still remember the day I sat with him in the hospital and talked to him about the race team job. He got sick after testing and before the first national so I was very conflicted about my situation; do I stay to be with my family or live up to my obligations to the team? He told me that he wanted me to follow my dream. "Things like this only come along once in a life time, you need to go and make your mark" is what he told me. So that's what I did.

How important do you think Blackfoot was to Canadian motocross?

Blackfoot was one of the foundation blocks that built Canadian MX to a level where legitimate riders from other countries recognized us and wanted to race here. They were a very important part of the history of our sport in this country. Now I am saying this with a bit of prejudice... Blackfoot to me is the team in the shop and on the road. I'm not foolish enough to think that management had nothing to do with the success of the team, but the mechanics, the riders and support staff are the people I'm talking about. The guys that were in the trenches working 12  to 16 hour days are the 'team' in my eyes.

Where do you think Canadian MX would be if Blackfoot never formed?

Let's not fool ourselves into thinking that Blackfoot, or any other race team for that matter, is the cure for cancer. At the end of the day it's only a dirt bike race. The Canadian MX scene may have taken a little longer to get where it is (was?) without Blackfoot, but it would have eventually got there. Billy Whitley had his eye on Canada, Two Wheel Kawasaki was already making an effort to emulate some of the US teams, so we were already on our way to something bigger and better than we had in the '90s.

What is your most memorable moment with the team?

Two things stand out for me, one good and one bad.

Without a doubt the worst thing was when my rider (and new friend) Chris Wheeler broke his neck at Mission, BC during the first national of '03. It was a goofy little crash but, he landed wrong and that was it. Thankfully he made a full recovery and is still riding to this day and works as the Suzuki Off-Road manager in the USA.

Best moment was when Randy Valade won the 125 East Coast title. It came down to the last corner of the last moto and we squeaked it out by a wheel length. The day was packed full of drama with protests and penalties and political bullshit. In the end we went home with the cup and the number one plate. That night after our victory dinner, myself and a few other mechanics sat in a motor home in some restaurant parking lot drinking beer, basking in the glory before bed. After a few hours sleep I got up and headed to my 'real job' where as the "National Championship" winning motocross mechanic... I got in shit cause I was five minutes late!

JSR

Simply known as the Champ, long-time Blackfoot team member.

What impact did your involvement with the team have on you personally and professionally?

I was with them from the end of 2000 to the end of 2009, so it was a full nine years. It will be a big change to go to the races and not have these guys around. Some of the mechanics were working with me for the past couple years. Andrew Maclean, who was Dusty’s mechanic, was also my mechanic for the last five or six years, so it was kind of fun to see them at the races. They won’t be around, Colton is now with us, but the rest I am not sure yet. I think it is a big page in the story of Canada that we are returning with no Blackfoot at the races. I haven’t spoken much with the Blackfoot owners lately, I saw one in California Sunday at the races, but didn’t get to talk to them. I am sure for them it is a big step in their business. I wouldn’t say it is a step backward, it is a step forward with this economy, and it is a big change in the marketing plan. I am sure that the owners at Blackfoot regrouped and had a look at their marketing program and decided to put racing on the side and work on the dealership.

A lot of people forget about Blackfoot Motorsports. Behind Blackfoot Racing is this huge dealership that is run by three guys including Jason [Mitchell] who we all know, but there are two other partners in that program. So it is a huge company behind Blackfoot Racing, the guys are not dead, they are going to continue to work hard on that store and I am sure that they will come up with a different program in the future as far as racing, I am positive of that. They all love racing, they have kids that are into road racing and motocross. Who knows, you might see these guys back in racing in a couple years. They are motorcycle enthusiasts and they love racing.

How important do you think Blackfoot was to Canadian motocross?

Of course the fact that they have been winning everything in the past decade is super important. They stepped up the whole program. When I say that the program was stepped up I think that most of the teams had to have somebody to chase speed wise, such as myself or Colton or Dusty or Blair. The quality of the team helped a lot, the fact that they were clean every weekend, the awning, the hospitality, the bikes all lined up, everything was really well prepared every weekend. That helped our sport a lot, to bring it to another level. It looked more like a US professional team and the other teams had to follow. I think it was good for our sport the way they were doing marketing and advertising in magazines and on the web, the way that they used their athletes and marketed their athletes. If you were a Blackfoot rider your name was all over the place and they did a good job on that part.

What is your most memorable moment with the team?

It was all pretty much good times, besides of course the Blair Morgan accident that we all know about at Montreal Supercross. I don’t know if you can call that good memories but I will never forget about that. We were all Blackfoot and we had some great times in the past, winning championships. Overall it was a very positive experience for me. I was actually going through pictures trying to find the best pictures to do a little thing for Blackfoot, and I was going through all the pictures with Damon Huffman and back in the day, with Mike Craig and all those guys. It was great memories, great championship and a tight championship. Two thousand-two and 2003 were my best memories with Blair battling hard for the championship. I don’t have much to complain about, it was a great time. I don’t want to be negative about where we are right now, but I think the Blackfoot era was probably some of the best years in motocross racing in Canada, as far as money in the sport. When we were in 2003, 2004 and 2005 all the dealerships were selling bikes by the dozen, or by the trailer. I know Blackfoot was selling so many bikes. The economy was very good and the racing was of course very good too.

From a rider’s point of view, what was the key to Blackfoot’s success?

Hiring the right people; they got professional riders and professional mechanics. The team was set after we found the keepers,—Joe Skidd and Andrew Maclean were there in 2001 or 2002. Starting at that point those two guys stayed involved with the team and then whoever got involved with the team was under their program. We were the most ready team, when we got to the first round I was ready, the bikes were ready and the team was ready, we didn’t have to step up our program during the season like most of the teams. Our program was already 100 percent bulletproof at the start of the first round. So that makes a huge difference. You win championships at the first or second round; that is what I always said. With the exception of getting hurt during the season, usually you win the championship in the first or second round—you win there and you get the confidence to keep the momentum going for the rest of the season. The biggest step for Blackfoot was having professional mechanics and professional riders all together and early testing, so we were all ready to go in May, before the season even started. It is a bit of a snowball effect: Get the best rider, you get more sponsors, you get more money, you get better mechanics, you get more money for testing, you get a better practice bike and more money for suspension testing. It all works together and which one comes first? It has always been tough, you can’t get the sponsors before the riders, you can’t get the riders before the sponsors, it is a bit tough, but I think the ball was rolling.

Doug DeHaan

Legendary Canadian motocrosser and original Blackfoot rider.

What impact did your involvement with Blackfoot have on you personally and professionally?

Blackfoot had a major impact on me professionally, as the first step in order for me to secure the sponsorship, was to establish my racing career as an incorporated company. Personally I would say that I met a lot of really great people that remained as friends.

In your opinion what was the biggest achievement of the team?

I think their quick rise to the top and staying there year after year. They never repeated mistakes and relentlessly looked for ways to improve on what they already had going.

How important do you think Blackfoot was to Canadian motocross?

Blackfoot stepped up the professionalism of Canadian MX. They became a leader that made every team pick up their game.

How was it joining Blackfoot in their first year?

Joining the team their first year was really cool to see the development. When I first moved out to Calgary I lived with Jason Mitchell and his family. So I spent many evenings with Jay while he went over every detail from bike graphics to different prints of numbers for the jerseys. Although the bike setup at first was a little sketchy they quickly became the best bikes on the track the following seasons.

Do you think that Blackfoot was instrumental in making Canadian MX into what it is today?

Yeah for sure they pushed the sport in Canada to a higher level. They led the way with how a team should look and, from a spectator point of view, walking though the pits at a national became a lot more interesting.

What is your most memorable moment with the team?

Best memories... there were a lot of them, although bike testing that first year stands out. I was reunited with my former teammate, Blair Morgan and had my good friend Mark Biser with me as my mechanic.

Dusty Klatt

Former champion and Blackfoot team rider.

What impact did your involvement with Blackfoot have on you personally and professionally?

Being part of the Blackfoot team, there is so much I can say about them, there is so much positive. It is kind of like going to a place that you know all the right tools are there to win races and the only thing that you have to worry about is putting yourself in a place to win races, and being physically fit, mentally and all the rest of it. So, that was always one thing that was really cool about going to the team and knowing that. Besides that, Jason has been a good friend and an awesome team owner throughout my relationship with the team. He has helped me with a lot of the things besides just racing, just learning more about the sport and how things work. I learned a ton being with him and I can’t regret any moment that I have had with them.

How did they handle it when you went down to the States to race, and then what was it like when you came back a couple years later?

Going down [to the US], Jason helped me in getting my ride. He set me up with an agent down there that was one of the top agents. Thankfully he was able to help me out, get good support and a good 250F ride. It was kind of a live and learn deal. I think now that I look at it, I should have just hopped on a 450, closer to what I had been riding, preferably a Honda at that time, I guess. But instead I went the other route, but I would not have known that if I hadn't of done it either. I don't regret any of it and like I said, a big thanks to Jason for helping me get down there. I always kept in touch with them and some of the mechanics on the team, so really coming home was kind of a no brainer and Jason was the first guy I called up and everything worked out.

What do you think was the team's biggest achievement while you were there?

It is tough to say, if I recall I would say that 2006 was their best season, I think. They went one-two-three in the 450 and then Jimmy won the 125 West title. As far as most wins and top finishes throughout the year I think that was their best placing that I can recall. But it has been pretty close I guess, in the other years including this year where they go one-2two and win a small bike class. Obviously now the small bike class goes all the way across so it is a little different. I would say that 2006 was probably their most memorable I guess.

How important do you think Blackfoot is to Canadian motocross? Do you think it would be where it is today without them?

I don't think so, well, I do and I don't. I think a lot of the professionalism and how they treat things, and just the appearance that they give off. It has made a lot of teams step up and start getting a bigger trailer and then it obviously got to semis and the race programs, everyone just fed off it. I mean I was a privateer and looked at that also, and I kind of went through a bit of that with the rigs before the semis even came. That was kind of the first image that I saw and it kind of went from there and got bigger and bigger and bigger and everyone just kind of tagged along too. And obviously everyone just tries to step their game up as far as the teams go because everyone has wanted to beat the Blackfoot boys for a long time. That is everyone's goal, right?

What is your most memorable moment with the team?

Honestly it was just the time that I had with the team. It was fun right at the start. I remember the first time that I met Jason, I was pretty nervous and had clammy hands and all the rest of it. It turns out that they are just people and they take their job seriously. They want to win races and at the same time it is all laughs and all the rest of it. I think just having a good relationship and not too much bull-crap through all those years, it just goes to show that it was a strong team while it lasted.

Tyler Medaglia

Back-to-back MX2 champion for Blackfoot.

What impact did your involvement have on you personally and professionally?

It definitely helped me get to the next level of my career, that's for sure. Going there, everyone has got confidence, you see all the championship plates on the wall and you get motivated by that sort of thing and it makes you work that much harder to elevate your game.

How different is Blackfoot as a team compared to others that you have been on?

Obviously they get a pretty good budget, so that helps, but I think they are just really organized and meticulous about stuff. I definitely think that helps. They didn't spare any expense to get prepared for the first race, so there was no searching for anything and everything was as ready as it could be.

How important do you think Blackfoot has been to Canadian motocross?

Blackfoot has been huge for Canadian motocross. They set the standard on what a winning team should be. They went down south as well and showed some promise in the States. If you go into some of the nicer rigs in the States, Blackfoot had just as nice a set up as any of the factory teams in the States. That is pretty cool.

With the history of winning, was there ever any pressure to win?

No, just the pressure from myself to perform as good as I could. They didn't really have a problem with me because I was pretty motivated to do my job, I was motivated to win and put in the hours. They could tell by how hammered my practice bikes were that I was putting the time in and they didn't need to put any pressure on me, and that I could handle my stuff on my own. They obviously explained how the program works and that they put an investment in me, and the other companies that sponsored the team as well were putting their chips into me as a racer and they were hoping it would pay off and I would win.

Aside from your championships are there any particularly memorable moments that stand out?

I think something that is cool about the team was when I first went for testing in 2010. They had four or five different bikes with different coloured number plates and each one of them was different. Then I went and rode all of them and I got to pick which one I thought was the best and I thought that was really cool. And my mechanic Troy, he was pretty good for me, and we worked really well together. And I had a blast when he came out to my place or any time we went to the races. I was looking forward to being with the team and hanging out with Troy.

By Jeff Morgan

Photos by Ed Gatner, Emile Cooper, Perry Nelson, and Steve Bruhn