Which Way?
Published: 15th December 2006
Author: Steve Cox
Travis Preston's supercross-only deal means he could be racing much longer - or retiring next season...
Travis Preston is among the most likeable guys on the AMA circuit and this may have something to do with why he made it to where he is today. He wasn't a phenom coming through the amateur ranks and at one point in the late '90s he even quit racing for a year - during which time he worked at a real job just like everyone else.
However, who would choose a real job over racing motocross for a living? Not Travis. After returning to racing he eventually found his way onto the Factory Connection race team where he won a regional supercross title in 2002. This year he finds himself back on the team he left only a couple of years ago and this time on the CRF450R vacated by Mike LaRocco.
DBR: You sure did sign this deal late this year...
TP: "I just figure I had a few weeks off but then I was sitting around the house and I started wondering 'so, what am I going to do?'"
DBR: It was weird to see the only person ever to beat James Stewart in a heads-up supercross race when he didn't fall without a ride.
TP: "Yeah, how come everyone forgets that? Just because I haven't beaten him in a single race since..."
DBR: What made you decide to move back to Factory Connection?
TP: "They have such a good programme and as far as I'm concerned they're the best team out there. Those guys at Honda didn't put pressure on me. I put pressure on myself. I just feel a lot more relaxed at the Factory Connection team where I know all I can do is give it 100 per cent and that's it and that's all they want."
DBR: We understand Factory Connection was entertaining the thought for a long time about having a second 450 rider...
TP: "I kept talking to them throughout the year and they're like 'we're going to do it' then 'we're not going to do it'. Then, finally, it came down to the last little bit and they couldn't believe that I didn't have a ride and they were thinking that it might be a good opportunity so they stepped up and did the deal."
DBR: Not to ask you about your finances but we've heard some riders say they wouldn't ride for X amount of dollars because it wasn't worth the risk to them. Did you think about this too?
TP: "You know, I had that same attitude after Ernie's crash and stuff. I was just like 'I need to make sure I'm going to make some money'. But then it's like you start sitting at home and it's like 'what am I going to do?'. It's like Ernie said, you can get hurt doing just about anything, you know? Slip on the driveway and you could get paralyzed.
"I feel God gave me a gift to ride motorcycles and I feel that's what I need to do. So this year I'm not making nothing but I'm racing so we'll see. I mean, I'm not going to do this two years in a row. I'm going to do it this year and if I do good hopefully my pay will increase and if it doesn't then for sure I'm going to retire."
DBR: So, the possibility of retirement is definitely something that's crossed your mind?
TP: "Yeah, I'm not going to do this two years in a row. There's no way. This year is kind of a fun thing. I've got my old mechanic Sean with me again so it could be a farewell tour or it could be the start of a new beginning. I'm supercross-only and it feels like for me I could race another six or seven years supercross-only."
DBR: That's right, you're a supercross-only guy. Doesn't it seem like the Nationals are starting to flicker out with all of you guys having SX contracts?
TP: "What's funny is when I was sitting down with my sponsors like Shoei and Gaerne, I asked them 'so, are you guys going to pay me any more money to race outdoors?' and they're both like 'no'. So I'm like 'do I have to race outdoors?' and they said 'we don't care'. So it's like if the sponsors don't care and the teams don't care why would I do all that work and do all that racing and not get paid for it? Now I'm riding more and I'm doing the Canada races and next year I'll do Jeremy's race and the US Open and I get to do all these races that I never get to do because the Nationals burn me out."
DBR: There seems to be two schools of thought about that. The first is that racing only supercross will keep you rested and your supercross skill will increase because that's all you're doing. The other is that while Stewart and company are hauling butt outdoors, you won't be getting any faster...
TP: "That might work for a guy that's 20 or 21 but I'm 28 so I think at this point I need to work on making racing more fun for me. Nationals are just too long and it seems like we never get any time off anymore. Right now I'm more focused than ever because it's just supercross. I know now that I'll ride every day and work out because I know come May my ass will be on the couch."
DBR: Also, it seems like in the last half of the supercross season riders are spending their weeks at home testing for outdoors where you'll still be doing supercross stuff.
For full interview and pictures see DIRT BIKE RIDER MAGAZINE, January 2007.