ATVR: Sounds like the ATVs racing on their own separate weekend has been a win-win for everyone...
SR: Yeah, I would say so. I think the riders and the rider count say it, as well.
John Shafe
ATVR: How did adding a Rhino class at the last round in 2005 work out?
SR: It was pretty cool. We added the Rhinos to the Lake Havasu round to see how it would fare. It went fairly well, so we made it a permanent class in the ATV schedule. It's not a big class yet-we had seven to eight entries for the first race. It was just a lot of fun to sit back and watch those Rhinos go at it, even for my staff. They just ran the motocross section; they don't run the full course. But we definitely see this class growing into 15-20 entries, and just like anything else, if the guys show interest, I will make them a spot to race. If they want to come out and race shopping carts, then we will make a shopping cart class. We are ready to race.
ATVR: What kind of setbacks have you had to overcome to get the event to thrive?
SR: I believe most people thought West Coast ATV racing couldn't happen, and the media was very skeptical initially, but I think we have started to prove ourselves, and they are coming around. We did this by delivering a consistent product, by doing what we say we are going to do and doing it on time. My number-one pet peeve is inconsistency. People come to an event to spend their hard-earned money on a race that we put together, and I take a lot of pride in the fact that they come back again to say, "That was the best racing program I have ever been to." That is what I want every racer to say every time they leave one of our events.
Robbie Mitchell
ATVR: Why is there such a difference between the WORCS race format and other race series?
SR: Well, the GNC is a motocross format, the GNCC works well in its environment and open, private land is simply a whole lot different on the West Coast. So what we did was take the best of each series and apply a blend of the two to the unique conditions of the western arena. This led to our decision to reestablish the GP format, which, as the spectators can see all the racing action, it is a much more fan-friendly program. Whereas long-distance racing like I grew up doing means maybe seeing a rider only once in the race or every 20-35 minutes. It's still great racing, just in a different package. The GNCC was the standard that we where judged by originally. Now we are kind of on equal footing, and I feel love when I go to participate in or watch one of their events. I think the Coombs have done a phenomenal job. People talk and try to compare us all the time; there is no way really to compare us. We have packaged off-road racing in a different way. They have their own sponsors that are happy with the way they run things, as do we. I would like to maybe meet in the middle some time and see how the combined effort does. I love it when GNCC riders come to race our motorcycle series, but we have yet to see any East Coast ATV racers come out. The West Coast really needed a professional racing series. We have the National Hare & Hound Scrambles, the Big Six and they are all good programs, but they are mostly run by motorcycle clubs, so no single club runs the series, and it changes race to race.
ATVR: What are some of the biggest changes you have witnessed over the past couple of years since you have been running the series?
SR: It would have to be acceptance. You know it's fun when you go to an airport and you see people wearing the WORCS shirts-proliferation is the hardest part of our business. Or when we call a track to say, "Hey, we would like to maybe look at your facility for one of our events" and they welcome us and ask us what time do we want them to be there to help us. That is different from when the response was, "Well, you know, we really don't know who you are." And now we can just make a phone call to get access.