Interview With Nic Granlund
As a pioneer of a new style of racing, Nic Granlund is an ideal choice to grill on the ins and outs of the sport. Here goes.
ATV Rider: Tell us about the first time you raced supermoto.
Nic Granlund: The first time I raced supermoto was actually back in 2004, the first time they had the race at Stateline. I heard about the event and thought it would be great if they let quads ride, too. I talked to the promoter, Marche Karger, about running ATVs, and he thought it would be pretty cool. I have to give Marche props for bringing quads to supermoto because it has turned out great, and we've got a lot of quads out here now. At first I really didn't know what to expect; I used to race TT back in the day but never did any good. Riding on the pavement was different at first, but I got the hang of it and ended up winning that first year.
ATVR: You've had a respectable racing history, but all of a sudden in supermoto you're the guy to beat. What gives?
NG: Well I'm a pretty big guy, and back when I raced TT I was going against little guys like Doug Eichner and Shane Hitt, and they were just killing me. But for some reason I did pretty well at supermoto. I don't know why; at 240 pounds I shouldn't be (laughs). It could be my riding style; I try to ride really smoothly and that's what I teach my students: smoother is faster. I also raced go-carts for a while and I think that really helped, as I was able to apply my roadracing experience to the asphalt sections of the track.
ATVR: What made you decide to open a supermoto school?
NG: Ever since I started racing ATV supermoto, I've been trying to promote it and get more people out to the events. I figured a school would be a great way to get new riders some track time and teach them the fundamentals. The asphalt is a completely different animal, and unless they have some roadracing experience, they won't have any idea about how to take turns or finding the fastest line.
Nic Granlund has quickly risen...
Nic Granlund has quickly risen to the top of the supermoto world. He's pioneered this thing from the beginning and continues to dominate.
ATVR: It's hard enough finding MX tracks for quads to ride on, how the heck do you train for supermoto?
NG: (laughs) Yeah, that's kind of a problem. I've heard of people just finding parking lots and going riding. But I wouldn't suggest doing that; there are curbs, parked cars and other things you can get really hurt on. There are a few go-cart tracks that will allow supermoto bikes or quads to run the track during open practice sessions. So check out your local go-cart track, and if it has a dirt bike practice, it shouldn't have any problem letting quads on, too. You might not get to ride in the dirt, but at least you're getting experience on the asphalt.
ATVR: How is the relationship between the dirt bike riders and ATV riders at the races?
NG: It's actually pretty good. I think the bike guys recognize that with a growing sport like supermoto, you're going to need all the racers and publicity you can get. Plus, I think we actually help the dirt sections of the track for once. The bikes usually complain about the quads smoothing out the turns, but here we lay down a nice blue groove and give the bikes a wider track.
ATVR: What's the future of ATV supermoto racing?
NG: I think it has a great outlook. Everybody who comes out to an event, spectator or racer, loves it. I know more and more people want to do it; we just need to get some more races organized and keep bugging the current events to let the ATVs ride. The AMA is running its series again this year, but I'm not sure yet if quads are going to be included. Hopefully we will be, because any race where we're included just helps us grow the sport exponentially.