Interview - Wayne Matlock - King Of Baja

Wes's run at a Baja win started in 1995, with 11 starts and nearly as many DNFs; to put it bluntly, Baja has been anything but kind to Miller, and he's well aware of it. "Let's see, in '95 we broke 50 miles from the finish, '96 we led for 250 miles before breaking down, in '98 we finished third, '99 we were second, in 2000-2002 we broke. We led half the race again in '03 but hit a cow, well, actually our chase truck hit the cow first, but we hit the cow, too..." Miller's laundry list of bad luck was enough to bring into question not only his ability to finish, but also his sanity and willingness to keep trying. "In '04 we led half again before breaking down, in '05 we finished second...the last six times we've led just to have something happen." Miller's luck, or lack thereof, has taken its toll. "Last year was the worst, we led until 50 miles before the finish before having problems. It was heartbreaking, we had a two-hour lead before the problems started." When asked about two particularly nasty incidents, Wes was quick to clear things up. "No man, I was stabbed at the Baja 500, so that doesn't count, the broken leg was at the 500, too, so that's not relevant either." Miller's addition to the roster was drawing heat from many involved with the team. "Yes, I did get some heat, but he is a very talented and smart rider, and after winning the Baja 500 and Baja 1000 this year, I am pretty sure he has proven himself to everyone who may have doubted him." Matlock said of the unpopular choice.

Riding for factory Honda's Bruce Ogilvie who is a longtime Baja proponent added to the pressure of team selection. "It was always my dream to ride for Honda. After racing for them for the last three years and having raced for other manufacturers, I appreciate the amount of effort and support Bruce and Honda put into my program. I do have the final say [on rosters], but I run all of my options by Bruce Ogilvie from American Honda before making my final decisions." When asked about the pressure, Matlock didn't hesitate to answer. "There is definitely pressure to win from Honda, but the majority comes from the pressure and expectations I put upon myself to win."

"The Baja 1000 is by far, the biggest race of the year. I usually start making plans for it as early as January." Chief among the team's plans was an all-out assault on the SCORE events leading up to the 1000. "I figured that if I rode four or five desert races prior to the 1000, it would increase our chances to win. Wayne and I won the three SCORE events [San Felipe 250, Baja 500, Baja 1000], and it really helped us be prepared," Goodman said of the full-year effort. The plan worked out perfectly, and the team served notice that this was their year. Going in, the Baja 1000 was theirs to lose.

As everyone knows by now, the team won in what will surely go down as the most exciting ATV race in Baja history. "My first leg was 160 miles; I got on in third place and the second-place guys immediately pitted, which bumped us up to second. I couldn't see the leader until we got to this pit; it was a dry lake bed, and it was really cool because our quad had 4 or 5 mph on the 1A machine, so I slowly reeled him in before passing to take the lead. It really was the coolest feeling," Goodman revealed of the first pass for the lead. The team traded positions with the 1A team of Danny Prather on numerous occasions, but ironically it was Wes Miller who sealed the deal making the final pass for the lead in the coast section (from Valley T to Ojos). Goodman was quick to give credit to Miller: "Wes definitely did his job, he made the final pass for the lead." As anyone who has raced in a team effort knows, it's not only the actual passes that count, it's everything leading up to those moments; the quick rider changes, the pit crews, the prerunning and the countless hours of preparation required. In other words, winning Baja is in the homework, and details, and that's where Team Matlock shines.