Chatting With Wayne MatlockHow He Goes The Distance!
ATV Rider: Wayne, you had a great season last year winning the Best In The Desert Championship, National Hare & Hound Championship as well as claiming second place in the SCORE Off-Road series. At your level, what type of upgrades did you have to make to your machine to perform and get you on the podium?Wayne Matlock: Starting with a Honda 450R as a base is the key factor and then adding quality suspension components, such as wider A-arms, axle and shocks. We do this so that we can have a wider stance, which will give us more stability at high speeds on the roads and in rough terrain. From there we go into the motor and do some minor porting in the head and install an Alba exhaust system, all of which allows the motor to breathe a little better. We also replace the basic controls like steering stem, handlebar and levers. Aside from those parts, this machine is pretty much stock.
ATVR: For many people who try to start racing competitively, one of the first things they look into is having their engines built up. Is keeping the engine as stock as possible the key for reliability purposes?
WM: Honda has a name for being one of the most reliable machines in the industry, period, so why mess with it? The modification we do to the head by porting it doesn't seem to do anything to the reliability. We're not adding any parts or anything; we're just cleaning up the stock casting which helps the engine breathe better. The only aftermarket part we do use is the camshaft from an HRC hop-up kit. This combination keeps our engine completely reliable.
ATVR: So keeping the motor simple helps go the distance?
WM: On this current motor, we won the Henderson 400 which was the race that secured our championship in the '07 BITD series. We won the Parker 250 which was the first race of the '08 BITD season and after that we used the same bike in the WORCS eight-hour endurance race. The only servicing this engine has seen in between these races are oil and filter changes as well as valve adjustments.
ATVR: Well that seems to be as reliable as you can get. Now we obviously know that last year was pretty good for you, but what does 2008 hold?
WM: Hopefully good things. To start, I've signed on with Honda for another year to run the BITD and SCORE series on the new 700XX. I'm really looking forward to getting on the new machine and will debut it at the Baja 500. It will take a little time to get things on that bike dialed in and comfortable, but I'm super excited about racing that.
ATVR: Will you be contesting in any other race series?
WM: Since I've dropped the National Hare & Hound series after winning it the last two years in a row, I'll also be running in the WORCS Off-Road Series. Running the motocross sections in this series is something that will take some time getting used to, but I feel right at home in the off-road sections.
ATVR: Back to you re-signing with Honda. How long have they been supporting your race program?
WM: They've been supporting me in racing since I won the Baja 1000 in '05. That was the first race I did with Honda and the first 1000 that I had ever won. After that, we had signed a deal for 2006, which has continued each year till now.
ATVR: What kind of support does your deal entail? Do you just get a couple of bikes per year or does it go beyond that?
WM: Honda is behind me quite a bit in the off-road racing. I work directly with Bruce Ogilvie who handles all of the off-road for motorcycles and stuff. We get quite a bit of help from the company. Sometimes it seems as if we get more help than the motocross racers because Bruce is at most of my events and there's a Honda presence already there as well. At most of these races, you have guys like Johnny Campbell and Robby Bell who ride for the motorcycle team. We blend right into that program with their pit system. They have pit support for us down in Baja, and they do help us out quite a bit. Without them I wouldn't be racing down there and at the level that I am. The support I get from Honda is great, but at the same time all of your other sponsors also love the fact that you're riding for Honda. That really means something to them because it's a prestigious thing. I've always wanted to ride for them, and I was super excited to make a deal with them.
ATVR: It's awesome to be given an opportunity like that. Now in any sort of racing physical stamina is definitely a key. What does your training regimen consist of?
WM: Riding as much as I can and going to the gym when I can are my main methods. Definitely getting seat time is important, though. Being comfortable on your quad is a key element in training. If you aren't comfortable, you're going to tire yourself out really fast. Being comfortable on your quad also includes proper suspension setup. If you have rough or stiff suspension, you won't be able to last that long.
ATVR: In addition to Honda, which is your primary sponsor, what other companies have helped you get you where you are today?
WM: Precison Concepts is a big one. It does all of my bike prep and motor building. Alba Action Sports is another company that has always been behind me. Cory Hove up there became a good friend of mine, and now it seems like we're a permanent fixture. Companies like Maxxis Tires and Elka Suspension give a tremendous amount into my program, and my new sponsor Laeger Racing is handling all of my A-arm and swingarm needs. If you're racing and don't have companies like this behind you, you aren't doing anything unless you're a millionaire.
ATVR: Agreed. ATV racing isn't cheap and the more support you have, the better off you are. Wayne, thanks for taking the time to let our readers know a little more about you and your program. We wish you the best of luck in 2008.