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The Team Behind The Team
Chuck Miller, Manager, Motorcycle Sports
A multi-time Baja champion and ISDE gold medalist in his own right, Chuck Miller’s personal motorcycle racing experience gives him a well-rounded view of the racing scene. Miller’s 20-year career with the company helps explain his success as manager of Honda motorcycle sports, a position he’s held for three years. In 2002, only his second year with the team, Miller notched five national championships between Honda’s motocross and road racing teams, and in 2003 he won three more. A good deal of credit for these championships goes to Miller’s organizational skills and experience in winning races. When he’s not leading the Red Riders, Miller can still be found competing, whether it is an occasional off-road race or the Los Angeles Marathon.
Erik Kehoe, Motocross Team Manager
It can be invaluable to a team to have a manager who was once a professional racer himself. Erik Kehoe has just such a background, as well as a unique understanding of what his team needs to win championships. Kehoe’s experience and understanding comes from what he learned throughout a 13-year professional career that came to a close in 1994. The learning didn’t stop there, as he immediately moved into a team management role. In 2002 Kehoe joined the Honda team and the rest is history—five national championships’ worth of history.
Andrea Mollica, Race Team Administrator
Although she is charged with staying behind to keep a watchful eye on Team Honda headquarters, Andrea Mollica’s presence is felt at every Supercross and motocross event. She is the person every professional organization needs to make things flow smoothly; in short, she’s the go-to person. A Honda associate for two decades, Andrea knows how to coordinate everything from accounting to hotel reservations to rider bonus checks. And she does it all with a disarmingly charming smile.
Cliff White, Chief Engineer
Wrenching for the sports’ best racers throughout more than two decades at Honda has built Cliff White a reputation unmatched by his peers. Legendary Honda champions such as David Bailey, George Holland and Jean-Michel Bayle all benefited from White’s mechanical prowess. Over the years his riders captured 11 national titles. These days, Red Riders rely on him as the team’s chief engineer and the rest of the crew can rely on him for his vast store of racing knowledge and experience.
Jeff Stanton, Motocross Team Consultant
Jeff Stanton has plenty of insight into guiding riders toward a championship effort. Just check out his resume: Three AMA 250cc National motocross titles, three AMA 250cc Supercross crowns, two World Supercross championships and three Motocross des Nations appearances on behalf of the United States. Having accomplished all this while riding for Team Honda, Stanton helped set the bar for Red Rider excellence and intensity. Since retiring after the 1994 season, he has worked as the team’s advisor, coaching riders in practice, in training and on race day.
Mike Gosselaar, Race Technician for Ricky Carmichael
Prior to winning the 2003 Supercross and AMA 250 National championship as Ricky Carmichael’s right-hand man, Mike Gosselaar had many other achievements to boast. Known to the team as “Goose,” Gosselaar wrenched his way to two consecutive AMA 125 National championships and a number of 250 National motocross and Supercross wins. Still, Gosselaar’s proudest accomplishment is raising a family of racers, including Factory Connection Honda’s Chris Gosselaar, the eldest of Goose’s three sons.
Kenny Germain, Race Technician for Ernesto Fonseca
A racer-turned-wrench spinner, Kenny Germain rode amateur motocross in New England until 1996 when he began working for the race team of reed-valve guru Eyvind Boyesen. With a knack for precise race machine setup, Germain quickly climbed the technician ladder, working for Pro Circuit before pairing up with Ernesto Fonseca in 1999 on another factory-backed team where this dmerging rider-technician relationship flourished. In 2002 the duo joined forces on Team Honda and in 2003 they showed their most impressive results to date; third in the 250 Supercross series. Look for even more from the Germain/Fonseca union this year.
John Mitchell, Race Technician for Nathan Ramsey
The technicians on Team Honda all have championships to their credit and John “Bundy” Mitchell is no exception. For the past six years Mitchell has worked exclusively with Nathan Ramsey, including the 1999 season when they won the 125 Western Regional Supercross championship. In 2002 the duo came to Team Honda and met the goal of taking the new CRF450R to a Supercross victory. This year poses a new goal for Mitchell and Ramsey; racing the CRF250R. Expect another goal to be met.
Jonathan Hyland, Race Technician for Kevin Windham
A graduate of the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Jonathan Hyland’s career at American Honda began as a service shop technician. Before long, Hyland graduated to Team Honda as the testing coordinator. When Kevin Windham announced his return to racing aboard the Honda CRF450R, Hyland once again advanced; this time he graduated to the role of Windham’s mechanic. In 2003 the duo won two AMA 250 National motocross events and gave the team of Carmichael and Gosselaar a run for their money, which they plan to do throughout 2004.
Ron Wood, Four-Stroke Testing Coordinator
Ron Wood is always up for a good challenge and this year he’ll be challenged with coordinating the testing program for not one, but two Factory Honda four-stroke models. Having worked as a Honda tuner from the mid-1980s into the early ‘90s, Wood transitioned into the world of automotive racing and gained even greater knowledge. In 2000 Wood came back to Honda and has headed the Red Rider full-time CRF testing program ever since.
Mike Battista, Suspension Technician
Supercross and motocross track conditions obviously change from venue to venue, but they also change from minute to minute at a given track. That’s why suspension setup has become an exacting science in the world of motocross. Mike Battista doesn’t wear a lab coat but he is the team’s suspension scientist. Acting as a liaison between Showa Japan, Honda’s OEM supplier, and the team riders, Battista coordinates suspension tuning and development and he does it with a decade of winning experience.
Kaipo Chung, Suspension Technician
Entering his second season as a Showa suspension technician, Kaipo Chung works beside Mike Battista as a liaison between the Red Riders and Showa Japan. Before coming to work with Team Honda, Chung honed his suspension tuning skills setting up forks and shocks for aftermarket suspension company, Race Tech and also spent time working for a competitor’s race team. Look for Chung to provide the Red Riders with a smooth ride this year.
Shane Drew, Chassis/Suspension Technician
Shane Drew did such a stellar job as Mike LaRocco’s race technician last year, that Team Honda swooped him up and brought him to work with the Red Rider squadron. Drew’s extensive knowledge in chassis and suspension tuning and development dates back to the days of his own pro-level motocross career. His understanding of chassis and suspension set-up is so good that Drew can often predict the changes the Red Riders will need before a rider can tell him.
Steve Reed, Engine Data Acquisition
Steve Reed knows a thing or two about building race-winning engines. He worked on Toyota Racing Development (TRD) USA’s team for a dozen years, and he’s also been a part of the racing scene from the Indianapolis 500 to the Baja 500. Reed even ventured to Europe as an ISDE competitor. Throughout his travels Reed has gained experience in data acquisition and engine development, and he uses that knowledge to build the sport’s best powerplants.
Dan Betley, Research and Development Technician
With more than 20 years of motorcycle industry experience including more than a dozen years with Honda, Dan Betley knows what it takes to win at the highest levels. Betley earned three Supercross and three AMA National championships as a race team mechanic assigned to Jeff Stanton’s efforts. This year, all of Betley’s racing experience will go toward developing the new Honda CRF250R machines; another feather for Betley’s cap.
Andrew Hopson, Engine Research and Development Technician
Hailing from Newcastle, Australia, Andrew Hopson entered the racing scene in America in 1994 and began working as a parts fabricator and engine builder. His efforts helped win five Supercross and three AMA National championships before he ventured over to Honda at the end of 2000 to add more championships to his resume. In 2004 Hopson celebrates ten years in American motocross and will continue to focus his attention on exhaust-pipe fabrication and engine development.
Tom Jobe, Race Team Fabricator
Works motocross machines may be a thing of the past, but there’s still a pressing need for one-off parts fabricated from scratch. That would be a daunting task for anybody but Tom Jobe. Throughout the last 35 years, Jobe has made parts for all kinds of projects, from land-speed-record cars to Indy cars. In 1997 Jobe was even inducted into the NHRA Drag Racing Hall of Fame for his innovative drag racing efforts in the ’60s with his team, The Surfers. Now in his 13th year with Honda, Jobe continues to fabricate beautiful pieces for the Team Red Rider machines.
Brad Chapman, Motocross Parts Technician
Imagine for a moment you’re Ricky Carmichael at the Daytona Beach, Florida, Supercross event and your Honda CR250R is missing a crucial part, but the Honda race shop is on the other side of the country. With Brad Chapman on the team, this scenario doesn’t happen. Chapman is the man charged with ensuring that mechanics and riders always have what they need as he monitors the team’s parts inventories. How does a guy get a gig like this? Chapman began his career at Honda preparing motorcycles for advertising photo shoots, but the racing that flows through his blood led him to Team Honda.
Lars Lindstrom, Test Technician
The son of motocross legend Gunnar Lindstrom, Lars is no slouch when it comes to motocross racing. Lindstrom’s own test riding abilities contribute to his role as the team’s test technician. When he’s not riding or racing on his own time, Lindstrom is far away from the cheering fans, trackside at an undisclosed practice track with a handful of tools assisting the Team Honda racers and technicians.
Tom Gildea, Transporter Operator
When Tom Gildea first came to work for Honda he specialized in three wheelers as a mechanic for the now-defunct Honda ATC™ racing team. Nowadays, Gildea specializes in 18 wheels, as a driver for one of the team’s two race transporters. Now in his eighth year with the motocross team, Gildea zigzags across the country, following the 10-month racing season from circuit to circuit. Hauling more than a million dollars worth of equipment, Gildea travels in excess of 35,000 miles per year for the Honda team.
Mark Hough, Transporter Operator
A racing effort as dedicated as Team Honda’s requires not one, but two 18-wheelers in order to help assure that championships keep coming their way. While one transporter serves as the team’s technical base, the support/hospitality rig driven by Mark Hough serves an equally important role at the races. Hough’s transporter gives the team and its sponsors, as well as VIPs and media, a place to rest and replenish. Paired with the transporter driven by Gildea, the two drivers make up a 36-wheel train known as the Red Rider convoy.
The Machines
Honda’s Motocrossers: A Heritage of Winning
Honda’s commitment to motocross is only part of the company’s legendary winning ways, a heritage that flourished long before the sport of motocross ever appeared on the radar screen in the United States. After earning its first-ever championships in international road racing a decade earlier, that same competitive drive led Honda to win the first-ever AMA 250cc National Motocross Championship in 1973. Now celebrating three decades of dominance, the Honda line of CR motocross machines have earned an unparalleled 50 major National motocross and Supercross titles, a seemingly unassailable record compared to other manufacturers.
Setting the Standard
At the onset of professional motocross racing in the U.S., manufacturers were allowed to race special hand-built one-off race machines known as works bikes. However, beginning in 1986 the race sanctioning body, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), mandated use of production-based motorcycles available to the general public. This rule was designed to reduce the cost of racing and help level the playing field among competitors. Because Honda had already infused production motorcycles with the latest technological innovations, the 1986 rule presented no impediment to winning. That year Honda swept all four major titles, placed second in three classes, and filled out the standings with third-place finishes in two of the four. The playing field wasn’t exactly leveled and hasn’t been level since.
Two-Strokes VS. Four-Strokes
For the past four decades or so, two-stroke race bikes such as the CR250R and CR125R have dominated the motocross scene. With the recent advent of new four-stroke technology, manufacturers tapped into long-standing AMA rules permitting larger-displacement four-strokes to race in each class. As a result, 250cc four-stroke bikes now compete in the 125 class and big-bore four-stroke machines up to 450cc race in the 250 class. In 2002, Honda entered its ground-breaking new CRF450R four-stroke in 250 competition. Under the able guidance of Red Rider Nathan Ramsey, the CRF450R chalked up its first Supercross victory in the series’ 13th round.
The two-stroke vs. four-stroke battle came to a head in 2003 and not surprisingly, Honda lead both fronts. After winning an unprecedented 26 consecutive motos in the motocross arena, Ricky Carmichael and his CR250R two-stroke were defeated by Kevin Windham aboard a CRF450R; the first four-stroke to beat Carmichael’s CR250R in outdoor competition. Windham ended the season with six motos and two overall wins and was the only person to finish ahead of Carmichael throughout the 22-moto, 11-round series. The friendly rivalry between these two Red Riders is sure to continue this year.
In 2004, Honda will go deeper into the two-stroke vs. four-stroke fray with the launch of the new CRF250R four-stroke machine, which is eligible for 125-class competition. Nathan Ramsey, who is an eminently successful four-stroke pilot and 125-class Supercross rider already in the Honda camp, emerged as the natural choice to ride a flagship model in its inaugural year. Ramsey, the 1999 West Region 125 Supercross Champion, will actually pull double-duty in 2004 by riding the CRF250R in West Region events and the CRF450R in the 250 eastern events. When the series heads outdoors this summer, Ramsey will compete exclusively on the CRF250R in the 125 Motocross series in hopes of landing a championship aboard the new four-stroke in its inaugural season.
Honda CR Stable Borders On Perfection
With four different CR models in the 2004 Honda lineup, professional and amateur Red Riders hold the tools to conquer the competition. In addition to the all-new CRF250R, Honda engineers have fine-tuned the well-proven performance of the 125, 250 and 450.
For 2004, the CR125R received power upgrades including an electronic power valve system, a throttle position sensor, redesigned engine cases and an all-new piston. The 2004 version of the championship-winning CR250R also boasts new enhancements in the power department, receiving new engine cases, a reshaped exhaust port and a more direct air-intake system. Meanwhile, new suspension settings bring the CR250R to new heights of chassis refinement. The most powerful of the Honda CR line, the CRF450R shed three pounds in 2004 and also received the same suspension upgrades as the CR250R. A lighter piston, modified gearing, new exhaust system and a revised ignition all help boost the 450’s power output. In addition to each model’s engine and chassis alterations, every CR features the quality fit and finish made famous by the Honda Motor Company.
A Commitment to Innovative Technology
Just as Honda’s commitment to excellence has led to 50 national motocross and Supercross championships, its relentless quest for innovation has led to technological advancements in the world of motorcycle racing. Honda engineers and technicians strive to arm racers, from novice to National champions, with state-of-the-art performance. The most significant advancement in the sport’s current era occurred in 1997 when Honda released the first production aluminum-framed CR250R. Even after seven years of success, Honda has yet to be challenged by another manufacturer in the area of frame building. Yet, in 2004, the CRF250R features a new fourth-generation aluminum frame, an innovation that only further distances Honda from the rest.
“Honda made the jump to the aluminum chassis because we believed we had gone to the edge of the development envelope with a steel chassis in terms of strength and weight,” says Cliff White, Team Honda’s chief engineer. “The third-generation chassis of the CR125R, CR250R and CRF450R is much more stable, but at the same time also more compliant and comfortable for the rider. The 2004 fourth-generation chassis engineered for the CRF250R now takes us another big step forward in the development our chassis technology.”
Obviously, Honda’s technological achievements extend beyond chassis development. Honda maintains a long-standing commitment to producing the best production motorcycles available, machinery derived from a strong racing program. “Throughout my career as a racer and a team manager, Honda has always demonstrated their commitment to racing by pouring every possible resource into providing its riders with the best equipment,” says team manager, Erik Kehoe. “Every year, through the necessary advancements, our machines continue to excel, allowing our riders to do the same.”
These advancements would not occur without the collective effort of the entire Honda team. “Ricky, Ernesto and Nathan each have their own personal technician, one individual responsible for servicing and developing their motorcycles as the year plays out,” says Kehoe. “In addition, the team also relies on technicians that specialize in suspension turning, engine performance and data acquisition. Even though only one man rides each motorcycle, it takes a team to produce Team Honda results.” After each event, the team prepares for the next round, a chore demanding anywhere from 16 to 24 hours per motorcycle. The rigors of a National-class race require that each bike be stripped down to the frame, inspected and then rebuilt. In the process, the engine and suspension components are also disassembled and reassembled with new parts as necessary.
The meticulous Team Honda philosophy has built a heritage of championships, in turn producing the current machines favored to win the 2004 Supercross and motocross titles in the 125 and 250 classes. Returning Red Riders Ricky Carmichael, Ernesto Fonseca and Kevin Windham dominated the Supercross and motocross podiums in last year’s 250 competition and are set to repeat that feat, while Nathan Ramsey will surely prove the new CRF250R’s dominance in the 125 class.
Fox Head Inc. wanted to treat their MX Team to a mini vaca to reward them for all of their hard work this year. Since these guys love to ride off and on the water a lake trip was the perfect plan. But they needed a boat that would give these guys the opportunity to get as high on the water as they do on the dirt. And allow them all to look good doing it. Enter the Malibu Boats Wakesetter VLX. A great time was had by all!
The Sport
Two Seasons Every Year
The racing season is broken up into two different series, Supercross and the outdoor Nationals. The season starts in January with the 16-round AMA Supercross Series, followed immediately with the kickoff of the 12-round AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championship season.
Supercross hosts championships in three different classes—the headlining 250 class and two 125 support classes divided into regions, East and West. At the 250 series finale, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, 125 West Region and 125 East Region competitors pair off in an East-West Shootout.
The National outdoor series is comprised of 125 and 250 classes, and both run an entire 12-round series consisting of 24 motos per class. The 250 class commands the top professionals of the sport, while the 125 division often features the stars of tomorrow.
Supercross vs. Motocross
A sibling of motocross, Supercross is held inside large-capacity stadiums, and the tracks are substantially shorter with lap times right at or just under a minute long. Through a series of heat races, 20 riders earn a transfer spot to the 250 class main event, while 22 riders fill the 125 main. Riders can only earn points in the main event, unlike motocross where riders can earn points in each moto. Supercross main events run 20 laps for the 250 class, and 15 for the 125s.
The 32-year-old AMA outdoor series typically involves 12 rounds consisting of two motos—or races—per class. Each moto is 30 minutes plus two laps in length. A combined high score for both motos determines the overall winner of each event. National tracks are usually laid out over large parcels of land in rural areas, utilizing natural terrain with some man-man obstacles. These grueling courses demand more physical and mental stamina than Supercross racing. Extreme heat and humidity also add to the challenge because much of the outdoor season occurs in the summer.
Fine-Tuning Machines to Meet Different Demands
Because of the extreme contrast in track design and configuration, the setup on the Honda CR and CRF race bikes differs significantly between Supercross and motocross events. Supercross circuits are generally much smoother and contain big jumps, which necessitate stiffer suspension settings to fend off the huge g-forces created when slamming into steep jump faces and when landing from huge 60- to 90-foot jumps. Tire-swallowing whoops also mandate stiffer suspension settings compared to outdoor motocross.
Contrary to Supercross, outdoor motocross tracks are long, high-speed affairs littered with axle-deep ruts and nasty square-edge bumps that can toss a rider around like a rag doll. Because of its rough nature, motocross demands suspension settings that yield a plusher initial ride and more responsive action to allow the wheels and tires to soak up bumps. Because Supercross is a specialized environment catering almost exclusively to professional racing, Honda’s standard suspension settings for the CR and CRF motocross machines sold to the public follow outdoor-style motocross suspension settings.
Power delivery also differs quite drastically between Supercross and motocross machines. Supercross calls for huge bursts of power and quick acceleration to clear towering triple jumps in a split second. Motocross requires a broader power delivery that yanks the bike from muddy rutted corners and rips along high-speed straights or up power-robbing hills. Honda’s racing technicians can fine-tune power delivery by altering ignition timing, exhaust systems and gearing, in addition to internal engine modifications.
Almost every year Fox Racing (@foxheadinc) rewards their motocross team with a group vacation for a job well done. This year the Fox Wake Team took it upon themselves to show the MX Team some love. Fox MX Team Riders Brett Metcalfe, Jeff Emig, Ricky Carmichael, Ivan Tedesco, Daniel Reardon and Trey Canard met Chris Onstott, Todd Hicks, the Fox Brothers, Shawn Murray, Derek Cook and Chris Bischoff in Lake Shasta, California for a weekend of wakeboarding and wakesurfing behind a Malibu Boats Wakesetter VLX. Read more about the Fox MX Team Trip on the Malibu Boats Blog.