ATVMotocross.com: Hey Chad good to finally catch up with you and your busy schedule. I know we got to see you at the last couple of rounds but there has been a lot of change for you with the new Yamaha deal you have since we last spoke.
Chad Wienen: Yeah. Throughout the whole year up until the midway point we were doing great and were leading the points. Then I broke my back and that's about the gist of it. Now we are sitting here and it's almost January 1st and we got a brand new Yamaha ride working with Walsh Racecraft, SSI Decals and Wienen Motorsports and we are pushing to go for it. I'm able to run my own team and we are very excited to be in that position.
That sounds exciting. How long have you been working on the Yamaha deal?
Realistically I talked to Donnie Luce a little bit at Loretta's. That's kind of where it all started. I was joking around really and said "Hey I want to do my own program next year." I had no intentions of riding a Can Am because they were just not able to offer me anything. This isn't their last resort but it is exactly up our alley where we wanted to be able to push forward and make something great out of it. This bike is going to be the next big thing.
I know you are good friends with Yamaha's other rider Thomas Brown, does this mean you are already familiar with the bike already?
Yeah I have just been watching the way he has his machine is set up. I mean it's not exactly the same that we are going to be running but it gives us a head start on what direction we need to be going. We are good friends on and off the track and we are working closely but our programs are different. He is still with the Ballance Racing crew and we are Wienen Motorsports. We will always help each other out as much as we can and keep our friendship on and off the track.
It seems like you have a lot of friends like that really. I have talked to a few of the guys and they are excited about your arrival to Florida.
Yeah. (Snickers) I've been excited to and I have been getting myself in the best physical shape I possibly can and prepare myself for when I come down and start hammering on this machine.
You know the greatest thing about it is that Yamaha has been steady in the sport and they have actually expanded this year which in this day and time is unheard of with all the manufactures that are involved pulling back a little bit and Yamaha is pushing forward. Hopefully we can make a
Thank you. We are all excited. I would also like to thank everyone else on board like Maxxis Tires, Hinson Racing, Fox Shox, Lonestar Axcalibar Pro Racing Axles, Precision Racing Products, Rath Racing, Quad Tech, Streamline, Baldwin Motorsports, Works Connection, Fuel Customs, Acerbis, Alpinestars, Scott, Shoei, and Get Dirty MX.
good, longlasting working relationship there.
Looking at your track record as far as the teams go, you have been on about everyone now and unfortunately for you it has been at the end of their program years and due to budgets you end up having to move. It must seem good to finally get in on the upswing of a factory and their program?
Oh yeah. You know it's just one of those things the way things happens and this year we have Ryan Cox and the Walsh Crew and we are all setting up camp here at their race shop and we are going at it hard and we are going to be ahead of the game come the first round in March.
Do you have a lot of the same elements that you have had in your programs in the past or is the Wienen Motorsports program going to be fresh?
We are surrounding ourselves with the best possible products in the industry and I am not shortcutting anything. I am going after the best stuff. That is what we need and along with that we are working with people we want to be around that we have fun with. If we put that total package together then we are going to be a force.
It sounds like the opportunity to run your own team has been rather exciting for you.
It really is. Just being with the factory involvement the last 5 or so years at points you would like to have been able to put your input in but it only goes so far. The way things are going, I get the factory involvement but I get to run my own thing and pick the people that I want to work with, the parts and everything that makes the team comes through me. And to me that is worth more than a paycheck any day.
I guess working with Ryan Cox already, you guys are pretty in tune with each other and he knows what you want and what you need out of your machine. So taking any new products you are working with he will know how to make them work best for you.
Absolutely, he is one of the best in the industry. I call him the best dealing with the motor and everything that goes on the chassis. Then also we have the Walsh Racecraft crew and they have been taking their shirts off for us shutting down the shop and focusing on our program and getting me on a machine. We are both rolling the dice to try and make this program work but it's coming very quick and we are going to be ready.
I want to thank you for your time today and good luck with your new program.
Thank you. We are all excited. I would also like to thank everyone else on board like Maxxis Tires, Hinson Racing, Fox Shox, Lonestar Axcalibar Pro Racing Axles, Precision Racing Products, Rath Racing, Quad Tech, Streamline, Baldwin Motorsports, Works Connection, Fuel Customs, Acerbis, Alpinestars, Scott, Shoei, and Get Dirty MX.
