Name: Josh Starrett |
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ATV Scene: How was 2002 for you?
Starrett: In my opinion last year was my
best ever. I had a ton of fun, had good starts and a lot of luck. I made some
mistakes toward the end of the season but I learned from them and won't make
them again.
ATV Scene: How did you wind up in points?
Starrett: I won the +25 GNC Championship
and finished fifth in the A class.
ATV Scene: You seem to never miss a big
race. How are you able to this?
Starrett: I've been lucky enough to have
parents that stand behind me 100%. I make what sacrifices I need in order to
make it to all the events. I want to try and support the sport as much as I
can.
ATV Scene: How often do you practice? With
who?
Starrett: Depending on the Kentucky weather,
I try to practice two to three times per week. I've found that if I practice
too much on the quad I get burnt out and don't train as hard as I should, so
I like to cross train. I run, bicycle and try to eat healthy. I usually ride
with the members of JPMX. Bret Harper, Blake Wright, James Perry, and Jerimiah
Jones.
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ATV Scene: Now that you mention those fellow
Kentucks. What's this Kentucky Kult thing you're involved with. It's not an
anti-racial ATVing club or anything right?
Starrett: No not at all. It is a bunch of
guys that have always hung out together and have decided to group together.
We still don't know exactly what is in store but we will always have fun together
and that's all that counts. The founding fathers include: myself, Zac Willett,
Dave Willett, Bret Harper, Blake Wright, Jimmy Elza, and Jon Woodward.
ATV Scene: What do you do when you're not
racing or practicing?
Starrett: I attend Western KY University
full time. I am working on a degree in Construction Management with a minor
in Business Management. In the summer, I work full time on a demolition crew
for a construction company. I also work part time for an auto auction. For fun
I like to ride my street bike, run remote control cars, jet ski, and just hang
out with my friends.
ATV Scene: Tell us how you nearly lost
your left hand.
Starrett: When I was 14 I was driving a
sand rail dune buggy and flipped it. As it was flipping my arm came out of the
roll cage and got pinned between the cage and the ground. It was basically severed
from my arm. Holding my left hand in my right, I ran to the house, and was rushed
to the hospital where doctors reattached my hand. Amazingly, they were successful
in connecting all my tendons, ligaments, nerves and bones.
ATV Scene: How is the hand now? Does it
affect your riding?
Starrett: I've got full movement, it never
hurts and I have no problems riding. I was really fortunate!
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ATV Scene: How was the Huevos 5 video shoot?
Starrett: Wes Miller of H-Bomb Films was
in Kentucky and came to shoot Jeremiah Jones and myself at our local supercross
track in Morgantown, KY. I felt really good and was riding well, but unfortunately
my top rear shock mount broke so I wasn't doing much riding that day.
ATV Scene: What was your worst road trip?
Starrett: One that sticks out in my mind
is the best/worst road trip. Here's why I call it that; we were racing an Arenacross
in Morristown, TN. We decided to drive all five hours home after the race even
though a winter storm had set in. We had one heck of time driving. As we were
climbing a mountain, we noticed a car on the side of the road and decided to
help them. It was several girls on their way to Nashville. We got them unstuck.
They were pretty freaked out because of all the snow, so we helped them drive
back. When we got to Nashville several roads were closed. We ended up on secondary
roads and got lost. Finally we made it home safely ten hours later!
ATV Scene: How do you think ATV racing
can be even better?
Starrett: I think that the best thing for
our sport would be for more outside involvement. We need to gain the attention
of the mainstream media. That would in turn bring in more money and give more
people the opportunity to race. If more people were racing and the competition
got fiercer - more people would take it seriously. It would just begin to build
upon itself.
ATV Scene: What are your plans for 2003?
Starrett: I plan to ride the Pro Production
class in MX on a Cannondale. I am still not sure about the TT series though.
It will hinge on the rules.
ATV Scene: What are your goals for the new
year?
Starrett: I want to be in the best shape
of my life for Macon. I want to put a dent in the pro-production class, but
above all I want to have as much fun as I had in 2002.
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ATV Scene: Restaurant of choice?
Starrett: This is hard because I really
like to eat. I am a steak guy so I am going to have to go with a steak house
like Longhorn or Hops.
ATV Scene: What's your newest piece of
modern day technology?
Starrett: I just got a digital camera for
Christmas.
ATV Scene: Share a memorable moment while
traveling the nationals with us.
Starrett: Once, while coming home from a
national, everybody in the group was really ready to get home. We were about
an hour from home and we just kept going faster and faster. Before I knew it
we were all driving 100mph+. Just picture two 38' and two 18' foot trailers
hauling ass down the interstate all one after another at triple digit speeds!
I sure am glad we didn't pass any cops. And I'm glad we don't make a habit of
that kind of driving.
ATV Scene: You're one of the most professional
and organized racers in the scene. Your equipment, truck, trailer, - even your
practice quad are always spotless, why all the fuss? And thanks for running
the huge ATV Scene.com logo on your trailer by the way!
Starrett: I think that it is important to
keep a professional image. It looks good for you as well as your sponsors. It
is also a lot easier to work on things when they are clean. I'm proud of ATV
Scene, and glad I can help the company that is trying so hard to make
ATV racing better.
ATV Scene: Any parting words?
Starrett: I just want to thank all my sponsors
for a great year and look forward to 2003. My friends were a big help and made
the year especially enjoyable. I really want to thank my parents as well for
always standing behind me, I would not be able to do it without them.
