John McGhee 4-2-03
- Updated: April 2, 2003
We managed to hunt down Legacy ATV’s main man, John McGhee, and asked him a few questions. Here’s what he had to say…
ATV Scene: Where exactly is your shop located, and how long have you been in business?
McGhee: High Point, NC better know as the Furniture Capital of the World. We have been in business for five years.
ATV Scene: How did you get into the ATV market?
McGhee: I started out racing ATVs myself. I was a computer consultant at the time and traveled while working for large companies all across the US. On my last project I decided it was time to work for my self so I sold all of my race bikes, trailers and trucks and invested it all into the company then named Legacy Cycle. By hand, I built our first building that we started in. As a matter of fact, I traded my TT quad just to have the concrete poured for the building.
ATV Scene: So what’s with the new trailers every year? Is business that good?
McGhee: The trailers in the past were just too small for a race team and vending. Last year we purchased a larger semi trailer from the State of Indiana Energy Department without seeing it. It turned out to be too small and too difficult to work in. This year, we purchased the right size trailer and plan to keep it! No more new trailers for us, that’s for sure, their just too hard to keep up.
ATV Scene: What do you think about the current direction our sport is moving toward?
McGhee: I believe the sport is moving in a positive forward direction but at a slow pace in my opinion.
ATV Scene: What would you change about the sport to make it better?
McGhee: I wish I had a way to undo the two tragedies that happened to our sport in the last two years with Matt Bartosek and Cody Hurst. I wish Cannondale would have been successful with their race efforts and forced other manufacturers to follow. Lastly I wish that we could get more corporate sponsors to at least look at our sport.
Here John and Nathan Dallas, Legacy ATVs pro rider of choice in 2001 and 2002, dial in their pro entry at a practice session in North Carolina.
ATV Scene: Who are you sponsoring this year?
McGhee: This year our main focus is John “Ironman” Natalie. He’ll ride our Legacy ATV Viper 250R in the Pro class and a Legacy Kawasaki KFX in the Pro Production class. We are also backing Ben Bettis, Sean Berkey, Jason Watt, Tootie Saferiet, Glenn Bailey and Manley Jones. We currently help a few race teams as a whole as well; Lost Creek Cycles and JB Racing top the list. We also support 150 amateur riders throughout Canada and the US.
ATV Scene: You guys have sponsored a lot of the front-runners in the past; can you give us a quick rundown of some of the more memorable ones?
McGhee: I was a mechanic for Jeremiah Jones when he won his first MX national at the Daniel Boone MX GNC in London, KY. It was an exciting time last year when our main focus, Nathan Dallas, was leading at the Birch Creek national in Danville, VA. I was speechless in 2001 at the AMA Banquet for receiving the ATV Sport Extra Mile Award.
ATV Scene: Where did Nathan Dallas go?
McGhee: Nathan Dallas moved from Jamestown, NY to Charlotte, NC to go to the University of North Charlotte to attend their motorsport’s program. He currently still works part-time for Legacy ATV.
ATV Scene: What are your goals as a team this year?
McGhee: Our goal for the 2003 race season is to introduce our new VIPER chassis and components. We took on John Natalie to prove our product can outlast the “Ironman”. We are working with a new motor builder, Turtle Racing Engines, to strengthen our internal race program to a new level. After the results at Macon, GA, we feel that our chassis, motor and “Ironman” Natalie can be on the podium. We also want to extend our thanks to Rick at Custom Axis for his trackside support.
ATV Scene: Any parting words?
McGhee: I’m glad that we’re such a big family orientated sport. I hope we grow as a family and that the politics or tragedies don’t ever separate us — only make us closer.
