For the last few years, unfortunate
circumstances have stood in the way of Chad
Wienen winning an AMA championship. 2011 looked
as if it would be his season, until a nasty
crash took him out of commission in July.
Despite the setback, Wienen has remained positive,
and with the support of his family, friends
and fans, he has made a remarkable recovery
and is looking even better than ever.
ATVRiders.com recently caught
up with Chad Wienen down in Florida where
we had the chance to sit down and talk to
him about his new Yamaha YFZ450R ATV ride,
his newest endeavor, Wienen Motorsports, along
with his outlook on the upcoming season.
ATVRiders.com: Chad,
it has been a little while since we talked
to you. How has everything been going?
Chad Wienen:
It’s been going great! I’ve been
down in Florida training and working really
hard. The new Yamaha YFZ450R is working out
great.
ATVRiders.com: So
this season you have your own team, the Wienen
Motorsports/Yamaha team. How is that going
so far?
Chad
Wienen: It
has really been going well. I’m able
to run my own team and I am really excited
to be in that position. This wasn’t
my last resort as far as having support, but
it is something that I think I can progress
with and do a lot with. The greatest thing
about it is that Yamaha has been really steady
in the sport and they have stepped it up this
year when everyone else has cut back. We are
excited to have their support and be working
with them; and we are hoping to really grow
a strong and lasting relationship with them.
ATVRiders.com:
You have kept Ryan Cox as your mechanic for
this season. You must be happy about that.
Chad Wienen:
Ryan is the best in the industry. He is so knowledgeable
and he is on the same page as I am. He wants
to win and he is willing to do the work to make
it happen. I also have Ian Harris at SSI Decals
helping out as the team manager. We are working
with good people and to me that really means
a lot.
ATVRiders.com: Now
that you have your own program in place, what
is it like being able to call all the shots?
Chad Wienen:
It’s really nice because at the end
of the day, all of us make decisions, but
it is ultimately on my shoulders. Being a
part of a factory team, you do have some input
but not at the level I have now. Sometimes
it hard to make decisions that need to be
made, but I am not going to cut any corners
just to make more money. Being able to be
in full control and being able to run everything
I want to run, means more to me than a paycheck
any day. We are going to use the best products
out there and hopefully go out there and win
races. The only thing I am missing now is
the number one plate.
