#113 Michelle Resiser Ten Quick Facts Birth Date: 10/21/1982 Hometown: Houtzdele, Pa ATV: Yamaha YFZ450 Occupation: ATV MX Racer Hobby: Horse Training 1st ATC/ATV: Honda 250R Started Racing: 19 Years Old First Race: Echeconnee, GA Favorite Track: Red Bud, MI Twist or Thumb: Thumb

ATVriders: What made you decide to start racing?
Michelle Reiser:My brother, Freddie Reiser, was racing in the GNC MX Nationals a year prior to me being around four wheelers, and I went to Echeconnee Off-Road Park in Georgia for the opening round of the 2002 season with my family to watch Freddie race, and they ended up signing me up to race, and I was like, well I will try it. Before then, everyone said that I was too prissy to race, so I was determined to prove them wrong even though at first I didn’t like it, but I decided to stick it out just to prove people wrong, and then I ended up loving it, so I sold one of my show horses, and used the money to purchase two quads and a race trailer for my brother and I to travel to the races together.

How did you finish out your first year of racing?
I finished out the 2002 season with eighth place in the 91-250cc women’s class, and the following year the women’s class was split into two classes, and I moved into the women’s A Class.

You have now been racing for four years, so what are plan for 2006
I will be racing the YFZ450 as a Yamaha Factory Backed Rider in the new Women's 4 Stroke Production Class

You are now officially a Yamaha Factory Backed Women's Rider, Correct?
Yes, I am the first Female Factory Backed Yamaha Rider

How long ago did this come about?
I actually signed the contract just about a months ago.

How did your Yamaha Factory Ride develop?
Actually, I was receiving some support in 2005, and for 2006 Yamaha decided to help me out even more.

Michelle Reiser was busy at the 2004 season finale at Loretta Lynn's between racing in the Women's A Class and being the Blingstar Model in- between Motos that weekend

With John Natalie Jr being a Honda Factory Backed Rider, and now you are Yamaha Factory Backed Rider, will this create any issues with you traveling to the races and pitting together?
No, we will still pit out of the same trailer, but I will be on one side and John will be on the other side. I have my whole Yamaha popup tent with a backdrop and streamers, and everything else I need to promote Yamaha and my team. I also will have my own mechanic shirts and t-shirts that I will be wearing at the races, so basically we will have our own separate tents at the races, so there shouldn’t be any issues.

Any other new sponsors for 2006?
Yeah, I actually switched several sponsors for next year. I am now riding for Roll/IMS and Elka. I also am with RPM this year instead of Lonestar, and everything one else will be the same.

Michelle Reiser makes the switch to Roll/IMS and Elka for 2006.

How do you like your new 2006 YFZ450?
I received my 2006 YFZ450 about a month ago, but I have only started riding it here recently because I have been recovering for surgery and we had to get it put together, so I have just started riding it.

Why did you need to have surgery?
I had to get surgery on my right pectoral muscle because I crashed in Florida and tore my muscle three quarters of the way through, so I had my surgery on September 14th, so I have been off my quad for 4 months and a week after the surgery, and I just started riding again.

Just getting started riding again in Pennsylvania in the middle of winter can be tough with the snow and cold temperatures, so what are your practice plans?
I am doing all my training in the south, I went down to Florida before Christmas, and John and I are back in Florida practicing again, and we will stay here till the middle of the month, then we are heading to Texas, so John can have his engine built before heading to California.

What are your race plans for 2006?
I am going to race all the ATVA Motocross Nationals, and probably the ATV Sport Tour once a schedule is finally released. Also, I am going to build an YFZ450 specifically for the GNCC races because I want to give cross country racing a try.

Michelle was able to get a taste for XC Racing at the 2004 Maxxis ATV Winter Olympics where she took the championship by winning all three event disciplines (MX, XC, TT)

Do you have any idea when your first GNCC race will be?
It will really depend on how fast that I can get a quad built for racing in the GNCC series and how the schedule works, but I wanted to try and race the Florida GNCC, but I don’t think the schedule will allow it.

What do think your chances are at winning the Women’s Production Class Championship in 2006?
Now that everything is pretty much even in the class, and I am not saying it wasn’t even before, but bigger engines do help compared to just having a 450cc engine, which is the cc new limit for the class, and without me training last year and just going from race to race, I feel much more confident heading into the 2006 season.

I am going to ride my butt off in January, and I am definitely going to go for the championship this year. I am now doing this as a fulltime job, and for me to make a living, I need to go after the championship and win because now there is money involved, which gives me much more incentive.

Just a few years ago, did you ever expect to have yourself in this position?
Never, to be honest with you, I really never thought that I would be doing this for that long because of my involvement in training and showing horses professionally, so I figured that I would end up quitting ATV racing after a few years because I just didn’t see myself really getting into to it. Now, I just can go without riding and racing.

Now that you are so involved in ATV racing, do you still show or train horses?
Oh Yeah, I am still doing it. I have a 2.5 year old black warm blood that I am training, and next year, I plan on attending shows in between races, so I will once again be following the show circuit and even traveling to Florida for horse shows.

The plus side on the horses is that a lot of the shows are during the week on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I can still attend a majority of the shows without missing any races.

With a Yamaha factory backed ride, Michelle’s goal is to provide this view to competition in 2006

Thanks for your time, and do you have anything else to say?
I look forward to this upcoming racing season more than ever, and plan on giving it my best. Also, I am very excited to work with several new sponsors for 2006, and I thank all my ongoing sponsors for all their support through the years.