Interview: The 2006 Fastest Three Women in ATV Racing

2006 Women ATV National Champions
#1 Angela Butler ATVA Motocross Age 25 Location Laveen, AZ Machine Honda TRX450R	#201 Traci Cecco GNCC Cross Country Age 30 Location Shamokin, PA Machine Yamaha YFZ450	#26 Candace Lee Extreme Dirt Track Age 24 Location Four Oaks, NC Machine Honda TRX450R

You ladies happen to be the fastest three women in ATV Racing. I would think it is safe to say that each of you has now dominated your sport. How do you ever top what you have already accomplished?

Angela Butler (MX): I am honestly not too sure how to ever top what I have done. I guess what would be better for me would to be win a championship in a “guys” class and maybe someday become a PRO and have this be my full time job.
Traci Cecco (XC):As the sport continues to grow and the female competition gets stronger I plan to continue to improve as a rider and help to lead the future of females to the next level.
Candace Lee (EDT): There is always room for becoming a faster and smarter racer. There will be plenty women to join our class that will make for some new competition and always the challenge of working my way through the ranks with the guys.

How does your 2006 championship compare to your past championships and titles?

Angela Butler (MX): My 2006 Championship feels great! I won 2 championships this year – 1 in the ATVA and 1 in the WPSA. For the Nationals, Heather and I have been battling it out for a long time. She is a fast and determined rider and she put up a great fight this year. I feel great about this championship because I had lost it the 2 years prior to and I was really hungry to get it back.
Traci Cecco (XC): The competition in Women’s GNCC racing is steadily increasing, but I feel this season I was able to really elevate my level of riding and preparation so that the season turned out very smooth and stress free.
Candace Lee (EDT): Titles are always good!! Each one represents lots of hard work from myself along with lots of others. I’ve never earned a title by myself and the teamwork is what makes it so enjoyable when you finally wrap it up!

Angela Butler claimed not only the ATVA MX Women's Champion, but she also claimed the first ever WPSA Women's Championship. The ATVA Championship didn't come easy with Heather Byrd stretching out a huge points in the first half of the season, but Angela answered the challenge by winning seven consecutive races to finish out the year and reclaim the championship, which was her 7th National Championship

What are your future goals and ambitions, and how have they changed since your 2006 championship?

Angela Butler (MX): Future goals are to win another championship in the womens class and in a “A” class. My goals and ambitions haven’t really changed since this years’ championship – it just makes me want to have more.
Traci Cecco (XC): I want to really leave my mark on this sport, so to do so I feel I need to set the bar very high over the course of the upcoming seasons.
Candace Lee (EDT): I’m really not sure at this point. I’m going to continue racing, but not at the rate I’ve been going. In 2006 I pulled out all the stops and did the absolute best I could to be competitive in the MX and EDT series. Next year I’m going to try and be more on the sidelines. Maybe I’ll have something to offer others without being on the track so much myself.

2006 will surely be a year to remember for Traci Cecco, which started out with a bang when Yamaha signed Traci to their GNCC race team, and she wasn't about to disappoint Yamaha as she went on to dominate not only the Women's Class but also the entire Morning Race. She claimed 11 wins and 8 overall finishes to claim her 5th GNCC Women's Title and the Morning #1 Plate

Each of you has been extremely diverse in what you have done in ATV Racing. If you could do anything involved with this sport that you’ve not yet done, what would you do?

Angela Butler (MX): I guess I would go back to doing what I went to school for – Web Design. I would love to go out and be involved with the racing part and help other riders get better exposure on the web with their own web sites.
Traci Cecco (XC): I would love to race the Baja 1000 with an all female team
Candace Lee (EDT): I would like to learn more what it takes to work behind the scenes. Maybe work more with promoting or hosting an event more so than being on the bike so much. I would like to be able to help the sport grow instead of just talking about it.

Candace Lee took over the spotlight in 2005, when former Dirt Track Women’s Championship, Mandy Brodil, dropped out of competition after a serious wreck early in the season, which opened the door for the new champion, and Candace Lee hasn’t missed a beat since, winning her 2nd Consecutive Dirt Track Women’s Championship in 2006 and also just missed winning ATVA MX Women’s Sport Championship as well.

Each of you has nearly mastered your trade. Even so, if you could take one skill from any one of your competitors, what would it be?

Angela Butler (MX): I am going to pick on Traci here. Since she races motocross sometimes – I guess she would be one of my competitors. I would love to get the skill of racing through the woods. Traci has virtually no fear going through those trees. I am afraid that they will come out and attack me! LOL
Traci Cecco (XC): I feel each of the women I race against has their strengths, but to be honest the biggest thing I would like to have is the physical strength. I am by far the smallest female and sometimes I feel I have to work sooo much harder during a race.
Candace Lee (EDT): I would have to say that I would like to be a better “quick thinker” like Michael Blanchard. It’s crucial to be able to make confident decisions in and instant. I’ve seen him make close moves on the track that I’m not sure I could have pulled off myself.

The final round of the ATVA Motocross Nationals at Ballance MotoX had all three Women's Champions in attendance, and Traci Cecco showed everyone that she wasn't afraid of airing out her Yamaha YFZ450, but I wonder if she will convince any motocross or dirt track racers to try out some woods racing in 2007

How do you feel about the notion that lady racers shouldn’t get a specialty class, and should race against the guys? Do you feel you would be racing at this level if there had never been a women’s class?

Angela Butler (MX): I feel that lady racers should have a specialty class. It is a great starting point for them. If they were expected to go out against the guys from the beginning, I think that some girls wouldn’t be in it very long. I started racing with the guys at a young age, and I think it helped me get really aggressive. I think that I would still be racing at this level if there wasn’t ever a womens class. I am naturally competitive, and I can’t stand it when guys beat me, so I would have pushed myself to be better then them.
Traci Cecco (XC): I feel that racing against other women has helped my to establish myself as a rider, whereas it is far more intimidating for a young girl starting out to have to line up against the men with very little track time. I do really enjoy racing against the boys now though because I always seem to push just a little bit harder and take more chances trying to show them what us girls can do.
Candace Lee (EDT): I do believe that women should get a specialty class to encourage more women to join the sport. I believe we would not have as many women in attendance if we had to race with the guys. If racing with the guys was the only option I had, yes I would still be where I am. When I started racing there was no women class and I have always enjoyed competition no matter who I’m up against or how I finish.

Both Traci Cecco & Candace Lee competed in Men's Classes at the Nationals in 2006 with Candace Lee actually winning the 4 Stroke B Championship, and Angela Butler plans to return to racing against the guys in 2007

What do you feel needs to be done to ensure the Women’s ATV Racing continues to grow?

Angela Butler (MX): I think that women will need to just stay informed about Women in the ATV industry.
Traci Cecco (XC): I think that all of the current promoters do an excellent job of promoting the female riders, and even the media is very supportive of us. The only thing I would like to see is a program to try and pull more girls in at a younger age so that there are plenty of women to keep this going long after I am retired.
Candace Lee (EDT): Promotion at the events and in the advertisements. Encouragement from the women who are already racing means a lot. Offer others help. Whether it is dealing with bike set up or advise. Once more women understand how much fun we have out there, I believe they will want to be part of that.

Traci Cecco & Angela Butler are not only the fastest women racers they are also best friends

If you could give some message to all the ladies in your sport, what would you say?

Angela Butler (MX): Don’t be intimidated and make sure you have fun!
Traci Cecco (XC): This sport has given me so much if I could pass one piece of advice back I would say never take your opportunities for granted.
Candace Lee (EDT): Keep working hard and you will keep having fun!! Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you out.

Thank you so much for your time, and congratulations on another successful season. We wish you the best of luck and look forward to seeing you on the track again.
Any Last Comments?

Angela Butler (MX): I would just like to thank everybody who has helped and supported me throughout the years. Without any of them, I wouldn’t be where I am today!
Traci Cecco (XC): Thanks for taking the time to check in with me and I really look forward to seeing everyone at the track in 2007.
Candace Lee (EDT): Thanks again to everyone that has contributed to my success! I appreciate all my race family!!

(Left to Right) Candace Lee, Traci Cecco, and Angela Butler all met up for one final time in 2006 at the AMA Sports Awards Banquet as they were all nominated for Female ATV Rider of the Year, and Traci Cecco took home the Award