Interview:
Bill Ballance - 8 Time GNCC Pro ATV Champion
- Continued
You’re
going to be doing another season with Yamaha
in 2008; do you think the competition is going
to be even tougher next year?
I really feel like it will be. I think that
with Suzuki and Can-Am giving so much support,
it’s going to give their riders even
more time to train and they will be taking
it even more seriously.
After
winning your eighth championship, you surpassed
Barry Hawk's seven Championship. What are
your goals and motivation for the 2008 season?
Just winning. I want to be able to relax a
little bit more next year, I don’t want
to put as much pressure on myself, I just
want to go out there and win races and try
to have some fun with it. The last few years
it’s really been a hardcore job with
a lot of pressure. I’ve achieved far
more than I could have ever dreamed, and I
still want to go out and win every time I
go out to the starting line next year, but
I really want to try and relax and just roll
with the punches more.
 |
| In
2004, Bill Ballance arrived with a brand
new Yamaha YFZ450 with Chris Borich
also switching to the Yamaha
|
How
important has it been for Yamaha to be backing
you and supporting you for the past few years?
It’s been pretty awesome! They were
the first to really step in and start making
some factory rides. When they came out with
the YFZ450, they showed that they were really
interested in getting involved in the sport
and racing. Being involved with them has been
amazing; I can’t imagine it being any
better.
This
year was the biggest gathering ever at the
Ironman. How was it to be up there standing
in front of thousands of spectators?
It was pretty cool. It shows to me that the
sport is really starting to get the attention
and the respect that it deserves.
How
many more years are you planning on racing
and what do you plan to do in the future when
you are done racing?
I’m just taking my racing one year at
a time right now. There has been some talk
with Yamaha about doing some racing management
in the future, and really being involved in
all forms of their ATV racing and possibly
some R&D and testing.
A
lot of people don’t know that you are
also very well versed in motocross. Do you
plan to do any motocross races next year?
It’s possible that I may hit one or
two or maybe special events. Something that
has really gotten my attention lately is the
Supermoto stuff. It really looks exciting
to me. When I am finally done racing GNCC,
I would like to do some Supermoto and motocross
and have some fun with it.
It
sounds like you want to maybe work out a deal
sort of like Tim Farr has with KTM.
Yeah, after you race so hard and seriously
for so many years, there’s a lot of
other aspects of ATV racing that you really
enjoy so why not go out and have fun for a
little while and represent Yamaha at the same
time.
What
do you think about this new Endurocross for
ATV’s?
I think that’s got a lot of potential.
I’ve read a lot about it and I’m
pretty interested to see where that goes.
When
you aren’t racing, what do you like
to do for fun?
The two things I really enjoy doing are deer
hunting and bass fishing. I really enjoy doing
a lot of outdoor things like that.
Family
and the Lord are also very important to you.
You always thank the Lord after every podium
finish. How influential has all that been
on your career?
It’s been a lot. They have both been
a big strength for me when times have been
tough and not going so well. When all else
fails, in my opinion, all the material things
are put aside because the only things that
really matter are family and the relationship
you have with the Lord. It may not always
show, but those are the two things at the
top of my list!
|
|
|
Bill
Ballance was surrounded by his family
at the Ironman |
Bill
Ballance & his girls (Lauren &
Leah) |
Looking
back on this past year, what are your thoughts?
I’m glad I have been involved in this
sport as long as I have been. This sport has
given more to me than I can ever give back
to it. It feels great to be in the position
I’m in.
I also have to thank my sponsors, Yamaha,
Maxxis Tires, Ohlin Suspension, Douglas Wheel,
and all of my major sponsors for everything
that they’ve done. There’s no
way that I could ever repay those guys. I’m
also really looking forward to the products
that Yamaha is coming out with in 2009, I
think a lot of people are really going to
be freaked out by it.
