Fresh start
By TMX Archives on 17th Jan 06
Ryan Hughes is a rider who needs no introduction to motocross fans across the world. Ryan Hughes is a rider who needs no introduction to motocross fans across the world. The 32-year-old Californian turned pro all the way back in 1990 and his 15-year career has included spells racing GPs as well as US SX and MX campaigns on factory machinery. Now Ryno is refocusing his career in the less glamorous - but no less competitive - world of WORCS racing...DBR: Firstly Ryno, when did you start seriously thinking about racing 'off-road' and moving away from motocross?Ryno: "I'm not sure exactly, it just kind of popped into my mind one day while I was driving down the highway. I called Mike Webb - who runs Suzuki's off-road programme in the US - and talked to him about it. I think he was a little bit surprised that I was interested in racing off-road and I was surprised how interested he was in me riding a Suzuki. Before I knew it everything had come together really quickly and, well, I've now signed a two-year deal with Suzuki to compete in the World Off Road Championship Series (WORCS)."DBR: You won the first running of the Endurocross race in Las Vegas. Did that start you thinking about off-road racing as a career move?Ryno: "Maybe a little bit. Actually, I won a round of the WORCS in '03 and, like you said, I won Endurocross in '04. I would have also had two top-fives in GNCC races if my bike hadn't of broken. I think winning the Endurocross last year opened a lot of people's eyes towards what I can do. I'm not just a motocross and supercross rider. I have good skills and love racing motorcycles so I can adapt to other styles of racing."DBR: How much is Ryan Hughes racing hare scramble and cross-country events about simply wanting to extend your career and earn money and how much is it about really wanting to prove that you are more than just a motocross and supercross racer?Ryno: "I love to race but I'm just a little sick of the national motocross scene. I want to do something different, something a little more low-key. The off-road scene is just that, there will be less pressure. The racing is still very competitive and very professional but not as cut throat as national motocross."I can extend my career by five years or so and have some fun. That is what drew me towards off-road racing, the fact that it isn't quite as serious as national motocross and supercross. It is a new challenge that I think will be a lot of fun."DBR: You rode well at the opening round of the US GNCC series in Texas a few years ago. What were you able to learn from that event about off-road racing?Ryno: "That you need to be patient and that passing the guy in front of you doesn't have to be done immediately. Having raced motocross and supercross for so many years I have a mentality of pushing hard, always racing and wanting to attack everything. In hare scramble and cross-country racing you need to take your time a little more and not be so aggressive. I guess that race I did in Texas taught me I need to be a little more patient."DBR: What do you think your strengths are going to be when you start racing WORCS events next year?Ryno: "I guess my strengths are going to me my fitness, speed, smoothness, line selection, stuff like that. I'm pretty good technically as a rider so I think I have what it takes to win."DBR: Are there any areas that you feel you will have to work on?Ryno: "No, not so much. If I was doing GNCC events, which are in the trees, then I would have to learn how to race fast in those conditions but because WORCS events are like long, fast motocross races I'm pretty good at that."DBR: Do you have any plans to do any East Coast GNCC races next year?Ryno: "My deal is to compete in the WORCS series which is on the West Coast but I want to do two East Coast GNCC races. I don't know which races I will do but, yeah, I want to do a couple. I just have to find some races that fit with my racing schedule."DBR: You switched from a 250cc four-stroke Honda to a 450cc four-stroke Suzuki and into the 250 class for the Broome-Tioga national but things didn't go so well. Why did you switch classes so late in your last full national motocross season?Ryno: "Just because it was hard staying competitive against the teams with bigger testing budgets. In the 250 class you can race a 450 four-stroke that doesn't need to be as tuned as a 250cc four-stroke. Also, after the first bunch of riders I can be competitive in the 250 class. The bigger bike can be harder to race but if you know how to ride a 450 then it can be easier. The 250 class riders are more experienced and aren't as willing to take big risks like a lot of the 125 guys."DBR: You finished fifth in the second moto - you must have been pleased with that?Ryno: "Yeah, I was. The first moto was a disaster because I had some problems with my roll-offs getting smashed. In the second race I got a good start and battled with Michael Byrne which was pretty good first time out."DBR: Will you compete in any AMA national motocross races in '06?Ryno: "No, I don't think so. I just don't have the drive to do that any more but I'll never say never. You know, I've raced the national motocross scene for a lot of years and had good and bad times. It's a very competitive series and you really need to be on top of your game to do well. That's hard as a privateer rider."DBR: How much harder is it to compete in the US national motocross championship as a privateer than it is as a factory-supported rider?Ryno: "It's definitely harder because you have to be a team owner, team manager and a rider all rolled into one. You have to oversee everything, I mean everything. That's what makes it so difficult. You have to worry about where the money is coming from, dealing with sponsors and ordering in product as well as training and racing."As a factory rider everything is done for you, all you have to worry about is training and riding. The factory teams have much bigger budgets so they don't have to worry about stuff as much as a privateer rider. They spend more on testing and have the best of everything which makes for a big gap between the professionals and the privateers."DBR: Is there any chance that you might compete in the ISDE?Ryno: "Yeah, definitely. I'd like to do that. When my career is over I would like to say that I've done as many different races as possible and try and win as many of those as I can. I want to be one of the best all-round riders that's ever ridden a motorcycle. I would like to try and win the ISDE, to be the first American to win it. If I do that's great, if I don't then at least I tried. I have won the Motocross des Nations, along with Ricky Carmichael and Travis Pastrana in '00, I think I would be the first rider ever to win both if I could win the ISDE (Hmmm, what about Stefan Everts? - SL]."DBR: There are two World Enduro Championship races in North America next year - do you have any plans to compete in those races?Ryno: "I would like to and I have them on my calendar but it just depends on a bunch of things nearer the time. I will have to see what races I have around them, how my season is going and how my motivation is for those races closer to the time. I'd like to but I have other priorities so the world championship races will have to fit in with my other races."DBR: You have said that you want to get involved in helping up and coming riders in motocross and supercross - are you still planning on doing that now you're committed to winning the WORCS?Ryno: "Obviously racing and winning are still my number one priority but I am still aiming to help some other, younger riders. I have learned a lot over the years and I want to pass that knowledge onto others. The great things about the WORCS series is that I only have a couple of races each month so I still have time to help other riders."DBR: Finally, looking ahead to '06, what is your goal for the new season?Ryno: "I want to win the WORCS. Another goal is just to have fun. The fun has been missing from my racing for a while so I want to get that back again. I want to win that championship."Words & photos by Jonty Edmunds