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A Fine Example of Today's Youth
Nathan Price Interview
Wheels-Off: How long have you been racing TCCRA?
Nathan Price:: This is my third season to race TCCRA, it’s what I started at and will probably be what I’ll finish at.
What year-end finishes have you had, and in what classes?
In my first season I finished 8th place overall in the 125 Amateur class. Then I moved up to the 125 Intermediate class, even though everybody except my family told me not to. I ended up getting 2nd last season behind a First Class Fast Ass named Scott Wilbanks.
Yeah, well, you guys are
lucky they didn't leave me in the class. I could've gotten at least...5th
or so! I don't suppose a super-fast whippersnapper like you eats or drinks
anything special before a race, do you? Maybe a burrito or two for extra exhaust?
Since my competition will likely be reading this, yes.
I try to finish of a six pack of Bud Ice within the hour before the start of the race.
Remember the faster you drink them the better you’ll do. Also I like to eat really
greasy foods all of the time, burritos are a favorite. I’ve got a rule of
thumb on diet: If it tastes good, it’s good for you! If you race in my class, next race, try to follow the strict guidelines of my diet, I
guarantee results!
Hey competition, whaddya say we whip his ass? He thinks we're a bunch of dunderheads!
What do you think about during a race?
What lap am I on? Even though I realize I could glance at the lap counter as I enter the barrels, I don’t. I am usually too busy reaching around for my drinking system straw.
Wow, I thought I was the only dunce cap that never knew what lap he was on. 'Cept of course the first or last lap, because I can count to one and I DEFINITELY know when I'm almost done.
What is your favorite TCCRA race site, and why?
Flying P. I have really good memories of riding out there. It is where my first race was, which I won, but that is a whole other story in itself. I guess I really haven’t ever had a bad day of riding there. Heck, I broke my collarbone there once and still had a blast!
What are you looking at?
I can’t tell you.
What is your favorite place to ride?
My buddy Brad “Burnin’ Bush” Walker’s family owns some land in Sulphur Bluff, Texas. Brad and I set up a 6-mile loop there and it’s a lot of fun to ride on.
I'd ask how he got that
nickname, but this is a family interview. When did you start racing
motorcycles?
I started racing in ’98, but I really didn’t ride too hard.
I guess I got serious at the end of that season. But that was my first year of racing.
When did you start riding motorcycles?
My Dad and Grandpa run an RV repair shop in Balch Springs.
When I was about 10 I started riding this little moped around the shop terrorizing everything
I could. The street our shop is located on is right at 1/10 of a mile long,
and I would see everyday how fast I could get it to go in that amount of
time. The fastest I think that I ever got it up to was 35 mph. I think it
governed out at 35. But, I actually learned how to use a clutch in 1996 on
a brand new KX100.
Who's your favorite hard-core rapper?
I’m not really a big fan of rap. I like some of it, but I mostly listen to punk or hard-core bands like: Zao, Overcome, MxPx, Ghoti Hook, Blindside, P.O.D., Bad Religion, Blink 182 and I also like NOFX a whole bunch.
No way! I've got all those CDs! How did you get interested in the TCCRA?
My Dad, David, raced back in the day (1987 was his last year) and he’s pretty fast. I’ll tell you what if our races were 10 miles long he could still win the 125/200 Expert class. So he got me into riding, but Clay Masterson got the racing bug in me. He took me to North Bryson in 1997 and I rode around and that’s all it took. I knew I had to race one of those Cross Country races.
Man, you're a goober. '97 was the year North Bryson was a mud pit. Now that I think back on it, I caught a few bugs that weekend too. What was the first motorcycle you ever owned?
My first bike was a 1995 KX 100.
Talk about your first TCCRA race.
My first race was at Flying P where I planned to enter the Beginner class. Clay Masterson and I were going out to do a practice lap but before we could get out of the pits I accidentally took Clay out and he broke his wrist. I felt so bad because he was racing for points. When it was time for my race I was the only person on the line in the Mini Beginner class. I took off for the first turn and waved to everybody. I guess you could say I got the holeshot and won on my first attempt!
When are your left hand?
All of the time. I’m left handed! “When are your right hand?”
Oh, a smart guy, eh? Well, Mr. Clever, the answer is never, I'm left-handed too. I'll be asking the questions here, sir. Have you ever had any racing injuries?
Yeah at Fort Hood I was going to race in the 125 Amateur class and during morning practice I broke my finger and pulled the skin and nail off from about midway up. Ouch! I have had a broken collar bone, and lots of cuts, but that’s about it.
What are you looking at?
I’ve got a better question, why am I looking at it?
OK, I'm only gonna tell you one more time Mr. Funny Boy. I'll be asking the questions here. Do you have any particularly close competitors?
Since Matt Forsythe has left the class, yes. Everybody in the class is a contender especially the top five.
Who is your favorite motorcycle racer of all time?
This one’s original. Jeremy McGrath! That guy is so fast, he has everybody scared before the race even begins. I think that’s so cool. He hasn’t really ever showed any bad traits either, which says a lot.
Plus he rides a Yamaha. Who are your sponsors for 2000?
My sponsors for this season are O’Neal, Spy, Bridgestone, MOTUL, Clarke, Pro Privateer Racing, and N-Style.
Ah yes, the greatness of Team O'Neal. What's the difference between George Washington?
Difference between George Washington and what? You haven’t been hitting the crack pipe lately, have you? I hope not, I remember the last time.
Sir, let me once again remind you to phrase your answers in the form of a question. Oh...you did that. Sorry. What do you like best about cross-country racing?
The races are long so you can recover from a bad start if necessary.
Pfft. You don't have to tell me that. You're talking to Mr. Last Place Start here. What do you like least about cross-country racing?
Long races when the track is dusty and short races when it’s dusty also.
Soooo, you're saying you don't like dust. I hear ya, you don't have to speak in code with me. What are your future racing plans? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 75 years?
In 5 years I hope to be in the Pro class. In 10 years, maybe more like 15 years, I’ll hopefully have a son racing out there on Saturday. Then I won’t have to race the dusty races. In 75 years…..Hmmmm…….I’ll probably be a goner or I’ll be laying in a bed with wet sheets in some nursing home.
Ewwwwww. You had to go and steer this fine family interview in that direction, didn't you? Have you ever done any racing besides TCCRA?
I’ve done a little MX. I guess if that’s what you call going out there in the 125 Novice class and struggling to be in the top 3. I’ll stick with Cross Country.
Yeah, right, "Mr. Humble". I'll bet you're out there getting Sick Air all over the place. Tell me about your best race ever.
My best race was at North Bryson last season. Yes, I know the track sucked. I didn’t realize it was my best race ever until now though. It was near the end of the season and everyone of riders on the line in the 125 Intermediate class had a real chance of winning. I got a bad start, boy that’s hard to believe, and I was riding behind Clay Masterson. We started working our way through the pack quick and before I knew it we were running first and second. This was the first time I had ever been happy for someone else other than me to be winning in my class. We had a good race then Clay got a flat near the end. I feel that he would have won that day had it not been for that flat. But that was the best race ever.
When are you going to move yourself to the B expert class and let some of the rest of us have some glory?
I’ll move up to the B class just as soon as Matt Forsythe (B 49) moves up to the Pro class to give the other B riders some glory.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Your boss! No, really I’d like to be an architect. I like to draw and things like that.
Do you find yourself taking it easy on some of the more...elderly guys in the class? Or do you find yourself wanting to grind their brittle, osteoporosis-laden bones into the ground?
No, if anything I’m harder on them. I enjoy picking on the “experienced” riders.
I'll bet you impressed all the chicks with that four-race winning streak at the end of last year, didn't you?
Yeah I did. After that I was pulling more hoes than a field full of Amish men working in a garden! I felt like the newest member of N’Sync or something!
Buddy, that's the most outstanding interview answer I have ever heard. Priceless, er, I mean...really funny!
What are you looking at?
I don’t know and what is even scarier is that I’m still looking at it.
Thanks for taking the time to sit down for this in-depth, hard-hitting interview, Nathan. I'm sure that it's been enlightening for us all. I know it has been for me.
