Tuesday Toolbox: Chris Borich

After years of bum luck in the final rounds, Chris Borich may finally have his chance to take home the ATV Championship. This year, Borich has his Suzuki figured out and is sitting on top of the points with a comfortable margin between him, Taylor Kiser, Adam McGill, and more importantly Bill Ballance- his stiffest competition coming up through the ranks. Borich seems pretty confident he can clinch the championship and you'll see why in this week's Tuesday Toolbox.

Chris, are you ready for Unadilla? Yeah, I've been training a lot. I've been working at it hard. I'm getting some bikes built right now. I was out testing earlier when you were trying to get a hold of me.

How has your summer break gone? What have you been up to? Nothing really. I've just been doing a lot of riding and just hanging out and working on the bikes. Now it's basically crunch time. I'm just getting ready for Unadilla.

Where are you at during the summer? I'm back home in Pennsylvania. I'm like in central Pennsylvania.

So you've won 6 races so far this season, and you're sitting pretty in the points lead, do you think you'll finally be able to clench the title this year? I hope so, but time will tell. Everything has been working awesome this year, with everything about the Suzuki and Yoshimura and everyone behind me. I think I've finally gotten the bike working good. I was pretty happy with 6 wins on the season so far.

You've been close so many times before and had bad luck screw up your chances for the championship. Can you tell us a little bit about your close calls? The last couple of rounds over the years, it just wasn't my day, I guess, for the last couple rounds. Like I said, we worked hard before and it seemed like we came up short with bad luck and DNFs. This year we've been working really hard at it. We've only had one DNF this year and we're back in the points lead by quite a bit. We've been working really hard on getting the bike dialed in. I guess time will tell if we can get it done this year.

This is your second year on the Suzuki. Do you think you've worked out all the k

inks with it or learned anything new about it to make you so successful this year? We played around with a bunch of stuff. The beginning of season, the first year we ran it, we were struggling with suspension, and trying to find the right set-up. But now this year, we've been working really hard at it. Everything's been falling together with it. We've got Yoshimura behind us 100 percent this year and Moto Programs stepped up a lot since last year. We just worked hard at getting everything together that we needed to. Hopefully we can finish the season out strong this year.

This is the first time Ballance probably won't win the title in 9 years, how do you feel about possibly ending that streak? I'm pretty pumped up about it. I can't take anything away from him. He's an awesome competitor. I knew he was sick at the beginning of the season and I wish he been strong the whole way. I know these last four races he'll be pretty strong and up where he needs to be.

I guess we will see how it works out in the end and go from there.

What is your relationship with Ballance like? You guys have always battled each other for the championship. Is there a friendship off the track? Or are you straight competitors? I mean, pretty much everyone we race against, we're pretty much buddies. When you get on the track it's a different deal but I ride with Chris Bithell a lot and we're good buddies and when we hook up on the track it's fun but when you hook up with Bill and some other guys you know who are serious, they don't want to play around that much. You want to push and not mess around.

How bummed will you be if someone finally ends Ballance's streak and it's not you? (Laughs) I have no clue! The way I've been riding, and the way I feel and the bike's working and the way everything's clicking along. I don't see anyone being a threat taking the championship away from me unless something really bad happens, like a DNF. I know Taylor's been training hard and I know Adam McGill is right there too. I know if I put my head down I can click a couple wins off at the end I should be able to get it, no problem. Time will tell.

I was worried when I called you the first time, you thought I was trying to jinx you! (Laughs.)  No, when you guys tried to call I was breaking in new bikes, testing to see what we're going to do for Unadilla.

Do you like these last 4 rounds? They're probably my strongest races. Yadkinville is ok but you have to get a good start. Ohio and Ironman are good too. These last four are probably my favorites.

So you're feeling pretty confident? I'm just going to take it one race at a time and see where it all comes out to.

Ballance said he's done after this year, do you think you can take his place?
I don't know. I hope he comes back again. I know this year he was sick and he got one win on the season so far. He's still figh

ting up back through. I'd say if I did win, I'd like him to come back. I know he doesn't want to go out losing. I know he wants to go out with a fight.

So maybe you'd like it if Ballance came back these last few rounds and kicked your butt, gave you a run for your money? I don't want him to kick my butt! But I know he's training pretty good and I know he's on top of his game. I feel really confident going in. I know Bithell won there last year. I know if me and Bithell hook up, I don't think anyone's going to beat us.

So the next 8 years are yours, like Ballance? Let's take this one year at a time. Let's get this one out of the way!