Tuesday Toolbox: Chris Borich

Chris Borich is one of the hardest working ATV racers in the world.  He has built a career on chasing Bill Ballance and the GNCC Championship.  And finally he is on top of the world, but still one of the most grounded individuals you will ever talk to.  This Tuesday Toolbox is an excerpt of an interview I did with Chris just this morning.

GNCCRacing.com: Hey Chris how's it going today?
Chris Borich: Just cleaning stuff up from the weekend, kind of taking it easy.

Congratulations on the win this weekend. Looked like a good one.
Yeah, we got a good start and it was just a fun day out there.  We mountain biked the track on Friday and knew it was going to be a pretty tough race.  Then the rains came along and made it even worse.  We had some good battles with Chris Bithell, Adam McGill and Taylor Kiser, seemed like we got away from the pack there in the middle of the race and we just had a battle between ourselves.  All in all it was a good day and I was glad to get the Suzuki back on top.

I saw you and Bithell laughing at each other when you came through the finish line about the halfway point.  It looked like you were having a blast.
Yeah, yeah we came into the scoring tent there and I was right on him and I gave him a little bump, we talked about it a little today.  I gave him a little tap just messing around and he said his hands fell off the grip, it looked like he was going to go into the scoring tent there, but he got it gathered back up and took back off.  We always have a good time racing against each other, I mean we practice and train together a lot to start in Florida to start the season out, so it's always fun to get to race each other.  I don't know, it just feels like we are out there practicing.

That's one thing I notice about you guys, I know that there are issues that come up sometimes, but all in all it seems that most of you ATV riders seem to be pretty good friends.
Yeah most of them, I mean there are a couple guys there that are just all about themselves,  but for the most part seems like everybody gets along and has a good time.  I mean everybody's doing the same things, so it's no secret what we are doing and stuff like that.  I mean everybody asks questions, and I'll tell anybody what's going on with the bike set up and just try to help other people out.

You are willing to share information about what works for you, so I guess there is nothing really super special about your bike?
No, basically anybody that runs a Suzuki and wants basically the parts that I run, accessories wise, I mean there is no secret out there.  The general public can go out and buy whatever I've got on the bike.  That's what's cool about it, all the production based stuff.  After that you're basically fine tuning the shocks and stuff the way you like it so you can go from there.

It sure sounds like a lot of testing.  Is that what has helped you finally reach your goal in the chase for the championship?
Yeah, I have put more time into testing, a little bit more and just trying different stuff with shock set up and motor set up and just the geometry with the front end.  All kinds of different stuff has been put in there.  And plus since I got my mechanic, I'm able to put a full 100% into training and riding and just preparing for the race.

So when did you hire your mechanic, John Rowling?
I think it was about 3 years now, as soon as we got the Suzuki deal.  He helped me out before with the Honda and stuff, he would show up at the track and just help out with everything. So as soon as I got the deal, I approached John and asked him (to be my mechanic), and he was all for it. It's been good.  We have become really good friends.  He puts his heart into it and I put my heart into it and it works. There are not too many people out there that I have let work on my stuff.  I've always worked on my own stuff and I know what went into it.  If it breaks down or something then I know it was my fault basically.  But we very rarely ever had a breakdown so it was hard to trust somebody, but he was around for so long, I watched him so I knew he knew what he was doing.

So you have a lot of confidence in him?
Yeah!

It sounds like this whole Suzuki package really helped spring board your career to where you wanted to be?
When we were into the Hondas, it was just me and my dad doing it, we did a good job when it was just me and him.  It was pretty hard to go out and beat Bill (Ballance), I didn't have the time to train as much and he was on top of his game back then.  And as soon as I got the Suzuki deal the first year was just basically learning the bike, figuring it out and deciding what exactly we needed to do with it.  Then this past year we changed a few things and everything started clicking.  More training, more time on the bike, prep and all that stuff.  One thing leads to another, we start getting wins and the confidence builds and all you want to do is win!

It seems like you have always been hungry for that #1 plate, but the last few years you have seemed starved for it.
It has been what I wanted for a while.  I mean he's a tough dude to beat and he was on top of his game and we were on top of ours on the Hondas. It seemed like the difference was just little stupid mistakes on my part, not being as smart of a rider as I am right now, just going nuts out there.  I was hammering down where I shouldn't be hammering down.  I don't know, it just all takes time learning where you need to be.

I have noticed that you really do not seem to try to check out early during the race. When the white flag waves, something changes. What happens then?
Nothing really, we just try to get a good start and set ourselves up in position to win.  I usually just hang out back there and if I grab the lead, I try to roll.  Nowadays it's hard to try to pull a decent lead at the beginning because everybody is on their game, everybody is hammered down.  Basically it comes into effect pretty much toward the end of a race if somebody is starting to wear down a little bit, you can push on them a little bit and get them to make a couple mistakes and then be able to capitalize on it. Everybody thinks that is my game plan, to just wait till the last lap and just make a pass.  And it looks that way because that is the way it has been ending up, but it is not the plan! If I can get up front early or in the middle of the race, I'll take off.  But if I just feel comfortable sitting back there, then when the last lap comes around, it is time to go!

How about the two race wins you didn't get this year, does it bother you?
They sort of did, I mean it kind of bummed me out a little bit because pretty much everybody expects me to go out and win.  Probably the fans out there are getting sick of me winning, kind of like when Bill was winning all the championships before, but....

Those are the best kind of haters to have aren't they?
(Laughing) Yeah, pretty much!  I mean that's all I want to do is win.  Like I said I just put myself in the right place at the right time and if we can capitalize on it and get a win, then we are going for it.

Chris, it has been great talking with you today, thanks for taking the time out.
Well, thanks for calling me guys!  It's about time you called me! (Laughing)

Not a problem! Anyone you would like to say thanks to?
Just all the fans and all my sponsors out there, and everyone that's been backing me. And my family, of course. I'd like to thank all of them!

See you in Ohio!
Later!