Photo By: Shan Moore
GNCCRacing.com: Hey Charlie how's it going?
Charlie Mullins: It's pretty good. I'm just down here at Loretta Lynn's doing some motocross and enjoying the week. So it is going well.
How's summer break going for you?
It's been good! I have just been out on the lake jet skiing and boating. We had an AMA National Enduro after Snowshoe in Michigan about mid July and I was able to win that. So it has so far been a pretty good summer. Now I am here at Loretta's and in a couple weeks we have another National Enduro in Maine before the GNCC in New York. I've got some racing in this summer so I think I will be ready when we go back.
Photo By: Shan Moore
Yea, I think that I now have a 25 point lead but there are two races to go and anything can happen in that series too. I mean there are some tough competitors there and I got to be on my game till the end.
Things seem to be going really well for you with strong consistent finishes which has helped you sneak up in the points for the GNCC Championship!
Yea I had a good streak going and some not so good races but I am still in second in the points and I think the championship is still within reach. I feel it is going to go down to the last race before it is over. I am just trying to keep focused on what I have been doing and hopefully it works out for the best in the end.
Let's talk about what's going on today. What possessed you to even try to qualify for Loretta Lynn's this year, I mean it looks like you already have a lot on your plate without throwing motocross into the mix?
It's just something that I have been wanting to do. Each year I say I am going to do it and I do the Area Qualifier and just never follow through. It kind of worked out good this year because Rachel (Ayers his fiancé) had to work down here this week so I figure I would just give it a shot since I was going to be down here anyway. I just wanted to see if I could have some fun at it and to see if I could actually qualify and just see how I stack up with some of the top amateurs.
It sounds like you are just looking to have fun racing your motorcycle again. But since you are leading the National Enduro series and so close in the GNCC, did you think about maybe opting out again this year or did you just say the heck with it, I am having fun this year?
Yea pretty much. I am not afraid to get hurt or anything it's just another day of riding. I mean I feel that this is good practice for me. I like racing motocross and I think it can help your speed. You know with doing two series and this it has been a busy year but I am having fun doing it and I guess that is the main thing for me.
Well how are you stacking up against these motocross guys Charlie?
I made it two laps the first moto this morning. I had a flat tire before I even hit the first turn. It was kind of a little mechanical error. I guess the rim lock was not all the way the tight and when I spun out of the gate I popped my tire. I tried to ride anyway and do the best I could, but with it being one of the first motos of the day the track was still a little slick and kind of dangerous out there to try and ride at that pace. It was one of those things and there was not much I could do but pull off.
Could this be a blessing in disguise? I mean if you would have gone out and done well you may have put too much pressure on yourself and ruined the whole week for yourself.
You know I am not really here to prove anything to anybody, I just kind of wanted to see how I do for myself and if I DNF every moto I'm okay with that. I just wanted to have some fun but as a racer I want to be competitive at anything I do. You know the DNF was hard and I hated pulling off the track. There was not really much I could do. I have got 5 more motos and another class this week so I still have a chance to do a little something anyway. At this point I am just going to ride the best I can this week and however I do is how it is.
So after all the fun is over this week what is next for Hot Rod?
I have been working hard to kind of prepare for this race. I have been putting in the time and still training and stuff. I think that I have two weeks off after Loretta's then I have to race the enduro Maine. Plus I have a mountain bike race and I am planning a big ocean jet ski trip.
You race mountain bikes too?!?!
Yea, I actually have a 50 mile mountain bike race at the end of August. I enjoy and have a lot of fun doing it. It's a good challenge and hobby for me and I really enjoy doing it.
How long have you been racing mountain bikes?
I have always mountain biked but I started racing just this year. When I got back home to North Carolina in May there was this summer series that I started running on Wednesday nights. They get a really good turnout and there is really tough competition there so I started doing them.
How do you normally do in the mountain bike races?
I am running Category 2 now so the class is pretty tough. I guess that it would be considered like and A class in motorcycle racing. I am no where near expert on the bicycle, but I did finish fifth the last race. It's a tough sport. It's a fifteen mile race I do on Wednesday nights and it's pretty tough.
Wow! That sounds like it might be good cross training for you.
Yea and the one that I am doing at the end of August is a four lap race on a twelve and a half mile course. So it is a 50 mile race and is basically like running a morning GNCC race on a bicycle. It is going to be tough, but I am looking forward to that.
Is it downhill racing or is it more than that?
No it's more like cross country. We race down hills and up hills, it's really kind of like a GNCC. I have been having fun this summer and I think that is what is all about.
Is having fun something different that you have not been able to do in the past few years because of either self or team pressure to perform?
Yea I think in the years past I have just been so focused on just the GNCCs , you know just one thing. This year I have opened the door to run more series and just kind do a lot of other stuff. I mean I am having fun and I think that has helped me out a lot this year.
That is really good to hear! I know you have other motos to get ready for so I will wish you luck and good times here at Loretta Lynn's. Just try to make sure your tires are on tight and good luck in the 450 A class!
Thanks Rodney, I think it will all be good. I am looking forward to it. I would also like to say thanks to Randy Hawkins and the whole Am Pro Yamaha team. Also thanks to Keith Obermeier, Kenda Tires, Parts Unlimited, Thor, Shoei, Scott Goggles and everybody else out there helping me out.
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