Josh Weisenfels

With the advent of the XC2 Lites class comes a whole new crop of names battling for wins and podiums—which is exactly what the class was designed to do. Perhaps the most “out of nowhere” beginnings for anyone in the class comes from Josh Weisenfels, who started the year off on a totally stock privateer Yamaha and will end it scoring podiums on a factory Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Fred Andrews Racing Kawasaki. Who is this guy? Read on.

Words by Jenn Sheppard
Photos by Jason Hooper

Hey Josh! What’d you do today?

I just worked out and I’m about to work on my bike.

Do you do your own work?

Just the little things. Nothing too big.

Who got you into racing?

My step-dad and my mom.

When did you start?

About five—I started racing when I was five. I raced enduros until I was about 11 or 12, then I started doing some motocross and hare scrambles.

You raced motocross?

I think for two or three races. I thought I was going to try to be a motocrosser, and I was still on 80s and raced some of the fast kids, and found out pretty fast that’s not what I was going to be.

Where is your hometown?

Fort Smith, Arkansas . There’s not a whole lot of places to ride around here.

So, where is your favorite track?

I like good loamy dirt. Georgia was good.

What happened next? How did you go from nothing to where you are now?

In 2004, I got some help from Zip-Ty racing and went out west for the WORCS series , which wasnt too smart considering I had never even been out west, let alone had never ridden that stuff.

Just couldn’t get used to the dirt?

Yea—I don’t know. It was just so fast out there. I was just over my head literally the whole time. I just ended up hurt a lot.

Would you say you’ve had a pretty rough road getting to where you are now?

Yea, it’s taken a while. I’ve had a lot of injuries in my legs and stuff, but so far this year, it’s been going pretty good.

Weisenfels has impressed veteran GNCC racers like Fred Andrews and Rodney Smith with his skills.

 

Are you at 100 percent?

It just depends. Sometimes when the weather is bad, my legs hurt. I have nine screws and two rods in my legs, but most of the time, I’d say I’m 100 percent. I can’t run or anything—I can’t jog, but I can still bicycle, which I do quite a bit.

How’d you get into racing the GNCC series?

Actually at the end of 2006, I guess this time last year, I quit riding . I just figured I would never make it. I always wanted to do GNCCs though. My friend called and said there was a Lites class and that I should do it. About two weeks before the Florida round, I got a YZF250. I had a good ride going. I was second almost the whole race to Caselli, but I got really tired and just blew it.

And?

Then I got a podium in South Carolina, which is the greatest feeling ever! I almost won Kentucky; I led the whole thing and about mile or less from the end Rodney Smith passed me , but it got me a ride with FAR Kawasaki . It all happened really fast, thanks to Fred Andrews Racing Kawasaki. I just rode smooth and then they called me and asked me if I wanted to ride their bike, and I said, ‘for sure.’

How did Mitch Payton come into helping you this year?

He helps us out with suspension and our motor packages. I wanted a little more bottom end and he worked his butt off and overnighted an exhaust out, and he didn’t even say, ‘I think this is what [Josh] wanted.’ He told Fred, ‘This is what [Josh] needs,’ and it was pretty much perfect.

What’s the plan for next year?

Right now, I don’t have any offers right now.

Did you look up to anyone in particular when you were growing up?

I’ve looked up to a lot of people, like Ty Davis definitely Fred Andrews, Rodney Smith. All the big names.

Josh is not sure who he will ride for next year--it may just be himself again!

What kind of rider do you consider yourself to be?

I think the older I get, the little bit smoother I get. I try really hard to stay calm, but I think if I have to be on the edge, I can do it.

How old are you again?

I just 22 about two weeks ago.

Well, happy birthday!

Thank you.

Do you have a nickname?

Not really, but the Suzuki guys Jimmy and Josh call me “Seinfeld,” but I’m not sure I like that.

I won’t even ask.

I don’t know. I was walking through Wal-Mart one day and I hear “Seinfeld,” because they couldn’t say Weisenfels. It’s not because I did something weird or anything.

How do you handle the amount of exposure that you’ve been getting lately with Fred Andrews Racing Kawasaki?

I try not to really think about it. At first, it was really overwhelming, but I think I’m getting used to it and started to like it.

So you’re pretty pumped?

Yeah, I’m pumped.

Does anybody ever make you nervous when you’re out there?

Maybe a little bit, but I think I’ve dealt with it really well this year; I’ve been pretty calm. Some of the younger guys, they make me nervous because they try so hard early on and they go really fast.

What’s one bad habit you’ve had to break?

I would say being nervous. More so when you’re nervous, you make a lot of mistakes and you end up with arm pump. Getting over that definitely helps.

Do you have any other talents or hobbies?

I don’t know about talents, but I play tennis and road bike.

You play tennis?

I try.

What do you think makes you stand out the most?

I think I’m wiser than a lot of people think for the Lites class, but I know I have a ton left to learn. I’ve learned a lot this year, and I definitely look forward to learning more.

So, five years from now, where will you be?

Oh man. Hopefully I’ll still be racing GNCCs in XC1 getting podiums week after week.

So you haven’t peaked yet then?

I hope not. I never really thought about that. I really hope not, but I don’t think so; it’s my first year and I’ve learned a ton just in this year. I’m really looking forward to next year.

What’s one thing you’ve learned that you keep in the back of your head at all times?

Just to be smooth and save your energy to make the least amount of mistakes. It’s a lot of consistency out there, but you still have to pin it.

Who’s in your regular crew?

I don’t really know that many people at the racetrack. I just hang out with my friends from back home that I go to the races with and whoever is at the Kawasaki truck.

Sponsors you’d like to thank?

Fred Andrews Racing. Monster Energy. Pro Circuit. Kawasaki. Smith Goggles. Thor. Maxxis Tires.

Do you have a motto that you live by?

Something like Lance Armstrong said, “Pain is temporary, but quitting is forever,” so I kind of always remember that.