SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/751602
THE TEAM FEELS IT'S 350CC HUSQVARNA, WHICH THEY RACE IN PRO LIMITED, IS JUST AS FAST AS ANY OTHER 450CC HONDA AND HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE TOP THREE FINISHES IN THE 2016 SCORE RACING SEASON. snooze between his stages. What keeps Winkelman ahead of the pack is that he runs the course, and not against the other competitors. While he's up on points in the classes he competes in, he says he never thinks about where he is in the points standings. "I've stopped many times and helped competitors during a race because it's tough out there and were are like a band of brothers," Winkelman said. This level of sportsmanship is what makes the motorcycle classes special. They stick together because no one else is riding with them and it's a big lonely place to get into trouble. "We have radios to talk to our pit crews, but they don't do much good when you get out of range," said Winkelman. The fear of being on a motorcycle is also the fact that these classes leave the start ahead of everyone, so they are always being chased down. "I used to think about being in front of the SCORE Trophy Trucks, but I'm used to it now," he said. WHERE IT ALL BEGAN The movie Dust to Glory really put a spark in Winkelman's quest for Baja racing. Ten years ago, the movie allowed him to catch the racing bug and he's never looked back. "Cars and trucks didn't have good odds of finishing, but the motorcycles did. So I put an advertisement looking for a team and it all just worked out," said Winkelman. "In fact, the first year our team entered we finished the race." What keeps him going is the challenge of the terrain. Although he admits he's not necessarily the fastest motorcyclist in Baja, he gets in a zone that is intoxicating. "I just love the landscape in Baja, there's nothing like it," he said. Although Winkelman doesn't think of it much, desert racing in Mexico is a great distraction from running his businesses in the U.S. "I don't do all of riding where I live in Texas because I'm really busy with my businesses," said Winkelman, but I really get it out of my system in Mexico." For years, Winkelman has run Honda motorcycles. In the Pro 50 class, he runs a Honda 450cc, but in Pro Limited, he runs a 350cc Husqvarna that's as fast a Honda 450cc. He runs both bikes bone stock because Baja racing is about finishing, not about speed. According to Winkelman, his theory of racing stock bikes might be how multi-time Baja Champion, Johnny Campbell, approached it. He figures if it's good for Campbell, it's got to be better for Winkelman. "Above it all, it's a team effort that's for sure," said Winkelman. "Without my teammate's none of it would be possible." SJ 052 SCORE JOURNAL