Privateer Profile: Weston Peick
Thursday, April 21, 2011 | 10:55 AM
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One of the most improved riders in this years supercross series is the number 43 of Rock River Yamaha’s Weston Peick. The burly Peick hasn’t been at the indoor game that long and will never be confused for a finesse rider, but he’s made it work for him this year as he currently sits twenty-first in the points and has made eight out of the fifteen mains ran this year. I caught up to Peick to find out what he’s got going on for the upcoming outdoor season.
Racer X: Weston, thanks for doing this and I have written a few times about how you’re much better this year, what’s been the cause for the improvement?
Weston Peick: Thanks, yeah I would say that’s right. I have made some gains. I definitely feel like I’ve improved a lot from last year, I’ve been training a lot and have a better program. Coming into this year I have my own thing going on with motors and suspension. The suspension makes a big difference and I have some stuff that I like, my stuff last year was too soft. That makes a big difference and sure, it could always be better, but I think my stuff is pretty good. I just feel stronger in supercross, it’s my second year and I’m learning and getting better at it.
What’s the team situation for you like there at Rock River Yamaha? You’re sort of on your own right?
Yeah, I pay all my own bills. The only thing they do for me is they take my bike to the races, they supply me bikes and they feed me at the races. The manager Christina, she takes care of me if I need a ride from the airport. I basically pay for my flights, parts, hotels and almost everything.
Peick has made dramatic improvements in his sophomore campaign.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
So when you make the main event, you end up making some money but if you don’t make it, you’re losing money- is that sort of how it works?
Yeah, pretty much. If I make the main, that’s two thousand dollars or so and I can come away with some money. Obviously that’s what I want to do, if I can make 2K a weekend, that’s 10K a month. I have other sponsors that help me out with some bills as well. Going into the outdoors, without being able to make that kind of money, I just can’t do it.
So you had a deal for the outdoors but as we were talking about on Saturday, it seems that has fallen apart right?
I was all set and stoked to be on this Kawi deal for motocross. I was getting everything paid for, nothing was coming out of my pocket. I was going to get some bikes as well but I’ve been trying to call Phil Alderton this past week to try and figure out what’s been going on. He never answered the phone and I guess something happened in his personal life and it’s not good so the team sort of fell apart from there. The team owner at Chaplin Kawasaki just pulled the plug on the deal and it kind of ruined my deal, and my teammate Les Smith’s deal, as well because he told another team that he was set with this program. So it’s a crappy deal, one guy screws up and the team pulled the plug. It’s unprofessional in my opinion.
Peick's deal with Chaplin Kawasaki has fallen through, so Peick is still weighing his options for the upcoming Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
So what are you going to do?
Right now I’m trying to get ahold of some people in Canada to do something up there or I’m trying to find someone to buy me a bike- a Kawasaki. I want to ride one of those. If no one can buy me one, I’ll get one and race the USGP, Hangtown, Texas, Lakewood, Washougal and Pala. I don’t think I can go east, it’s a lot of money and a lot of driving. Maybe if someone got hurt, I can do a fill-in deal with a team or something. We’ll see. I feel like I deserve to have someone to help me out, I don’t need a salary, I just want to get expenses paid. I need to just get by to show what I’m made of.
So how can people get ahold of you if they have some way to help you out and who do you want to thank?
They can hit me up on Facebook or on email [email protected] and I want to thank FLY Racewear, Rock River Yamaha, FMF, Yamaha, Roost MX, Pro Drive Sports Fuels, CSMX Training, Utopia, Schmidt Suspension, Crower Power, Max Muscle, GoPro, Dunlop, Hammerhead, Hinson and everyone else. Thanks.
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Someone please help this guy out! Anybody tha can make the main in a Supercross deserves more help!
Phil Alderton....how many chance will people give this guy?!?!? He obviously can not get his personal life in order...and now because of that he f'd up 2 good riders - and now they have no deal. Maybe Jimmy W can take Les back for the nationals? Phil - go to rehab and just lay low - stop trying to come back - not until you can do so and not put others jobs/livelyhood in danger. SUCKS!
if anyone deserves some help it would be Weston, just from being at all the west coast races i have noticed a big difference in his riding this year. Good luck Weston!!! see you in salt lake.
Problem is: Weston's Dad! Another Tony Alessi! He keeps burning bridges. People are starting to steer clear even though they like Weston.
Before anyone throws Phil Alderton under the bus assuming he's fallen off the wagon; I'd get the facts or keep our opinions to ourselves. There's probably a lot more to the story than many of us keyboard racers know about (and that includes myself); hopefully Weston and Les can get something put together for the outdoors, they are (IMO) worthy of a chance to race there...
@Harry from OK, your are right, get your facts straight. Nothing is ever done until you sign a contract and even then it can get broken. Tough times for privateers these days. Weston is not the only rider out there that has speed and can't get a ride. He is not the only rider that had a deal fall apart either, even factory guys like Reed, Pourcel have experienced this hardship in the industry right now. Sad, but that is the sport now. Nothing against Weston, but "you deserve for someone to help you out" so do about 20 other guys ! Everyone works hard and deserves a chance you aren't alone... What about Browne, Borkenhagen,Wennerstrom, just to name a few.
Wow he really throws the sponsors that are helping him now under the bus. Dont think other team managers arent looking at it and taking it into consideration. He kept saying he DESERVES support like someone owes it to him. I dont know Weston but maybe theres a reason he is having to pay for his ride. Also I didnt realize the Rock River deal is another wonder warthog program. I saw the set up in the pits at Dallas and they looked like a legitimate team. What happened to Jeff Alessi? You think he gets the same deal as Weston? I remember when he was faster than his brother Mike.
I used to race against his dad on KX500's.Louie I think.I wish I could help this kid.Did Phil fall off the wagon?I hope not.
@Jason: You have to pay to be on Rock River, even Alessi.
And I agree with you, Peick is blowing it by bad mouthing people. It will come back to bite him. It already has for the past things he and his dad have said and done.
What an ungrateful punk. I should pull my parts (Free Parts) off his bike. I hope he has other talents because he won't be around long. I hope he is enjoying his 15 minutes of fame. Because his time is running out.
That's the second interview I have seen where he has thrown Rock River under the bus. They should drop him like the bad habit he is. Oh yeah. He DESERVES help. That is hilarious.
For everyone reading these comments and thinking the people leaving them are crazy, please know that this interview has been totally changed from the interview posted this morning. Guess someone "got to" Peick to tell him it was not in his best interest to be throwing everyone under the bus. So much for truth in journalism - way to go RacerX!!
So much for "truth in journalism!"
This article has been cleverly altered since it's original one of this morning!!
You people make me sick. Weston isnt throwing anybody under any bus. Hes simply stating facts and answering the questions. i see this kid all the time traning his ass off and trying to make a living riding. Rock river helped him out with stuff and he knows it but its just time for him to be on a team where he doesnt break even each week money wise when he makes the main. Who ever his sponsor is thats saying they are going to pull the plug Obviously doesnt know what situation is and needs to chill out. another thing, westons dad is the reason weston is where hes at today. dont talk about lou dog like that hes cool as hell. Everybody is taking this interview the wrong way
"The only thing they do for me is they take my bike to the races, they supply me bikes and they feed me at the races."
-Hey Weston....Good luck driving your ass to the races, buying your own bikes and paying for your own food to feed your big-self......seee yuhh later
Hey guys, don't be quick to judge. People can cry alll day saying he is unappreciative, But let me tell you I have done his Suspension as an amateur and now this year again. He has no contract with me and I do it just to help him out with no expectations in return and you know what, he is the most appreciative rider that I have ever worked with in my 15 years of working with riders. I know times have changed. but if all you have to do is give a few parts in order to get them on a top 15 Main event guys bike, you should be pumped, thats free testing and advertising, that in other industries you would have to pay for.. JMO..David Schmidt
I know when you read things sometimes they can be taken in the wrong text so I just wanted to explain how the RockRiver team works.
You do not pay to be on the team but also you do not get paid for being on it. The team is a stepping stone for the RockRiver riders coming out of the amatuers and making the transition to the pro ranks. The riders moving up get the first open spots, if there are any left open then other
riders are picked to fill in, as in Jeff Alessi. Jeff broke his ankle a week before the Houstan TX. and was not able to ride the remaining rounds. He was at Dallas on crutches for some team photo`s being shot. RockRiver is a satellite team but does not have the budget as some other teams.
The cost of operating a transporter and driver, team manager to travel to all the SX and MxSports Outdoor Nats. is a substantial amount of money that RockRiver puts out. There are differant levels of support avaliable throughout the program. The RockRiver Team is a stepping stone to a
factory ride where motocross can become your carrier.
SC335,.... that sounds just like the ol Wonder Warthog mission statement. Im glad RockRiver is there to support riders that need help. But it is what it is
I really got a lot out of that interview, and I think a lot of people can learn a lot about pro motocross in interviews like that. Everybody wants to know the kinds of deals pro riders have with sponsors. They're not all making $100K a year, many of them race only for the love of the game, some of them have dads paying the tab, a lot of them live like gypsies, just scraping by to get from race to race, trying to race against the best riders in the world. Sponsors want to only give up parts, and for riders who make the night program in Supercross!
Yeah, he might have said some things that sponsors might not like so much, but I got more out of that interview than 500 interviews with Dungey, who is a great guy.
so you are the 21st best rider and you get 2g? come on feld,ama etc. that is a joke. and weston,im just keepin it real....you deserve what you earn. keep workin' and ill keep cheering.
Man, f*ck these people on here saying Weston is ungrateful. I don't even know him but...At most the guy makes 10 grand a month for part of the season, which is somehow supposed to last him the whole year through training. Subtract his traveling costs from that, leaves him not a whole lot. This guy f*cking races on TV, he's one of the top riders to be able to make it to Mains, and he has to scrape by. And you're calling him unappreciative? Unappreciative is the pro basketball player who is unhappy with his 30 million dollar contract. This guy is definitely not unappreciative, any sponsor on here who says otherwise can kiss @ss. Pay money to be on Rock River? F*ck Rock River. This guy *does* deserve more than what he gets, he's obviously a very skilled rider to be able to race Mains among the world's best. And it's not just Weston who deserves something, it's every damn rider out there in the Mains. It's like, whoever is content with barely breaking even to race is who gets the sponsorships, it's bullshit. Riders across the board should start holding out for more, that's the real problem is these kids got talent and they're selling themselves short. You would never see that in the NFL, NBA, or MLB. Keep in mind this is the guy's life, this is his career. He's probably worked his whole life for this, only to come out making sh*t money. Where the hell is the AMA and the event organizers on this one? All those stadium tickets sold but only a small fraction of the money goes to the riders.
For any of you that have said "wrong info" on both my brother and nephew....get your facts straight. First off my brother has worked his ass off in putting this kid thru this racing adventure just like my Dad did when he was young. Those of you that "know" the sport, know exactly how expensive it is. Next, my nephew is greatly greatly appreciative for the support he has received from EVERYONE. Unless, you have been sitting on their shoulders when things have been said and done then SHUT UP!
To all of you that have supported Weston regarding his comments that have been misunderstood, THANK YOU for standing by him and supporting him.
Best of luck to anyone that is into this sport, it just like any other sport though....there is always gonna be big mouths that give their opinion when no one asked for it!
It really sucks to read comments like this "-Hey Weston....Good luck driving your ass to the races, buying your own bikes and paying for your own food to feed your big-self......seee yuhh later" What did he even say in this interview that reflected badly on Rock River? Think kids would still want to turn pro if they read that? Didn't Weston smash an amature national championship on a rock river bike? Never heard of rock river until he threw his leg over that bike, now I can't go riding without seeing at least 3 guys on the track with RR graphics.
Privateer's are the hardest working guys out there. Dude is a hard worker, brings his lunch pale and hard hat to work everyday and leaves it all out on the track. He's a stud outdoors and he is gonna kill it on a KAWI this season and puts whatever team, or collection of sponsers that's behind him on the board. I'm rootin for ya #43 keep up the hard work man.
On the other hand, it's refreshing to know that there are sponsers out there that notice the dedication of hard workers. Way to go David Schmidt!
AMA NEEDS SOME SPONSERS OTHER THAN MONSTER THAT CAN GET RIDERS A HALF WAY DECENT SALARY!