by Jim Kimball
5 Minutes with... Weston Peick
Wednesday, May 9, 2012 | 10:25 AM
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PrintBeginning the 2012 Monster Energy Supercross season, Weston Peick was a full-on privateer on a Kawasaki. By the mid-point of the season he was riding for the Rockstar Star/Valli Yamaha Team as a replacement for the injured Ryan Morais and Austin Stroupe. Consistent finishes earned him a solid 15th in the championship point standings, as well as the highest finishing spot for the team. Yet, he’s still scrambling for an outdoor ride. We sat down with the 21-year-old in the Sam Boyd Stadium pits after an impressive eighth place ride.
Racer X: Weston, let’s begin with some of your recent rides, and your great finish here in Las Vegas.
Weston Peick: Yeah thanks Jim, things have been turning around for me recently after starting out the season somewhat spotty. I really have to thank all the guys at the Rockstar Yamaha Team for giving me this incredible opportunity—and I am very grateful. It’s been really great with having to just worry about riding and training, rather than working on bikes, getting to the races, and paying all the bills. So I have been trying to do my part of the bargain, give them as many solid performances as possible, and finish out supercross on a high note. Of course, I am also just trying to do my best for myself, and prove that I can do it. I’ve been trying to find a ride for the outdoors, so it’s critical that I get the results.
A ninth in Vegas helped Peick capture 15th in the final points standings.
Simon Cudby photo
I would imagine that this is the highest profile team that you have ridden for since you began your professional career.
Yeah by far this has been the best team that I have been on, and the only one that has some true factory support. It’s a great team, and I am proud to have been on it! My goal coming into the final round here in Las Vegas was to be top fifteen in points, that was really about the best spot that I could get as the other guys, like Nick Wey, were just too far ahead of me. I accomplished that, so I am pretty happy right now.
You’ve pretty much been the team’s top 450 guy, right?
Yeah, for the most part I have. Actually Bobby Kiniry and I have swapped that spot around a few times, but most of the time it has been me a bit higher in the results [the team’s other replacement rider, Kiniry, finished 16th in the championship]. I’ve been pretty consistent, and more recently I have been getting a lot more used to the bike, and as a result I am riding better than when I first got on it.
But at this point, you don’t have anything lined up with the team for the Nationals?
Yes, that is true, I don’t have anything going on for the motocross series at this point. As of right now I am not racing outdoors because I don’t have a ride. I cannot spend my own money this year, because I don’t have anything to spend!
Peick finished eight points ahead of Bobby Kiniry to become the highest placed 450 rider on the Rockstar Star/Valli team in 2012.
Simon Cudby photo
In the short time that I have been here talking to you I overheard another Team Manager telling your dad that he wished he would have known that you were without an outdoor ride—as he would have hired you. Weston, you’ve been putting in the results on the track, what else can you do to get a ride for the Nationals?
I don’t know, but I wish that I did know! I feel that I have searched for a ride as hard as I could. A couple teams have hired some guys that have surprised me, and left me shaking my head, but I guess that they had their reasons. I can only do what I can do, and right now all I can do is go with the flow and hope for the best.
How about this Weston, can you provide an e-mail where someone could contact you if they wanted to help?
Sure, my email is [email protected], you can hit me up there. If anyone needs a rider, I am that guy! I would also like to give a huge thank you to my parents who have always done their best for me, Fly Racing who has been supporting me for a couple years, Revolution 2mx, Rouge Cassles, Max Muscle, Utopia, and Factory Backing for sticking by me, and helping me out.
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Davey,
When is the purse money going to increase? The purse money is now the same as it was 30-40 years ago, in some cases less. Shouldn't the last paying position be able to pocket at least $2,000?
Agreed, the payout these guys get for putting on the show they do is pathetic. There's no reason guys consistently making mains for the most part shouldn't be able to afford going to other races. There's a lot a of dough flowing into the supercross series and it sure as hell isn't going to the riders.
I really hope he finds a ride for the summer. Met him at the International SX in Finland last autumn, and he is a great dude and such a talented rider. If I were a millionare, Peick would be one of the first guys I would help out lol
The e-mail hotlink is misspelled inside the link. it is [email protected] (not [email protected]) Please fix it. Thanks.
How come nobody ever chats with him or even bothers to comment on
how fast this guy is ? (Emig,RC or the other dork). He tears it up every
week no matter what bike he's on and they don't say $hit. Instead, Izzi
falling as usual or J. Sipes taking someone out.....Need new people in the booth!!
I'm pretty sure Peick is the only 450 rider that hasn't missed a race due to injury since the beginning of the 2011 season. Tickle hasn't missed a race since then either, but last year he was on a 250.
@rg807
Great Point !
With 2k the riders could afford insurance, just in case they are one of 65% of the top tweenty riders with season ending injuries !
JImM
Pala374
I used to kick his dad's ass on KX500's at De Anza.Weston seems to just get faster week by week no matter what color the bike.This kid would be a good fit for any team.
one point should make 1k. win a race 25k, get 20th 1k. you would see some great racing.
Even the 2k doesn't seem like much for this level of an event and its inherent risks. What does last in the main pay for 250/450?
gfd971 wrote: about 4 hours ago
How come nobody ever chats with him or even bothers to comment on
how fast this guy is ? (Emig,RC or the other dork). He tears it up every
week no matter what bike he's on and they don't say $hit. Instead, Izzi
falling as usual or J. Sipes taking someone out.....Need new people in the booth!!
??? Maybe he hasnt had a one on one interview yet but I've heard the name Weston Peick as much as 'Izzy' & way more than Justin Sipes. Weston's always in the last chance qualifier battling with somebody trying to get into the main. And most times he does get in there! Plus the dude's girthy! Not just another skinny twig-armed snot nose punk haha
Just need to fix and add a few things. I placed 8th at Vegas, I've only been in 3 or 4 LCQs. I need to add a few more sponsors that have been with me since the beginning of my pro days- Hammerhead, Works Connection, Hinson, acerbis and Motion Pro. Thanks everyone for supporting me. Weston Peick
Yeah, but the LCQ that you lost on a tie was sure good to watch (remember the show, forgot the venue). Love to see a racer running it just as hard at the checkers as the drop of the gate!!! Intensity baby - that is what fills the stands, infields and living room couches with losers like me spilling their drinks and screaming at nobody inparticular. What a show!
the prize money is the problem. these guys should be able to go racing! the promoters the ama the tv money,thers is room in there for a point fund or somthing?
I agree the purse money does suck for these guys, and they are the ones that need it the most, I would love to see all the privateer's boycott a race. Be real neat seeing a 10 guy main.
Perhaps that would wake the AMA or MX Sports or whom ever made the dumbass decision to not give every guy in the main at least a grand for making it.
Think of what a supercross would look like with no privateers.
No semi's just a main event. Televise that SPEED!!!!!
This is a great conversation, thought about it a lot for 2 years. What this sport needs is a really progressive promoter (a Humpy Wheeler type or even Donald Trump LOL) to unify organizations and restructure purses and contracts. Many sports in their "infancy" have been right where MX is right now. I am nobody but I tried to open some doors and find interest to no avail.
Even at the amateur level the sport is so exciting and great athletes. Even SPEED and NBCSN have such a long way to go to present it right.
AMA NATIONALS: The entry fee for the AMA Nationals has traditionally been $200 also, but because the riders have to get the IMpact concussion test before they can get their license, the delays have made many AMA National riders miss the license deadline. For late entries, MX Sports is charging Hangtown entries a $50 late fee on top of the $200 entry fee. With the riders having to pay for the $275 license, then the concussion test (around $30), then the $200 entry fee and then the $50 late fee, the start-up cost for Hangtown is around $550. To rub salt in the wounds, MX Sports tacks on a $7.25 convenience fee (making it $562.25). For the convenience of who? Perhaps MX Sports could have waived the late fee, given that this is the first series that the concussion test has been mandated.
When the 80 riders in each class pay their entries the total take to MX Sports is $32,000 a week (not counting the $1160 in convenience fees). Perhaps, as many local promoters do, MX Sports should put all of the Pro rider’s entry fee money into the purse (on top of the posted purse) for that day’s race...they can keep the convenience fee.
Additionally, when a rider gets his AMA National license and entry forms he agrees to “grant to MX Sports and its related or affiliated entities and their respective employees, agents, licensees, successors and assigns (collectively, “Grantees”), permission to photograph, film, videotape or otherwise record my voice, image, or likeness in connection with any Event (collectively, “Appearance”), and to use the Appearance in advertising, publicity, promotional, merchandising and/or other commercial activities of Grantees, and agree that Grantees shall be the exclusive owner of all copyright and other rights in and to all works incorporating any or all of the Appearance, and all allied, ancillary and subsidiary rights relating thereto, and will be able to perpetually use and license to third parties such works in all media currently existing or hereafter created, including, but not limited to, printed materials, television and all electronic media, for any use to which the same or any material therein may hereafter be put, applied or adapted.”
Isn’t this the kind of image licensing that Jeremy McGrath quit Team Honda over?