Inside Derek Betcher

“Derek, Where you been? What have you been doing? Same ol’ thing really. Haven’t been riding as much this winter as usual. But I still hit the track once a week and gym once a week as well. I’ve been racing for over 10 years and I’m finally in a slump to where I’m running low on motivation. Everyone gets that way I guess, but I’ve been riding a bit more lately.”"Hows the vegas life treating you? Are you dating any models? Vegas life is pretty good. I’ve been going out a bit too much lately but that’s dying out. My current chicka is a Hawaiian Tropic Model, and she’s done Playboy college girls as well.. You really gotta watch out here in Vegas, a few weeks ago I met a pretty cute chick at this night club. It was during the porn convention. She told me she was a model, she looked cute, and innocent.. I’ll let you be the judge, google: Madison Monroe – and I thought her name was just Kari…. scary! Are you on Myspace.com like the rest of us? Do you meet chicks on there? Who isn’t on MYSPACE? I’ve been on there for over a year. Everyone I talk to on there I know personally.. But I must admit I was hanging with this one chick for a couple weeks who I met on there… bad news. Are you still training with Greg Hill or are you doing your own thing? I’m a slacker when it comes to going in the street and doing sprints. I follow the workout plan that he gave me though… So I’m half assing it I guess. The program is good though, for sure. Why will Phoenix be your first race back in a while? Are you looking forward to it? I haven’t raced in over 6 months! NBL Grands was my last, and worst race. I lost alot of motivation to ride that weekend cause I couldn’t get a gate to save my life and they are usually on point. Still don’t know what happened but I got them back, haha. Even though I’m still riding trails and park and stuff I had no desire to race. Alot had to do with not having a sponsor for the new season as well. So, I was going to race Nellis on the home turf and go from there.. But, Buddy G got in touch the other day and we talked. He asked what I was doing and what my plan was, and I had no answer for it. Basically I was tired of racing. He said, “”You haven’t raced in half a year, you don’t have a sponsor, go back to “”A”" pro, it makes sense.”" He’s right.. I don’t have anything to prove right now but hope to make my $210 back for entry fees every weekend after training my ass off when 2nd place in AA is less then 1st place in “”A”" pro at Rodeo races. I didn’t make a main in 2004 except the downhill which I won, but who cares.. If I was classified as an “”A”" pro I would of still been in that main and the cards would of been the same. So, I’m going to get a full time job, hoping to go to school in the fall for graphic design, and start having fun racing my bike again and making a little money while I’m at it. I know I said I’d quit racing before I ever went back to “”A”" pro but I still love to race, so let the clowning begin because you know I’m worthy of it, and I can take it. It’s tough out there without a sponsor in “”AA”", ask Javier he’s been there! Anyway, much respect to Bubba and the other few who are making a “”Living”" off of BMX Racing.. I’m going to start doing it for the fun instead of trying to focus on the money. To answer the rest of the question, I’m looking forward to racing again cause it’s been a while. I should be on my new Revtec frame compliments of Premo and suited up in some new FOX threads thanks to Tony D! See you guys in AZ! Whens the last time you went o the track since you have skate-parks on every corner in Vegas? I haven’t been to Nellis since before the NBL Grands, Boulder City just got re-done, so It should be good again.. But weather permitting, I’m at the run down ABA course for gate practice and first straights every Thursday night. Nobody talks shit on you any more Derek, your a seasoned pro now, Right? Buddy Dale won’t be able to stop now that I’m going to race “”A”" pro. But it’s like this, the people who I truly care about, are going to be down with me if I race “”A”" pro, “”AA”" pro, or all together quit riding bikes. But there always haters, and those people are going to find something to hate on me about if I’m #1 “”AA”" pro or “”A”" pro motofill, but those are the people I could care less about (like Dale), so who cares. Ya know? Whos the next real threat to the AA Class like Bubba was last year? I don’t see a real threat like Bubba coming anytime soon. The guys who are consistant in the main events in “”AA”" pro right now aren’t going anywhere for a while so you might as well pull out a Snickers. OK man, Thanks for the interview. Good luck at the Rodeos! Send me a postcard if you go to any Rodeo races, cause you won’t see me there either!! Thanks for randomly sending me this interview, and thanks to all my sponsors: Revtec Frames, Fox Racing, SPY Optic, Shimano, Puma, Answer Forks, etc.. Also, check out the new layout, www.derekbetcher.com“