InTERRAgation 9 with Rupert X: Mahindra Tractors/TUF Racing's Dave Antolak talks Arenacross
4/20/2009
Q: Dave, what were you focused on at 9:24 this morning?
A: I don’t focus on anything at 9:24 in the morning. I am more of an afternoon guy.
Q: Many congrats on your Mahindra Tractors/ TUF Honda AMA Arenacross season. Your riders finished first (Gibson) and third (Demuth). What were some of the highlights for you?
A: This year we had a little revenge motivation thing going. Every week, when we would show up at the races and see Chad on the cover of the event program on a No. 1 Babbit's Kawasaki, it would kind of tick us off. Babbit’s has never won a championship, but you couldn’t tell by the way they flaunted it. We wanted to crush them this year to show them it’s not just the rider, but the whole team that wins championships. The way the team, both the riders and mechanics worked together this year was amazing. Anyone who spent any time in our truck knew we couldn’t lose this year because everything was clicking on all four cylinders. This year was also without a doubt the most fun season I think we have ever had.
Q: How did you get started in this Arenacross business and what are the plans for next year?
A: I don’t know if many people remember this, but TUF Racing did the Supercross and the outdoor nationals from 1985 up to 1995. During that time, I was running a dealership, a large mail-order company and importing UFO plastic. We were the top privateer team for many years. The more successful we became, the more time racing would take up, and it just became too hard to juggle everything. The Arenacross schedule just fit my schedule better, as it was during the slower time for the business and would still give me that racing fix I needed. We fielded our first Arenacross team in 1996, and we haven’t missed a year since. Next year, we will have exactly the same team. I would have to be crazy to change anything.
Q: The AMA Arenacross series has had some erratic rules, policies and schedules over the past few years. What do you see in the future for this “stepping-stone-to-Supercross-series”? What changes would you like to implement?
A: The only really bad policy over the last few years was the split events. It never really affected the overall championship, but it did third place and back. I would like to see them actually make this a stepping stone to Supercross. They should make every rider ride a season of Arenacross before they can do a Supercross. I think the Supercross teams would have a better idea about riders they were getting this way. These riders would already have gotten a taste of traveling, working with a team and experiencing some of the pressure of competing for a championship. This, I think, would make them better prospects for a Supercross ride.
Q: Besides running an Arenacross team from January to April, you are also a successful businessman. Tell us about what you do day-to-day.
A: Well, I sold my dealership a three years ago, and we have won three championships since then. I don’t know if there is any relationship there. I still take care of the all the UFO plastic business in the U.S., and we just had our best year in sales since 2001. But in the summer I just like to go racing with my son Chris.
Q: What are some of your greatest memories from over the years of your Arenacross involvement?
A: I am not one to dwell on the past, so I would have to say this year was the greatest because we (the team) just had so much fun this year. We had the best bikes, the best mechanics, the best riders and we had the best time of any team on the circuit.
Q: Everybody asks, why is it that at least half of the top 10 this year, at every race, were residents of Ohio? What is going on here? Even Josh “The Sheriff” Demuth, now from Texas, used to live in Ohio. Can you explain all this?
A: I really don’t know the answer to this. Maybe it’s those little pink pills I have seen you giving all the Ohio riders.
Q: You’ve had so many great racers riding for you over the seasons. Who have you been closest to and who did you never get along with?
A: You know, I have enjoyed almost all of them. I will list those I can remember. Starting from the beginning: Alan King, Keith Bowen, Todd Dehoop, Mark Barnett, Ronnie Tichenor, Ronnie Leichen, John Dowd, Jimmy Gaddis, Buddy Antunez, Denny Stephenson, Chad Pederson, Jeremy Buhel, Jeff Willoh, Rusty Holland, Jeff Northrup, Ryan Huffman, Darcy Lange, Tommy Hofmeister, Jason Thomas, Isiah Johnson, Jiri Dostal, Broc Sellards, Danny Smith, Chad Johnson, Josh Demuth and Jeff Gibson. There are only two I would never hire again. I won’t name them, but they know who they are.
Q: What kind of vehicle is your daily driver and what is your “Autobahn burner”?
A: I have an F150 that I drive most everyday, but I have a Audi S4 that is so much fun it’s hard to stay out of trouble. Also, I just bought a 1965 Thunderbird, which is exactly like the first car I ever had.