news

Troy Adams

posted Mar 13, 2008 to Featured Articles by FLmx
from the Mar 2008 issue

246245898_tyvcko_446

Troy Adams

Text: Ronnie Monk

Pics: Randy Yoho and Racetime.com

FLmx: Troy Adams, congratulations on the big step up to the 450 class full time. How does it feel to finally be aboard the big bikes?

Troy Adams: It feels great! I've always been a little on the heavier side and the lites class was intense and fun to ride but it was just so hard to stay competitive being 20 lbs. heavier than the next guy. Now with the 450 I really don't have to worry about that and I can ride more fitting to my style.

FLmx: You results have steadily been improving each week. Now you are reaching the top 10, is that your goal on the season is to be inside the top 10 each week?

Troy Adams: I definitely feel that I have the speed and stamina to be inside the top 10 each week, but what I'm finding out in this class, a start is everything. they rarely make mistakes and it's hard to work your way up if you do get a bad start, and unfortunately that's where I have been falling a little short.... but that's what they have practice for. hahaha

FLmx: You are on a brand new team, Hart & Huntingon/Rockstar Honda. How is the new team?

Troy Adams: It's awesome! for a first year team they have done everything right. Carey has the racing background along with a business background that has just gone through the roof, so he knows what it takes and has the motivation to make it work. Kenny Watson is our team manager, and he to has been around the sport for a long time and has run a lot of teams in the past so there haven't been any guessing games and from the start it has been running smooth. I think it's only going to get better in the following years when everyone sees how serious this team is about producing results.

FLmx: I know you switched from the WBR Rockstar Suzuki team last year when they fell apart at the end of the season. It took a while until this new deal finally developed. How did it all come together?

Troy Adams: OMS, which is my agent group, and I had been working every angle to find a ride. With the way things were slowing down the sport started to cut back and were losing a lot of teams so there wasn't much to choose from at all. Luckily around mid November we had heard about Hart and Huntington starting a team from the guys at Rockstar Energy, and Looking for another rider to fill the spot. So we went to work and starting talking to Kenny and it seemed they liked what I was about, and everything seemed to snowball from there.

FLmx: Do you like the Hondas? You have now made it around to all of the brands except KTMs!

Troy Adams: haha Yeah I've realized that. In this sport, there's no way to predict where you'll be from year to year. I'm really happy to have ended up on the Hondas. They are just engineered so well that it makes testing easy, especially if you don't have the funds to get the factory stuff. We found a good setup with Merge Racing and I couldn't be happier with the bikes. ..........but that electric start is pretty cool!........ hahaha

FLmx: Cary Hart is the owner of your team and has really blown up his business and is now bringing it back to his roots. How is he with the team and your manager Kenny Watson?

Troy Adams: Carey has been the coolest guy since I met him. The guy is so driven and is the type of person not to wait around and let stuff happen, he'll usually force it to happen and I think that's what it takes to have a successful team. Kenny is no different, he also wants the team to grow and the riders to give it the there best and he also puts the fun back into it for me. With teams now and days, everyone is all business and gets so mad at riders when they don't perform as expected, but with Carey and Kenny they realize the rider takes it harder than anyone when we don't do well and they support us as best as they can and try and lighten the mood up. We have an interesting crew of guys I'm lucky enough to be associated with, and there is never a dull moment. To me, fun is why I got in this sport and when you take that away it's just not the same.

FLmx: Hart & Huntington is a Tattoo shop, but you have no ink. Have they talked you into getting any Tats yet?

Troy Adams: hahaha yeah there's been talk of branding me with HH logo, but they haven't been able to pin me to that chair yet. haha. I actually think tattoo art is awesome and I like to draw myself so it's interesting to me. .... but on the same note it's just so....permanent! hahaha

FLmx: How is the home life doing? I know your family used to be a fixture at the local scene but now we never get to see you guys.

Troy Adams: Still as good as ever! My parents make it when they can due to work and all. They always listen every weekend on the web cast if they're not there, and they call and keep me in check all day Saturday as if they were right there though. My girlfriend April is a racer herself so she knows what it takes and when I'm just not right either and she has the ability to be at each race, so that helps. I'm also pumped to be finally grounded back in Florida. For a few years I was bouncing around Texas and California and they just didn't fit as well as being in the middle of nowhere central Florida. hahaha

FLmx: You have your own house now over in Crystal River, how is it over there?

Troy Adams: Actually the town is called Homosassa, and I you all are laughing and the name but its alright I get that a lot. It's actually the neighboring town to Brooksville, where I grew up, and it's just as quiet and peaceful. Makes it real easy to focus and train.

FLmx: Your training partners, Ferry & JT$ are over near the Tampa area, ever think of making a move to be closer?

Troy Adams: I'm more of a country man and really don't like traffic and the fast pace of cities, even though Tampa really isn't to bad, but its close enough to where if I get the need to go hang out its not far away and that's the way I'll probably keep it. Besides I like the scenic drives everyday to go ride over with those guys. hahaha

FLmx: Give us an inside look of your week. What is your usual week and weekend consist of, down to what days you train to when you leave and what you do?

Troy Adams: Man everyone will know my secret then!! haha No its pretty basic I do a lot of riding now and that consumes most of my day, then at night I usually spend it in the gym doing workouts and cooling down. For the weekends we usually leave on Friday and back on Sunday so a suitcase always stays packed. Monday is usually the day off to recover from travel and the race itself, so that's the day I practice my couch sitting skills!

FLmx: It seems like your health and fitness are improving each week. Are you good now with your fitness or are you still working on improving?

Troy Adams: Doing 5 more laps than what I was used to in the lites class, is a little harder than I thought, but I am where I need to be now. From here on out it's just maintaining that and not peaking to early and burning myself out.

FLmx: What are your main goals for the rest of the SX year?

Troy Adams: I want to pull myself to top 10 in points. I was nearing that but the past 2 races have set me back and I'm having to start over. But, with some guys injured that were up front, it has definitely become a possibility, and I have to keep reminding myself that it is a long season not just 8 races anymore.

FLmx: Is your team doing outdoors?

Troy Adams: We will not, they will be doing the supermoto series.

FLmx: What are you going to do in the off season?

Troy Adams: I am currently hunting an outdoor ride, but if that doesn't happen I may take a page out of JT Money's book and go overseas to do some more supercrosses. Or I could spend all summer fishing!

FLmx: Do you miss racing the local races and doing Loretta's and stuff?

Troy Adams: Not really. I loved the atmosphere at the local races and Loretta's but I never had any luck in amateurs. I still go to a lot of local stuff and even make the trip up to Tennessee each summer but I'm glad to be where I am.

FLmx: What can you tell the up and coming racers who want to make it pro like you did?

Troy Adams: All I can tell them is keep it fun! If its what you really want, then do the work and stay focused and eventually it will come.

FLmx: Who do you think has the best chance of the local riders coming up out of Florida?

Troy Adams: All the ones I knew are already pro or making their debut this year but I guess one that comes to mind would be Adam Cianciarulo.

FLmx: Troy man good luck with the rest of the year, everyone is pulling for you! What sponsors would you like to thank?

Troy Adams: I would like to thank my family and girlfriend and also the whole Rockstar/ Hart and Huntington team, my mechanic Marcus Shay, and just everyone who has supported me, and especially all you guys at FLMX you've been right behind me from the start.