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Zack Freeberg

posted Jul 08, 2008 to Featured Articles by Jenn Sheppard
from the Jul 2008 issue

Zack Freeberg is the fifteen-year-old up-and-coming Team Green Kawasaki rider who started riding dirt bikes soon as he could walk. He’s raced competitively for over ten years now, and in 2008, this Florida boy won his first amateur title by staying most consistent at the World Mini in Las Vegas. We caught up with Zack after he attended the Birch Creek Youth Regional in June and brought home the overall qualifying position in the only class he’ll be racing this year at Loretta Lynn’s.

Hometown: Largo, Florida

Age: 15

Number: 27

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FLmx: Hey, Zack. What’s up?

ZF: Nothing. Just got back from Virginia. I was unloading stuff.

FLmx: How was Virginia? You won the Schoolboy 2 (14-16) B/C class?

ZF: it was awesome. I absolutely won everything, except for my last moto. I gooned out. I got second.

FLmx: What made you decide to hit the regional in Virginia and not Tennessee?

ZF: Kawasaki actually called and said they want me to run B next year, and they wanted me to run Youth at Loretta’s, so I couldn’t go to Muddy Creek and ride the B class, I had to go to Virginia and just ride Youth.

FLmx: So, you’re only riding one class at Loretta’s?

ZF: Yea. It’s tough riding once class - gotta sit there all week.

FLmx: Were you planning on riding the B class next year, anyway?

ZF: Yea. We kind of thought that’s what was going to happen, but weren’t for sure.

FLmx: Are you happy?

ZF: Yea, for sure. They’re helping me out big time.

FLmx: Right on. Let’s start back at the beginning here. Who got you into motocross?

ZF: My dad. I actually got my first dirt bike when I was two years old. I rode in the grass field for three years, every single day. My first race was at Dade City, and ever since then, it’s gone on from there.

FLmx:. When did you start racing, then? You must have been pretty young?

ZF: Yea, I started racing when I was four.

FLmx: Did you always have #27?

ZF: Yep. That’s never been changed, except for a couple of times at Loretta’s. My dad picked it when I was little and never changed it.

FLmx: I saw some pics that Photo Frank took of you and Dalton Myers, a fellow Kawi rider. Whose track were you riding?

ZF: That was at Dalton’s.

FLmx: How’s his track?

ZF: Not good right now. Not at all. He’s actually redoing it.

FLmx: Where do you ride now?

ZF: On Tuesday, I usually ride at his track, but not anymore ‘cause he’s redoing it. Wednesday, I’m at Lakeland. Thursday, I go to a track called Sunshine down by me - either there or Dade City. Friday, I’m off. Saturday and Sunday, I go riding with Adam [Cianciarulo] somewhere.

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FLmx: Do all the Kawasaki guys hang out together?

ZF: Well, not really. There’s not many down here. A lot of them are in California.

FLmx: It’s just you and Adam?

ZF: Yep. We hang out a lot. I’m actually going to his house on Wednesday.

FLmx: Does he try and race you?

ZF: Yea, every once and a while, he’ll get up there behind me, but he don’t have nothin’.

FLmx: I’ll tell him you said that!

ZF: [laughs] All right.

FLmx: I saw the Vurb Moto video of you and AC riding at Bithlo and it sure looks like you are loving that four stroke?

ZF: I really like it. It’s got so much power. It’s awesome.

FLmx: Did you ride the 125 at all?

ZF: Well I actually never rode a 125 two stroke. I told my dad that I wanted to ride that before the 250f, but he told me no, I gotta ride a 250f. When I first got on it, I loved it, so I never switched.

FLmx: Cool. So far in 2008, you’ve turned in some pretty impressive results. How do you feel about the competition against Starling, Justice, Hayes, etc.?

ZF: It was good. They got good starts. They rode good. Starling says stuff - I’d rather not discuss that.

FLmx: Okay, what about the World Mini this year? How was the wind?

ZF: This year, it wasn’t that bad. It was actually pretty good. I’ve always loved that track.

FLmx: You won your first national title, if I’m not mistaken?

ZF: Yea, it was actually. When I was on a 50, I went there and I went 1-1, and I was winning the last moto and decided to cartwheel it, so I lost it. That would have been my first title and it was at Vegas. I actually went to Vegas again on a big bike and got it. A big special thanks to Adam Snyder for his mechanicing at the World Mini.

FLmx: That must have felt pretty good?

ZF: It was awesome.

FLmx: What about Texas and that? How was Lake Whitney?

ZF: Whitney I got a seventh and a ninth. Oak Hill, I had some really bad luck. I got a bad concussion and then I still tried to ride, and it just wasn’t good.

FLmx: How are you feeling going into Loretta’s? Feeling pretty confident?

ZF: I wouldn’t say I got it in the bag, but I’m definitely working hard and I’m definitely gonna push it to that number one spot.

FLmx: Do you have a trainer now, or how do you stay focused?

ZF: No. When I’m at Adam’s house, Alan is pretty much my trainer. He trains me, and he pushes me really hard.

FLmx: Who did you look up to?

ZF: Of course, James Stewart, and I like how Austin Stroupe puts it on the edge. He does what it takes.

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FLmx: Do you get nervous in the first turn?

ZF: I’m really anxious in all of my corners. My dad tells me to have patience. I’m starting to have more patience, because I used to just go in there, try and stick it in there, and I’d either come out on top of I’d be on the ground. So I’m starting to have more patience on that.

FLmx: What’s one of your most favorite tracks that you’ve visited?

ZF: I’d have to say - I like – Uh - I don’t really - I don’t know on that one. There’s a lot of them. Probably Bremen, Georgia.

FLmx: What’s your favorite part of the track?

ZF: No, not really. I like it all.

FLmx: How is your family? You’re pretty tight with your dad?

ZF: I’m with my dad 24/7, but I go see my mom on the weekends every once and while when I’m not riding.

FLmx: What do you think is the biggest obstacle in motocross?

ZF: I got to say the whoops. Mini O’s whoops are pretty tough.

FLmx: How did you get hooked up with Monster Kawasaki?

ZF: Well, Chris Hart put in a call for me, and we got a call from Dave Gowan saying, ‘We’d like to give you a shot.’ I went to Mini O’s and got good finishes, top five on an 80, so I got another shot on a big bike, and here we are.

FLmx: Awesome. You look good in green.

ZF: Yea.

FLmx: Well, that about wraps it up. Do you have an sponsors or anyone you’d like to thank?

ZF: Yea. There’s quite a bit.

Kawasaki Team Green. BPM. FMF. N-Style. DeCal Works. Dunlop. Maxima. Vortex. RK Chains. Pit posse. PR2. Renthal. Engine Ice. Thor. Alpinestar. Smith. Shoei. EVS. My dad. Christina. My grandma. Alan and Christy Cianciarulo. Ronnie Tichenor. Chris Hart. Big Chris.

FLmx: One last question, Zack. What does faith mean to you?

ZF: I just believe in myself 100 percent and I’m always 100% sure I can do the best. I don’t try to have a negative attitude - I’m always positive.

FLmx: Perfect. See you in the next issue.

ZF: Seeya.