Privateer Profile: Josh Demuth

The feel good story of the 2007 Rockstar Energy Drink U.S. Open was easily the success of Texas’ Josh Demuth. “The Sheriff” as he is called, has been through a lot in his career. From a struggling privateer to factory arenacross demigod then into an injury-filled period of obscurity. While he was able to nail down the 2006 BooKoo Arenacross championship, he slowly fell off the scene. With the 2008 season approaching Josh began to search out his options for a team and an series to ride. His answers came by way of an old friend, and in the past three week’ there has been little standing in the way of Josh Demuth and the checkered flag. Always a good interview, we were able to get ahold of Josh for a phone call to catch up on what got him to this point in time and how his career is back on track.

Racer X: First off, congratulations on your incredible performance in Vegas! Where the hell have you been, man?
Josh Demuth: Thanks a lot, things are going good. I’ve just been laying low for a while. I was working full-time at D&S Kawasaki and my Dad’s shop, North Texas Yamaha.

How did you feel about that?
You know, it was pretty good actually. I just lived life like a normal person and worked full-time. I have some great friends and things were just rolling along. I rode a couple of times and went out and did a couple local races, but for the most part I wasn’t on the bike at all, and it was actually kind of good, I guess.

Man, you won the 2006 BooKoo Arenacross championship, then where did you go?
Things just fell apart coming into 2007 and before long I just wasn’t riding. I went down to Australia and stayed for a couple months. I rode some of the supercross series down there and hung out. Then I came back and rode those last four supercrosses and was riding pretty good.

How did this gig with Carey Hart's new team come to be?
Carey and I have been pals for a long time. We hooked up in Vegas [season-ending SX] and just started talking about doing a team.

What does the deal consist of?
I’m going to be riding the full 2008 Supercross schedule and the ’08 Supermoto series. Carey is pretty down with Honda and we should be getting some good parts. He also has Carter Motorsports out there in Vegas, so things should be good. We aren’t sure about who is doing suspension and some odds and ends still have to be sorted out, but for the most part it’s going to be a really good gig and one of the best rides I’ve had in a longtime.

Supermoto, huh?
Yeah, I am really stoked about that; I think it’s going to be fun. I had taken a couple of road courses already and that part should be good.

Things are really going well these last couple weeks! Didn’t you just win a brand new truck?
Yah, man, it’s been good. I flew the red eye out of Vegas after the U.S. Open and made it down to Three Palms Extreme for that race, won both classes and got a brand new Toyota Tacoma. Three weeks before that I won the money down at the Pro Challenge, then the U.S. Open…it’s been good, you know?

Toyota seems to be everywhere in motocross nowadays and all of their people are really cool, it seems. Did you hook up with those guys on some additional stuff for 2008?
Yeah, man, we talked quite a bit actually and they seemed to be into what Carey and I have going on for 2008 and it looks like they will be using me in some promotional stuff and staying on board all year. Plus, they gave me this brand new truck and this thing is pretty sweet, for sure.

Back to Vegas. What were your intentions going into that?
I didn’t have a clue things would go that well. I tell you what though, I wish I would have had a little better understanding on how the points worked because I would have been doing things a little different! I don’t know, things were rolling along and the overall just kind of fell into my lap and I wasn’t really aware.

Wow. Pro Challenge victory, $20,000 from the U.S. Open, and a brand new truck. Where’s your head at right now?
I guess I have kind of had a high and low career and to have this deal come together and have the opportunity to finish out the rest of my career with Carey and the Hart & Huntington/Rockstar Honda team is just awesome. Guys like Carey and I kind of have more of an edgier image and a lot of sponsors aren’t into the tattoos and that stuff. To work for Carey’s team and a guy that came from nothing to own his own business and race team is really cool.