The beginning of October I flew out to film the riders trying out for the Warthog Racing Academy team for 2010 at Honolulu Hills Raceway. From day one there was a rider that stood out much more than the others with his aggressive riding style, positive attitude and smiles ear to ear. Steven Squire isn’t your top guy straight out of the amateurs with all the hype, but Squire got his pro SX license for 2010, packed up and moved to California to start training hard. His progression was outstanding and he showed a ton of potential. Watching him go for jumps fearlessly and learning the difficult sections much faster than the other riders, I knew he was a rider to keep my eye on. But, after learning that Squire had been seriously hurt after I left, I called him up to find out what happened.
Steven: I'm from Indianapolis, Indiana, and last year I did some pro-ams and Loretta Lynn’s. It was a pretty slow year for me due to some financing struggles, but its a lot better now.
How did you do in those races?
I struggled at Loretta's and made out finishing 18th in both 250 and 450 Pro-Sport classes. I won most of my qualifiers and regionals and raced the Moto Land Pro-Am and finished 5th there. I would have to say that race was the highlight of my year because it was stacked and really gnarly.
Now you’re concentrating on Supercross in California and looked to be picking it up really quick. How were you adapting and feeling before your injury?
Well I’ve always loved SX and dreamed of racing it, so when I got the opportunity to go out to California I was ready to make the most of it. I felt great out there. I just switched from Yamaha to Kawasaki the week before and I had never rode out west so everything was new and fresh for me. It was like a fresh start for me and I started improving and becoming stronger and more confident daily
From what I saw you were one of the fastest learners out there and have a really positive attitude. Your style is fun to watch! What happened when you got hurt?
Ha, thanks Chris. It was just a freak accident. I was coming up to a triple on one of the SX tracks and as I hit the bottom of the face my throttle tube broke and my bike coasted off the face. It was to late to do anything so I was basically along for the ride. I cased the triple nose first and pretty much just stopped. I hit so hard that the ulna, which is the outside bone in your arm/wrist, dislocated and went through my skin on both wrists and I fractured the inside bone also.
Yeah after my first surgery, which I got out of about 4:00 p.m., my left wrist started hurting extremely bad. I asked the nurse about it and she said it was just regular swelling. I continued to complain about it until she finally called my doctor about 7:00 a.m. the next morning. He informed me I had compartment syndrome and rushed me into surgery. They made a seven inch and a nine inch incision on the inside and outside of my wrist to relieve the pressure so that the swelling would go down. My wrist had swelled up so much that the muscles were cutting off the circulation to my wrist. Luckily they found it quick enough that no serious damage was caused besides putting me through horrible pain all night. Also, in order to close up the incision on the inside of my arm I had to get a skin graph, but the doctor told me yesterday that he's never seen a skin graph improve so quickly, which was really good to hear.
Right before or after you got hurt, I know Scott from Warthog came up to your training facility with news about his picks for the team in 2010. Did you get offered a ride or are your plans up in the air?
He came up and watched and made his final decisions the Friday before I got hurt. I crashed Monday and then I found out Tuesday that I was one of the four riders picked. I haven't heard much news since then but I hope I am still on for SX.
How long are you off the bike for now?
I am still planning on racing the full East Coast Lites series. I know it's cutting it close but I have talked to my doctor and we are doing everything possible to get me back on the bike. The Indy SX is five minutes from my house and I am determined to make that my first SX and be back and comfortable by then. I see no reason why I couldn't make it.
I'm taking it easy the first few weeks so that I don't slow down the healing. After that I will start doing a lot of cardio and anything else I can to work out. I know how important it is to stay healthy and take care of myself while I am hurt, so I keep that in mind at all times. I am just going to hang out with my family and spend Christmas with them because I'm normally never home this time of year. I’m also going to try to get all my sponsors worked out for next year and get my bikes ready so that I am ready to go as soon as I am healthy!
Hopefully, you will be under the Warthog rig come Indy. By the third round where do you see yourself as far as results go?
I’m not sure, I’m just going to put my head down and try my hardest. I would like to see myself in the top 10 by the third round though.
Before you got hurt where did you stand against the fastest rider at your training facility?
The last few days were my best days. I hit a small wall and suddenly I got over it and my lap times were getting better and better. It was usually Tyler Bowers and Teddy Parks, both on 450s, and then I was usually one of the fastest on a 250F. The last week I think I was the fastest but we were all so close it was like real timed qualifying in SX. My goal while I was there was to beat Tyler's times from the first three or four weeks when he was on a 250F, and the last days I had on both tracks I was right there with them so I was really excited.
Nice well keep your head up and we look forward to seeing you ride at the east rounds! Any last parting words?
Thanks for your time Chris, I most diffidently will and I'll see you soon! I just want to thank my trainer for all his help and most of all, my dad and my mechanic. I couldn't do any of this if it wasn't for them.
