Like most of us, Washington native Chris Howell is just a simple guy that loves to ride his dirt bike. Unlike the majority of us, he can make a living off of the sport by racing Monster Energy Supercross, select Lucas Oil Pro Motocross races, and local races in the Pacific Northwest.
“I’m just trying to make money when I can,” Howell said.
Howell is enjoying a career year in the 250SX West Region, making all but one main event and pushing for a top fifteens while riding with a broken hand, which he sustained in his heat race at Oakland. He’s been fighting through the pain ever since and he still finds his injury a little sore. He says the key is adrenaline. As long as he makes it through his six lap heat race then he can try to fight through the pain for the duration of the main event. Despite the injury, Howell knows this has been his best season to date but he can’t pinpoint why.
“I’m not sure really,” he said. “It might be because I’m older and wiser. I have a really good bike underneath me and a good group of people behind me.”
Howell has been racing on the professional side of things since 2010, but his race entries were a bit spotty through the 2013 season. “I just did a few rounds here and there because I didn’t have the money to do all of them,” he said.
In 2014 Howell received some support from his current sponsor JMC Motorsports before they were a Husqvarna dealership. He put in his career best finish of fifteenth that season. Last year he spent the West Region as a member of the Barn Pros Yamaha team but couldn’t find the same flow.
“I just struggled all year,” Howell said. “It was a few things I just didn’t have a good year. A problem I had coming up through the years was that I didn’t know what I was doing. It was just guessing and a lot of times we guessed the wrong thing.”
Howell was able to throw together a deal again with JMC Motorsports with his teammate Noah McConahy this season. The two privateers are turning heads in a very stacked West Region and are the only riders on the Swedish brand besides the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team.
“When Noah, Zach [Osborne], and I make the main event there are more Husqvarnas in the class than there are KTMs, which is pretty cool,” Howell said.
McConahy and Howell are not only pushing for the top ten, but they have been a big help to one another this year. The two will walk the track together, help one another with race strategy, setting up the pit, and everything else in between. The first year program is putting in some big results with two very different riders.
“Noah and I are complete opposites. He likes to hold it wide open and go for it and I’m way more calculated. We’re just two guys out of vans making the main events.”
Howell also said that Husqvarna has really stepped up their support as the season has gone on. If they need a part the Husky crew will provide them with anything they may need.
When he’s not racing Howell likes to lay low and hang out and hike with his girlfriend Kristine, and he just recently started going to the driving range, even though right now it's a struggle to even make contact with the ball with every swing!
As for Howell’s plans for the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, he’s not quite sure what is happening yet. He said that he may do the rounds that are closest to him on a 250 and race a few Canadian nationals. One thing is certain: he will be racing all of the local races in the Pacific Northwest. Howell told us that if there is money on the line that he will be on the gate.
The next race on deck will be the Las Vegas finale and he’s approaching that race just as he always does: cool, calm, and calculated. He’s ready to make a statement now that his hand is somewhat back to normal.
“It’s going the hardest one because it’s the East/West Shootout deal,” Howell said. “That’s going to be tough, but I’m going to give it my all.”
Howell would like to thank the following: Joel and Michele Micka from JMC Motorsports. Jensen Hendler for being an awesome mechanic, my mom, dad, girlfriend Kristine, as well as my other sponsors, K1 Speed, Husqvarna, Devol, Motul Oils, Future West Moto, Acerbis, Adrenaline Designs, Airway MXP, Alliance Steel, Allsport Dynamics, Art, Atlas Brace, Coldcock Whisky, DT1 Filters, Dubya Wheels, DVS Shoes, Eljay Oil, Evans Cooling, Eks Brand Goggles, Fly, FMF, Fusion Graphix, Fusion Jerky, Guts Seats, HRMC, Huber Trailers, Lave Racing, Mika Metals, Motion Pro, MotoConcepts, Moto Ice, Moto Stuff, Motool Slacker, Nature’s Bakery, Odi Grips, Pat Shields, Peters Hardware, Pro Pegs, Rekluse, RF Motorsports, Scholes Family Dental, Sole Footbeds and Socks, Stratus Wear, Streamline Levers, Sunstar, TCX Boots, and The Man Shop.
