Racer X Online - Motocross & Supercross NewsRacer X Online

  • Subscribe Now
  • Latest
  • Features
  • Breaking News

Racer X Online - Motocross & Supercross NewsRacer X Online

  • One Click Sign-In

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    OR

    Sign in with your username and password

    • Sign In
  • Features
    • 10 Things
    • 30 Greatest AMA Motocrossers
    • 3 on 3
    • 250 Words
    • 450 Words
    • Between the Motos
    • Breakdown
    • Deals of the Week
    • GNCC Report
    • Great Battles
    • How to Watch
    • Injury Report
    • Insight
    • In the Mag, On the Web
    • Lockdown Diaries
    • Longform
    • MXGP Race Reports
    • My Favorite Loretta Lynn's Moto
    • Next
    • Observations
    • On This Day in Moto
    • Open Mic
    • Privateer Profile
    • Race Day Feed
    • Racerhead
    • Racer X Awards
    • Racer X Redux
    • Rapid Reaxtion
    • RX Exhaust
    • Saturday Night Live
    • Staging Area
    • The Conversation
    • The List
    • The Moment
    • Things We Learned at the Ranch
    • Unphiltered
    • Wake-Up Call
    • Where Are They Now
  • Multimedia
    • Podcasts
    • Photo Galleries
    • The Weege Show
    • Racer X Films
    • Video
    • SX Preview Shows
    • Factory Tech Tip
    • MX Preview Shows
    • Behind The Bars
    • Racer X Rapid News
  • Races
    • Series Schedules
    • TV Schedules
    • Results
    • Champions
    • Teams
    • 2021 Numbers
  • Results
    • Points Standings
    • Race Results
    • Riders
    • The Vault
    • Loretta Lynn's Vault
  • The Mag
    • Customer Care
    • Digital Magazine Bookstand
    • Current Issue
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Free Stickers
    • Store Locator
    • Sell Racer X
  • Shop
  • About Us
  • Table of Contents
  • Subscribe Now
  • Latest
  • Features
  • Breaking News
Results Archive
GNCC
Big Buck
Articles
Overall Results
  1. Grant Baylor
  2. Thad Duvall
  3. Josh Strang
Full Results
XC2 Pro Results
  1. Michael Witkowski
  2. Craig Delong
  3. Lyndon Snodgrass
Full Results
Supercross
Orlando 2
Articles
450SX Results
  1. Cooper Webb
  2. Marvin Musquin
  3. Justin Barcia
Full Results
250SX West Results
  1. Justin Cooper
  2. Cameron McAdoo
  3. Garrett Marchbanks
Full Results
Upcoming
GNCC
Wild Boar
Sat Mar 6
Articles
Upcoming
Supercross
Daytona
Sat Mar 6
Articles
Upcoming
Amateur
RCSX
Sun Mar 7
Articles
Upcoming
GNCC
The General
Sat Mar 13
Articles
Upcoming
Supercross
Arlington 1
Sat Mar 13
Articles
Upcoming
Supercross
Arlington 2
Tue Mar 16
Articles
Full Schedule
Racer X Awards: Mechanic of the Year
Steve Matthes

Steve Matthes

Racer X Awards Mechanic of the Year

December 12, 2018 6:00pm
by: Steve Matthes
  • Home
  • Racer X Awards
  • 2018 Racer X Awards: Mechanic of the Year

Throughout the month of December, Racer X Online editors and contributors will be handing out one award each day for an outstanding performance or effort or product related to the global motocross industry in 2018. Each winner will receive this award, which we’re calling a Roger, just like the Academy Awards have their Oscars. It’s in honor of Roger DeCoster, a great ambassador for the sport of motocross for more than 50 years. Today’s topic is Racer X Mechanic of the Year.

When we were thinking of someone for the Roger Award for the Mechanic of the Year there were plenty of worthy candidates. Billy Hartle helped Aaron Plessinger to two titles, Brian Kranz won an outdoor title with Eli Tomac, and Chris Laredo wrenched Jason Anderson to the 450SX title.

(To me, I think an outdoor title is way gnarlier to win for a wrench by the way. The 12 rounds of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship is crazy hard work for a mechanic.)

There are plenty of people that would love to be a factory mechanic and for sure it’s a pretty cool job. If you can’t make it as a racer, then being an integral part of their success is pretty close, right?

Here’s the thing: a mechanic’s job has changed a hell of a lot the last decade or so. It’s not the hands-on job that so many people think it is. The riders at the highest level are CEO’s of a little company that includes trainers, coaches, significant others, man-friends, and more. The days of the wrench and the rider working side by side and working on the perfect lap/bike set-up are over. On the team side there are team managers, suspension guys, suspension company guys, motor guys, crew chiefs, and more. The guy that’s actually bolting the bike together is many times, way, way, way down the totem pole. 

What in the heck has happened to the Skip Norfolk’s of the world?

They’re mostly gone nowadays but there’s one man out there that was all in with his rider the last five years or so. First with Andrew Short and now with Blake Baggett, Nate Alexander took being a mechanic back to the old school.

Rich Shepherd

Alexander was the race bike wrench for Short and then Baggett and also went back to Texas (with Short) and Florida (with Baggett) during the week to help out his guy. Working on practice bikes all week, working the stopwatch, helping out wherever he can on the property, and then flying to a city to build the race bike, Alexander did it all. The term no days off literally applied to Nate the last few years, first when the team had Short and was the BTOSports.com KTM team and now the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC-KTM-WPS team.

What Alexander has done the last few years is unprecedented in the sport when it comes to a mechanic, and along the way Baggett was a consistent podium contender indoors and race winner outdoors. The workload is phenomenal and throughout the time, Nate put his head down at the expense of a life for himself to help Blake and the team reach their goals. Simply put, Alexander was all in on helping out his rider and for that, we give him the Roger for the Mechanic of the Year.

The team and Alexander went their separate ways at the end of 2018 and for 2019, Nate’s going to be doing half the work he did the last few years in helping out Plessinger with his practice bike work.

Congrats, Nate. Now try to have a life, ok? 

MORE 2018 RACER X AWARDS

Recommended Reading

  • Racer X Awards: Motocross Race of the Year Racer X Awards: Motocross Race of the Year December 31 - 4:40pm
  • Racer X Awards: Rider of the Year Racer X Awards: Rider of the Year December 30 - 6:05pm
  • Racer X Awards: Best Intentions of the Year Racer X Awards: Best Intentions of the Year December 29 - 5:00pm
  • Racer X Awards: Non-Racer Instagram of the Year Racer X Awards: Non-Racer Instagram of the Year December 28 - 4:25pm
  • Racer X Awards: Rider Media of the Year Racer X Awards: Rider Media of the Year December 27 - 4:25pm
  • Racer X Awards: Podcast of the Year Racer X Awards: Podcast of the Year December 26 - 1:20pm
  • Racer X Awards: Gift of the Year Racer X Awards: Gift of the Year December 25 - 11:00am
  • Racer X Awards: MXGP Race of the Year Racer X Awards: MXGP Race of the Year December 24 - 11:10am
  • Racer X Awards: Commercial of the Year Racer X Awards: Commercial of the Year December 23 - 4:25pm
  • Racer X Awards: SX/MX Ambassador of the Year Racer X Awards: SX/MX Ambassador of the Year December 22 - 10:30am
  • Racer X Awards: Non-National Event of the Year Racer X Awards: Non-National Event of the Year December 21 - 3:40pm
  • Racer X Awards: Press Conference of the Year Racer X Awards: Press Conference of the Year December 20 - 1:30pm
  • Racer X Awards: Replacement Rider of the Year Racer X Awards: Replacement Rider of the Year December 19 - 5:00pm
  • Racer X Awards: Crossover Rider of the Year Racer X Awards: Crossover Rider of the Year December 18 - 5:00pm
  • Racer X Awards: Fans of the Year Racer X Awards: Fans of the Year December 17 - 4:15pm
  • Racer X Awards: Vet Rider of the Year Racer X Awards: Vet Rider of the Year December 16 - 6:10pm
  • Racer X Awards: Pass(es) of the Year Racer X Awards: Pass(es) of the Year December 15 - 11:20am
  • Racer X Awards: Women’s Rider of the Year Racer X Awards: Women’s Rider of the Year December 14 - 4:00pm
  • Racer X Awards: Holeshot of the Year Racer X Awards: Holeshot of the Year December 13 - 3:40pm
  • Racer X Awards: Off-Roader of the Year Racer X Awards: Off-Roader of the Year December 11 - 2:30pm
  • Racer X Awards: Party of the Year Racer X Awards: Party of the Year December 10 - 3:30pm
  • Racer X Awards: Comeback Rider of the Year Racer X Awards: Comeback Rider of the Year December 9 - 12:10pm
  • Racer X Awards: Minicylist of the Year Racer X Awards: Minicylist of the Year December 8 - 9:00am
  • Racer X Awards: Trophy of the Year Racer X Awards: Trophy of the Year December 7 - 2:30pm
  • Racer X Awards: Cover of the Year Racer X Awards: Cover of the Year December 6 - 1:25pm
  • Racer X Awards: Video of the Year Racer X Awards: Video of the Year December 5 - 1:00pm
  • Racer X Awards: New Rule of the Year Racer X Awards: New Rule of the Year December 4 - 3:40pm
  • Racer X Awards: Supercross Race of the Year Racer X Awards: Supercross Race of the Year December 3 - 1:45pm
  • Racer X Awards: Broadcast of the Year Racer X Awards: Broadcast of the Year December 2 - 12:50pm
  • Racer X Awards: Team of the Year Racer X Awards: Team of the Year December 1 - 12:05pm
  • 3 on 3: Hot Topics For 2019 3 on 3: Hot Topics For 2019 4:50pm
  • Between the Motos: Jacob Hayes Between the Motos: Jacob Hayes 10:35am
Read Now
April 2021 Issue Now Available
Get Racer X on your iPhone
Check out all the exclusive content this month on any device!
Read Now
The April 2021 Digital Issue Availalbe Now

Motocross & Supercross News - Racer X Online

122 Vista Del Rio Drive, Morgantown, WV 26508 | 304-284-0084 | Contact Us
©1999 - 2021 Filter Publications LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
designed at: Website DesignImpulse Studios