Honesty: it’s the new policy in the professional pits of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross

WORDS: JASON WEIGANDT
PHOTOS: Alec Gaut & ALIGN MEDIA

Kevin Windham pointed out that he would have to choose his answers carefully, because Chad Reed’s trainer, Jeff Spencer, was in the back of the room taking notes. At a press conference. Because back in 2004, everyone was so serious. It was mind games 24/7. You couldn’t get along with your competitors if you wanted to beat them. Ricky Carmichael had programmed the entire industry to say “work hard” in every interview, because if your brand wasn’t “work hard,” you clearly weren’t working hard enough to win, and winning was all that mattered. Be serious. Work hard. Win. Say nothing else. Repeat.

Back then, that was all that mattered. Today, if that’s all that matters, you might not even matter at all.