A new three pronged process of pro races, combines, and futures races have changed the landscape for professional development

WORDS: JASON WEIGANDT
PHOTOS: ALIGN MEDIA

“As they come around the first turn it’s 510! Kevin Windham! Sixteen-year-old rookie rider, in his second outdoor event,” shouted ESPN’s John Kernan. This was the 1994 High Point National, and Kawasaki Team Green’s Windham, who had made his pro debut at the Gatorback National two months earlier, took off with the early lead. Incredibly, he led nearly the whole way, overtaken only by defending 125 National Champion Doug Henry on the very last lap.

“I’m so tired I can’t even hold onto this water bottle right now,” Windham told pit reporter Jerry Bernardo after the race. “I’m definitely going to have to start working out if I want to do 30 minutes.”

Yes, one might want to start working out before doing pro races. Today’s amateur riders know that, because most of them are integrated into professional teams already. But that leads to lots of decisions and lots of strategies for lots of kids and their parents. When’s the best time to move up? It depends.