Welcome to TEN FOUR Tuesday. A new Enduro / Hare Scramble / Cross Country race team called Ten Four Racing will now be sharing their reports, updates, blogs, rider profiles and so forth with us throughout the year. We are very excited to commence this project with this B.C. based racing team. Let’s get right into it and talk to the man behind it all, the Owner and Manager of the Race Team, Jarrett May;
Left to right: Craig Tsumura, Fraser Stewart, Alan Schuurman (Ride Industries owner) and Jarrett May pose together after they finalized their team “Ride” graphics!
MXP: Hello Jarrett, welcome to MXP! We are all thrilled to have you writing/ reporting for us with your team. After talking with you briefly on the phone and via emails, it sounds like you have a lot on the go, and have some great ideas to share with us and the rest of the Nation. We know you and the team have a busy schedule coming up and have been training a lot, so we will keep this first interview short and sweet. Let’s start with some easy questions to get to know you personally. How old are you? Where do you live? How long have you been racing?
Jarrett May: Hey MXP, first off, thank you so very much for this opportunity. The team and I are very honoured to start reporting and writing for you. It’s going to be a huge step in the right direction for our team, and for our off-road dirt bike trail racing sport, especially here in beautiful British Columbia! Again, thank you. I am almost 30 years of age (let’s stick with 29 actually), I reside in the quiet and quaint town of Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island, and I have been racing Cross Country and Hare Scrambles for ten years. This is my 11th year of racing.
MXP: Alright, now let’s get into some in depth questions about your Ten Four Racing Team. First, why did you decide to start this race team?
Jarrett: This is definitely something I have been thinking about creating the past, mmmm, four years now. I was waiting for the timing to be right, to have riders on board that would mold to what I wanted. Four years ago I could have been ready, but I decided to start and create our VIHSS (Vancouver Island Hare Scramble Series). Along with 4 or 5 others, we put together a great seven race series on Vancouver Island, which has been going strong ever since. Last year I was still the President of the club, but in my head I really wanted to pass the torch onto someone else. I found someone in Mr. Andrew Graham. He is now our new President for the club that operates our race series, which at that very moment allowed me to start this team. He is doing a great job and the VIHSS is thriving right now. But, to actually answer your question, I started this team to try and make a difference within our sport, and to give dirt bike trail racing more recognition (which it deserves). The other main reason is to help some younger racers develop into top level athletes in the sport. To be a mentor, a coach, a friend, and racing pro to them is huge. I really do hope it helps them grow as racers and as people in general. I am putting my heart and soul into this team, it means that much to me. I only wish I had this opportunity they have when I was their age.
MXP: It sounds like you are in this for all the right reasons. Someone that is truly passionate and driven towards something is always great to see. What were your first few steps or ideas you had in regards to this team?
Jarrett: I honestly could give you a 10 page story on this question, but I will keep it a simple short one. We were over in Kamloops, B.C. at a race last year. I was with one of the TEN FOUR Racing Team Riders, Fraser Stewart, and his father Bob. We stayed at a family friend’s house very close to the race location. Another couple I know well were staying up at the cabin, Lynn and Doug Reeve. Lynn is the Zeal Optics and Maui Jim Rep.
We starting talking about the Zeal goggles that night around the fire. We first talked about just myself starting to wear the goggles for racing, then when Fraser left the fire I expressed to Lynn I have been scheming about an idea the past while. I told her about my race team idea, what my objective and purpose was, who or what type rider I would want on the team (hence why I didn’t want to talk to Lynn about it all in front of Fraser). She loved my proposal and said I should go for it! The next day’s race was a write-off to say the least. All I was thinking about was starting the TEN FOUR Racing team. I actually had to stop and take a seat on a stump at one point while other racers went by just to pander my new fascinating ideas in my head.
MXP: That’s a great story. Pretty amazing what people can come up with around a fire while camping. Well, you gave away one of your team rider’s names, can you tell us who is on the team, the bike they are racing and a brief description of each of them?
Jarrett: Sure. I have three great guys on the team this year, for so many reasons.
We will start off with Fraser Stewart whom I mentioned in short already. Fraser is from Campbell River, B.C., is 17 years of age, is racing in the Expert class and races a Husqvarna FC 250 this year. Thomas Cordner is our other Pro/Master. He is a few years older than the others (26 years of age). He has a good amount of experience in racing, and is also a two-time Canadian Trials Champion. He is a great addition for our team and he lives in the Victoria region here on Vancouver Island. Our final rider is Craig Tsumura from Courtenay, B.C. Craig is a great guy and very pleasant to be around all the time. He is 22 years old, has a vast amount of knowledge for dirt bikes, especially the mechanical side of it all. He is racing his Husqvarna TE 300 this year.
MXP: That sounds like a well put together team. So are there three or four team riders?
Jarrett: Sorry, there are four. I kind of forget about myself sometimes. I am on the team as a racer as well and very much looking forward to this entire season of racing. I am racing the Husqvarna TE 250. Love that bike.
MXP: Well, from the description you gave us of which bike all the team riders are racing, we are guessing you have a sponsorship deal with Husqvarna?
Jarrett: Yes, we do. Husqvarna Motorcycles Canada is helping our team efforts this year and in a big way. They are our Title Sponsor along with Courtenay Motorsports based out of Courtenay.
CMS Ten Four Racing Husqvarna rider Thomas Cordner #49 is becoming quite comfortable on his Husqvarna TC 250.
MXP: Have you and your team riders been with Husqvarna Motorcycles for a while?
Jarrett: No, this is our first year with the bikes, the brand, and the people. It has honestly been amazing, every aspect of it. Everything that Husqvarna Motorcycles stands for TEN FOUR Racing is on board with and truly appreciates. Their branding is a big part of who we want to be as people and a team: Core Values, Swedish Heritage, Humble and well spoken. There is so much about the company that makes it a great fit. The people who I deal with are like family now. This team is with Husqvarna Motorcycles for the long haul, no doubt.
MXP: Excellent! From looking at your team’s website, www.tenfourracing.com, it looks like you worked hard and put together some great sponsors for the team. We would like to ask you more about your sponsors in another interview at a later date, but briefly, can you tell us how you came in contact with your sponsors and why you targeted them?
Jarrett: We have some family friends sponsoring the team with their companies that are also passionate about dirt biking and want to help out in any way we can. My father and I are house builders and a few of our trades companies have come on board with our team efforts. There is almost half of our sponsors right there. We have some great sponsors within the motorcycle industry like Motovan supplying and helping us with products from companies such as Answer, EVS, Shoei, TCX Boots, Bel Ray, etc., and other companies such as Ride Industries, RMR Suspensions, Emperor Racing, and Mongoose Machine. I felt to make a good run at this team we needed some funding and it wasn’t going to come within the industry, at least at our level right now. I am really enjoying having people on board that I have known for a few years or even my whole entire life. It sits close to home for me. It really is a ton of fun to be supported by people we also care.
Jarrett May and the rest of the CMS Ten Four Racing Husqvarna team have been using Emperor Racing Bike Protection. Nothing better than Emperor!
MXP: It sounds like a good program so far, we are excited to hear about it in more detail. Anything else you would like to mention to us in this first interview Mr. May?
Jarrett: Actually, yes. Fraser Stewart has written two racing blogs already this year (One you have posted on MXP. He is still learning about a lot of different aspects of racing. He has the passion, he also wants to make a difference, to be a “game changer”. He is a very good writer, and he gives a great story to his racing. Also, if you could ask him one question. Your Choice! 🙂 Thanks for the interview MXP, it’s going to be a fun road ahead with you guys!
MXP: Absolutely! Fraser, why did you get into Off Road Dirt Bike Trail Racing?
Fraser Stewart: I started into dirt bike trail racing because watching it wasn’t enough, and I really wanted to start racing. My Dad showed me how much fun it was to race against people for fun and competitively both at the same time. I have played competitive baseball and wrestling; I knew I would love every aspect about racing and being competitive on an off-road motorcycle. I am very honoured to be on this racing team, and also very honoured to be writing for you MXP!
Fraser Stewart is starting to become a household name in the off- road motorcycle racing sport in British Columbia, and he is only 17.
That’s all for this week on TEN FOUR Tuesday. Next week the team will have a photo essay of this weekend’s race, The Rob Hett Memorial Squealin’ Pig Hare Scramble located just outside of Vernon, B.C. – glad to have you on board TEN FOUR Racing.