“Cooksey’s Hard Truth” presented by Scott Sports is a weekly editorial written by Chris Cooksey. Throughout the year, Chris will be diving in and out of controversial subjects and bringing you his hard truth about the racing and the riders from around the world of Supercross and Motocross.

It is widely debated as to what a privateer is these days. Recently I had the opportunity to consult with a former career privateer, James Eickel, about the struggles he personally faced entering the Supercross series along with general obstacles privateers encounter at every race.

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If you are wondering why his name sounds familiar, it is because he raced from 1989 to 1998 before he was “black balled” for attempting to start a riders’ union. When his racing career ended, the likable rider from Ohio spiraled downward only to resurface in a photo as the infamous “Bono Bandit.” James holds an unwanted FBI record for most tips called in after his picture was released in relation to a crime committed. As a celebrity in Ohio, everyone knew exactly who he was. Luckily the incident was his rock bottom. Since then James has turned his life around and is now sober and happy as ever. James has lived a life Hollywood movie producers would write as fiction, but it happened. I am working on a story detailing his life and times; look for its release later in the year.

Back on 3/11/2010, this surveillance photo from a US Bank robbery was blasted out all over the country, and James Eickel was branded the Bono Bandit for his likeness to the U2 singer in this still shot.

James has insight that most of us take for granted. When we see riders on the line for a heat race, it appears they have everything figured out. The reality of what we are seeing is a duck gliding above water while behind the scenes the legs are paddling like mad. James brought to my attention specific details he stressed about that are still relevant to privateers today: “Is my mechanic going to be able to eat for the week? How am I getting to the races? Is my suspension going to be back, and are my motors going to be done from Mitch [Payton, Pro Circuit Team owner]? Will he be able to fit me in? How will my bike be running?” James ran his programs on a shoestring budget, forcing him to limit his practices leading up to the season. Because he could destroy a 125cc motorcycle in a short time, this process worked. Like many of today’s riders this hasn’t changed. Alexander Nagy participated in the entire 2017 series in a pickup truck with two bikes. Nagy has made mains, but didn’t make any in 2017. Nagy’s program was not much different from what James described.

A couple of guys I consider “true privateers” have an improved program in comparson to what was available for James Eickel. Adam Enticknap has established himself as more than just a talented rapper—his album, Heat 1 by 7deucedeuce, is on iTunes—and has made himself a regular fixture in main events. Both Adam and his brother Tyler Enticknap have been at Castillo ranch training alongside factory riders Ken Roczen and Adam Cianciarulo. Training with Roczen and AC has to help both guys, but with such a deep field, both will be fighting tooth and nail to get into main events. While Adam has his iTunes money to support his racing, Tyler desperately needs to start getting into main events to keep the dream alive. They both look noticeably slimmer than last year, and both look recovered from their
big injuries at the Las Vegas Supercross
in 2017.

The Enticknapp brothers are the epitome of the true privateer in 2018. The two bothers are living their dream every time they show up inside a stadium with a dirt bike underneath them. As they progress, though, so do their dreams. Photo by: Chase Yocom.

Teddy Parks, Sr.. has changed the lives of many true privateers. He has nearly half the 450cc LCQ pitting out of his semi at times. For 2018, he will have Chad Cook, Dylan Merriam, John Short, Ben Lamay, James Milson and Dalton Oxborrow.  If you want to meet a true American working class hero, be sure and swing by the TPJ semi during the Monster Energy Pit Party. Stop and say hello to big Teddy Parks. He will be the tall guy wearing a big cowboy hat and matching smile.  Be ready Teddy does handshakes and hugs. He is a true gentleman and privateer hero. Look for him holding the American flag during opening ceremonies.

Finally, my top finishing privateer for 2018 is another Ohio-raised rider, Tyler Bowers (Eickel reminded me where Tyler came from). I highly doubt Bowers will be a privateer all season. He has talent that will have him consistently cracking the top 10, placing him in the position of first fill-in guy. While it’s nice to go from privateer to factory rider during the season, it’s no fun to inform his smaller sponsors that he will no longer be representing them. Most understand, but we have seen riders pass on a factory bike in order to show loyalty to sponsors that got them on the track. I have no doubt Tyler will be faced with this dilemma. He will have to ask himself if the factory support is worth dumping whatever he has put together. Will he be better on the factory bike with only a week to adapt? Will the factory fill-in spot turn into a long term deal? These are all things to consider.

Tyler Bowers will be looking for redemption in 2018. The former 3-time AX champ and 250SX Supercross main event winner, only raced in 5 main events in 2017 and his best finish was a 7th at A2. That is not what we have come to expect from the bad boy of SX. Photo by: Hoppenworld

Be sure and cheer for the guys in the LCQ as most of them are living on scraps, chasing the dream. The sport of Supercross is rich and glamorous on top, but then there is a sharp decline. Most think if a rider is good enough to make the night show at a Supercross race, they are surely making good money. Sadly this is not reality. Hopefully the sport will grow to a level where the world class athletes we watch will all be paid at a level compensatory to the risks and sacrifices they make.

Follow me at: @cooks6161 on Instagram and Twitter

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