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Born in Michigan and now a resident of South Bend, Indiana LaRocco is also a staunch family man, a rarity in the sport, and when he’s not training or racing you'll find him spending time with his wife Elizabeth, and their 6-year-old son, Ryder.

There’s an old gypsy proverb, though, that says, "Behind bad luck comes good luck." Few people in racing could want that to be true more so than Mike LaRocco. That’s because the last two years have been tough for the man who’s one of racing’s fiercest competitors. In 2002, another rider caused LaRocco to crash at a Supercross event, dislocating his wrist and tearing ligaments. The injury cut short LaRocco’s Supercross season--it was the first time in seven years he had missed a race--and dogged him throughout the 250 National outdoor series.

Then, in 2003, a crash at the fifth round of the 250 Supercross series injured LaRocco’s shoulder. Two races later he hurt the shoulder again, putting paid to his chances for another Supercross title. As in 2002, the injury hampered him in the outdoor Nationals, although he did manage a podium position in both 250 series, Supercross and motocross.

For 2004, his 17th year of pro competition and his seventh year with the Honda-supported Amsoil Chaparral Honda team, LaRocco intends to find better fortune by concentrating on the AMA 250 Supercross series. "This year, I'm basically doing Supercross only." he says, "because I feel more competitive there. So that’s what I'm going to focus on."

"Focusing on Supercross is better for me, because there’s a lot more thinking involved, it’s a lot more technical, and that’s the kind of riding I like to do. I'll probably still ride some outdoor races, maybe three of them--just to try to have fun with it."

What’s truly astonishing about the 32-year-old Mike LaRocco, though--apart from his stellar career--is his ability to sustain his motivation. As with most sports, Supercross favors youth, yet Mike is always a threat to win, and is one of the most-feared riders simply because he trains so hard that when other riders are fading, he’s as strong as he was at the start.

"I just still like riding motorcycles," he says, "I still have the desire to win Supercross races and championships, and I still like the challenge. That’s what keeps me going."

Not only has he prepared his body for the 2004 Supercross series, LaRocco also spent extra time testing his CR250R two-stroke before the season started.

"I've spent a lot of time on the bike this year," he says, "because the pace is so fast, you have to be as comfortable as possible. And I'm just taking a little more time this year to make sure my bike is set up the best it can be for me."

With his strength, stamina, experience, and his CR250R’s proven ability, LaRocco intends to make a serious bid for the 250 Supercross title in 2004.

"Obviously," he says, "one of my goals is to not get hurt and stay healthy. The other goal is to win races. I've got to get the speed and consistency I need to do that-win races and the title. I still like the challenge."

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Media Q and A

What is your favorite Supercross venue?
I guess I’d have to say my favorite stadium is my hometown one, Indianapolis. It seems like I get a lot more of my friends and relatives in attendance at these races, and a lot of Midwest heritage fans. It works out pretty well for me.

Tell us about your training program.
My training is based on what happens on the bike. I also add cardio training and weight training, because I believe the stronger you are, the easier everything is.

What do you do before a race to get your “game face” on?
I take a few minutes by myself to visualize the track and what I think is going to happen. I run through everything in my head and try to be focused so I’m prepared mentally.

Tell us about your all-time favorite race.
It’s been a long run, so for me to identify a favorite race is kind of hard to do. But looking at recent wins, I guess I would have to say getting the holeshot and winning at the Indianapolis Supercross in 2004 was a great race for me.

You’ve been a part of Team Honda for eight years; what does that mean to you?
This run started at a good time for me because I was at a point in my career where I was looking to get a fresh start. I was lucky enough to hook up with Factory Connection and start my relationship with Honda, and it’s been all good from there on. It seems that we all get along well on the team; Honda likes our program and I like theirs. So it’s all a very good fit.

Back when you were a young rider, which racers did you look up to?
That was definitely a long time ago! Back when I was a kid, before I started racing, my dad took me to a race and I saw Marty Smith at Red Bud. So I was a Marty Smith fan for a long time. I was seven or eight at the time and I had just started riding motorcycles. Then as I started racing, it was Bob Hannah. Later, maybe around 1984 or 1985, it came to the situation where I was actually racing against him, so that was cool for me.

What do you like to do when you’re away from racing?
We have some property up in Michigan, and I like to spend time up there. I like trail riding, trials bikes and we have some 70cc bikes too—all the stuff you don’t have time to do when you’re training. My family and I ride together, and I have a friend who rides minibikes with me too. I’ve set up a track for my son Ryder, and I ride a minibike so Ryder and I can ride together. It’s nice and quiet up there, far away from the hustle and bustle.

Do you follow any set routine on race days?
I always make sure I’m there early enough to walk the track so I can have a firsthand view of it. If you miss that, a lot of times you miss little spots on the track that you need to watch, and you can also analyze the jump sections. Those are the most important things to get the day started. Then during practice you go out and try to put your fast times in and see where you rate. The rest of the day follows a pattern according to what the schedule holds.

Is there anything you try to avoid on race days?
I try to avoid having too many distractions. It’s nice to see friends at races, but I don’t want to get down to race time and find that I haven’t prepared myself fully. So I try to make sure I don’t get interrupted later in the day.

Is there a favorite souvenir or trophy hanging somewhere in the LaRocco house?
We used to do some races in Europe, and the promoter of the race had a furniture company that produced fine furniture in Italy. So every year we’d get a really nice crystal trophy or something like that and we’d have to hand-carry it home on the airplane, which seemed like it took 30 hours, and it was kind of scary because I didn’t want to break it. It was a hassle doing that, but it was worth it. They sit on some ledges in the entry stairway at home. We also got some really nice tables and chairs that were shipped back.

What’s the coolest thing about being a professional motocross racer?
Obviously, the fact that you can ride motorcycles for a living! I still have that love for bikes; it’s just fun. Whether we’re testing or riding or just play riding, or the fact that you always have something to work at, it all those things run together. But it’s always centered around getting to ride dirt bikes.

What was your worst race ever?
I’ve definitely had some bad-luck races. Back in 1992, I was leading the 125-class championship points chase for the first time. With two rounds to go, I had a 60-point lead. And then my bike broke in both races at the next event, Steel City, and I lost 50 points. The following week, the same thing happened. I broke the bike in the first moto, so I ended up losing the championship.

You’ve been racing professionally since 1988. What does that depth of experience mean to you?
Well, a lot of it I take as a benefit, but a lot of it I also take as a hindrance. When you’re young, you go out there and you don’t really know as much, so you’re able to just let everything go and get away with a lot. When you get older, you have the experience, but you start to think ahead about what’s going to happen and you start thinking too much. So it’s a tough mix to deal with, but I’ve learned a lot from the bikes back then to the bikes now, and the competition from back then to now. There’s a broad depth of experience that I have and I can dig into it and help myself as needed.

Last year you had a great Supercross season, with 10 podiums and a third-place finish.
How do you stay so competitive?
I like the challenge. Every year, somebody comes up and raises the bar, and for me, that’s what keeps me going. I ask myself if I can match that, if I can get that fast. Or I try to figure out what they do to get that fast. That gives me something to go home and analyze and work toward. I think each year that’s what helped me go so long. I think if I had it figured out a long time ago, I would have stopped a long time ago. It’s all about studying your competition, whether it’s bike setup or intensity, technique in turns—it’s a little bit of everything.

How is the 2005 CR250R working for you?
It’s definitely a good bike. We took our 2004 model and with those added benefits from the ’05 250, we just went racing. We applied a few personal touches to the machine that I like with regard to suspension and carburetion, but it’s definitely a great base to work with.

You’re a family man now, and your family travels with you to the races. How does that work out for you?
When I started with Factory Connection, I was fortunate enough to get my own rig, so when we’re traveling to races it’s always so much easier. We always have our own space in the truck and my family has room to hang out. The way the race schedule works, if they didn’t travel with me we’d be apart four days a week, and it would seem like a broken home, or we’d always be in a rush. So bringing them with me makes everything seem normal, and it is normal for our family. When you share a semi you always feel like you’re in somebody’s way, so I’m very fortunate to have what I have now.

Because you’re a father, lots of families come to the races and watch you, and you’re a role model for the entire family. What do you think about that?
Well, I try to put myself in that position. I remember when I was young, my dad took me to the races and I wanted the racers to be warm and welcoming when I saw them. Now that I’m a racer, I find the fans are just curious, so I try to bridge that gap. It’s exciting for a kid and for the parent to have a positive experience meeting a team rider, so I try to make it all work out for everybody.

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Statistics: 2003 5th U.S. Open 250 Supercross Championship 5th AMA/Chevy Trucks 250cc Motocross Series 14th AMA/EA Sports Supercross Series 2002 1st THQ U.S. Open Supercross Championship 6th AMA/Chevy Trucks 250cc Motocross Series 11th AMA/EA Sports Supercross Series 2001 3rd AMA/EA Sports Supercross Series 4th AMA/Chevy Trucks 250cc U.S. Motocross Championships 2000 1st Supercross World Championship 3rd AMA/EA Sports Supercross Series 5th AMA/Chevy Trucks 250cc U.S. Motocross Championships 1999 3rd AMA 250cc U.S. Supercross Series 3rd AMA/Mazda Trucks 250cc Motocross Nationals 1998 5th AMA 250cc Supercross Series 3rd AMA/Mazda Trucks 250cc Motocross Nationals 1997 6th AMA 250cc Supercross Series 5th AMA 250cc National Motocross Series 1996 6th AMA 250cc Supercross Series 3rd AMA 250cc National Motocross Series 1995 6th AMA 250cc U.S. Supercross Series 7th AMA 250cc National Motocross Series 1994 2nd AMA/Camel 250cc Supercross Series 1st AMA 250cc National Motocross Series 1993 12th AMA/Camel 250cc Supercross Series 1st AMA 500cc National Motocross Series 2nd AMA 250cc National Motocross Series 1992 6th AMA/Camel 250cc Supercross Series 2nd AMA 125cc National Motocross Series 1991 9th AMA/Camel 250cc Supercross Series 5th AMA 250cc National Motocross Series 12th AMA 125cc National Motocross Series 1990 7th AMA/Camel 250cc Supercross Series 3rd AMA 250cc National Motocross Series 8th AMA 125cc National Motocross Series 1989 14th AMA/Camel 250cc Supercross Series 2nd AMA 125cc Western Region Supercross Series 5th AMA 125cc National Motocross Series 1988 3rd AMA 125cc Eastern Region Supercross Series 7th AMA 125cc National Motocross Series

Biography: Born February 12, 1971 Michigan City, IN Residence South Bend, IN National # 5 Began riding 1977, age 6 First race 1978, age 7 Training Weights Cardio training Practice riding Mountain biking Hobbies Spending time with family Computers Riding XR70Rs Video games Trials Bikes Height 5' 11" Weight 191 lbs. Marital status Married (Elizabeth; son, Ryder) Current Bikes CR250R Mechanic Brian Kinney Mike LaRocco Racing Photos

 

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