Added pressure, added confidence for Gopher Dunes Racing Troy Lee Designs Honda Canada
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With new sponsorship and new riders comes new expectations for Gopher Dunes Racing Troy Lee Designs Honda Canada in the 2013 Monster Energy MX Nationals.
“Definitely it gives the team added pressure for good results, for sure,” said GDR TDL Honda team owner and manager Derek Schuster.
“Also some added pressure to make sure everything is very presentable and professional-looking.
“We have about 20 different sponsors, all different levels, but the major ones are Troy Lee Designs and Honda Canada. The major funding for the team comes from those two companies. This is the first year we’ve had Honda on as a major sponsor… and we’re Honda’s primary team now. This year they’re helping with funding to go racing, and also supplying all the motorcycles, and our parts budget too.”
Honda, returning to the national MX series for the first time as a major team sponsor since 2006, is supplying eight motorcycles.
“We definitely took a big step in the right direction,” said Schuster. “I think we did really well actually setting ourselves up with good sponsors. It’s not just quantity, the quality of sponsors is good too.”
When Gopher Dunes made its pro debut sponsoring Liam O’Farrell on a privateer level in 2010, they basically took whatever they could in sponsorship.
“Now, we really feel like we’re in with the exact sponsors that we want to be, where we’re putting parts on the bike that are really going to benefit it… making it one of the top bikes – if not ‘the’ top bike on the track for that class.”
That pressure pushes the riders, said Schuster, because they know their bikes are as good as any out there.
“That’s what Honda and Troy Lee Designs expect,” Schuster nodded.
“It adds some extra pressure to the riders, but at the same time it also does give them extra confidence knowing their bike is every bit as capable as the other top guys on the track.”
Troy Lee Designs is the team’s riding gear sponsor.
“They’re funding a big portion of the team’s money as well. They supply the riders with all their riding gear, and the team with all of its clothing for mechanics and pits, and some casual wear. And a bonus program for the riders to make some additional money.”
GDR TDL Honda will have two riders in the 2013 national MX2 series – Blake Savage, 20, originally from Utah, now living in California, and Nathan Bles, 21, originally from the Goderich area, now living in London.
“These guys, as far as them making money this summer, is very performance based,” said Schuster. “We have more, different sponsors contributing this year to the bonus program. There’s a few big ones, obviously, but there’s also some smaller companies like their boot sponsor and their neck-brace sponsor. If they’re getting podium finishes, they’re getting paid some extra money from those companies too.
“Podium finishes and they’ll be doing really well… Top 5 they’re doing pretty good… and anything else, aside from a few that are inside the Top 10, they’re pretty much only making the purse money from the CMRC. The majority are probably Top 3.”
Schuster, 28, who grew up at Gopher Dunes (family owned and operated), said racing a team in the national series increases their exposure nationally and internationally.
“I started the team with Liam in 2010, and it just kind of developed from there. We thought it was a good way to do some promotional stuff with Gopher Dunes outside of the track and across the country. Because it has become a lot more known across the country and around the world since we started holding a National in 2005. I think this is just taking that to the next step because now people recognize us, not just for holding the National, but also for having a team that competes in the Nationals.”
Schuster plans to be in Nanaimo for the series-opener on June 2.
“Once the season starts, I just kind of worry about the day-to-day operations, people getting on their flights, that kind of thing. The two riders, the two mechanics (Casten Kirk and Justin Petker), and one other (race director Matthew Bannon) will travel to the races, flying back and forth each week. That way they can train here during the week, and kind of have more or a regular lifestyle. Those first two years, they were on the road through the week. It made it really tough because you’re always trying to find a place to ride, you never get the same night’s sleep, it’s hard to have regular meals… it makes such a big difference.”