"An Interview with Gary Semics"

ACR: What was your first motorcycle?
GS: A 1965 Harley 50cc. I rode it all over the farm and dirt roads for 3 years. 

ACR: What was your first race experience like?
GS: It was in 1968 I believe. It was a great track in New Philadelphia Ohio. I rode a 200cc Serpa S Bultaco. (Cycles may come and cycles may go, but none can beat the Bultaco). I had a big crash in practice and smashed the pipe shut. We cut it off under the engine and I won the race. 

ACR: Name your 5 favorite tracks.
GS: I had some favorite tracks in Europe and New Zealand, but I don't recall all the names. In the US I would say my favorites are: Unadilla, High Point, Steel City, Southwick, and Mammoth. 

ACR: What was your favorite race of all time?
GS: I would have to say Puyallup, Washington Trans-Am (500 class) in 1976. In the 2nd moto I came from around 10th place to an easy win. I was really clicking that day, if only I could have raced like that every race. In the first moto I think I was fourth with some bike problems. 

ACR: What was your favorite MX bike?
GS: My 1976 380cc Works Kawasaki.

ACR: Who was your heroes or idols growing up?
GS: Tosten Hallman, Joel Roberts, Roger DeCoster, Bengt Aberg, and some other Euros. 

ACR: What are you up too today?
GS: Marketing and producing my motocross technique video series, doing my own personal motocross schools, running my motocross school franchise, and training some of the top riders. This year I'm training McGrath, Ernesto Fonseca, and Branden Jesseman. 

ACR: What's your current bikes owned and/or ridden today?
GS: Two 2000 KX 250s and a 1996 DR 350 Suzuki. 

ACR: Do you still ride & or race today?
GS: I love riding, so I ride at least once a week. I've haven't raced much in the last few years. Just twice last year. I would love to race more, but I don't want to race unless I'm prepared for it and now a days I just don't have enough time to prepare. 

ACR: Who was your most feared rival?
GS: I never feared any rider. I always tried to feel that I could do good no matter how bad things got at times. 

ACR: What do you think of today's current crop of riders?
GS: I think that there's some of them like McGrath, LaRocco, Carmicheal, Jesseman, Fonseca, and some others that are willing to do whatever it takes to win, but then I also think that there's a lot of riders today that are only willing to do so much and that's it. They're not willing to make the ultimate sacrifice of actually changing their life, their comfort zone. These riders set their rules for themselves according to their want to be believes and not with the true terms of hard core reality. Unfortunately for them, when the gate drops, hard core reality strikes. If you haven't paid the price, and you're not properly prepared, you just can't do it. 

ACR: Who was the most influential person(s) in your life?
GS: Humh, that's a good question. There were a lot of people who were influential in my life, but I'd have to say that the person who was the most influential was my Dad. He was an iron worker and a farmer. He taught me courage, to be tough, and to work hard. 

ACR: Name your favorite movie of all time.
GS: Sparticuss The old black and white movie with Kirk Douglas. I saw it several times when I was a kid. 

ACR: Name your favorite food.
GS: Good pasta with tomato sauce. 

ACR: What do you think of the current SX series?
GS: I think it's very exciting. The tracks are challenging this year and there's a lot of close racing. I know that it's a lot tougher than it looks out there. There's a lot of guys that are riding good this year. 

ACR: What do you think of the AMA allowing 400cc 4-strokes to
run in the 250 class?
GS: I think they should not be allowed, it's a 250 class. The 4-strokes should have their own class, like a support class. The factories can race 4- strokes in the 500 GPs. 

ACR: Who do you think is the greatest MX rider of all time?
GS: Jeremy McGrath. He's wired for speed on a motocross bike. 

ACR: Anything you'd like to say in parting?
GS: I'd like to say that if you're racing as a living or a hobby, prepare yourself and always ride smart. Never ride out of control and over your head. You can't make consistent fast laps if you're making mistakes. And you can't make good consistent progress if you're hurting yourself.

About Gary Semics

Gary Semics was born in 1954, and has been riding motorcycles since he was 10 years old. Gary began racing in 1968, when he was 14 years old. Gary raced for a living, as a professional, for 14 years straight, riding for CZ, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, Can-Am, Honda and Suzuki. 

Gary had the chance to race all over the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Canada, Mexico and the United States. In 1974, he won the 500cc Super Cross Championship for Husqvarna. In 1977 he raced as a member of the U.S. team for the Motocross and Trophy des Nations. Gary also won several Nationals and placed 2nd and 3rd in the AMA 500 National Series in 1976 and 1979. In 1982 Gary began racing in the 500cc World Championship Grand Prix. Gary's best year was 1982 when he placed 7th in the 500cc series. Gary was always a top 10 finisher in World Class M-X Competition. In 1996 he was honored by being inducted into Motocross Action Magazine's Hall of Fame. 

In 1985, Gary Semics began his Motocross School. In the years since then he has trained hundreds of students, but the one you've probably heard the most about is Jeremy McGrath. Gary has been Jeremy's personal trainer for several years. Gary trains and coaches many other top pro M-X racers, including Steve Lamson, Ezra Lusk, Kevin Windham, Ernesto Fonseca, Stephane Roncada, John Dowd, Brian Swink, Mike Brown, Kyle Lewis, Jiri Dostal, Fred Andrews, and Branden Jesseman. Gary has found that he has a real knack for teaching, and it has become his goal to train MX riders around the country.

In order to reach all you MX enthusiasts, Gary produced the "Gary Semics Motocross Techniques" Video Series. The series presently includes seven techniques videos and one historic video called "The Evolution of Motocross." In 1993 Gary also began to franchise his schools out to other qualified instructors Nationwide.