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Pro ATV MX National Champion Chad Wienen, The Lifestyle.

Do you have a passion for racing or ever wonder what it takes to become a Pro Rider in the sport of motocross? We sat down with the 8X ATV MX National Champion, Chad Wienen to find out a little about him and the sport of ATV racing at the National level. Chad states, “I’ve

loved it since I started racing at the age of 16. It’s something that hooks you in and once you’re hooked, you’re hooked. The adrenaline in racing and riding I have found to be unmatched with any other kind of sport or activity I have participated in thus far in life.”

Being an 8X Champion, we wanted to know what kind of skills you would need to be this kind of an athlete.


Chad responded, “My approach and skills have adapted and evolved over the years as the sport progresses and as I get older, I've adapted to figuring out what my body needs at different times. I've learned the importance of off and recovery days. I implement a lot of bodyweight workouts as opposed to heavy lifting and really take care of my body from the inside out. The importance of good foods and a healthy lifestyle has really attributed to my accomplishments over the years. I truly believe what you put into your body and how you fuel it with good food has a dramatic effect on your performance.”

Next, we wanted to know what does a daily routine look like for a pro quad rider? Chad told us, “During training season I typically go to the gym early in the morning and come home and have breakfast with the family. Then I go for a walk with the dog and if I am not going to go ride, I start working in the shop. At this point in the year, I am finishing up race builds so I am in the shop most days if I am not out riding at a track. Not only should you have a good daily routine but you also have to be disciplined when it comes to your nutrition. Chad explains, “I’ve been plant-based now for two years. My diet and nutrition remain constant throughout the year no matter what training season I am in. During training season, I may do more cycling, body weights, or add more days of riding than I do during the offseason but I try to stay committed to my nutrition year-round.”


You have to take the good with the bad, and even though Chad strives to be one of the best athletes, we all know not everyone is perfect and we all have weaknesses. Chad goes on to tell us, “It’s not really a secret that I’m one of the biggest racers out on the track so while that benefits me in certain types of terrain it definitely can hinder me in flat and fast tracks. Improving the speed and steering of the machine has helped equalize the playing field more against my competitors in those types of conditions. Along with this, we don’t always finish at the top or have the best luck when it comes to the sport of racing. Chad explains, “In 2010 at Budd’s Creek I got food poisoning the night before the race. The entire race day I was throwing up and would get out of bed to go and race and then crawl back into bed. It was a complete mud race! It was a really cold day and I always remember that being one of my least favorite race days.


With any sport, we all have the one athlete that we look up to and dream of being like one day. If you are familiar with the sport of quad racing, you know that many kids and youth riders look up to all the Pro Riders. We asked Chad if there was a pro rider that he looked up to and why. Chad states, “There were some absolute legends in the racing scene when I was coming up through the ranks that even to this day I still look up to and admire. Timmy Farr was one bad dude on a four-wheeler as well as Jeremiah Jones. Their speed and style on the machines were something I always looked to and studied.” Chad goes on to explain how racing has helped him throughout his life. Chad tells us, “It’s taught me so much and I have met so many incredible people. I think one of the most important things this sport has taught me is that any given day anything can happen but all you can do is prepare and know that you are 100% ready so you can perform your best.”


With hard work and dedication comes success, we wanted to hear about Chad’s most successful season in racing. Chad goes on to tell us, “Each season has its different story and each year seems to get more and more competitive trying to find more speed more power. Doing both while keeping the machine and myself reliable is always the key. He says 2012 will always have a special place in his heart because it was his first season on his own team and with Yamaha. The key players building his machine and his self-had countless and endless nights in the shop working. They built a machine that was best suitable for him to make it a winning machine with not a ton of time.” Chad came back after breaking his back and was able to come back on top and he says, “winning is a feeling I will never forget!”



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