MARYLAND MOTOCROSS

 It's time to Recognize.
 
nick farley
 
 
 
 

Nick Farley:  Hello. 

MarylandMotocross.com:  Hi can I speak to Nick Farley please?

NF:  This is him. 

MMX.com:  Hi, this is MarylandMotocross.com.  We wanted to give you an interview.  Sorry about the late call.

NF: No, it's okay. 

MMX.com:  So how are you doing tonight?

NF:  I'm doing okay, how about you? 

MMX.com:  Since you ask- Lousy: it's a lot harder to find a good place to stash dead bodies in real life than it is in the movies.  That's why I'm callin' so late.

NF: (Laugh) it's fine. 

MMX.com:  Well, right into the meat and bones so to speak: How long have you been racing in MX?

NF:  About nine years. 

MMX.com:  Any certain type of gear that you rock when you're racing?

NF:  I wear GS3.  It's my preferred brand. 

MMX.com:  Now when it comes to bikes?

NF:  I like Honda. 

MMX.com:  Yeah seems to be pretty popular with racers.  If you could change anything about MX, what would you change?

NF:  I'd change some things about the way the system is run.  More specifically, the issue with not letting the Privateers run in the Supercross this year.  They work pretty hard and without sponsorship and I think they deserve to compete in it.  The race for the love of the sport. 

MMX.com:  Oh really?  I did not know about that.  I bet a lot of people, not only the Privateers, are mad about that.

NF:  Ohhhhh yeah. 

MMX.com:  That's really good, in fact I think that's one of the best answers I've ever gotten on that question.  So what number do you represent when you ride?

NF:  My number is #66. 

MMX.com:  Is there a special story, meaning, or significance behind that number for ya?

NF:  I got it because my favorite rider is Tommy Honn. 

MMX.com:  Well, that answers my next question on who your favorite rider is.  Way to ruin the interview buddy!

NF:  (Laugh) Sorry. 

MMX.com:  Just messing with ya, but seriously don't screw up anymore.  I run deep with Da Berk Connections.  Unless you wanna be in da blood debt fo life, you'd better not cross me no mo unless you wanna feel da repercussions.

NF:  (Laugh) I'll try. 

MMX.com:  Good Nuff.  Is there a memory in motocross that you would say was your "best" or "favorite"?

NF:  I'd say it was when I was riding the 50s in the Mini-Olympics. 

MMX.com:  How'd ya do?

NF:  I got 5th. 

MMX.com:  That's a pretty respectable finish.

NF:  (Mellow) Yeah. 

MMX.com:  Well it's enough to be a threat.  I mean you run at the head of the pack being in that position you can easily get a first place finish - anything can happen in motocross.

NF:  Yeah, well had a few wrecks in that race. 

MMX.com:  After wrecking more than once?  That's commendable then.  Most people wreck once and don't even get top -10 props.

NF:  Yeah, I suppose. 

MMX.com:  Well lets talk about some of you peers.  Who would you say some of your closest friends in Motocross are?

NF:  Umm, Ryan Smith is one.  Joel Adams, Mark and Jessye Davis, are a few...ummm... 

MMX.com:  (whispers) your sister..

NF:  (laugh) and my sister (laugh). 

MMX.com:  Is there a certain track that you like to go to more than any others?

NF:  I've always like Happy Ramblers. 

MMX.com:  That's a pretty good one.  If you had to give advice to someone participating in motocross for the first time or for their first year, what would you tell them.

NF:  Don’t ever give up… 

MMX.com:  Don’t ever give up?

NF:  Yup, never give up. 

MMX.com:  That seems to be a very popular piece of advice, so I guess it must be true. 

All right, now onto Motocross Fight Club.  If you could race against or fight any adult who would it be?  It could be a MX parent, a track promoter, anyone…

 

NF:  Ummm… (Pause) I’d race against… Gary Bailey.  I wouldn’t fight anyone.  How about you? 

MMX.com:  What you wouldn’t fight anyone?  Well about me I’m a sophisticated, mature, and responsible adult, but if you insist I’ll “try” to answer your question.  (Clears throat and produces a list entitled “People I wanna fight”)  Okay, just a few off the top of my head – Ummm Daniel Grieg; that one’s the devil.  I often employ Chris Rock’s discipline upon da ladies since I don’t hit em’ – I just shake em’ till they get nice and dizzy.

NF: (Laugh) 

MMX.com:  Umm, Timex a.k.a Michael Anderson.  He’s pretty tough, but he’s kinda small right now.  One day he’ll be a lot bigger than me, so I figure might as well get in what I can right now.  Tony “The Tornado” Cygan.  He said he could take me and Kevin Duffy on at the same time, but I think Kevin could whip anyone provided he had a cup of hot coffee in his hand.  Umm Dave Segal’s son cuz this one time I came to the gate at The Landing and Vance sneezed and the guy didn’t say “Bless you” to him.  Let’s see one more:  Tyler Kirschner, not really to fight him, he’s a great kid and all, but I can’t see him without thinking “Man I wonder how far I could throw him?”

NF:  (Hard Laugh) You’ve got issues. 

MMX.com:  You been talking to my shrink?  Anyways, movin on what hobbies to you use to entertain yourself besides Motocross?

NF:  Right now I’m writing for Moto Playground. 

MMX.com:  Really?

NF:  Yeah.  I’m writing for them. 

MMX.com:  Excellent.  Man… Don’t let Michael find out he might want to give you my job.

NF:  (Laugh) I also like to ski. 

MMX.com:  Arrgghhhh you’re a 2-planker?  You guys ruin it for us boarders.  You guys just get in the way.

NF:  (Laugh) I tried it but I suck at snowboarding. 

MMX.com:  Remember, “Don’t ever give up” Telling you man, it’s like a religion, keep the faith man.  Vance and Scooter board with me sometimes

NF:  (Laugh) Well, maybe I’ll try it again some time. 

MMX.com:  I’m certain that  I remember an incident at Bud’s Creek where I saw you, where not your sister, but one of her friends fell off the flag tower at Bud’s Creek at the top of Big Gulp.

NF:  Yeah that was Sarah Whitehair.  She fell off.

MMX.com:    I remember because I was walking away from the tower when I heard a thud.  Since she fell on her back, I knew it was important not to move her and I wasn’t sure if she hit her head or not, so I told her friends to keep her conscious till the paramedics arrived.  The staff there is pretty good they were there almost instantly.  You were either in the middle of racing or had just finished I believe.

NF:  Yeah, we had just got done.  I saw something on the last lap and someone told me that a girl had fell off the tower and I was worried it might be my sister so I hopped on the back of someone’s bike and they took me up there. 

MMX.com:   Right, I’m glad she turned out okay with no serious injuries.  Well, lets lead into your injury or “The Injury”.  I got some pretty intense looking pictures e-mailed to me.

NF:  Which one? 

MMX.com:  That would be the back injury sir.  Looks like it runs the entire length of your back. 

NF:  I broke both femurs, my hip and my shoulder at South Fork.  I had previously had *scoliosis and that tweaked it even more.  I had to get two rods put in to make it straight instead of crooked.  Now I have a big ol’ scar. 

MMX.com:  are you going to cover that up with a Spine Tribal tattoo some day or something?

NF:  I’ll probably get my number.  I plan on getting Farley and 66 on there. 

MMX.com:  Kewl.  Disclaimer – Those of here at Maryland Motocross do not condone, encourage, support, or approve tattooing or body art.  We can neither confirm or deny that a couple of the Staff Members “have some really Cool ones” either. 

NF:  (Laugh) 

MMX.com:  You said you’ve had some other injuries, want to talk about those?

NF:  When I was 8, I broke my arm backwards and it came through my skin. 

MMX.com:  Arrgh!  Compound Fractures are never pretty.  

NF:  Yup.  My arm went through the handlebar pads and it broke my arm and the bone came out through my skin like I said.  I didn’t even realize it.  It was Mark and Jessye Davis’ dad that came and saw that I was bleeding.  They literally had to tape me down and stop the bleeding.  

MMX.com:    Yeah Mr. Davis is pretty kewl and one heck of a Patriotic American I might add.  It just occurred to me that we never got into your age.  How old are you?

NF:  I’m 15 years old.   

MMX.com:  You’ve been riding for 9 years, so that means that you were about 4 when you started.  A lot of kids are getting into Motocross at an early age these days.  Earlier than we would have heard about 10-20 years ago.  You, as well as many of the people we’ve interviewed  are a good example of that.  How do you feel about that?  Do you think it’s a good or bad idea?

NF:  I think it’s great; Starting that early.  Once they start, they won’t want to stop.  It’ll keep them off the streets and out of trouble when going through their teens.  Out of drugs and stuff like that. 

MMX.com:  I just think it’s amazing that they learn about clutches and shifting gears.  It definitely helps them to become a more focused individual; that will pay off if they give the same attention to other things.  I remember the first time I stole, I mean rode Greg Duffy’s bike Tyler Kirschner had to start it for me and the kids on the 50s and 60s were telling me “put it in 2nd” and I was like “This thing has gears?”  But back to your back, how the recovery coming?

NF:  Well, I have a brace now.  I have to wear it for another 6-8 months.   

MMX.com:  Well, for what it’s worth, women dig a guy with scars.

NF:  Guess I can have any girl I want then (laugh) 

MMX.com:  There ya go, they’ll line up for ya.  What would you say is going through your mind right as/before the gate drops?

NF:  To get to that corner first.  Gotta try to be the first one there to set the pace for the rest of the moto. 

MMX.com:  So totally focused on the holeshot.  Good.  What would you say is the favorite part of your race weekend?  When you first get there?  When you’re leaving? When you first see your friends?

NF:  I’d say when I do my first and second motos.  They usually are what’s going to make or break me for the weekend. 

MMX.com:  You’re sister is a very good racer.  Does she mentor you or do you guys compete? 

NF:  Both.  We compete a little bit.  Sibling rivalry I suppose (laugh).  She gives me some advice.  She helps me train in the yard.  If I’m doing something wrongs she corrects me or tells me how to do it better… 

MMX.com:  And calls you a brat from time to time for good measure?

NF:  (Laugh) Yeah that too. 

MMX.com:  I was looking over my notes and I realized that you had multiple injuries in addition to you back, could you walk me and the readers through the crash?

NF:  Sure.  I was with Ryan Smith and Bob Bailey at Southfork.  That Sunday the 1st moto went fine, but then in the 2nd I came up for a jump and went for it, came down on a lapper and went flying head over heels.  All I remember seeing Bob Bailey, then waking up in some hospital somewhere in Richmond.  My sister came and stayed with me. 

MMX.com:  So, is hospital food as bad as people say it is?

NF:  Oh… (sigh) it sucks… 

MMX.com:    (Laugh) 

NF:  It really… sucks.,.

MMX.com:  (Harder Laugh) What did they give you to eat?

NF:  I mostly stuck to Chicken Nuggets, cause all the other stuff…ugh… It was nasty. 

MMX.com:  How do you feel about guys that wear black socks with sandal and black clothes to the track?

NF:  It’s all good, I think it’s supposed to make their pictures come out better or something. 

MMX.com:  What would you say is the deal with the “Duffy Hair”?

NF:  Huh?  Who?  Which one? 

MMX.com:  Shoot, pick one…  It makes em look all crazy like.  Like a Cross between Albert Einstein and Kiss

NF:  To each his own I suppose. 

MMX.com:  What did the doctor say at your most recent trip? 

NF:  He said everything is going good.  The uh, (laugh) surgery made me two inches taller. 

MMX.com:  What?  I’m only 5’7” myself, so I could go in to a Doc and be like I want you make me 5’9” cause you gave Nick Farley a little boost.  Let’s do this?

NF:  No, mine was a special case.

MMX.com:  That’s crazy.  But let’s talk about that.  This is a side effect of scoliosis right?

NF:  Well I’ve always been short.  When I was younger I even had to bolt some platforms to my boots so the seat wouldn’t kick me around.  I was too old to ride 50s and I was too small for the bigger bikes so I had to adapt. 

MMX.com:  In spite of all of this, the things you had to overcome, I still heard that you did a pretty good job at spanking people from time to time.  You tended to stay near the front of the pack.

NF:  No.  I wouldn’t say that at all.  There are a lot of people out there faster and better than me and a lot of people better and faster than them:  There is always someone better and faster.  I think I gave many people as much of a “Run for my money” as I did them. 

MMX.com:  So where does your motocross career go from here?

NF:  Well, my mom and dad won’t let me race anymore.  I mean, I really can’t.  The rods in my back are permanent.  If I case something real hard or crash, there’s not telling what will happen: they could go right into my head or something.  We don’t want to take that risk.  I would either like to be an announcer or stick with the Moto Playground people and work with them. 

MMX.com:  Well, writing is a good hobby.  It’s fun..

NF:  Yeah I like it a lot. 

MMX.com:  You seem to have a good personality for it, you know your stuff and are pretty funny, so I think you’ll be just as happy doing that. 

NF:  Yeah I definitely know a lot about injuries and I have a decent amount of experience in the sport.  Especially at Bud’s Creek (laugh).  I hurt my ankle at least 3 times a year there.   

MMX.com:  So when you’re racing there sometimes you think “I wonder if I’m going to hurt my ankle today?” 

NF:  Yeah sometimes it can be exactly like that.  I don’t get too worried about it.  I’ve been through a lot of pain, so a little ankle injury doesn’t bother me. 

MMX.com:  Listen to you “I just broke me ankle, eh, no big deal” (laugh)

NF:  (Laugh) Hey Never give up, keep on riding.  When I get off the track I’ll put ice on it. 

MMX.com:  All right Nick, I think I’ll leave before I get injured from being around ya

NF:  (Laugh) Okay. 

MMX.com:  Take it easy.  Well either look forward to hearing from you over the loudspeaker or in Moto Playground. 

NF:  Okay, thanks, I’ll look for you guys. 

*Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. Although it usually doesn't cause pain, scoliosis or its treatment can sometimes wound a child's self-esteem. At worst, scoliosis can interfere with the function of organs.

The spine is an elegant structure — from the side it takes the form of an elongated S, the upper back bowing outward and the lower back curving slightly inward. Viewed from behind though, the spine should appear as a straight line from the base of the neck to the tailbone. If your child has scoliosis, the view from behind may reveal one or more abnormal curves. Most cases of scoliosis don't get worse, and periodic checkups may be all that your child needs. Children with more a severe curve that continues to increase, however, may require a brace or surgery.

Scoliosis runs in families, but doctors often don't know the cause. More girls get scoliosis than boys. Of every 1,000 children, three to five develop spinal curves that are severe enough to need treatment. Onset of scoliosis rarely occurs in adults. Sometimes, adult scoliosis is a worsening of a condition that began in childhood, but wasn't diagnosed or treated. In other cases, it may result from a degenerative joint condition in the spine.

 

 

 

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