Zach raced at Muddy Creek on July 9-10 – a great way to prepare himself for the big gates and competition coming up over the next couple of weeks.  Always the kid who tackles several classes, Zach competed in 16 motos over the weekend.  Here is how he finished up:

Saturday: Supermini 2nd, Schoolboy 3rd, 250B 5th, 450 B 4th.

Sunday: Supermini 2nd, Schoolboy 7th, 250 B 4th, 450B 1st.

***sister Rhianna brought home 2nd place in the Girls 12-15 class both days as well – yep, she is stepping it up as well!

After Muddy Creek, it has been all business – getting the bikes ready, training (both mental and physical) and making plans.  The family will strike out to Oklahoma this week, stage at Ponca and then make a run over for some pre-race practice at Robbie Reynard’s track before the big event.  Zach is qualified to run 9 (yes 9) classes at Ponca.  Granted, that may be a little much for even Zach.  Parents Tab and David will decide which classes they feel will be right for Zach when they get there, so stay tuned for the final decisions.

One thing is certain – watch for Zach to fulfill this part of his 2011 plan, which is win a national title at Ponca.  His training has never been more disciplined, his focus has never been more narrow, his heart has never been more sure of his goals.  Best of luck to Zach as he competes!!!!!

Zach sat a top the box in several classes of this event – winning the 250 B, Schoolboy 2 and Supermini classes.  He finished 2nd in the 450 B class after a second moto crash while pushing for the lead.  Solid finishes and strong, fast laps – good prep for Loretta’s in August.  Official results will be added to the results page soon.

Don’t forget that this is a family affair – sister Rhianna had a good day as well, bringing home 2nd place in the Women’s class.  And what does the Bishop-Burnett crew do to celebrate a great weekend at the track? Well, cool down with some R&R in the pool of course (pictured below).  Stay tuned for weekly updates as Zach makes his run for the championship at Loretta’s ranch in 2011!

Cooling Off!

 Let me first remind you that Zach has always had a true passion for the sport, and with that passion a drive for success.  When you plan to win, and you expect to win, it can be hard when you don’t.  But do not think for a moment that Zach is a quitter – instead remember that Zach is a “kid”.  Given the fact that Zach is a youngster, his career in racing is driven primarily with the support of his family, a group of people that have exerted a ton of effort and time into putting Zach in a position to do well.  When things were good, they were really good.  And when things went bad – well, bad is just bad.

When last we broadcast, Zach had just competed at the Spring Classic, where things were less than great (see previous post – “Busy is good right? It is if you are a MX athlete”).  From there, the team moved on to the GNC National at Oak Hill.  It was there that things went “south”.  This wasn’t a failure on Zach’s part, mind you, but instead just a boiling point of the family dynamic and considerable exhaustion on the part of the people involved.  There were some really low points at that time.  What it came down to was this – does Zach want to and does he have the potential to make motocross his career?  All other things aside, the answer was still a resounding “YES”.

So, the team packed up and headed to a place where they could get some help – the home and facility of Onario Izzy.  This “boot camp” environment has made a world of difference.  Oh, there have been some “hiccups” along the way – including mom Tabatha ditching the motor home and trailer to avoid a collision, and long weeks being cooped up in a motor home with dogs, teenagers and motorcycle parts.  It’s not a picnic – but it IS working.

Results speak for themselves – Zach has already qualified for and has his choice of THREE classes at Loretta Lynn’s (granted he can only choose two).  Last weekend, he not only went 1-1-1 in the Supermini 2 class at the North Central Regional, but he also qualified for the Schoolboy 2 class (Zach is also qualified for Supermini 1).  For a full list of Zach’s results in his quest for Loretta’s, toggle over “Racing Results” and then choose “2011 Loretta Lynn’s Qualifying”.

What’s next on the horizon? Continued training, full focus and dedication to the preparation for national championships and above all else, FUN! That’s right, when you love a sport as much as Zach loves motocross, you can BET he is going to have fun.  Stay tuned for more updates as Zach takes his fresh approach, his renewed energy and his unwavering focus to the next level.

Things went very well at Oak Hill (Feb. 27th).  Zach showed speed and style, rode consistently and finished a top the podium more than once.  In the Supermini class, two solid 2nd place finishes gave Zach 2nd overall for the day.  The 125cc two-stroke class is always fun to watch, as these days the two-stroke does not get much attention.  Zach brought attention to himself nicely with a 3rd and 4th place finish, for an overall 3rd place.  Schoolboy proved to be the toughest of the day, but not too tough for Zach to still manage to impress.  He finished Moto 1 in 6th place, and then managed to move up to 4th in Moto 2, for a solid 4th place overall.  The goal of the day was to gain experience in preparation for the upcoming  nationals, and that was accomplished.

From TX, Zach and Tabatha moved on to do some training/riding in order to stay fresh for the Millcreek Spring Classic on March 7th.  Totally committed to training, Zach put in long days at the track, ending the day relaxing in the hot tub.  In the blink of an eye, it was time to head to AL to “move in” and get ready for a week of great racing.  David, Jansin and the rest of the crew headed over to Mill Creek, just in time for Mother Nature to wash away any hope of the races starting on schedule.  Yes, that’s right – rain, rain, rain and more rain.  That’s the joy of outdoor racing – sometimes it is perfect, and other times the weather is as much of a competitor as the other athletes.

After a couple of day’s delay, with no riding, Zach found it difficult to get back in “race mode”.  That happens to even the best athlete – the mental aspect of motocross is just as important as the physical.  It ended up being a TOUGH week – Zach struggled to get it together, the track conditions were less than perfect and the competition was stiff.  All in all, Zach’s finishes did not represent his ability.  Of course, even a tough time teaches you something, and this week certainly taught Zach some valuable lessons.  He knows he does NOT like being stuck mid-pack.  He recognizes how important FOCUS is – lose it for a second, and it’s hard to get back.  He also saw, first hand, that to get what you want, you have to work for it – and you cannot stop trying. 

Today, Zach is back at Oak Hill.  Practice for the GNC National went well – his riding was smooth, putting down fast laps and finding that comfortable place between control and chaos.  You can bet that Zach is focused on making a good showing at Oak Hill.  He is totally committed to his goal of excelling, gaining positive attention and putting in the hard work to become a national champion.

If the past few weeks are any indication, Zach is certainly on the path to excellence.  With his focus dialed in on preparing for outdoor nationals in 2011, Zach has been putting down the track time over the past few weeks, and has a busy schedule of motocross on the agenda in the upcoming months.

Zach headed out West to California a couple of weeks ago, under the supervision of Jansin McCoy, who is acting as guardian/trainer/mechanic/driver and any other role needed to help Zach succeed.  The daily grind has been moto, day in and day out.  On the track, laying down laps – dialing it in and then doing it all over again.  Zach has been riding at  some of the best tracks in California – Glen Helen, Pala Raceway and even spent some time at Mike Alessi’s track.  No, this trip out West has not been a “vacation” – it has been work.  Aside from one short weather delay, Zach has been training every day building speed, working on technique, cornering and fitness.

Why California? Well, why not? After all, motocross was introduced to the United States in 1966 in Simi Valley, California.  This state has always been notorious for breeding champions.  The weather tends to cooperate, the tracks are great and the competition is fierce.  It’s a great place to gain experience, train and focus.

While in CA, Zach was able to find some racing time as well.  The California Gold Cup Motocross Series was held at Glen Helen on Feb. 13.  This event, hosted by Rojo Productions, offered Zach the opportunity to line up on full gates against hoards of talented athletes, and allowed him to put all that training to the test.  If practice makes perfect, then training makes winners – Zach was able to leave the Gold Cup with a first place finish in the 125 2-stroke class, and a 2nd place in the Supermini thru 16 class.  He pulled off a 7th place in the 250 4-stroke class as well.  Besides building his confidence, it also allowed Zach to put focus to the areas that needed work.  Following this race, it was back to the tracks to train – finding new ways to shave down lap times, and honing his skills to assure he is able to compete with the front runners.

Only a few more days in CA, then Zach is back in the South to prepare for national races.  He’ll be training in Alabama for a short time, and then off to Texas for a warm up event at Oak Hill (warm up for the 35th annual Grand National Championship).  From there, it’s off to Millcreek for the Thor Millcreek Spring Classic (Mar 7-12).  The GNC follows on March 15-20, and then prep for the World Mini Grand Prix in early April.  No time to rest after, as Loretta Lynn’s area and regional qualifiers will follow.  The “grand plan” is to compete at each and every national event in 2011, so the calendar is full.  Clearly, this training that is happening now is just the prelude to several months of hard work.

Aristotle said excellence was not an act, but a habit.  Habits are formed by repeatedly doing something, something that just simply is part of who you are and what you do.  Well, Zach is in the habit of spending time on the bike, and motocross is part of who he is.  His dedication for the season is running through his veins.  He has, in all this, paved himself a path to success.  You can expect excellence for Zach in 2011 – he will make it a habit!

Understand that Zach is never satisfied to go to ANY race and end up spending more time off the track than on.  Arenacross doesn’t give you a ton of track time, so to make the most of the day, Zach competed in 6 classes.  With practice, heat races and main events combined, this put Zach on the track more than 20 times throughout the day.  It also kept his pit crew pretty darn busy as well!

Zach pulled off impressive wins in both the 85cc 12-15 and 85cc Open classes, with stiff competition in both.  In the B class races (both 250 and 450), Zach kept the pace with more experienced B riders, and held his own with a 3rd on the 250 and 5th on the 450.  Competing with this level of rider, who are often as faster (and sometimes faster than a pro class rider) has given Zach a new focus and determination.  This kid likes to be up front, so he is trying new lines, working on starts and building his speed to run up front.  It’s not going to be long before his competitors are looking at the back of his jersey every weekend.  The Schoolboy class was not much different from the B class events – fast guys and a tight track which makes for great racing.  A strong 2nd place finish in this class wrapped up a night of hard work for Zach.  To take the edge off of the night, Zach competed in one other class that can be considered a little more “fun” – the pit bike race.  This one Zach won hands down and watching him zip around on a small bike with his knees almost to the handlebars was quite interesting from a spectator’s view.  Leave it to Zach to impress the crowd by jumping the pit bike just as cleanly as he does his race bike!

The fleet

All in all, the weekend of AX was a good one.  Now, the Bishop Burnett team is just looking forward to some great outdoor competitions.  Big things on the horizon for Zach, as he continues to train and push himself as he works towards his goals.

Zach is competing in four classes within this series: Supermini 1, Supermini 2, Schoolboy and Youth (125cc).  This is his first experience as a recently “stepped up” B rider, and you can imagine this comes as no small feat.  Of course, Zach continues to give his all and has the speed to put himself in contention, but mentally a rider must prepare himself for this change in focus.  The mental preparation of this sport is equally important to the physical training – if you race MX, you know that your “head” has to be right!  Zach is working this out in quick time, and understands what he has to do to put his KX up front.

On to the weekend’s racing and results! Overall results were: Supermini 1: 2nd, Supermini 2: 5th, Schoolboy: 8th, and Youth (125cc): 11th.  Much of the weekend’s racing took sheer drive and determination by a very talented young man – Zach worked extremely hard and it was not without it’s challenges.

In Moto 1 of the Supermini 1 class, a bad start put Zach in about 20th off the gate.  Pushing forward, Zach worked his way up to 3rd before a crash dropped him back to 5th.  From the pits, David noticed that Zach was not jumping obstacles as he normally would and feared the worst, but Zach was able to push through and hang on to the spot.  After the race, it was found that a missing shifter was to blame for the change in riding style.  Impressive that Zach was able to hold a top five position while not being able to shift!  Zach came back to win the 2nd Moto, which gave him a 2nd overall.

The first moto of the Supermini 2 class was not without it’s challenges as well.  Zach had a great start and was making a pass for first place, when he and the other rider both went down.  He was up quick, but Zach had trouble getting the bike to cooperate, which cost him some time and left him with a 9th place moto finish.  Again, the 2nd moto proved better, with Zach winning the moto to end up with the 5th overall.

This weekend brings another series race at Dade City MX (just north of Tampa).  To prepare, Zach has been training at various FL tracks throughout the week.  This training comes with the help of Zach’s pit crew, Joe Cataldo and Jansin McCoy – both guys have been by Zach’s side to assure he has the right equipment, the right training and the right mentality.  Of course, the family will be by his side on race day as well – giving Zach the support he needs to continue to push towards his goals of national level exposure and championships.  Good luck to Zach as he competes this weekend at Dade City MX!

January brings the 2011 Florida Winter Am Series – a 40 year tradition that has highlighted the talent of riders like Bob Hannah, David Bailey, Jeff Stanton, Damon Bradshaw and Kevin Windham, just to name a few.  As the motto goes from the track, “if you want to be the best, you have to race with the best”.

Racing begins January 1 at Gatorback Cycle Park and continues throughout January at many top notch FL tracks.  This will be a great opportunity for Zach to get seat time in the B class with plenty of competition to fuel his fire for success.

Once the FL racing is done, the game plan is to head out West for some serious training and seat time.  Zach plans to be as competitive as possible at the national level, and is committed to his ultimate goal of racking up championships at every opportunity.

There is no doubt that 2011 is going to be an exciting year.  Keep it tuned here for updates from the Bishop Burnett pits as big things happen!!!!

Zach was running 8 classes in Supercross and another 8 classes in Motocross.  This was an advantage and a disadvantage in some ways.  Obviously, the more classes, the more opportunities for a championship.  The downside of that is the hardship on the rider himself physically, the upkeep of the bikes and in general the continued requirement of being mentally “on” at all times.  Granted, Zach has youth on his side, but even the youngest, physically fit rider will fatigue after moto upon moto.  Combine that along with the pressure of a national event with stiff competition, and you can bet that the entire pit crew was fighting exhaustion from time to time.

Even with the challenges, there were a lot of “high’s” during the week at the Mini O’s.  Coming home with two Supercross Championships (Open C Stock and 250 C Stock) was by far the high point of the week.  The goal was set and attained by Zach with support from those that love him the most.  The rest of the Supercross competition went well also – with no finish outside of the top 10.  Going in, Zach’s mother had commented that she would find satisfaction in top 10 finishes.  Not only was she satisfied – she was elated.  Moving on to Motocross was a bit of a transition – different bike set up, new track, same tough competitors.  Even at that, Zach was able to enjoy several high points during his 16 motos.  A solid 1st place in Moto 1 of the 250 C Mod class, and top 3 in 5 other first motos as well.  The second motos weren’t much different – with one moto win and 3 other podiums.  In and around the racing, Zach got to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends, socialize and meet new people, and chat with media folks for his “15 minutes” of fame.

If the entire week would have been only high points, one would sit and wonder how on Earth things could get any better.  Well, Zach’s week was great, but it did have it’s share of low points too.  Some tough heat races in the Supercross (fortunately main event counts) gave way to more difficulties in the Motocross races.  First motos all went well as mentioned earlier – it was the second motos that proved to be TOUGH.  Rain made the track slippery for the first moto of the day (Supermini 1) and it got the best of Zach – starting the day on a bit of a sour note.  In typical fashion, Zach shook it off and prepared mentally for good motos ahead.  Another bump in the road occurred at the start of the Supermini 2 moto – with Zach timing his start just a little wrong, and getting hung in the gate as a result.  Our friends at Vurb Moto caught it on tape: http://www.vurbmoto.com/theatre/1099/supermini-2-moto-2-uncut/ .  Oooopppsss! Now, Zach is persistent, so he was able to push his way up to 8th and finish up 6th overall, but chances are he would have been on the podium had this start worked out.  Possibly, no – certainly, the most frustrating low point of the week happened in the 250 C Mod moto 2.  Zach came into this moto with a first place finish – and had the best chance for a Motocross Championship in this class.  Zach pulled the holeshot and was in first on lap one – with the number one plate in sight.  It was at this point that the toll of the week’s events came into play.  It could have been carelessness on the part of the mechanic, an honest oversight, or just a straight up mistake – who knows, but when Zach’s rear brake shoes FELL OFF (yes, I said fell off) the bike, Zach was unable to hold his lead.  Mentally, this was very taxing because Zach knew this was his shot and the bike was not going to let him have it.  Frustrating also for Zach’s family, who had invested so much time and effort into giving Zach the best opportunity for success.  To add “insult to injury”, this bad moto cost Zach the prestigious Pro Circuit Platinum Pipe award (an award giving to the rider with the best points total for all events combined).  Zach missed this award by 3 points.

Now that all is said and done, I would bet that if you ask the Bishop Burnett crew how the week went, they would all agree it was GREAT.  Sure, a few low points, but as a whole, they accomplished what they went there to do – give Zach the opportunity to excel in the sport that runs through his veins.  You can bet that Zach will continue to have more good days at the track than bad, as he continues to push forward with exceptional talent, drive and determination.