The 2008 GNCC Overall Youth Champion, Steward Baylor recently added another title to his resume as he clinched the GNCC 200A Class title with three races left in the series. Ready to take his racing program to the next level, Baylor will compete in the XC2 Pro Lites Class at the final three GNCC rounds. We caught up with him prior to his pro racing debut.
Don't let Steward's size fool ya. He's still just a kid, although he doesn't ride like one! | Photo: Krista Shaw
Alright, Steward, before we get too far, why don’t you tell the people out there a little bit about yourself.
Well, I’m 15 years old, and I’ve been racing since I was 4. I started racing GNCCs on 65s, and I’ve been racing them every year since. I’ve been pretty fortunate to be able to win a GNCC class championship every year since then except one.
I remember watching you race last year, when you were still only 14 thinking there was no way you should still be racing in the Youth races. You looked like a man out there!
Yeah, a lot of people thought I was older than I was, or that I was riding a bored out bike or something. Since I weighed 175 pounds, they didn’t think it was possible for me to win riding a 105 and be able to win. It was just one of those things, I was still young and wasn’t ready to move up to the big bikes at the nationals yet.
You’re just a pretty big guy, right? How do you think that will workout for you as you move into the XC2 Pro Lites class?
Well yeah, I’m 6 feet tall and weigh right around 200 pounds. I don’t really think it will be a problem, because I just came off the 200cc and the 250 four stroke is definitely faster. I’m riding the SX and it’s definitely faster. It pulls pretty good and it hooks up way better so I don’t think it’ll be much of a problem
Steward gets in some moto practice on his KTM 250SX | Photo: Krista Shaw
I know this past week you’ve been staying with Kailub Russell, who is leading the XC2 class in points. How has it been riding with him?
He’s definitely faster than me, and he makes a lot less mistakes than I do. But, I’m pretty much riding over my head trying to keep up with him, so I feel like If I keep my head straight, I think I can get a podium this weekend. You know, if I just ride at my own pace and not try and push too hard. I think I’m faster from this past week of riding with him and seeing what lines he takes and stuff like that.
So obviously you’re trying out XC2 for these final 3 races, do you have any concrete plans for 2010?
I don’t know anything as of right now. I’d like to work with KTM again but you never know. But, that’s what I’m planning on, being back with KTM and racing the XC2 class.
Everything I hear about you says you’re a pretty wild kid. That you get loaded up on energy drinks before your races and all sorts of stuff like that.
Oh yeah, I load up on energy drinks. Before a race the first thing I do is eat like a 1,000 pounds of food. Then I drink a 5 Hour Energy, finished off with a Red Bull, and I top it all off with an Aquafina. I’ve done that every race for the past two years and I’m not about to change! I’m a little bit superstitious. I’m all hyped up on the line and I’m ready to go! Everyone says I’m gonna have a heart attack by the time I’m 20, but at least it’s for a good cause!
Man, that’s pretty wild. Do the energy drinks wear off or anything?
I don’t know, about the last lap I start getting tired. The more that I eat, the longer I last. At Snowshoe I ate 7 pieces of cheesecake, 2 hamburgers, and a Cliff bar. I saw the 2 lap card and I was ready to go for longer. I notice a lot of people don’t eat at all before the race, and I eat as much as I can. That’s one of things Jason Raines taught me and it definitely works.
Talk a little bit more about the training and stuff you did with Jason Raines.
We worked with each other the whole year I was in the 12-13, up until the beginning of last year. Every time I’d go he’d keep telling me the same things, and you know, you just get better and better because you forget stuff that he told you before and I always get better. I also worked with Steve Hatch last year and he taught me a lot too.
Steward follows in the footsteps of past GNCC Youth Champions Kailub Russell and Cory Buttrick as he moves into the pro ranks. | Photo: Krista Shaw
What kind of training do you do?
I train a little bit. I ride, and sometimes road bike. That’s about it. Right now my road bike shoes are falling apart since I rode in the rain so I haven’t been doing too much of that lately. Just riding really.
How do you see your race going on Sunday in your XC2 pro debut?
Well, I’m guessing I’m not gonna see that I’m in first on the pit board when I come through. Usually that gets me mad and I ride faster, so hopefully I don’t ride over my head and crash. I hope I can keep my head on straight. I don’t know if it’ll happen, if it doesn’t I’ll probably end up on the side of the track somewhere!
Alright Steward, good luck on Sunday and hopefully we’ll see you take the checkers and not on your head out there somewhere!
Thanks! Before I go, I’d like to thank a few people if you don’t mine: My mom and dad, my sister and grandparents. FLY Racing, KTM, KTM Hard Parts, Smith Optics, Shoei, Michelin, Fastway, Pro Moto Billet, Jason Raines and Steve Hatch. Oh, and my girlfriend said I need to thank her in the next interview, so thanks!