FIRST PERSON/OPINION My Red Bull Rookies Cup Tryout By Garet Tomlinson It all started last summer when I got the news from Bill Syfan about the Red Bull Rookies Cup; when he said they were going to have a U.S. Cup, I was excited. When it was announced and the website was up and running I immediately submitted my application. A couple of anxious months went by. One day I was out running and when I got home my parents handed me a piece a paper. It was an invitation to try out for the 2008 US Team at Barber Motorsports Park. I was ecstatic that in 19 days I would be trying to impress the panel of judges for a spot. It was about all I thought about for those three weeks. On Friday, September 28, the day before I rode, I was at school and I was so ready to go. I wanted to get to the airport immediately, all my classes seemed to take forever, but finally 3:00 p.m. arrived. I said my good-byes and got all of my good-lucks and was off. After baggage check, security and a quick bite to eat at Chili’s at Dallas-Fort Worth International we were waiting at the gate for our plane. At the gate we noticed another boy with a Shoei helmet bag. I mentioned it to my dad and he immediately went over and introduced himself and started talking to him and his parents. My Dad motioned for us to come over, after all the introductions, it was Californian Bryce Prince and he was on his way to Barber to try out also. We became immediate friends. We arrived in Birmingham, Alabama and after getting our luggage and rent-a-car we were off to find the hotel. At the hotel we sat in the lobby and had a bite to eat before going to bed. I called Jason Pridmore and talked to him about everything and how excited I was to be there. I knew my 5:00 a.m. wakeup call would come quickly. At 5:00 a.m. we were all up and I was starting to feel nervous. We stopped at a little coffee shop on the way to the track to have breakfast. When we pulled into the track it was around 7:00 a.m. and headed straight to the credentials building to check in. Bryce and his parents were already in line. When we finally got into the building, after all my paperwork was checked, I was issued a box that contained a T-shirt, a bib with a number, a hat, a lanyard with an ID card on it and a transponder. We were to wear our bibs all day since they had our riding number on them, that way the judges would always know who they were talking to. We then pulled around to the track, I started to get butterflies when I saw the track and the Red Bull air bridges. It was so exciting just seeing it. I put on my bib and my lanyard, then I got my gear bag out of the car. We went to the tower and I started looking for Bryce. When I found him our parents talked and he and I went and put our gear bags in the riders changing room. Once in the briefing room we found a place to sit and wait on the briefing. In the briefing room they had a race on every TV, an XBOX with MotoGP, Guitar Hero, a Foosball table for people to use through the day when they weren’t on track. And, of course there were coolers of Red Bull and water everywhere. Keith Kizer came up and started talking and telling us that it would start soon. Then he started calling people up to see where they were from. He called me up there as if I wasn’t nervous enough, and asked me a few questions about where I was from and my riding background. Then all the judges came in and Norm Viano gave a speech and introduced everyone. Our judges were Kevin Schwantz, Gustl Auinger, Peter Clifford and Danny Walker. We then got a run-down on how it would go, we were put into groups and got a 15-minute warm-up session in the morning and in the afternoon it would be a 30-minute timed session with the transponders. We figured out our groups–my bib number was 7 (number 7 out of 50), so that put me in group B, the second group out on the track that morning. I went to change so I would not be late. I got my stuff on and went and waited outside the garage with the others in my group. I knew some of them from a USGPRU race that I ridden in about a month prior to the tryouts. Peter Clifford brought us into the briefing area in the garage and gave us the information about the bikes, like the operating temperature, GP shift and that they had not been ridden yet–they had only been built in the last 36 hours. Group A was on track and I was ready. The mechanics pulled out another set of bikes and got them started to warm up. I climbed aboard the MetraKit 125 and waited for the signal to go out on the track. I had never ridden a MetraKit before, but they were pretty cool bikes. We hit the track and I was going around feeling everything out like the tires, brakes, suspension, etc. At the start of lap three I started to pick it up, turning the throttle harder and picking up extra gears. I was entering Charlotte’s Web and downshifting when my bike locked up on me and I was in a full slide. I managed to keep it upright and rode off the track. A cornerworker came over and helped me and I got it restarted. I then pulled around to the pit. The mechanics rushed over to me and asked what happened, I said it locked up. They said they thought it soft seized. Danny Walker talked to me and said he would put me in the next session so I would get the warm-up session and I was so grateful. Bryce was in the next group so I was able to sit and talk to him while we waited to go out. My group came in and C group was full so I had to wait until group D. This group also had a couple people in it that I knew, Corbin and Carson Weiland. After waiting I finally got back out there. I was on a bike that had been warmed-up and ridden, but I still felt everything out. At first I rode slowly to get a good feel for the track and then went faster each lap. We only got about six laps before I came back in and thanked Danny Walker and the mechanics again. My parents were right outside the garages waiting and nervous, but they were glad to see I got to go out with another group. After I changed back into my street clothes, I went back into the briefing room for lunch and found my parents talking to BJ and Andrea Prince. I talked to Bryce and we watched the Red Bull Rookies Cup race from Jerez. We all got in line had some turkey/chicken/pork thing. I don’t think any of us ever figured out exactly what it was. It was good but the pie was awesome. Bryce and I tried to figure out places we could go faster and we talked about the bikes. We both thought they were awesome. When I was done with lunch and went to change into my riding gear again, I started to have butterflies again and started shaking. I closed my eyes and took a couple deep breaths and told myself, “I can do this.” I changed and went down to the garage area with my parents and sat and talked to the others in my group. Group A was on the track and we were called into the briefing area, listening to bikes go by. I was nervous but ready. We put on our helmets and went to a mechanic and got a bike. We talked about the bike and things, then the battery bracket for the tach had come undone. A couple of zip ties later I was ready to go. Group A pulled in and I shut my visor, it was time for our 30-minute afternoon timed session. I pulled out on the track, I was ready, I just said to myself “Let’s Go.” I got up to speed pretty quickly since it was in the afternoon and the track was much warmer. There was a huge clock on the front straight so we would know how much time we had left. I was all alone because they separated us so we would not get all bunched up. After a warm-up lap I got going, I was hitting Turn One great. I was doing good in Turn Two also, but when I would come up to Charlotte’s Web I would make my downshift to first and the bike would start to hop. Every lap I couldn’t get it to stop hopping, so I started looking for other areas to make up a few seconds. While I was trying to find places I could shave off a few seconds I started to catch people. I caught one person coming over the hill in Turn 13. I was all the way on the rumble strip on the outside, then up the inside of someone in 14 and another in the Alabama Rollercoaster. Before I knew it, I came onto the front straight and saw 33 seconds on the clock. I knew this meant I got one more lap. I tried to go into every corner deeper and get on the brakes later. I was going as hard as I thought possible. I came past the checkered flag and I knew I had done my best, now I had to wait till the end of the day to see if I would be invited back for the finals on Monday, October 1. I got off the bike and turned in my bib and transponder. I talked to Benny Sosa and the mechanics for a few minutes. When I came out of the garage my mom and dad were there waiting for me and congratulated me. I went and changed and took my stuff to the briefing room so I could watch the last part of Bryce’s timed session. My parents and Bryce’s parents were all watching from the top of the tower, but I only caught the last 5 minutes. We all went down to the garages to congratulate him, that is when the anxious waiting began to see if we would be invited back for the finals on Monday. We were all waiting in the briefing room while the other groups finished. The butterfly effect! Bryce and I went to watch the other groups. There were fast kids, slow kids, kids crashing. We were trying to figure out who was faster and who was slower than us, even though it was not all based on speed. After watching all the groups we went back to the briefing room, there was at least an hour before they would tell us who got invited back for Monday. So a couple of us went down to the garages to take a closer look at the bikes we had ridden all day and talk to the mechanics. I talked to a mechanic about why I couldn’t get it to stop hopping, he said that the motors were Husqvarna dirt bike motors and the gears weren’t like the RS125 motor. It made sense. We were talking about things we liked and didn’t like. A lot of the kids were complaining about the bikes. I really liked them, they were different but a ton of fun. We all talked for awhile and then I noticed that the finalists would be announced in 15 minutes. Bryce and I went back to the briefing room. We sat and talked and I started to get really nervous. Then Norm Vianno came in and was kinda stalling and that doesn’t help with nerves. Finally, all the judges came into the room and told us how well all of us did, everyone was getting anxious at this point. Norm came back up and told us that this is the hardest part of his job, telling people they did not make it to the finals. The list of finalists from the Saturday tryouts”¦.. I heard them call Bryce Prince, I was excited for him. A few names later I heard my name, Garet Tomlinson announced. I was excited, and my dad leaned over and hugged me. It was awesome. I was so excited and my stomach felt better but now very hungry. We listened to the other names called to come for the finals on Monday. As we got to the paddock we had about 400 people to call. I called Jason Pridmore and told him and he was so excited. Bryce’s family and mine all went to Logan’s Roadhouse for a celebratory dinner. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten so much, and it was so good. Since I was not riding on Sunday, I got to sleep in till 8:00 a.m. After getting ready we went to breakfast. We found a nice place in Birmingham called The Omelet, but I think half of the population was also there waiting in line to eat. After finishing breakfast we went to the track to see how the second day of tryouts were going. We also got to go to the Barber Museum that day. On our way into the museum we ran into Richie Alexander and his nephew Cory who was also there trying out). The museum was immaculate. Every bike you could think of was there. They had everything from the Britten to the Combat Wombat. I loved walking around and looking at all the motorcycles, but the bike I really wanted to see was the Red Bull Rookies Cup KTM125. I wanted to see the bike I could possibly be riding next year. It was really nice, it had WP forks, Marchesini wheels, big Brembo monoblocks. It was awesome. From the museum windows you could see the riders in the Alabama Rollercoaster, it was a great view. We watched for awhile, but went back to the paddock area to see how some of our friends were doing. When we got back to the track, Danny Walker, pulled me aside and gave me some tips on things I should try on the Monday finals. He said I had to figure out how to keep it from hopping going into Charlotte’s Web. He suggested to go through there in a higher gear. I knew I wouldn’t be able to try that until tomorrow. They had the Alpinestars bus there to measure all the finalists, so I went to wait in the line with Cory and Bryce. We all talked and watched some of the other kids ride bicycles on a little course they made up. While I waiting I realized I was wearing a Fox shirt, I wondered if they would say anything about, and sure enough they did. They said why are you wearing that and to take it off. After I was measured and all of the second-day groups were done, I met up with Alan Phillips for the track walk. The track walk was literally a track walk so they could take photos. By the time we got back from the track walk they were about ready to announce who from the second day would stay over for the Monday finals. We waited to see if Alan or anyone else we knew made it. They started naming off the list and Alan was on the list. We were all excited for him. Once back at the hotel and dinner over with I called Jason Pridmore again to talk to him about different things to try on Monday. Another early morning, I had my shirt and my lanyard on and was ready to go. We stopped at another place so we wouldn’t have to wait in line to eat. We were right about eating there and got such fast service that when we got to the track I was the second person in line to pick up my bib and transponder–I beat Bryce this time. I picked up my bib and transponder then went to the track and got a table in the changing room with Bryce. We met up with our parents in the briefing room and looked at the schedule. I was in the first group along with Kris Turner and Corbin Weiland. Keith Kizer came in and started talking when the judges came in. They said if you crashed in the two days prior they would do everything to help you out and get back on another bike, but if you do it today they might not help you as much and it’s about fun but they were timing both sessions today. At about that time they said Group A needs to go and change. I was off to the changing room. I started to get nervous, but I had to tell myself to relax. I got downstairs with my parents, they both wished me luck, and I went into the garage to the briefing area. Peter Clifford was talking to us about how we were doing and stuff. Then we all mounted a bike. I was hoping I would not have a problem again like I did on Saturday morning. I got going, feeling out the bike and the track. I came around the first lap and the bike was missing and didn’t want to run. It felt like the coil wire broke. I was watching the tach go from 1 to 12 and back-and-forth. I was trying to ride it but it wouldn’t make it, so I had to pull off the track in the back and wait for a cornerworker. By this time my parents were very nervous because they didn’t know what had happened. The session was over and the crash truck came to pick me up. I rode it back on the crash truck, my parents were there waiting, but I couldn’t talk, I took the bike straight back into the garage. Once again, Danny Walker, was standing there laughing. He said “You keep having bike issues.” He got me set up with the third group and again I was grateful. After Bryce’s group pulled in I went out with Group Three and Hayden Gillim. This time I was feeling everything again, this bike felt much better. I was trying to figure out how to get through Charlotte’s Web faster. I was still going into first gear but now using the clutch to stop it from hopping. It still wasn’t the fast way through, then I used second gear and it worked much better. Then the session was over so I rode the bike around and into the pits. I went over and thanked Danny again for his help. Then I went to find my parents to make sure they didn’t have a heart attack. They were worried, but glad that I got to go back out and had not crashed. I went to change then went to the briefing room for lunch. Bryce was already in line so I snuck up to where he was, they were serving BBQ today, and it was much better. I was starving. We all sat and talked. I kept an eye on the clock to make sure I wouldn’t be late to my last session on the track. I was also getting nervous. I decided to go ahead and go to the changing room and get ready, once done I came back to the briefing room and talked with my parents, then went and waited outside the garage with the others in my group. We all sat there and talked about different things. I went over and talked to my parents and they reassured me that I would do fine. Then Peter Clifford let us into the garage. He took us back into the briefing area so we could all talk. Peter introduced us to Mr. Barber. It was so cool to meet him. He asked us how we liked the track and how it could be improved. Then he wished us luck and we put on our helmets. We all went and sat on a bike. The mechanics were talking to me and I asked about the other bike I had ridden on in the morning session. They all thought it was funny that I had bike issues both mornings. As they let us out on the track they separated us some so we would have a clear track. I got out there and wanted to get up to speed quickly. I got comfortable and then started making laps. I was trying to run consistently fast times. I started going deeper into corners and getting on the gas faster. I would come out of the Alabama rollercoaster and the bike would slide, it was great. Every lap I watched the clock. Then I came around and saw 11 seconds, I knew that meant I would have one more lap. I went into Turn One deeper than I had before. I popped my downshift as I leaned it in and never touched my brakes. I drifted all the way to the white line then flicked it back into the long right. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the red flag and someone down with a very torn up bike. I was disappointed that I didn’t get that lap, but I hoped the other kid was OK. I came in and turned in my transponder and talked to Kevin and Danny. I met my parents outside, they said they were so proud of me. Bryce was out on track then so we all went up to the observation deck to watch him. I didn’t even change I just wanted to watch. We all watched close and saw some of the kids crash, but Bryce did great. After he was done we all rushed down to congratulate him. We then went to change, we talked and were so excited. We went to watch the remainder of the groups that day. It was late in the day when everyone was done. They called us all back into the briefing room. They told us how great it was to have us there and the judges would call us the following Friday to tell us if we got selected or not. I couldn’t imagine how long this wait would be. When they were done they had us all go down to the podium and they had put a bike up there so we all gathered around and had some pictures taken. They had a crashed upper that they had all of us sign for the CEO’s office. It was over and everyone was leaving so Bryce and I went and found Kevin and had him sign our bibs. I thanked all the judges and thanked all the mechanics for all of their help, and the mechanic that helped me out all weekend and talked to me all weekend was the head SuperMoto and outdoor mechanic for KTM. We all said our goodbyes and Bryce’s family and mine all went out to dinner to celebrate a successful weekend. We were following his dad B.J. Prince and after we weaved in and out of traffic and probably broke every traffic law we found a Chili’s. We all went in to eat and have a celebration dessert. I had a rack of ribs, cinnamon apples and a shake. After I was totally stuffed we had to move our flight to the following morning at a very early time when most normal people are asleep. After leaving the restaurant we were in our rent a cars side by side in the parking lot and my dad decides to light our Charger up. Big smokey burn-out. The next morning we all got up before humans should have to and headed to the airport. After security and all the boring airport stuff we were on a plane headed back to Texas. I think I slept all the way. I was exhausted. I was woke up by the touching down of the airplane. Once I got back to DFW my parents headed straight to school to drop me off. I got there during second period and my Biology teacher asked why I was late and why did I look so tired. I had to show her my ticket stub to prove it to her. We all waited anxiously for the phone to ring for the next five days. Then on Friday afternoon I had just gotten home from school and had my afternoon Red Bull beverage. My mom’s cell phone rang, she answered it and said it was for me, I took the phone and said “Hello,” and it was Kevin Schwantz calling me to congratulate me on making the final cut of 23 and he said he looked forward to working with me in 2008! I got off the phone and yelled. I immediately called my dad and he was so excited. I then called Jason Pridmore and he was thrilled. So I got to go out to dinner with my parents and the Syfans to celebrate! At this point Bryce had not gotten a call yet since he lives in California and there is a two-hour time change, but his mom and my mom had already been talking, he got the same call I did when he got home from school, too. I was officially a Red Bull Rookie!