If you frequent any of the major tracks in Southern California you may have seen Jeff Matiasevich out there pounding laps and not known it. The former Team Green sensation is still an avid motocross rider in the Southern California area, and gets out several times a week on his Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki. The “Chicken” even lined up for the Straight Rhythm Ride Day at Milestone to test his mettle alongside the pros (although he didn’t race the actual event).
I still ride quite a bit. My family owns a produce company supplying all the chain stores nationwide with produce, basically, organic produce. I went to work with them. My account is Albertson’s. That’s what I handle. That keeps me busy and I ride three times a week or so.
And you’re still in SoCal?
Yeah.
Clearly you’re still a green guy. Do you still have relations with Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki?
Yeah. I can’t thank them – Kawasaki and Pro Circuit – enough. Definitely without their help, I probably wouldn’t still be out here. I’m very fortunate, very thankful for the relationships I have with them.
Do you work with any of the racers? Coaching or training?
No. I’ve been asked to several times. I sort of feel like it’s ‘hire-a-buddy,’ you know? I think at this level, it’s up to the rider. Everybody knows what it takes to win. It really depends on whether you want to put the effort into achieving your goal. I don’t think it’s bad that some of these guys – ex riders – are working with other riders. I think it could be helpful. But I just see it as hire-a-buddy.
So you believe it’s simply about putting in the work?
Yeah. You put the work in, you’re going to achieve your goal, basically. There’s a lot of work – what people don’t understand is how much work it actually involves, and takes, to be competitive at the top level. It’s a lot. It’s no bullshitting around. It’s head-down, grinding. It takes a lot, and not many people can do it, to be honest. Day in and day out.
I think, yeah. Once you get to that level, you’ve done whatever you did through your amateur career to get there. I think what happens is a lot of riders get to that level and forget about the work ethic and what got them there. Like I said, it’s up to the riders. I don’t think it’s bad, but I just don’t really feel like wasting my time with it.
Do you follow racing closely?
I follow it real close. I’m a huge fan of motocross. I love watching it. I go to as many races as I can. Spectators are always great.
Do people ever recognize you at the races?
They do. A lot of the old school [crowd]. The younger kids, not so much. I like the environment, I like the sport. It’s in my blood. I don’t think I can get out of it.
What are your thoughts on the 2014 season?
I think Dungey should have probably been the champion in Supercross, and maybe outdoors. He’s just a slow starter and that really is his drawback. If you look at overall, I think his performances are probably the best, but at the wrong time of the year. It was good. It was competitive. There were different winners. Hats off to Roczen for winning the outdoor championship like he did. Very talented rider. Ryan’s Ryan [Villopoto]. He’s solid. It’s going to be different now that he’s not going to be around.
It was also interesting, brand-wise, to see Yamaha get back into the game.
That was really good to see – for Yamaha to get back into winning. I wish James Stewart would have done better. I think he’s his own worst enemy. He’s definitely the most talented rider out there. When he gets comfortable and his head gets in it, I think he’s unstoppable. He’s my favorite rider to watch. He always does things that nobody else is doing. Little things that probably a lot of people don’t pick up on.
It’s the way he puts it together and uses different objects, body English. The normal spectator probably wouldn’t even see it, but [I do]. Not many riders impress me with their riding style and how they approach things and James has always been one that has many times left my jaw on the ground in awe.
Are there any riders coming up that impress you in that sense?
I think the Yamaha kid, Cooper Webb. I like his style. I like that kid. I hung out with him in Vegas after the last race of Supercross. I think that kid, if he keeps his head on straight, he’s got a lot of potential and a bright future ahead of him.
Speaking of James Stewart, what do you think of his whole controversy?
I really haven’t followed it too closely. I sorta know what went on and my opinions are that if a doctor prescribed it to you for a medical condition, then I really don’t see how you can incriminate the guy. Obviously it’s not a drug that’s going to enhance his performance at all – from what I know of the drug. It’s not benefiting him out on the track. I just think it’s one of those things that gets so technical. Under the testing, it should be the major drugs – the cocaine, the heroin… marijuana’s legal! [laughs] Those kind of drugs, I could see them having a problem with. But doctor prescribed ones? Who’s right, who’s wrong? Who knows? It’s such a gray area.
I try real hard not to. [laughs] The only race I really do is the Troy Lee Day In The Dirt and I try not to race other than that.
Is it hard to stay away from it?
The racing, I don’t like going and spending all day and going 10 laps. That’s what I don’t like to do. When I go riding, I do my motos and I get out of there. I got better things to do than hang out in the pits for eight hours. I lie to myself and tell myself I’m going to have a lot of fun… and I don’t. [laughs]
By Jean Turner
Photography by Jean Turner and Team Green
I still ride quite a bit. My family owns a produce company supplying all the chain stores nationwide with produce, basically, organic produce. I went to work with them. My account is Albertson’s. That’s what I handle. That keeps me busy and I ride three times a week or so.
And you’re still in SoCal?
Yeah.
Clearly you’re still a green guy. Do you still have relations with Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki?
Yeah. I can’t thank them – Kawasaki and Pro Circuit – enough. Definitely without their help, I probably wouldn’t still be out here. I’m very fortunate, very thankful for the relationships I have with them.
Do you work with any of the racers? Coaching or training?
No. I’ve been asked to several times. I sort of feel like it’s ‘hire-a-buddy,’ you know? I think at this level, it’s up to the rider. Everybody knows what it takes to win. It really depends on whether you want to put the effort into achieving your goal. I don’t think it’s bad that some of these guys – ex riders – are working with other riders. I think it could be helpful. But I just see it as hire-a-buddy.
So you believe it’s simply about putting in the work?
Yeah. You put the work in, you’re going to achieve your goal, basically. There’s a lot of work – what people don’t understand is how much work it actually involves, and takes, to be competitive at the top level. It’s a lot. It’s no bullshitting around. It’s head-down, grinding. It takes a lot, and not many people can do it, to be honest. Day in and day out.
I think, yeah. Once you get to that level, you’ve done whatever you did through your amateur career to get there. I think what happens is a lot of riders get to that level and forget about the work ethic and what got them there. Like I said, it’s up to the riders. I don’t think it’s bad, but I just don’t really feel like wasting my time with it.
Do you follow racing closely?
I follow it real close. I’m a huge fan of motocross. I love watching it. I go to as many races as I can. Spectators are always great.
Do people ever recognize you at the races?
They do. A lot of the old school [crowd]. The younger kids, not so much. I like the environment, I like the sport. It’s in my blood. I don’t think I can get out of it.
What are your thoughts on the 2014 season?
I think Dungey should have probably been the champion in Supercross, and maybe outdoors. He’s just a slow starter and that really is his drawback. If you look at overall, I think his performances are probably the best, but at the wrong time of the year. It was good. It was competitive. There were different winners. Hats off to Roczen for winning the outdoor championship like he did. Very talented rider. Ryan’s Ryan [Villopoto]. He’s solid. It’s going to be different now that he’s not going to be around.
It was also interesting, brand-wise, to see Yamaha get back into the game.
That was really good to see – for Yamaha to get back into winning. I wish James Stewart would have done better. I think he’s his own worst enemy. He’s definitely the most talented rider out there. When he gets comfortable and his head gets in it, I think he’s unstoppable. He’s my favorite rider to watch. He always does things that nobody else is doing. Little things that probably a lot of people don’t pick up on.
It’s the way he puts it together and uses different objects, body English. The normal spectator probably wouldn’t even see it, but [I do]. Not many riders impress me with their riding style and how they approach things and James has always been one that has many times left my jaw on the ground in awe.
Are there any riders coming up that impress you in that sense?
I think the Yamaha kid, Cooper Webb. I like his style. I like that kid. I hung out with him in Vegas after the last race of Supercross. I think that kid, if he keeps his head on straight, he’s got a lot of potential and a bright future ahead of him.
Speaking of James Stewart, what do you think of his whole controversy?
I really haven’t followed it too closely. I sorta know what went on and my opinions are that if a doctor prescribed it to you for a medical condition, then I really don’t see how you can incriminate the guy. Obviously it’s not a drug that’s going to enhance his performance at all – from what I know of the drug. It’s not benefiting him out on the track. I just think it’s one of those things that gets so technical. Under the testing, it should be the major drugs – the cocaine, the heroin… marijuana’s legal! [laughs] Those kind of drugs, I could see them having a problem with. But doctor prescribed ones? Who’s right, who’s wrong? Who knows? It’s such a gray area.
I try real hard not to. [laughs] The only race I really do is the Troy Lee Day In The Dirt and I try not to race other than that.
Is it hard to stay away from it?
The racing, I don’t like going and spending all day and going 10 laps. That’s what I don’t like to do. When I go riding, I do my motos and I get out of there. I got better things to do than hang out in the pits for eight hours. I lie to myself and tell myself I’m going to have a lot of fun… and I don’t. [laughs]
By Jean Turner
Photography by Jean Turner and Team Green
2/19/2015 10:09pm
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