With 2007 XC2 Champion Brandon Sommers moving to the XC1 class for 2008, the door is open for a new champion. Illinois’ Don Ockerman was the runner up last year and the inherited Sommers GT Thunder Yamaha spot for this season, and he’s making good on it with three wins early in 2008. Who is Don Ockerman? You’ll see right here.

 

Don, it’s been a pretty good year for you.

I’m real happy with everything.

 

The team you’re on, you kind of took Brandon’s spot on the GT Thunder Yamaha team.

Yeah, I took his spot, and he moved up to XC1 so we’re kind of teammates now.

 

Everybody seems to be working with Lazarus at GT Thunder. How is it working with that guy?

I don’t know how he does it. It’s the best bike I’ve ever ridden.

 

Do you test? Or does Laz just tell you “run it this way” ?

It’s pretty much “run it this way.” It’s nice, because last year we had to do a lot of testing. Now I get to spend more time training and working on stuff.

Ockerman is getting used to the podium. Hooper photos

 

Well you’re a busy guy. Didn’t you used to work at the track with Tire Balls?

Yeah I did. When I first started coming to the race I was bored on Fridays and didn’t have much to do. I figured working over there was a good way to meet people and enjoy myself. I did it for three years. This year, I decided it wouldn’t be smart to wear myself out the day before the race anymore.

 

Tire Balls. Those guys work hard over there.  

Yeah. It was really easy to get to sleep on Friday night! But I thought that getting dehydrated and hungry and tired on Friday probably wasn’t the best thing anymore. It’s non-stop work over there and you can’t even find time to get something to eat or drink.

 

So this was just a social thing.

Pretty much, yeah.

 

Now I’ve heard you have some help from one of the guys who has been racing our series for a long time: Darryl Bozarth. What does he do for you?

He does all the talking. You probably know as well as anyone how much time you can spend calling sponsors and people, doing paperwork, emails. He really helps me out a lot there.

Ockerman has three wins in four races so far in 2008, but the competition in XC2 is stiff. Hooper photo

 

He’s like your business agent or something?

Yeah everybody calls him the manager.

 

Does his advice spill over to the racing side?

He doesn’t race anymore. Sometimes he gives me advice”¦.I guess it just depends on what the advice is (laughs).

 

(Laughs) Wait, wait, wait. Do you just ignore his advice as far as racing goes?

(Laughs) Sometimes, sometimes he talks more than he knows! But we all have a good time and get along. We’ve know each other here at home for a long time so we have a good relationship.

 

Doesn’t your dad race in the morning?

Yeah. He races super senior with John Gallagher and those guys.

 

So how did you boys get started with this?

It was by dumb luck, actually. I got a four-wheeler and Darryl actually loaded me up and took me to the Texas race in ’05. That was my first race.

 

First race ever?

Yeah. Just went from there. I didn’t have a clue what was going on. I had never raced anything in my life. I was in the B class with Brandon Sommers and Tyler Lenig that year, and I ended up getting third.

 

Wow! You didn’t expect to do that well, did you?

No! I didn’t even know there was a points system! I just thought you went out and raced for fun. I was clueless. I also learned you’re supposed to drink a lot of water, and actually be serious about what you eat, instead of just going to McDonald’s all the time like I would. I was on a bone stock Yamaha just having a blast.

 

So at some point you realized this was more serious.

Yeah. I met Brandon and Tyler, became friends with them and learned that you could go a lot further if you took it seriously.

 

So how did your dad start?

Dad always wanted to race something, and he came to a few races with us and decided to give it a try. Last year he was doing really well, he was even beating Gallagher, but then he got hurt. That backed him down a bit. But he is like I was. He picked up on it pretty quick.

 

That’s crazy! I thought maybe your dad raced for a long time and got you out there.

No. We live maybe 45 minutes from the Ironman and had never even gone to the race until we raced it a few years ago. We grew up riding three wheelers and dirt bikes, always rode something, but nothing special.

 

Now you have support from Yamaha.

Yeah, I have factory support from Yamaha, and a lot of help from a lot of great sponsors.

 

So how far do you want to take this?

I just want to keep going as far as I can. Right now I’m just focused on this year and trying to win this championship. Then maybe I can move up and race with the big dogs.

 

So were you confident coming into this season?

I was confident for two reasons. One was my machine, and the other was the training program I was on. But I guess I was still a little nervous before the first race. You never know where everyone stands. At first, in Florida, Brian Wolf just flat left me, and at first it just blew me away. But by now I pretty much know everyone I’m racing against.

 

You started off at the races eating McDonald’s and looking for a job on Friday because you were bored. A lot of guys struggle to have fun like that once they move up as a pro. Has that been a problem?

No, it is more serious but we’re all still good friends. I’ve noticed it’s more aggressive, though. Before, we would get on the brakes at the same time and stop and see who wanted to go through the line first. Now, we’re all battling pretty hard. But I’m friends with all of these guys, David Crane, Mark Nottman, Kevin Yoho, all of the guys that are up there. On the track we’re competitive and off the track we’re buddies.

Don's dad races in the 50+ class, but the son actually got his father started in racing! Hooper photo

What do you do off the track?

I work five days a week, and I try to get in some cardio, and some riding.

 

What’s your job?

I own and operate two masonry crews.

 

That’s hard work, isn’t it?

Oh yeah. There are nights when I get home and I can barely go back out for training. I feel like I already did it. I think that has really helped out in the past, because I was never really able to train, but I was always able to stay up there late in the races because I was in good shape from work.

 

You’re going to be in trouble if you ever go big time and don’t have to work anymore. Maybe you could stop by the office and just lift some concrete for fun.

(Laughs). Don’t worry, I don’t think anyone will ever drag me away from my job. I love it, and I always have and I always will.

 

What’s the terrain like there in Illinois?

It’s like the Ironman. Good dirt, roots, no rocks. I will go down south during the winter once or twice to ride some sand. Rocks, I don’t think there’s any science to rocks, so I don’t ride in them until we have them in a race.

 

And now when we go to the Ironman, do you and your dad have a big crew there?

Oh yeah, and it keeps getting bigger. We did a local race over the weekend and we had 30 people there. It’s just so weird that all of this has happened. I can barely believe this is going on.