GNCCRacing.com: How long have you been with Racer Productions

Big John: I’ve been with them 24 years now. A long time!

How did you get started with them?

Well, I started off with them through a friend of mine who had done security for them at High Point. He kept talking to me about it and finally talked me into coming out and working with him. At the time Racer Productions had a crew working for them who I think was looking to get out of the business. So, I started at High Point and by the time we went to Steel City I was one of their supervisors, and by High Point next year I owned the security company.

I know Keith the gate guy also did some security work for Racer Productions. Was he the friend who talked you into working for GNCC or was that somebody else?

No, but Keith and I actually ended up partnering up years later, I brought him into it and we worked the gates together. We started our own company together, but after 9-11 hit we decided we were going to go different directions. Our third partner was serving in the military, and he and I decided we wanted to get out of it and left Keith with the business. That’s when it became his company, Bullseye Security.

What made you want to get into the industry – did you ride or race?

I’m actually a Harley guy from way back when, and I didn’t know the first thing about these guys and I thought they were nuts, riding through the woods on those little bikes - and back then all the bikes were two-strokes. I thought it sounded like a bunch of bumblebees when they were racing… (laughs) So yeah, I’ve always been a touring, Harley kind of guy. So I really had no background in this at all.

Being a Harley guy, I take it you really enjoy heading to the Florida and Georgia rounds since the week between is usually bike week?

Yeah, I enjoy bike week a lot! It has changed quite a bit in the last thirty, thirty-five years, but I do really enjoy being down there. I actually have a house down there in Ormond Beach, so I’m right within two or three miles of where everything happens. It’s a good time.

Where do you like to go touring?

Well, on the Harley, my wife and I mostly just travel around Florida and up here in Pennsylvania. We live in a beautiful part of the country, Seven Springs (Pennsylvania). There’s a lot of whitewater rafting around here, so there’s all these creeks and winding roads. It’s a great place to ride!

Back to your work with GNCC, I’m mostly used to seeing you directing traffic and getting everyone parked correctly. What other responsibilities do you have?

It’s interesting. I’m the Director of Security for Racer Productions but I’m really more of a fireman than anything else. When there’s a fire, I’m the one who goes and puts it out. Doesn’t really matter what the problem is or what needs done. Whether it’s parking, or help at the front gate, or pulling vehicles in and out with a dozer, or a security issue ….. the nice thing about GNCC is we usually don’t have many security issues, and we do bring local police departments in overnight to give us a little extra manpower.

Which GNCC rounds are usually the harder ones to manage? I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess Unadilla (no longer on the schedule) and Ironman….

Yeah, Unadilla was a …. unique place. It’s small and tightly compacted, so it’s a lot of people squeezed into a small space. As far as parking goes Steele Creek is also a tough one. You’re trying to put 20lbs of sausage in a 10lb casing, and that always causes issues here and there. Now Ironman, that is a huge event. But there is also a ton of property out there, having all that room and being able to spread out really helps.

Now, do you also work security at some of the other events Racer Productions puts on, or just at the GNCCs?

Yeah, I work quite a few of the outdoor nationals, actually because of the schedule change I’m here but would normally be supervising my crew that is at Redbud right now. I’ll be at Unadilla, Budd’s Creek, Ironman obviously High Point. And I do some other events too – obviously all the Loretta’s stuff. I used to do the ATV Nationals, but that’s kind of gone off in it’s own direction. Then I also do a couple of the high-profile amateur nationals for other promoters, like Mini O’s and Baja Acres, those kind of events.

Do you have a separate job outside of working security at races, or is this your full-time gig?

No, this is a full-time gig. It’s 30+ weekends a year. I’m very lucky that my wife runs our joint business – rental properties. As crazy as that can get and with how much I have to be away from home for this job… like I said I’m very lucky that she takes care of that. This keeps me plenty busy.

As a racer, I normally only see what happens Saturday and Sunday… but when do you have to arrive at the track, and when do you get to go home?

I’m there usually Wednesday before the event starts, and for GNCCs as long as it’s not a really far one I’m home by Monday. With the outdoor nationals, I can usually leave on amateur day so I’m home a little earlier. And of course, Loretta’s is Loretta’s… (laughs)

In all your 20+ years of working for Racer Productions, what was one of your favorite places to go or events to be a part of?

Well, fourteen years ago I had the honor of being named the head of security for the United States Motocross de Nations team. That’s been the neatest thing in the world for me. The first seven or eight years I did that for them, we never lost! The opportunity to travel all over the world has been amazing, and my only responsibility is to take care of my three riders. It’s opened up a lot of opportunities. I don’t know that I could pick out just one of those events as my favorite, though I will say Russia was absolutely stunning. They were all unique in their own  way, and for me getting to go to that event is kind of like my bonus for doing a good job all year.