5 Minutes with ... Boo Green

May 24, 2005

By Brett Dailey

Photos: Brett Dailey

When I went practicing at Gopher Dunes a couple of weeks ago, I saw #91 ripping up the track on an RM-Z250. I didn’t recognize his bike on the track so I had to ask Derek Schuster who it was but I was excited to hear that it was Nova Scotia’s Boo Green. (Actually his name is Julian but motocrossers have a long history of adopting nick names as their real names. Remember Goat Breker?) I was expecting to hear that he was just passing through town but was even more excited when he said that he was staying for the rest of the Ontario provincial championships. The series has attracted some new names this season including Gavin Gracyk, Casey Clark, Michael Willard and now 19-year-old Boo Green. The American riders have only come up to race selected events but Boo sees the benefit of sticking around for the entire series. He had some great things to say about the level of competition in Ontario and how deep the field is this season. Boo has numerous Atlantic championships under his belt, finished top 10 at the Pleasant Valley 125 national in 2002, and has battled with most of Ontario’s top riders throughout his amateur career so he wants to get back in front of his rivals. He’s here on his own with very little industry support so he’s hoping to improve his skills, gain some confidence and maybe impress a few potential sponsors. If you see him in the pits, stop by and say hello. You will find a nice guy with a relaxed attitude and a great sense of humour.

Racer X Canada: When did you get the idea to come here and race the Ontario provincials?
Boo Green: A couple of years ago, Brett Lee called my father and mentioned it to him. I should have come here last year but I didn’t and that was a mistake. Now I realize what I have been missing out on. There are a bunch of guys here who used to be my rivals as amateurs and look at them now … they whooped my ass.

Who’s that?
Well, [Kyle] Snelgrove, [Pierce] Chamberlain, [Jason] Burke, [Kyle] Keast to name a few. That was a while ago but things used to be cool then and now they whoop my butt all the time.

Why have they improved?
One year I went out west to ride the 250 class and I really psyched myself out by doing that—I shouldn’t have done it. I should have come to a place like this to race. Up here there is always someone to race with and if you beat that guy one weekend you pick someone else [to beat] for the next weekend. It doesn’t matter who it is … whoever is next ahead of you at the track. At home, the field of talent is not like it is here. There are two guys [Mitch Cooke and Ryan Lockhart] who gap the field and another guy [Johnny Montes] that is attainable at times but other than that; you don’t have much pressure except for the younger guys. That doesn’t make you a better racer. You know what place you are going to get before the gate drops. Here, you have no idea [where you will finish]. If you get a good start, you finish well, if you get a bad start you have a lot of work to do.

The field may not be as deep out east but you certainly have some fast riders. How were Cooke and Lockhart able to get so fast?
They train hard and they get to travel. Lockhart came up here many times and raced. Mitchell went to Quebec and New England. They went other places to race—all I did was stick at home. I said, “Hey, if I can race myself on the track, it will be good enough.” But it’s not good enough at all. I know there are some fast riders in BC, [Colton] Facciotti, [Brady] Sheren and those guys but I don’t know who they are racing against each week. All of these parents have big plans for their kids and hope that they will be the next superstar and if anyone has any hope of doing that they need to come here. Even if they are going fast at their tracks at home, imagine how fast they could go if they come here and race here all the time. This is the place to be right now and that’s why I’m here and I’m struggling in a major way. And I can’t imagine how bad my butt would have been whooped this summer if I hadn’t come here. I don’t know, maybe I will still get whooped but this is the place to be and I’m definitely enjoying it. And for next weekend … I have a lot of work to do this week. I’m planning on hooking up with [Chuck] Mesley to ride and I’m hoping that will help me. I’ve been afraid to go practicing with these guys because I know they are fast and it’s a confidence thing for me. But I’m going to go out with Mesley this week and try to do something.

Who are you staying with?
I’m staying with the Aitkin family [Nick Aitken of Morgan Racing]. For the past three or four years now they have been like a second family for me. They have taken me in and they are just great … an amazing family. I want to get some decals made up and put a huge thanks to the Aitken family on my bike. I appreciate them greatly. Nick is a mechanic for Morgan Racing and during the week he fixes up my bikes. Fortunately this weekend I had the “Euro Man” Hans [Fleck] to help me out at the track. The name says it all, he’s the Euro Man, he’s been there done that. [Laughs] The other day I tried to offer him some money to try to buy him from Morgan but he wasn’t up for that so it looks like he has a home there and that’s good for him.

What did you do over the winter?
I went to University for the year. I went to Saint Mary’s.

What are you taking?
I’m in the arts program. I took some history, some political science, geology, and sociology. Next year I’m going to try some different courses because I still haven’t decided what I want to major in. The ultimate goal right now is to get good marks so hopefully I will get into Law School.

Brett Lee was telling me about a story of your destiny to become a Judge. Can you explain it?
Well, my grandfather, the Honourable Judge Nathan Green, changed a lot of laws in Nova Scotia and he’s very well known. The day he died, they closed down Oxford Street [in Halifax] and people lined the street to salute the hearse. Well ... that's another story actually … I just wanted to tell you that because I’m proud of my grandfather. [Laughs] He actually has a square in downtown Halifax—Nathan Green Square. I think I would make a great Judge. I was a bad kid growing up and now I’m turning myself into a good guy. I think I would be a fair Judge and that’s the most important.

Now is your father or any other family member in the law profession?
Yes, my dad is a lawyer. I would like him to become a Judge because I think he is a very fair man.

Moving back to racing, I see that you have a pretty lean sponsor list. Who is helping you out?
Well, I have a sponsorship from a private race shop. It’s called Nick and Rick’s R&D [Nick Aitken and Rick Rundberg] and they have totally hooked me up with all of the maintenance and suspension work. They geared me up with RG3 suspension and it works great. I have all of their used parts and they just basically take care of me and make sure that the bike is set up well for me and I’m comfortable. Comfortable means confidence and I’m getting there. Spy is helping me out with goggles and Adam and Anthony Turner at home—they have always helped me a great deal so I would like to thank them. Most of all Nick Aitken and the Aitken family because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here in Ontario doing what I’m doing. Of course my mom and dad and I would also like to thank Big Ed [Gardner of Richmond Racing], Kyle Ledwedge, Angus Stewart, Donnie Conrad, the Euro Man and Katie Arbuckle. Also, my mentor for racing: Mitch Cooke.

This Nick and Rick’s shop … are they recruiting any other riders?
No, as I said, it’s a private race shop.

Nobody else can get into this shop?
No. No.

I’m a pretty good 50 rider. Are you sure that Nick and Rick’s R&D wouldn’t be interested in setting up my 50?
Well maybe they would help you out. It seems that Nick actually wants to get on the track with you. [Laughs]

Oh he does? Should I teach him a lesson or two?
Yeah, maybe. He’s a great guy and like I said before fair people are great people and he’s a fair guy. I thought it might be funny if I stickered up my race trailer with Nick and Rick’s R&D and added some humour to it. Maybe next year some other people will help me out. For the most part, I think that I don’t have any sponsors because I went to school and I wasn’t sure when I would start racing and I kind of started late. Maybe along the road this year, I will pick up a few more sponsors.

What will it take for you to get into the top 10 in the 125 East Championships?
A lot, a lot of work. I need to work every single day. For me, the more I ride the faster I go every day. I’ve had a hard time with training but mostly it’s all mental. At Auburn Hills last weekend and here this weekend, as soon as I pass someone fast I start thinking about passing them and how I can’t wait to tell someone and then boom … they pass me back! I can’t keep focused. If I could stay focused, I would have some strong finishes. Sometimes I get a bad start and I pass some guys but everyone else is too far away for me to get hungry and get after them.

Will you stick around for the rest of the series?
Definitely. This is the place for me right now. If I have any hope of a good finish in the east this is where I need to be.

Thanks for your time Boo and best of luck with the rest of the series and the nationals.
Thanks again.

Green finished 16-11 in the 125 Pro class at Sand Del Lee.

... and third in the Youth class behind Peter Raymer and Bobby Thompson.

The "Euro Man" Hans Fleck.