NUMBER CHECK with...Cole Martinez
Author: Andrew Campo	Number Check | Wednesday, 07 May 2008 05:04

Arizona's Cole Martinez can best be described as soft spoken and humble. His smile and grateful attitude towards those around him leave no choice but to cheer him on. Cole has been at it for nearly a decade with little recognition outside his own region. However, early into the 2008 calendar he has been finding his place amongst the heavy hitters in the intermediate class. His sights are set on his maiden amateur national championship title and he is passionate about making it under the tent as Loretta's comes to a close. For those unaware, only the top ten are allowed under the tent following a moto at Loretta's, while the remaining 30 riders are funneled back to their respective pit. Cole is supported by a program that will land him in Texas under the care of Shannon Niday prior to Ponca and he is confident that with the right program he can reach his goals.  

 
Enter Cole Martinez # 714-

 
What's the story behind the #714? 
It got assigned to me at the World Mini's when I was 60s. It was my first national number so I have kept it ever since.

 
Tell me when your motocross career began?
My cousins raced when I was little and I finally got a 50. I had my first race at Verde Valley Motoplex and got 3^rd. I started racing locally as much as possible for about four years before going to my first national, which was the World Mini. I was nine years old and riding a KX 60.

 
Did you do any other nationals that year?
I did Ponca and I got an 11^th, so I began focusing on the March nationals the following year. I have a corner track near my house and the dirt gets like Whitney when it rains, so I practiced there as much as possible during the monsoon season and tried to ride every day.

 

Who helped you to get ready for Whitney that year?
My dad, Art Martinez, started taking this pretty serious and got behind me in my quest to compete at a national level. I crashed out of Whitney early into the week, but followed that up with a top ten at Mosier in the 85 7- 11 class. We stayed local for the remainder of the year and focused on hitting all the nationals possible the following year.

 
Who was your first sponsor?
A local shop, Austin Racing, and then I got a gear deal from Thor.

 
Did you ever race Loretta's on little bikes?
Yeah, in both the 7-11 class and the 12-13 class, I was on Suzuki's at the time. I got a top twenty my first year in 7-11 and finished just outside the top ten the following year in 12-13.

 
What has been your best national finish on big bikes?
I got 2^nd at the Amateur Open in the 125 Intermediate Stock class and 5^th at the Vurbmoto.com GNC International in the Schoolboy Mod. I got three top tens at Mini O's this year in Supercross, as well.

 
You were on Suzuki's until after Mini O's, and then switched to Yamaha. Why the sudden switch in brands?                                                 
I got support from the Rock River Powersports program and they are a Yamaha dealer. I like the bikes a lot, they handle very well and the engines are strong, so far so good.

 
You and Zeb Smith got together and went down at the World Mini this year, what happened?
I was struggling with my starts early in the week, but was able work myself through the pack and into top 5 finishes. On Thursday, Zeb Smith hit a pothole on the face of one of the table tops and he slid out on the face, I was right behind him and got collected in the mayhem, resulting in a concussion and a broken hand. I was done for the week.

 
What are doing in effort to train for Ponca and Loretta's?
I'm going to stay in Texas for about a month prior to Ponca and train with Shannon Niday and test with John Mitchell.

 
What has been the highlight of your race career to date?
Probably Oak Hill, it was a very good week. I was able to get starts all week long and I found a lot of rhythm on the track. Everything seemed to flow that week and it's been great for my confidence heading into Ponca and Loretta's.

 
What are your future goals and how do you plan on meeting them?
I want to win a couple of amateur national championships and earn myself a ride at a pro level. I work really hard, I'm almost done with my home schooling, and I'm on a very strict training program.

 
I want thank my sponsors; Rock River Powersports, FLY Racing, Rusk Racing, Active Learning Centers, Panolin, Pro Taper, and Shannon Niday. I would also like to thank the Worth family for everything that they do for me.