Photography: Bob Stauffacher/Grassroots Motocross
In today’s world of high pressure, career oriented goals, it’s sometimes forgotten that many lofty ambitions start as a simple dream. Some may even envy the few who haven’t lost sight of their dreams and spend their lives chasing them. This rider is a shining example of what can be accomplished through hard work and dedication, while in the midst of sculpting his own dreams into a life-long journey. It is our pleasure to introduce to you: Tanner Reidman.

Tanner, can you tell us about yourself?
I’m a 20 year-old North Dakota kid, living out in Southern California doing the whole West Coast Supercross deal. I’m planning on doing the first six rounds at least and hopefully, if I’m doing well enough, I’ll do the last two. If not, we’ll call it good and go home to start getting ready for the outdoors.

I grew up racing, started at about four. My dad got me started, like most kids, and I started doing local races and really enjoyed it. I just kept at it through the years and eventually started working in to the Loretta’s thing and pretty much knew what I wanted to do since I started. You know, I wanted to turn pro and do the whole thing and I always kind of knew I would. I didn’t really know where I’d be at but I always wanted to and it drove me hard enough to actually be here today.

What’s it like being an aspiring pro from a state where four or five months out of the year it’s too cold to ride?
It’s hard, I guess, but it’s not the worst thing because it gives you a chance to go other places and ride, and ride with other people. It’s a little difficult not being able to ride all the time, you know, whenever you want, with the snow and everything. I guess I make do by traveling and going places where it’s nice. It’s more expensive that way, but at least it’s something.

It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago when you would take the winters off to play hockey. Was it always the dream to race all year long and go pro, or did you just like it so much that you wanted to do it all the time.
It was always the dream to ride at the professional level, I guess, doing Millville and stuff. I always wanted to do supercross and didn’t do supercross right away when I turned pro. This is my second year doing it but, yeah, it’s always been something that I knew I wanted to do so that’s why I kind of gave up hockey in order to be able to go places where I could ride. I didn’t really go anywhere to ride during the winter; I just went to more races that way. I started doing arenacrosses and stuff like that. I seemed to always do a little better at the indoor stuff. I think that’s what kind of got me more excited about supercross.

What was your amateur career like?
I didn’t really have much of one. I went to Loretta’s a couple of times. I did Ponca once—bad experience—broke my hand and never went back there. Basically just rode around North Dakota and Minnesota and tried to do Loretta’s every year until I turned pro and then I started with Millville, I think. Yeah, Millville was my first one, in 2005.

What’s the scene like back home?
There’s not near as many people that do it like I do it. There’s really only one other kid that I can think of that really travels and tries to pursue things other than the NDMA [North Dakota Motocross Association] series. It’s getting bigger and it’s getting more riders and I hope it kind of takes off a little more. There’s not that many tracks, and the thing is, everybody is dying to have tracks out here in Southern California but they all get shut down, where at home, you can put a track pretty much anywhere you want. Chances are you’re going to be able to ride there, as long as it’s not too close to the city. I mean, there’s so much land that you can have tracks on, but just nobody who really wants to put in the time or effort that it takes to do it.

Possibly one of the most anticipated races of the year kicked off on Saturday, and you were in the thick of it. How did Anaheim 1 go for you?
It was alright. I missed making the night by less than a second so that was a little disappointing but it was a cool experience. The track wasn’t technical; it wasn’t that hard at all but it was fun. I always wanted to be at Anaheim 1 and be able to ride. It was amazing. It was probably my favorite supercross I’ve done, besides St. Louis last year [where he qualified for the main event], but it was really cool and was a good experience. It kind of lit the fire for me; being there and doing the first race. Now it’s taken off and I’m more motivated and everything to go into Phoenix, so it was good.

Had you been training quite a bit before A1?
Yeah, I came down here in the beginning of December; rode for a couple weeks, got rained on and did some riding on some supercross tracks down here. That’s pretty much all I did besides workout stuff. I felt prepared; I just didn’t feel like I wanted it as bad as I do afterwards. After that fist one is out of the way, it’s like, you know how bad you want to be out there and you just push that much harder during the week. I don’t know, I probably did over 60 laps out at the track today so it’s just that motivation that gets you going and makes you faster, I guess.

I’m definitely training harder than I was before. It’s easier now because now I have something to work towards, instead of going into the first one not knowing anything; what to expect, who’s going to be there. Now I know where I stand, as far as the first race, and I know how much harder I have to work and what I have to do to make up that little bit of time. So, it’s a little easier now.

You seem to live by the mantra you have tattooed on your chest. Tell us about the saying, “Dreams Make Life Bearable.”
It’s just been a thing that I heard a long time ago that really kind of hit me pretty deep, I guess. I mean, I’ve got it tattooed on me, so it has to. Basically, having dreams, no matter what they are, is very essential in my life. I mean—if I’m dreaming about going to a supercross or if I’m dreaming about where I’m going to be in ten years—without a dream of what you want to do, you just live life and go through it, instead of pursuing something. No matter what I’m doing, I’m always dreaming of something. That way, I have the drive to be successful or to be somewhere that I want to be. I guess, without dreams life would be kind of pointless and you’d sit around and do nothing pretty much.

I think that’s a good place to end this, Tanner. Who would you like to thank?
MonDak Motorsports, for sure, for the bikes and everything. RBR Motorsports, which is my dad and my mom, for everything. J & F Heavy Haul, they helped me out a lot this year. Then Thor, Scott, Amsoil, Enzo Suspension and Louis Long, out of North Carolina. My uncle Jerome, for sure, for letting me bunk-up in his house down here and Michelle and Brandon, too.

Thanks Tanner!
Thank you.