Troy Dog
I had an interesting crossover with the HEP Motorsports Suzuki squad last year when the Ford dealership that I work for (Haag Ford: Ultimate Truck Destination) sponsored the entire team for the Indianapolis Supercross. Yes, the 2019 version that happened.
You see a long time ago I somehow managed to become good bros with team manager/owner Dustin Pipes. I will probably write an article about sponsoring the team in the future. However, after a weekend with the team I was impressed and I want to be signed to a lifetime contract with the squad as a rider immediately, which is in the works.
Pipes promised me long ago (and then promised me again in January of this year) that if I got my pro license that I would have a ride for the outdoors. Why only outdoors? Troy dog is 30 years old and he does not mess with that Supercross shit. I will make my money outside dammit.
Here are 7 reasons why I want to ride for HEP!
The Entire Team is like family
Just by spending an afternoon around this squad you will learn that this team is different. You do not have the big wigs or the old school team managers who walked to school up the hill in the snow. No, no, they have Clark Jones and I believe Clark Jones’ wife, who kept things neat and tidy. Last year their truck driver sat for an hour and talked to me about how we need to come to his palatial estate in Montana, I believe, to ride. He would supply everything just fly in and we are good. The entire team just seemed pumped and excited for the event we put on and that was unexpected and cool. If you have not met Dustin’s dad…well he is a badass and you should. He helps run the operation as well.
They Have Kickstarters.
Enough said! What is that? Your bike stalled in the mud at Loretta’s and would not turn over? That is cute, sorry I could not hear you because MY KICK STARTER WORKED PROPERLY EVERYTIME!
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Anstie said on the Pulp Mx show that Enticknap calls him Ron Weasley and that sounds like something I want to be a part of. He later confirmed that he and Max were members of Gryffindor on Instagram. He even spelled it wrong just like we would expect him to. Look, if Adam is my teammate I cannot lose. This dude gives hugs to random strangers (pre-Covid) and you can hear him on the floor of an empty stadium without a microphone. Now he attends Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Blake Wharton once told me that he attends Hogwarts too and I literally cannot make this crap up.
Ronny Weasley is back in the States!
It is no secret that Anstie did a test on a Star Yamaha and chose to ride the Suzuki instead! Take that haters! It is so good that Anstie (one of the original stars of Vurb) is back in the States (…and what a year to come back here!) Leave it to my team to think outside the box and land a guy who can win in the 450 class in just its 3rd season. This portion of the RM Army is building steam quickly in a #deepfield.
D Pipes is a G
If I must perform for a team manager, I have to say that Pipes is it (Jeremy Albrecht is second #rmarmy). It is cool to see how competitive he can be. For just jumping into a management/ownership roll he wears a lot of hats for the squad and I am proud of the job he does. Alright, now that I have done my part of fluffing him…I would like to thank Thor, Parts Unlimited, Twisted Tea, RM Army, Noleen, HEP Suzuki, my track snack Hermione for keeping them butterbeers flowing.
Sponsorships
In just the short amount of time that HEP has been around they have had some epic sponsorships. Of course, Haag Ford was the coolest. Toyota was not pleased we were there. Also, they had a Broasted Chicken company sponsor the team for Las Vegas last year. Now they have Twisted Tea AND thank you for bringing back alcohol sponsorship to the sport! I have put down my White Claw (WC reference for the week…check!) momentarily to sport some fabulous blended brew of dried leaf water hooch. This drink is literally a brewski.
“We” Hire Champions
Let us go down the list of all riders who have ridden for this incredible team!
Dustin Pipes
Tallon Lafountaine
Kyle Cunningham
Henry Miller
Cedric Soubeyras
Adam Enticknap
Alex Ray
Kyle Chisholm
Ryan Breece
Max Anstie
Literally half of these guys are on Team Troy Dawg…which is way bigger and better than Slaw Nation.
That is it. My lifetime contract is in the mail. If you do not hear from me for a while it is because I am blowing money fast…. paying college loans and my house off.
