23-year-old Ashley Boham is a regular on the WMA Pro circuit. She quiet and focused at the races but seems to take everything in stride. Her parents John and Shannon are always among the first to lend a hand to the WMA. They are the type of racing family that really is the backbone of the WMA. Ashley has been in the top 10 for the WMA the past two years in row, led the Lakewood National this year for awhile and then finished an impressive 6th place, then this month picked up the number one plate at the US Open/World Arenacross Finals in Las Vegas, NV.

MK: First off, congratulations on the World Arenacross Finals Championship Title. Can you take us through the race day?
AB: Thanks so very much. Well the day started off a little rough with me going over the bars in the first lap of practice. I kind of over rode the track and it kicked me over a berm. In the second practice that we had I actually took my time and relaxed a little. In our heat moto I didn’t have a very good start and managed to pull off a 3rd (Weaver finished 2nd, and Elworthy 1st). In the main I pulled the hole shot and tried my hardest to stay on two wheels and managed to take the win.

MK: This was the first year the Live Nation presented the champions with a number one plate, what did you think of that?
AB: I am pretty stoked about it. I have never had a number one plate at a national. So to take one home was a big accomplishment for me.

MK: Lauren Volentir who is also from Colorado won the amateur class, why do you think you gals from Colorado are so good at Arenacross?
AB: I am not sure to be honest. We have a couple of supercrosses throughout the season so that may add to it a bit.

MK: I also have to congratulate you on finishing in the top 10 in WMA Pro National Championship again this year. You may have finished even higher in the points but you had to miss a round.
AB: I am really happy with the 9th I was really hoping for a little better but the improvements are slowly coming along. I really need to get out to all the races and see how I do in the points then.

MK: I know you have a full time job as well. Tell us about your job and how you fit training and riding in your weekly schedule?
AB: Well I work at Interstate Honda in Fort Collins Colorado in the parts department and have been working there for about 4 years now. I work from eight in the morning to about six at night. It is a little hard to fit everything in to one day but manage to do it. With the help of Nautilus I am able to workout at home before or after work and also have my road bicycle from Schwinn to cruse around on. The only riding that gets done is if I go after work in the evening for a couple hours other than that just local racing on the weekends.

MK: What else do you do besides racing training working?
AB: I like to play paintball and just hangout with my friends and family.

MK: What is your guilty pleasure?
AB: Big City Burrito

MK: You were named SRAC Vet Rider of the Year in Colorado, how did that come about seeing?
AB: You know I am not really sure. That year I was also up for Women Rider of the Year and Rider of the Year. I race the vet class just to get more time on the track and the guys are really fun to battle with. As far as the age thing in SRAC women are able to bump there age up ten years.

MK: You have a pretty tight group of friends you ride with in Colorado, how do they feel about you racing at the Nationals?
AB: They are all about it. Most of them love to come and watch the women race because it is so competitive through the whole moto.

MK: I know you would like to race Loretta Lynn’s but choose not to for now, tell us why and would you go back after your pro career is done?
AB: For sure I would love to race Loretta’s but it is the whole fact of being an amateur national that I think is setting the women pro status back and the industry is not taking the women seriously. We try to set a level that we need to be treated like the men pros but we are still going back to the amateur ranks. If I am still racing I will try and go back and race, it is such a fun environment there and really laid back.

MK: You have been racing the WMA since I got involved in 2000, the year you won the amateur championship before turning pro, what has been the highlight of racing in the WMA?
AB: I think that I would have to say that my whole amateur racing year. Battling with Jackie Short, Kristy Myers, Tamara Madden, and Tarah Johnson was about the best time that I have had. Also leading the WMA pro race at the Lakewood national this year was really cool until I fell down in a corner!

MK: Your dad (John) is your mechanic, what’s it like traveling with him?
AB: We have a fun time traveling together. There is always that one point in the trip that I think neither one of us can stand each other. He has done an awesome job with my bikes and working on them. The toughest days are always the really muddy ones cause even on a dry track I can find a mud hole and fall in it.

MK: Do you have a ritual you do before racing? Or do you have to wear any item when you race?
AB: I actually have a nervous habit of checking my gas to make sure that it is on while I am sitting on the line. I probably check it about ten times while I’m on the gate. As far as the item that I wear is a dog tag from one of my good friends. His name is Cole and he fought over in Iraq and came back safe. So he gave it to me to wear for good luck and to keep me safe while I am racing.

MK: What would you like to see change in the Motocross industry?
AB: To see them start treating the women with the same respect that the men get.

MK: Whom would you like to thank for helping you?
AB: Definatly would like to thank my Mom, Dad and sister they are the main supports in my racing. Troy Lee Designs, FMF/909, Spy, Mx Pro Graph-x, Heads Up Custom Porting, TCX Boots, Interstate Honda, Race Day Performance, Odi grips, RK chains, Excel Rims, Vortex Sprockets, Red Bull, Nautilus, Two Rivers Racing, JP Fleet, RJ Mann, the Munson family, and the Rogers family.

MK: Do you have a motto to live by or what piece of advice would you give a young female racer looking to turn pro?
AB: Just to follow their dreams and never give up because one day it will all come together and they will be on the top!

Thanks Ashley see you in November.
###

View Ashley’s WMA Profile at http://www.wmaracing.com/Profiles/Boham.html