Rider Spotlight: Tim Farr
- Updated: March 13, 2014
photos by Amy McConnell, Jarrod Kelley, Dave Walton, Ruth Farr, John Pellan and GNCC Racing
Tim Farr… His name is as legendary as he is heroic. He’s one of the most winning-est professional ATV riders of all time. His career began as primitive as you can imagine, – racing an unsuspended three-wheeler in his north east Ohio home front. He went on to win hundreds of races, thirteen Pro ATV championships, including an astounding seven Pro Motocross National Titles among others in TT and Pro Quad Stadium racing. The last few in his long career perhaps the most impressive since he won them while riding in severe pain from a recurring back injury that would eventually force him to retire from professional ATV racing in 2007.
From amateur three and four-wheeled quad racing to factory-backed professional ATV racing, to professional dirt track car racing and now professional UTV racing, Farr has managed to pack several lifetimes of racing experience into his 40 years.
On to his life’s latest adventure, racing with his copilot and wife Julie for the 2014 Pro UTV GNCC Championship in a factory-backed Can-Am Maverick. I got a chance to talk to Farr while he was in route to the GNCC UTV Series Opener in Georgia…
First off. Nice way to end the 2013 GNCC season. That was one very impressive can of whoop-ass you put on everyone at the Ironman GNCC.
Thanks, man!
What’s the official name of your team this year? Who’s involved?
I am on the same team as last year with support from JB Off-Road/Can-Am.
We have been friends for so many years now. If I could go back in time when we first met when we were kids, and tell you that you would someday become one of the most iconic names in the history of ATV racing what would you say?
I would never have believed you! I have always loved the sport but never expected to be so successful. I never dreamed that I could make such a great living doing what I love.
Continuing with my time travel, would you believe me if I told you that you and your wife would be competing for a GNCC national championship on the same machine?
I never would have imagined this form of racing could have evolved to this level. It is crazy how advanced the new UTVs are now and how capable they are in the woods. The best part of UTV racing is that you can have a passenger with you who can enjoy it too. It brings a completely different aspect to racing. It was such a pleasure to win and bring Julie onto the podium with me at Ironman. I have been there a few times in my career but she has never experienced it! I feel like my racing career ended early as I had some injuries that didn’t allow me to continue but thanks to UTV racing I’m able to continue to race for championships. How great is that!
Being in the same machine with you can be quite an experience. How does Julie like racing with you?
She loves it! She has watched me race for over 20 years but never raced herself. She is always grinning from ear-to-ear [Laughing] Well maybe I should say MOST of the time. It’s a good things she trusts me!
As we approach what will undeniably be the most competitive GNCC UTV season ever, I’m curious how serious you think Can-Am is about dethroning Yokley and Polaris from their GNCC domination?
Can-Am has always been serious about racing and winning championships. Can-Am has shown very strong support for GNCC racing. So they are obviously very serious about winning a GNCC title and so am I.
Now that your ATV career has merged into UTV racing, what do you like best about the change?
Racing in the woods now is very different than MX or TT. It is a completely new challenge for me, and I really enjoy it. GNCCs aren’t a sprint race and UTVs are large machines. You have to be patient, calculated, pick your lines and can’t over-abuse your equipment, if not 90% of the time, you’ll lose the battle with the trees!
At the GNCC Banquet, Carrie Coombs said they are concerned about getting too many UTVs in the future. Boy, that’s something you don’t usually hear from a promoter. Anyway, she said they feel it could become too unsafe to have more than 100 UTVs on the course at the same time. You’ve always had a great mind for race promotion, so I’m curious what you think might be a solution if entries start to explode.
It would be hard to manage that many UTVs on a course at the same time. I don’t really know an answer short-term. If we start to see entries explode than it could possibly justify becoming its own series or having its own day with AM and PM races. The problem with that is in order for it to be a successful stand-alone-series, it would need serious sponsorship revenue, and that isn’t possible today.
Why do you suppose XC1 teams aren’t allowed to have horns or radio communication to the pits?
It is how GNCC has always been. I think they are just trying to leave the race strategy to the drivers and let it play out on the course. With radio communication, there could possibly be more opportunity for cheating and more drama.
I better let you get back to driving. I hope you and Julie pick up right where you left off in Indiana. See ya in Georgia!
Thanks! We are really looking forward to racing again. See you at the starting line.
