Haulin':
COLT GOLEMBESKI
Colt Golembeski was splitting his time evenly between both the 65cc and 85cc classes throughout the 2019 racing season, finding a plethora of success last year on the smaller bike. The young rider out of Florida was a regular podium contender practically every time he lined up on the gate whether it be the FMF California Classic or the Loretta Lynn Amateur National Motocross Championship. Golembeski had strong finishes across the board, earning 2nd place overall in the 65cc (10-11) class at the Cal Classic, a 3rd place moto finish which led to a 4th overall in the 65cc (10-11) class at Loretta’s amidst horribly muddy conditions, as well as overall podiums on his 65 at both The Motoplayground Race at Ponca City and Mini Os. He has since graduated to the 85 full-time and he’s been mixing it up on the supermini as well, but an unfortunate ACL injury while training for Supercross Futures at the beginning of the year has kept him off his dirt bike for most of the year so far. Golembeski is hoping to get back on the bike sometime near the beginning of August and aims to return to racing at the Baja Brawl, but nothing is currently set in stone. We caught up with Cole while road tripping with his dad to see how his rehab has been going, talk about some of his race results last year, as well as the rock climbing he’s been doing lately.
What have you been up to the last couple of months during the lockdown?
Well, I've just been riding my bike (bicycle) everywhere. I've been everywhere from Florida to Utah, Colorado, and California just rehabbing my knee to get back to racing.
How's your rehab been going and what happened with your knee injury?
It's been goin' great. I hurt the ACL so I've just been trying to rehab it. I hurt it in January training for Supercross Futures and I was just doin' this triple that I shouldn't have been doing. That's just how it went.
Apart from the rehab and training you've still been doing, what have you been up to in your free time lately?
I've been doing some rock climbing in Colorado.
How did all of the traveling come about with no races to go to?
My dad travels trailers so we just go all around wherever we want to and it's just been a super fun experience!
So you're just livin' on the road right now then? Where are you at now?
Right now we're goin' to pick up a trailer and then we're goin' to Colorado.
How'd you get into the rock climbing thing?
I've been interested in it for a while. My dad used to do it a lot and he was a professional cyclist so he was into all that stuff - action sports. So one thing led to another up in Colorado, I saw all these people climbing and I was like "Why not? Let's try it." I got into this guy named Alex Honnold and he free soloed this 3,2000-foot wall called El Cap so I've just been super into it.
So how long do you have until you're able to get back on the bike?
I'm supposed to be on the bike around Loretta's time, so whatever that equates to but that's the time I'm supposed to be on the bike. My first two major races will be Baja and Ponca!
Will this be the longest you've ever spent off the bike? Are you starting to miss it a bit?
Yeah, last year I had a little injury but I rode through it. I've just been grinding trying to get on the bike.
Last year at Loretta's you ended up finishing off the week with a 3rd place in a classic mud moto in the 65cc (10-11) class. What do you remember about that race?
It was crazy. The Vets were before us and I remember watching them when it started to pour and I was like "Oh my goodness!" It starts pouring down rain and they move us back (under the staging area) and our gates were so muddy that the ruts were full of mud and water. They said the only thing we could use was a cup, so I grabbed my cup and I started taking all of the water out of my rut. I remember seeing everybody else's and I was just like "Oh my goodness, this is an unlikely turn of events." Then I thought they might cancel it but I didn't think it was possible to do that.
In order to finish 3rd, you must've got a pretty good start...
No, I started 38th I think. I had a really bad start and I was just lettin' it eat. Nothin' to lose. It was pretty much just keep my feet on the pegs and just stand up a lot and honestly, it was not that bad!
Did you have fun out there?
It was super fun! I was enjoying it. When I saw two laps to go, I was just like "Keep it on two wheels."
How'd The Motoplayground Race at Ponca City go for you?
That was probably not a great race for me. I was in 2nd in the 65cc (10-11) mod and I don't know who it was, but he came across my front wheel and took me out so I would've had a top-three overall or a win, but I didn't have a great finish in that. In my other race, I was in 2nd the whole time and I was right on the guy's wheel; I just never made the pass. I was so close.
Even though you had the 2nd overall in 65cc (10-11) Limited, the racer in you is bummed with those other finishes.
Yeah, I should've won.
What do you think about the track layout at Ponca?
That race is one of the most fun races on the whole circuit. I mean, I just enjoy it so much! I love the pit bike race and the track's just awesome! It gets so rutted up and it's just an awesome event.
What was it like for you to finish out your 65cc campaign at Mini Os in November?
That was another race where I won three heat races and every second moto I'd just get a horrible start. I came so close to a title that it still haunts me to this day.
Are you happy to be off the 65 now? You were definitely one of the bigger kids in the class at that point which probably made it more difficult to get the start.
Yeah, I really enjoyed it. I do miss it a little bit but it is nice to just be done with it and move up to the 85s.
What's it been like for you to just fully focus on the bigger bike?
I was really rollin' the 85. I was also ridin' a bit of the supermini and the 85 was just feelin' super, super good. I was on point on supercross and everything. My corners were good, my form was good, and everything was just goin' really good on that bike.
Has it been helping you to ride the supermini?
I was ridin' it quite a bit and I was really enjoying it. I was having some trouble with the suspension but we got that worked out and I was haulin' that thing.
Do you feel like it helps you go faster on the 85?
Yes, it's a very good bike. Every time you get on the supermini, it just rolls so much better than the 85 and when you go back to the 85, you feel like you can just whip it around so easily.
What're your plans for when you get back on the bike?
Yeah, when I come back I'll probably be based out of California for a few weeks. I'll be riding out there at Fox, State Fair, and Glen Helen and that's pretty much it. Then I'll do Baja, Ponca, KROC, MX 207, Mini Os, and I'll do some GNCC stuff as well. I've never done 'em before but I've done local hare scrambles and I'm quite good at it. I go really fast and I like the woods a lot!