After sitting out most of the 2009 season with a broken femur, former Rockstar Energy Suzuki rider Hunter Hewitt showed some promise in 2010, finishing 11th in the East Lites series opener at Anaheim 1. Unfortunately, a torn knee ligament halfway though the outdoor season left the Texas native on the mend one more time. However, with help from trainer Seiji Ishi, Hewitt is healthy, fit and looking forward to another year on the Supercross circuit, this time with his own team. We recently spoke with Hewitt about his team, his motivation and last year’s results.So what do you have going for 2011?I’ve kind of stepped back from the team situation and kind of started my own team with my father and my mechanic, Jimmy, and a couple of sponsors have stepped up this year, like One Industry, Spy, and Pro Circuit. It’s pretty much a gig to where it’s a little bit less pressure, and it’s more of a fun environment. This is the reason why we got into the sport, this is bringing the fun back to me. It’s definitely a pleasure to just ride my dirt bike every day for a living and be able to sit back and say, ‘You know, I had a blast today for a job.” I don’t take that for granted.What events do you plan on riding?I’ll be doing East Coast, I’ll be doing all of the outdoor Nationals, I’ll be out of my own rig and everything, it’s just me on the team, so that’s what’s going on.How did this year go for you?My 2010 season was decent, it was my first year. By the end of the year in Supercross, I was getting top eights, so I was really happy with that. Then I came into the East Coast/West Coast shootout and ran sixth-fastest lap time, I felt good that day. So I ended my Supercross season on a very, very good note, I felt like. And with the people that had surrounded me.How did the outdoor season go?The motocross season I had some ups and downs. It was definitely a learning curve for me, I felt like at first it was kind of a struggle, but we worked at it. Then things started to get better and better with each race. Then, about halfway through the season, I tore a ligament in my knee and I had go and get surgery on it and get it cleaned up. I came back for Unadilla and it was a little too early, I felt like I pushed it a little too much coming back from a knee injury. You want to make sure those are 110 percent ready to go. I felt like I kind of pushed it just a little bit, so I kind of stepped back and laid low for the rest of the season and went back to therapy and got my knee all feeling good now. Now we’re out here in California getting ready for the 2011 series.So how do you feel about how things are going?I couldn’t be anymore happy than where I’m out right now.Were you offered a ride this year by any of the teams?It wasn’t so much that, it was just something I felt like I could step back and do things my way and be better than a regular satellite team. You have the four factory teams, you have Pro Circuit, Rockstar Energy Suzuki, GEICO and Star Racing, and those are the four solid Lites teams, and then you have the rest of the crew and I really felt like that with the people surrounding me and what I have is right up there those guys, so it’s that’s how I’m taking it, I’m happy with everything. I thank the people around me enough – thank you.Would you consider riding for one of the satellite teams?That’s definitely the goal for sure, is to get on one of those teams. With the gig that I have going on right now, it’s really a badass thing. And with the way it’s looking right now, if we have a really good solid year, it could be a Lites program next year, you never know, with the sponsors that I have, it’s definitely in the tought process, but we just have to get through next year and if everything goes smoothly, we’ll be right up there with one of the satellite teams. That’s definitely what I’m going for, as starting this gig. It’s a sick program.What’s the name of your team?No name, it’s called the Hunter Hewitt program right now. It’s definitely coming along nicely, ready to get going.So how do you feel going into the season?I’m 110 percent healed up, I’ve never felt this good on a bike before, I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life. I’ve been with Ishy (Short’s trainer) and I’ve been with him a lot, and that’s really helped me out a lot this off season. I still have two months before we get things going, so I still have some more time to build. I feel like I’m definitely going to be a contender.East or West?East Lites for sure. I’m ready.
