On The Pegs May 2020 - Volume 5 - Issue 5 | Page 67

On The Pegs
VOL. 5 ISSUE 5 - MAY 2020
67
JASON
RAINES
WHERE ARE THEY NOW
When I first started in this business - motojournalism - one of my first
“assignements” for Cycle News was to drive to Lynnville, Illinois to cover
National Hare Scrambles in 2003. I arrived on Saturday, excited and ready to
go. I didn’t know anyone, not even the racers, and the first person I met was
Jason Raines and his father Darrell. They made an impression on me, and as
fate would have it, Jason wrapped up the championships at that race with a
second place finish, and I never forgot that weekend.
With the uncertain times we are currently enduring, On The Pegs will be
doing a few “throwback” stories until things get back to normal, whenever
that’s goning to be. And the first person I thought of for a “Where are they
Now” story was Jason, although Alan Randt suggested him, as well.
Jason, who will be 42 in September is still associated with Yamaha, run-
ning the Yamaha Motocross and Off-Road Demo Program, plus running his
own off-road team. During his racing career, he amassed six AMA National
Hare Scrambles Championships, plus numerous GNCC and National Enduro
wins.
Here’s my recent interview with Jason Raines.
Let’s talk about your racing career.
In total, I had six hare scramble championships. I won a few national enduros,
and I think a dozen or more GNCC’s. But my thing was always the hare scrambles.
I was close a number of times to doing both, but injuries were always my thing.