Joel Garlinghouse Puts Talent, Passion Into Racing Victories

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By Tom Rohrer

pints logoThe need for speed on a motor vehicle can literally be a driving force for an individual.

From the early days of his youth to the present day, Olympia’s Joel Garlinghouse has been hooked on the adrenaline rush of going fast, whether riding his 50cc dirt-bike as a five-year-old, or racing quads in the pro class at the D and W Flat Track in Rainier.

“It’s in my blood, I just have it,” said the 25-year-old Olympia native and Capital High School graduate. “I could not ride a quad for two years, then hop on, and be able to ride it just as well as before.  It’s natural talent that’s in my blood.”

joel garlinghouse
Olympia’s Joel Garlinghouse (far left on podium) poses for a picture after a third place finish in a Pro-Am Quad World Off Road Championship Series (WORCS) race. Over the course of his racing career, Garlinghouse has competed against such riders as Sammy Halbert, a professional flat track motorcyclist, and Dillon Zimmerman a pro ATV rider on the WORCS tour.

After a few months since competing, Garlinghouse will have the opportunity to put his talent out on the track this weekend.  D and W Racing will begin its summer racing schedule on Saturday, May 18 at the Flat Track in Rainier.   An experienced motorcyclist and quad rider, Garlinghouse now races in the pro class of the quad division of the D and W races, and will also be traveling to areas somewhat close (Longview) and far away (Sioux Valley, South Dakota) later this summer.

As a youngster in the local dirt bike racing scene Garlinghouse excelled, winning the AMA District Championship every year between 1996 to 1999, along with tallying up the 1996 and 1997 Elma Indoor Championships and the 1999 Catawampus Caveman Series Championship.  He then took a hiatus from competitive racing before returning to race in the off road quad contests at Straddleline ORV Park in 2009.

For athletes in all sport, such a long period away from competition can lead to diminished skills and a lack of confidence.  This was not the case for Garlinghouse, as he was able to earn two third place finishes in 2009, earning a podium position in the Pro 6 hour team race (a 211-mile endurance ride that took six hours) and a Pro Am Quad WORCS race.  Garlinghouse’s high level of performance during his first year back is a testament to his skill and confidence on a vehicle.

“That confidence and courage as part of my mindset just helped me get back into it,” Garlinghouse said.  “Growing up racing as a kid, that prepared me for the competitive aspect and regardless if it’s on a quad or a motorcycle, I’m confident in my abilities.”

“I’ve seen Joel wheelie through an entire house, and honestly just do things so easily that others physically cannot do,” said friend Kyle Questi.  “He knows his motors, and it’s like he’s just connected to the throttle.  What he does easily on a quad or a bike would be the hardest thing some riders ever attempt.”

After racing in the physically grueling and demanding off-road contests at Straddleline, Garlinghouse decided to move to flat track racing in Rainier.  It is a transition he believes was necessary but still comes with its own challenges.

“I was breaking parts, bouncing off trees and rocks in the woods, was getting off the quad bleeding from blisters, so I decided to come back to where I started,” Garlinghouse said.  “But (flat track) is probably more expensive, in large part because I go through tires faster and I’m burning through them every two races.”

joel garlinghouseExpenses in all motorsports add up quickly, whether it’s for repairs, parts, race fees and transportation or other associated costs.  While Garlinghouse is sponsored through some local businesses, like South Sound Honda, Lew Rents West, and Pints and Quarts, his competitors usually have higher price vehicles and a payroll that allows them to compete more consistently throughout the year.

And yet Garlinghouse consistently finishes ahead of those very competitors, thanks to the motivation guided by his love of the sport.

“I have only pennies in my quad, and there are quads out there with $40,000 of top dollar equipment inside,” said Garlinghouse.  “Finishing ahead of these racers is amazing and really the best feeling there is.  I pay for everything from my own pocket and that’s the hardest challenge I face.  But what separates me (from other riders) is my background and just the love of the sport.”

Unlike many other competitors, Garlinghouse’s “support team” in the pit at races consists of only two individuals: fellow Capital High graduate Geoff Sheltstad and longtime friend and mentor George Prindville, a motorcycle rider in the 30-plus division.

“I’ve been friends with George my whole life, and he’s seen my love of racing ever since I was a youngster,” Garlinghouse said. “He’s someone I looked up to always and still do.”

He also noted that his parent’s love of motorsports helped instill his active lifestyle as a young age and that they still continue to support him.

joel garlinghouse“My dad’s friend Mike Harret built the motor that I race with and does the internal motor work for me.  They just always supported me growing up, and I’ve come to respect that even more as I’ve gotten older because I know how expensive it is,” Garlinghouse said.  “I just grew up around them and motors and that’s what I love to do still.  I really appreciate them because instead of being inside playing video games all day, I was outside building bicycle jumps and riding around.”

Last year, Garlinghouse took third and fourth place in the Rainier Cycle Bowl Pro and Prom Am Quad divisions respectively.  During a typical race weekend, Garlinghouse will participate in 5-lap qualifying heats, along with three other riders, in order to qualify for the final.  The final races feature twelve riders total, and are much longer, going for 20-25 laps.

In the heat of the moment, when he is inches away from his fast paced competition, is when Garlinghouse puts his talent on display.

“It’s crazy out there. We are a foot away from each other’s tires, inches away from bumpers,” Garlinghouse said of the experience on the dirt track. “If we touch we can go head over the bars. You have that fear of getting hurt, and that’s where I get the patience that helps me make moves to get ahead.”

The fear of losing has driven Garlinghouse to improve his mental and physical approach to racing. To keep up with the rigors of the sport, Garlinghouse runs and lifts weights, leaving him less susceptible to muscle fatigue that is common during races.  Equally important to his success is his focus during the chaos of a race.

joel garlinghouse“You have to react quickly, you have to think ahead, and you have to react to what the other racers are doing,” Garlinghouse said.  “I take my time because patience pays off but you still have to be aggressive.”

Later this summer, Garlinghouse is going to be putting his talents up against the best in the country, as he expects to travel to AMA ATV Nationals in Sioux Valley, South Dakota in mid-June.

“That’s going to be one of the biggest trips I’ve ever made and it’s exciting because there are riders from across the country, top flight riders,” Garlinghouse noted.

Along with competing in South Dakota, Garlinghouse will likely make a trek over to Spokane for a race, and is slated to compete in a flat track event on ice at Comcast Arena in Everett in December.  However, Garlinghouse’s focus remains on the Flat Track at Rainier, a place he has come to love for the excitement it provides him and the support offered by fans.

“It’s really like a family atmosphere, and the racers, fans, we all get along,” Garlinghouse said.  “You have the kids racing in the young divisions in the afternoon, and then they’ll come up and talk to you after.  And there are families of other racers who will come talk to you, offer you encouragement.  It’s fun to get that support and to be someone that kids look up to, especially because I was that same kid once.”

Though he has now lived a quarter century (while racing a majority of those 25 years) Garlinghouse is still driven by a child-like enthusiasm that will likely never leave him.

“I still compete because I love it too much, and if I didn’t, I wouldn’t still be racing because it’s too expensive, too time consuming,” Garlinghouse said.  “And in reality, that helps me compete, helps me go up against these other racers because I know I have to put everything I’ve got into winning.  I appreciate the opportunity to race, and it’s one I will never ever take for granted.”

For more information on D and W Racing at the Rainier Flat Track, click here.

To inquire about sponsorship for Joel Garlinghouse email garlinghouse02@gmail.com or call 360-789-9302.

 

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