Insider Exclusive

Some of you may know this former Iceman winner as Jon shell, but anyone who has raced against this man knows him simply as 'The Chief'. In this Family of Pain exclusive interview, the Chief finally comes clean about his own substance abuse in his early days of racing. The Chief also lashes out against Wang, and has some shocking allegations about him.

F.O.P.:Chief, why have you decided to come forth about your early racing days?

Chief:Well, I just want the truth to be known and don't want to see up and coming junior racers go down that same path.

F.O.P.:What types of substances did you use?

Chief:Cheap beer mostly, lots of Fallstaff and Killians Red back in those days.

F.O.P.:You were underage back then, how did you acquire the beer, were you working with a veterinarian?

Chief:No, I had a mustache back then so I looked a lot older.

F.O.P.:When did you use this substance?

Chief:The night before a race, I would drink at least 12 beers or more and by the next morning I was flying. I would usually go off the front in a criterium and lap the field at least once.

F.O.P.:Did any of your teamates consume as well?

Chief:Oh yeah, Wang tried to put down 5 or 6, but he was only 118 lbs. back then. He usually ended up passed out in his own vomit. There was also Big Bill and Kardas. Big Bill was usually too busy looking for his lost wallet or trying to scam on some chicks to partake. But Kardas on the other hand, he was on a whole other level back then.

F.O.P.Tell us more about Wang's involvement.

Chief:Well I really blame him for most of it. I mean, that guy was always there yelling at me to drink more. He always wanted me to chug a whole jar of salsa at once. I reluctantly did it on several occasions. I have ruined more than one carpet that way, 'cause it always came back up.
Wang also stored our beer in a cooler in his closet at his parents house. We did get caught once by his folks, but just blamed it on Matt Haugh.

F.O.P.:How did you avoid detection all those years?

Chief:Wang would usually take the empty cans and dump them off in the dumpster down at the park in Smithville.

F.O.P.How about when you were on the road, traveling to races?

Chief:Yeah, well that was no problem, avoiding detection was very easy in those days. After all, I drove a 1964 Mercury Comet with a built up 289! That car could easily out run the cops, plus you could open the bottles using the door handles.

F.O.P.:Some say this is just sour grapes between you and Wang, you know he was always a better off road racer back in the 80's. He has stated on more than one occasion that your handling skills sucked back then. Why did you wait until now to talk?

Chief:He's trying to make a comeback racing that Groovy series. And I think he still abuses cheap beer. Just look in his recycling bin, it's usually full of Old Milwaukee's Best....LIGHT!

F.O.P.:Will we see you toe the line this year? I have heard that you have been training some.

Chief:Not likely, I don't even have a mtb right now.

F.O.P. What about all those Slingshots you have hanging in your garage?

Chief:No comment.

F.O.P.Wang has said that your stories aren't credible. He cites the time you were riding TOSRV and drank a two liter bottle of wine cooler right after finishing off a 12 of Michelob....with no food in your system. He went on to say that you then crashed your bike so hard that you bent both of your rims and snapped the seat right off of it's rails! He claims to have also saved your life that day. He had to turn you on to your stomach and drag you outside by your feet because you were trying to pull a "Jimmy Hendrix".

Chief:No comment...this interview is over.