Talk It Up Tuesday: Jared Tebo 2021

Tyler Hooks: How has your year been going Jared?
Jared Tebo: Hey Tyler, thanks for having me on here. My year has been good overall, but it has been mixed at the same time. I feel like my driving has been good and my Tekno cars have been really good, but I have missed some good opportunities to have better results at a couple events. I've had some great Truggy wins, but a big Buggy win has eluded me so far in 2021. I've also had unfortunate sponsorship issues that has caused some unwanted stress, but also opened up some great opportunity at the same time. I've had a mixed year so far, haha!

TH: What was your favorite win of the year?
JT: I would say my favorite win of 2021 so far has been my Truggy win at Silver State. The track shaped up really good and I really enjoyed that main. I had a great start, drove with confidence, and was able to straight up beat Ryan Maifield. He has been on such a good roll lately, so to race him and to pull away, that race and win just felt amazing. That was also the first win for Graham Hill and I, after we started working together. He has been a great addition to my program in 2021!

TH: Was the announcement of Maxima no longer continuing with the professional driver program a surprise?
JT: Yes, unfortunately that was a huge surprise. There really wasn't an actual announcement, we just got an email about it, but it lacked a lot of information. That is why the US drivers didn't really post anything, because we were not fully sure of the situation. We were under the understanding that our deals were good to the end of 2022, and then they would expire. Ending at the end of June was a huge surprise for us all. I've had a great opportunity with Maxima for a long time, 10 years actually. They have done a lot for me and my family, so I am very grateful for that. Chira and Jarb have treated me like family, but sometimes good things come to an end. I'm still unsure about the future with myself and MX (Maxima), but I am trying to work out my details and my plan for 2022 and beyond. I do have my JTP/MX Engine that I run and sell, so I will be using those for the remainder of 2021. I'm hoping to get another batch to sell before winter hits also, so keep an eye out for that!

TH: Do you have any further understanding on the termination from Maclan this year?
JT: You are just hitting me with all the good questions, haha. Yes, I have a pretty decent understanding of the situation, but it's pretty complicated. We lacked in our communication from the beginning, so our relationship was never really that strong, and the trust wasn't there. The 1/10 equipment was great, but we had issues from the start with the 1/8 equipment. I reported my issues, and I got a very mixed bag of answers. That is where the relationship was never really that good. It was frustrating on both sides I'm sure, but I didn't feel like my input was being taken to try to resolve the issue. Communication is a two way street, so I do hold some responsibility in that. I was kinda expecting and thinking that we shouldn't continue after 2021, as the relationship wasn't getting better, but I wasn't expecting to be terminated like that. That was a very stressful situation and it is better that we are no longer working together.

TH: Your JTP brand has been expanding with Shock and Diff Oils, to Servo's, are there any other future plans for expansion?
JT: JTP has been something I have been doing since 2009 and it has seen quite a few different products during it's life. Since joining Tekno, JTP has been doing the Shock and Diff Oil's, which has been really awesome. I've always wanted JTP to be products by a racer, for a racer. The brand is small, but I take a lot of pride in it. I've been doing more co-op type products with companies that support my personal race program. I am able to use my experience to develop a great product that I want to use personally, and then bring that product to customers through JTP. We do have some new and exciting products coming out soon. NitroPro and myself have worked together since the end of 2020, and we are about to launch a new 1/8 High Torque servo, the CT2. I'm super excited about this, as I have played a role in the design and we have created something pretty awesome and innovative together. We then have a new 1/10 Low Profile servo, the RT2 coming soon as well. Then on top of that, I have been working very close, testing a lot of different fuel blends with NitroPro. We are just about to launch a JTP Pro Race Blend/NitroPro 30% fuel. I have raced with this fuel at Wicked Weekend and the Southern Nats, with great success already. Those are the plans I can share right now, and we are all super excited!

TH: Do you have any plans for electronics for the future?
JT: I actually don't have any plans as of right now. I'm just racing with a Tekin setup that Maclan purchased for me in 2020. I have raced with that system quite a bit in 2020 and 2021. I'm wanting to get some plans going, I have plans to test a different system soon. If any companies are looking for a driver, feel free to reach out! haha!

TH: Will we see you at any more drag racing events soon?
JT: No, probably not. I did enjoy the one event I did, but that was more because of Maclan. I am very much full time doing what I am doing with the 1/8 off-road. The drag racing scene is not easy, those guys are crazy good at what they do, so you can't just jump in and do one event and think you can be competitive. I'm glad I did it, everyone there welcomed me in and I did really enjoy it!

TH: How does it feel to be a full on racing Dad now?
JT: The boys seem to be very talented in BMX racing. Thank you, yes, they are doing awesome and it's super fun. Being a racing dad is pretty tough, mainly because I know the dedication and the mentality that is needed to be successful in racing. I have to keep myself in check, and I'm doing a decent job. We are just keeping it fun and keeping it local. As they get older, if they want to take it more serious, I'm for that, but keeping it fun is the most important thing. My Dad was able to to teach me a lot, as I was very young, 14 years old, when I turned professional and started getting a pay check in RC. It is a tough balance for sure. As a Dad, the toughest part is seeing them not get the result they wanted because of a lack of effort. I know the skills they have and I know the strength they have, so it's tough to see them not get the fullest out of those areas. My Dad made sure I loved driving my RC cars, and I have now been a professional driver for 20 years and I still love driving those silly cars. My goal is to just make sure they are loving riding their bikes. When they stop enjoying riding their bikes, they wont ride them anymore.