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Me? I am Mees!
You wouldn’t consider snocross racing a natural fit for a city kid from Long Island, N.Y., but that’s exactly where snocross first caught the interest of Boss Racing’s Darrin Mees.
How does a kid go from ‘the city that never sleeps’ to Boss Racing’s snocross team? I had brief visions of a taxicab vs. snoscoot drag race down Fifth Ave., but Mees quickly brought me back to reality. “There’s nowhere to snowmobile on Long Island,” he said.
Darrin got his start on a sled at his grandma and grandpa’s. Mees’ grandparents lived in New Hampshire and had room for Darrin and his younger brother, Garret, to romp around through the area’s many fields on his first ride – a fan-cooled Polaris 440.Mees was instantly hooked on snowmobiles and going fast (ain’t we all?). His first race was at 15 years old. “My dad took me to my first local race and I did pretty well,” Mees said, “even though we didn’t have the right sled.”
That race would be the only one he competed in that season – not by choice, but by equipment limitations. “The next year we went back with the right sled and won a bunch more races,” said Mees. He’s been a member of a sponsored team ever since.
“I got pretty lucky and hit it just at the right time,” he said.
His fourth place finish in 2012 earned Rookie of the Year honors, and Mees was on track for another stellar finish before a knee injury interrupted his 2012-13 campaign. “I worked out a lot to recover and really concentrated on my diet,” said Mees of his recovery. Now fully recuperated, Mees is hungrier than ever to tear up the track with his new Boss Racing Team.
“It’s a little different feel than other teams I’ve been on,” said Mees, “It seems a little bit more like a family.” That new racing family already includes Swedish Champion, Petter Narsa, who Mees joins to form Boss Racing’s top duo on Team Jimmy John’s. “I don’t know [Narsa] real well yet, but all the Swedish guys are really cool, and I’m sure he won’t be any different,” said Mees.
In the offseason, Mees and his wife, Ashlee, welcomed a new baby girl. “I didn’t really realize what I was getting myself into,” said the first time father. He seems to be catching onto the basics of fatherhood almost as quickly as he’s taken to snocross. “I’m going to learn a lot of patience – what’s important and what’s not,” said Mees, No doubt the adventures of fatherhood will consume time away from the track, but won’t hinder his performance on the track.
“I’m training year-round,” said Mees, “I’m passionate about what I do for a living and ride on the edge.” The dedication and talent he brings to the track every race makes Mees a feared competitor. “I ride a little bit on the edge,” Mees said of his racing style. “Some people call it out of control, but it looks more out of control than I really am,” he added. If recent history is any indication, Mees will be dangerous in 2013-14 for Boss Racing.
PERSONAL STATS:
DOB: 05/24/1989
Height: 6-ft.
Weight: 180-lbs.
Hometown: Long Island, N.Y.
Resides: North Branch, Minn.
Family: Wife (Ashlee), Daughter (Hayden, 3-mos.), Brother (Garret)
Pro Racing Experience: 3 Years
Brand/Class: Ski-Doo / Pro Open
Sponsors: Jimmy John’s, BOSS Racing, Ski-Doo, Lucas Oil, Scott
FAVORITES:
Pre-Race Ritual: Check ski alignment… and don’t forget to stretch!
Vacation: Vancouver Island, B.C.
Date Night: “Dinner and a movie, unless my wife gets to pick… then we’re eating at some healthy restaurant! But... it keeps me in shape!”
Restaurant: Mine is Chipotle!
Pastime (non-snowmobiling): Mountain Biking
Way to Blow Off Steam: “Ride my bike to town and go get some Caribou Coffee.”
Off-Season Training: Motocross
Sled to Ride: Ski-Doo XP
Racing Memory: “When me, Robbie [Malinoski] and Tim [Tremblay] were all on the podium in Duluth last [in 2012]. We were
all on the same team so that was really cool!”
TOP THREE:
Artists on my iPod
1. Florida Georgia Line
2. Kenny Chesney
3. Anything Rap
Movies to see
1. Good Will Hunting
2. Four Brothers
3. She’s Out of My League
TV shows I DVR
1. Californication
2. Eastbound & Down
3. Two and a Half Men
Something I never leave home without: Diapers!