Name: Mike Laird

D.O.B. : 7-1-74

Hometown: Va. Beach, VA. USA

Riding since: 1981

Riding disciplines: Park

Occupation: Welder

Years ago you moved from Virginia to Greenville, NC. How has Greenville been for you?
Mike: After my park in Virginia got shut down, I had no choice but to move to Greenville if I wanted to ride at a professional level. So moving to Greenville has changed my life greatly. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

From 1997 - 2000 you seemed to travel a lot doing a bunch of contests. What happened after that?
Mike: I was a full-time rider and had a sponsor to get me anywhere I wanted to go at that time. Now I go to all the contests when I can. Working a full-time job and trying to ride full-time is so tough.

You weld a lot. What kind of stuff do you work on?
Mike: Jeremy Fanberg and I just got finished with the new JC Park here in Greenville. We also build show ramps for King Stunt Shows. Making custom furniture for some of the pros there in town.

What hobbies do you have that people don’t know about?
Mike: I’m into car audio and video games

What does your music mean to you?
Mike: Music is all about raw emotions, Hardcore and Medalcore styles of music bring an intense in-your-face attitude. The same emotions and attitude I feel I bring to bike riding.

Have you considered playing in a band?
Mike: No…… But I can play the hell out of some air guitar and drums

What’s the best concert you’ve seen live?
Mike: I’d say HELLFEST 2004, New Jersey. Prayer For Cleansing’s last show ever. R.I.P.

What places do you ride at on a regular basis?
Mike: Mirra’s Animal House, JC Park and the UNIT

What’s the latest trick you learned?
Mike: Barspin-to-tailwhip on box, can-can foot jam on a quarter

How does it feel riding for Mirraco?
Mike: Mirra and I have been good friends for over 10 years and we ride hard on a daily basis. Mirra has helped me out so much in my riding career, from the Mirra video game and having some metal work done to his house to Mirraco now. I’m just very thankful to have a friend like Dave. Mirraco will rule the world.

What motivates you to ride?
Mike: The desire to be the best bike rider I can be. And contests give me the chance to push and test myself. I go to contests to compete with myself. If you can do all of your hardest tricks back-to-back in one one minute run. To me that’s pretty sick and that gets my blood going.

Has being over 30 been a burden for you when you ride?
Mike: I’m confident and more dialed at 31 then I was at 21. So I’d say hell no!

You showed last year that you can never be ruled out. Do you have any plans to show people what you’ve got?
Mike: The Dew Action Sports Tour last year was one of my best years on a bike. I made 3 out-of 5 finals. Won Playstation trick-of-the-week in Denver and then trick-of-the-year out of all the Dew athletes (skate,moto and bike) in the whole year for a double tailwhip 360. Crazy. I’d like to say I feel I show people what I’ve got every time I ride. I’m not the best rider, but I’m the best I can be.

Final comments: Now get off your computer and go ride.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 20th, 2006 at 10:29 pm and is filed under Interviews, Rider News. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.