TALK IT UP TUESDAY: Jared Tebo

By Tyler Hooks
LiveRC.com 

Welcome to LiveRC's weekly column, "Talk-It-Up Tuesday!" Here we spend a little time talking with industry icons including racers, manufacturers, team managers, developers, promoters, and everyone in between! Sit back, relax, and go behind the scenes as we interview them all!

This past weekend Jared Tebo made a trip to Texas so we caught up with him for this week's Talk It Up Tuesday. Jared has been a busy guy this year racing and otherwise so take a little inside look into what he has been up to.

LiveRC: How have you been doing, enjoying the extra time at home with the kids?
Jared Tebo: I've been doing really good actually. It has been a very unique time, but I am trying to take advantage of it and do things I don't normally get to do right now. Yes, we are having a lot of really awesome family time, my wife was off work for a month as well, so it was really good. We are getting somewhat back to normal, but we are still getting a ton of awesome time together.

LRC: Having taken the COVID19 Test and gone through the process how was all of that?
JT: Unfortunately I did have to take two Covid tests and spend a few days on the Covid floor inside a hospital. It all was terrible, the test is not pleasant to say the least. I can say that my care was very good and it is pretty scary when you are on the other side of it. Very happy and blessed to be healthy again.

LRC: Now that things are opening in certain states have you been enjoying the road trips?
JT: If you would have asked my 6 months ago to drive 11 hours one way for a Saturday club race, I would have just laughed at you. I really missed racing and driving my cars more than I expected I was going to. Thornhill Racing Circuit opened up for racing and I wanted to get out of the house and do some driving and racing. I took my mountain bike and made a really fun road trip out of it. My first trip was 1592 miles and 25 hours, 20 minutes of driving. I spend 3 days at the RC track and then rode my bike at 5 different trail systems in two different states ... so it was pretty EPIC! Two weeks later I decided last minute to do it again. Both trips were crazy fun and I really enjoyed driving my cars and racing again. All the MTB miles were awesome as well.

LRC: Looks like mountain biking has become a family hobby, how did you manage to get everyone involved?
JT: Yeah, I've been on and off riding MTB for about 5-6 years, but I was still riding some MX also. I'm pretty much done with the dirt bikes now and have fully fallen in love with mountain bikes. The fitness challenge, mental challenge of difficult trails, and then just always being surrounded by God's amazing beauty on the trails ... I'm pretty much addicted right now. All my kids were riding pedal bikes with no training wheels before they turned 3 years old, so they have always loved bikes. I love being on two wheels, and they all had the opportunity to ride a balance bike if they wanted to. I didn't push any of them to ride, but all three kids love it. Rosalynn, 9, and Cole, 5, they both have actual legit mountain bikes and they are both pretty skilled. Nash, 3, he has 12" BMX bike, but he is a complete beast. All three kids ride between 30-50 miles a week and we really enjoy it together. With all that, Megan was pretty much forced to start riding ... haha. She just got a mountain bike and has started riding some trail and does some of our neighborhood / skate park rides now. We actually have a 4 day family MTB vacation planned for this weekend in Arkansas!

LRC: Have you taken up any new hobbies during the extra down time?
JT: No new hobbies. I've been able to work on things that I wasn't able to do before, just because of time and traveling. I finally finished a two year house flipping project I had going, which was a great feeling. I have also been doing remodeling projects at our house, which I really enjoy doing.

LRC: What is the first big race you will be attending?
JT: The first big race post Covid with be PNB, and I can't stinking wait! I had a good start to 2020, feeling very confident before everything came crashing to a stop. Now, I'm extremely motivated, have had some great perspective realignment, and I'm ready to race and to fight for the wins!

LRC: Was it difficult or strange to drive the first time back out at the track?
JT: I really thought it was going to be tougher. I was pretty nervous before I took my first lap at Thornhill, as it had been a pretty long time, probably the longest gap that I hadn't driven on a track since I started in 1999. It felt completely normal on the first lap and I wasn't uncomfortable or anything.

LRC: Any new products or plans for the JTP brand?
JT: No, nothing really in the works right now. JTP is small and I like it that way. It is just something I have fun with and I have no plans to expand it into anything bigger.

LRC: How do you feel about the Worlds being canceled and the nitro nationals likely being canceled also?
JT: It is a bummer for sure, as a racer I want to race and fight for those titles. I'm not going to worry about it, just going to keep working and getting better. We will get back to racing for those titles and I will be ready when that time comes!

LRC: Anyone you would like to thank?
JT: Yes of course, I have many to thank. Thank you to my family, Megan, and my great kids. I never could have dreamed of being this blessed, they give me my motivation to be the best that I can be, no matter what I am doing. Thank you to my Dad, who worked his butt off to give me an opportunity to become a great racer and have a chance at becoming a professional racer. Thank you to all my great sponsors during all stages of my career. Thank you to everyone at Tekno RC, Danny the owner, for believing in me, MX Engines and Fuel, Maclan ESC, Motor, Battery, AKA tires, KO Propo Radio and Servo's, Beach RC, Ultimate Racing, JTP, TD Paint, BoomRC Graphics, Lunsford Titanium, and Fastlane Raceway. Thank you to Jesus Christ, without his love and grace I would not be here. Thanks to all my fans and all my friends, I love you all!