NAME: Sean McClendon
NICKNAME: Griz
AGE: 24
HOMETOWN: Pine Valley, California
YEARS IN MTB: 11 years with 9 years of racing.
YEARS AS A PRO: This is season 5.
FAVORITE FOOD: Mexican: Tapatio, Manana's, Cotijas and Sombreros in San Diego as well as Johnny's in Ventura.
FAVORITE DRINK: Pabst Blue Ribbon and Orange Juice
HEROS: My Grandfather, Ted Nugent, Thomas Jefferson, Burt Reynolds, Kenny Powers, Jeff Emig, Jeremy McGrath, Bubba James, Kirt Voreis, John Tomac, Shaun Palmer Missy Giove and all the goons I know.
CROSSOVER SPORTS: Real Sports like bowling, foosball, and horseshoes. Then there's always motocross and the ocean when there's time.
HOBBIES: Beach cruiser rides with the Staggers, Nintendo Wii, heckling, learning stuff, skateboarding, rapping with Gigananotron, go-carts, cooking and hustling.
FAVORITE RIDING SPOT: Pine Valley, California.
FAVORITE RACE OR CONTEST: U.S. National Championships at Sol Vista.
BEST PLACE RIDING HAS TAKEN YOU: Kalamazoo, Michigan.
GOALS FOR 2009: The initial goal was to go out and win as much prize money at domestic races but when X-Fusion/Intense asked me to join the team, this changed. Now the goal is to get another win at an American race and finish well at Crankworx.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Made a couple of small finals in MTNX when all the big guns still raced in America, a DH podium at the second ever Fluidride Cup, a Gravity East DH win this year and a Cal State title as a junior. Most importantly I've had the chance contributing to the sport which has given me everything.
DESCRIBE THE PERFECT DAY OF RIDING FOR YOU…
Usually my perfect days happen when I ride two different machines in the same day. Usually my best days on a downhill bike happen a few hours after a morning at the motocross track. Any day riding dual slalom is amazing too.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO MOUNTAINBIKING…
There are three people responsible for me getting into mountain bikes: Ryan Dawson, my older brother Jason and friend Brian Jones. Dawson was an aspiring downhill racer, my brother rode with him frequently on a borrowed bike and my friend Brian was the first of our crew to graduate from a 20-inch to a mountain bike. Eventually, most of my friends and I all rode mountain bikes in the hills and jumped the wheels off them on all the jumps we built. Ahh the memories.
HOW HAS THE MTB INDUSTRY CHANGED YOUR LIFE…
Not many people ever figure out that you truly can accomplish anything you set your mind to. The MTB industry has helped me turn my small town dreams into reality. Most of us can say that the Industry has allowed us to live the dream.
MOST WILD, CRAZY OR EMBARRASING MOMENT OF YOUR MTB CAREER…
Doing three tours in the infamous Battle Bus.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE DOING 10-20 YEARS FROM NOW…
As much of the cool stuff that I'm currently involved with as well as passing down the torch of glory to the next generation of McClendon's and driving one woman crazy.
WHAT HAVE YOU GAINED THE MOST OUT OF RIDING YOUR BIKE…
Confidence.
SHOUTOUTS, THANKS AND ANYBODY ELSE YOU WANT TO HOLLA AT…
All the team and personal sponsors who make this possible for us, without you, we're just dust in the wind dude. My family, personal trainer Drake, life-coach Dusty, consultants of cool Clay and Theo, the Ventura Bowling Center, Big Pat Enforcement, Calvins and all the fine ladies in the world.