VMS (Valli Motorsports) presented their team on November 13th at the Club Auto Sport facility in San Jose, CA. VMS team owner Chad Lanza was proud to present his team; Defending WORSC champ Bobby Bonds, Kyle Summers and Bobby Garrison. As team manager Lanza hired off road legend and ex Suzuki off road manager Charles Halcomb.
Chad Lanza is a young successful land developer/businessman with a passion for off road. Chad used to race and travel with Eric Mashburn and even went to the ISDE in Tulsa, OK. Chad has sponsored Brian Garrahan in the past and decide to step it up a notch (or 2, probably 3). Lanza hired Charles Halcomb as his team manager and gave him an unlimited budget. Lanza will be closely involved in the team has been talking to Halcomb on a daily bases and plans to attend all 25 planned races himself. Lanza’s business is a Monday thru Friday operation and with a private plane as his transportation mode, he is more then likely to fit it in his busy live. VMS chose Club Auto Sport as their home base and location for their race shop. Valli Contruction build this great facility and finished it just 6 months ago.
Team manager Charles Halcomb has a long time history with off Road. Halcomb used to race the Trans-Am series for Husqvarna, rode six ISDE’s, rode multiple BAJA’s, competed in National Enduros, helped develop the Honda XR and Suzuki DR and was Team manager of Suzuki Off Road in the early 90’s with riders Randy Hawkins, Steve Hatch and Rodney Smith. I was fortunate enough to sit down with Charles the day after the team presentation and he told me that he recently sold his family tile business and is now full time employed by VMS. Two stories came up. One was the he almost died at the BAJA when spectators dug ditches across the road and he had a big crash and was in a coma for several days. He did not brake any thing but busted his head hard (sound familiar Josh Morros?). The other one was that he lost a for sure gold medal as a club rider, pulling an US Trophy rider with a barbed wire to get to him to the finish at his first ISDE in Holland (1984). You think he could write a book? Fasinating!
VMS has big plans. Their first priority is winning the WORCS title. Beside this series they will do as many National Motocross events as possible. Both Bonds and Summers have national mx numbers and are respectful mx riders. The Endurocross is also penciled in and a trip to the Daytona bike week is also part of the program (including the Alligator Enduro). VMS has pursued an 18 wheeler and three Dodge Sprinters for their transportation needs as well as 22 Honda’s. Halcomb had a good offer from an European brand but decide to go with Honda. Honda will not be involved with the team beside some contingency (still in the works according to Halcomb). VMS has spend 1 million dollars on their racing efforts so far.
Bobby Bonds is one of VMS riders and he will defend his number 1 WORCS’ plate. Bonds started last year with a full time construction job which quickly turned into a “on the payroll” $10 a hour professional racing job. Bonds is very happy to have a steady income with a baby on the way. Bobby seems to be super excited about his new team and talked briefly about he none WORCS events like Endurocross: Bonds: “ If I don’t do well at the first few Endurocrosses, I will tell them not to waste money on me and focus on other races”. Bonds said that Endurocross is not his specialty being short and stocky. We also asked Bonds about his recent weight lose and he said that it did not make that much of he difference. He claimed he never got tired being overweight, but did admit that his speed did improve after he lost 52 pounds! Bonds could not give me a specific reason why he suddenly decided to loose the weight.
Kyle Summers (no relation to Scott) is VMS young and up coming rider. Offroadchampions.com did an interview with Kyle last year and the young man did show some more maturity at the VMS party. Summers has been training more consistently and has also spend some time with team trainer Steve Hatch. He is very excited about his new opportunity and loves hanging around the San Jose area. Summers will spend more time training in California before going back to Colorado for the holidays and return back to Arizona at Steve Hatch’s house for another training session.
Last but not least is team member Bobby Garrison. Garrison started the 2008 of with promising results but got hurt braking his humerus This fracture did not heal and he had to go in for some more surgery. Garrison is now healthy and will compete in the last Endurocross in Las Vegas before making the switch to the VMS Honda’s. Garrison was unable to wear the VMS shirt because he is still under contract with Yamaha.
VMS sponsors are: FMF, AXO, FACTORY CONNECTION, ARAI HELMETS, MOTION PRO, IMS GAS TANKS, FASST HANDLEBARS, EBC BRAKES, NO TOIL AIR FILTERS, RK/EXCEL, TOPAR RACING, SCOTT USA, TM DESIGNWORKS, HINSON, PRO HONDA OILS, HOLLISTER HONDA, GPR STABILIZERS
VMS (Valli Motorsports) presented their team on November 13th at the 
Chad Lanza is a young successful land developer/businessman with a passion for off road. Chad used to race and travel with Eric Mashburn and even went to the ISDE in Tulsa, OK. Chad has sponsored Brian Garrahan in the past and decide to step it up a notch (or 2, probably 3). Lanza hired Charles Halcomb as his team manager and gave him an unlimited budget. Lanza will be closely involved in the team has been talking to Halcomb on a daily bases and plans to attend all 25 planned races himself. Lanza’s business is a Monday thru Friday operation and with a private plane as his transportation mode, he is more then likely to fit it in his busy live. 
Team manager Charles Halcomb has a long time history with off Road. Halcomb used to race the Trans-Am series for Husqvarna, rode six ISDE’s, rode multiple BAJA’s, competed in National Enduros, helped develop the Honda XR and Suzuki DR and was Team manager of Suzuki Off Road in the early 90’s with riders Randy Hawkins, Steve Hatch and Rodney Smith.
VMS has big plans. Their first priority is winning the WORCS title. Beside this series they will do as many National Motocross events as possible. Both Bonds and Summers have national mx numbers and are respectful mx riders. The Endurocross is also penciled in and a trip to the Daytona bike week is also part of the program (including the Alligator Enduro). VMS has pursued an 18 wheeler and three Dodge Sprinters for their transportation needs as well as 22 Honda’s. Halcomb had a good offer from an European brand but decide to go with Honda. Honda will not be involved with the team beside some contingency (still in the works according to Halcomb). VMS has spend 1 million dollars on their racing efforts so far. 
Bobby Bonds is one of VMS riders and he will defend his number 1 WORCS’ plate. Bonds started last year with a full time construction job which quickly turned into a “on the payroll” $10 a hour professional racing job. Bonds is very happy to have a steady income with a baby on the way. Bobby seems to be super excited about his new team and talked briefly about he none WORCS events like Endurocross: Bonds: “ If I don’t do well at the first few Endurocrosses, I will tell them not to waste money on me and focus on other races”. Bonds said that Endurocross is not his specialty being short and stocky. We also asked Bonds about his recent weight lose and he said that it did not make that much of he difference. He claimed he never got tired being overweight, but did admit that his speed did improve after he lost 52 pounds! Bonds could not give me a specific reason why he suddenly decided to loose the weight.
Kyle Summers (no relation to Scott) is VMS young and up coming rider. Offroadchampions.com did an interview with Kyle last year and the young man did show some more maturity at the VMS party. Summers has been training more consistently and has also spend some time with team trainer Steve Hatch. He is very excited about his new opportunity and loves hanging around the San Jose area. Summers will spend more time training in California before going back to Colorado for the holidays and return back to Arizona at Steve Hatch’s house for another training session.
Last but not least is team member Bobby Garrison. Garrison started the 2008 of with promising results but got hurt braking his humerus This fracture did not heal and he had to go in for some more surgery. Garrison is now healthy and will compete in the last Endurocross in Las Vegas before making the switch to the VMS Honda’s.