When it comes to building some of the best race motors in the sport, Varner Motorsports has been very, very successful. Getting his start as an engine builder back in 1979 with LOP back in Illinois, Terry worked with a ten man race team that included the infamous Marty Moates. In 1980, after Moates won both motos of the 500cc U.S. GP – Varner packed his bags and headed out to California after LOP was sold. By 1985, Terry hooked up with Gary Denton and spent most of the eighties campaigning the Nationals with Denton and his Quads under the Varner Racing tent. During all of that, Varner became good friends with none other than Don Emler, the FMF kingpin. In 1993 Varner and Emler discussed putting together an in house engine building department – up until then FMF just did pipes and silencers and with the growing demand for motor-mods the transition came naturally.

With countless championships on the amateur as well as the professional racing level, FMF has grown tremendously over the last ten years, as has Terry Varner’s reputation for building high quality motors. As growing pains tugged at both FMF and Varner, they came to the conclusion that FMF needed to concentrate on what they do best, building pipes. Varner Motorsports was reborn as Terry once again headed out on his own and was contracted by FMF to handle the motor duties for the FMF amateur support program.

Since then, Varner has rapidly grown to be the go-to guy for a number of the best amateur riders in the country. Billy Laninovich, Jimmy Nelson, and Bob Kiniry all have championships under Varner’s watchful eye. His support reaches much farther than just building motors – he attends all five of the big amateur races every year and is there not only for sponsor support, but friend and coach as well. His riders respect him and it shows in their results.

As Terry Varner turns yet another corner in his career and sets up shop in new digs in Upland, California, I asked Terry what motivates him to keep doing this, “It’s my passion, I thrive on this stuff”

Extracted from an Interview by Doug Shultz for Motocross West