Fullnoise: K-DUB sad news for all the #14 fans across the globe tonight, obviously a decision that has been in the works for a period of time to come and not one that you have taken lightly?
Windham: Yeah it has been waiting on me from the end of Twenty 12 there with some crashes I took in Houston and following up at the Monster Energy cup last October. I thought I could come into this Supercross season and overcome the hurdles that were in front of me.
But it just started weighing on me more and more, so I had to make a decision. I talked to all my guys, all my friends outside of the industry, all my friends inside the race industry before me that have gone on to now retirement.
The choice was pretty unanimous, the decision had to be made based off of the way I was thinking and feeling. You know it has been a good run, the last two years iv'e had 5 concussions and 3 broken bones. Now I think it was just time to count my blessings.
The sport has been so good for me and everybody has got to give it away at some point it just became obvious for me.
Fullnoise: There is no denying the fact you are very much a Family man has this affected your'e choice to step out of the racing circuit at all?
Windham: My kids were a huge part of helping me get focused and they brought a lot of clarity to my life. I don't think the kids directly made me feel older or more prepared for retirement but I do feel like now it is time for me to focus on them.
Helping them do what they want to do in their lives, especially on weekends and stuff, instead of being out on the road and doing all these different things week in week out.
But my kids didn't hinder me or make me go out early. My kids actually helped me to be more focused and try to find even more of a reason to try and drive through this period.
Fullnoise: With the depth of field currently in the 450 SX class was this also impactual on the decision to check out as the speed and aggression present in this class for 2013 can't be easy to compete in?
Windham: It is insane every year, when I came in I raised the bar a little. But Jeremy McGrath raised the bar even more, Ricky Carmichael raised the bar yet again.
With James Stewart, Ryan Dungey and Ryan Villopoto everyone brings something to the game, But the #51 of Bamm Bamm (Justin Barcia) and the #41 of Trey Canard, I mean those guys are driving really hard to ride good.
It's just the next chapter its the next phase of people pushing the limits that much more. So yeah that in itself made it tough for me to try to keep up with those guys but it's a natural progression in the sport and in life.
I have been racing motorcycles for 31yrs now, there has only ever been one guy to do more rounds than me and that's Mike LaRocco. It has been 19 seasons and that's all I or anyone can ask for.
Fullnoise: I think you have broken hearts across the world including 40, 000 of them in the stands tonight.
Windham: Well a lot of Americans a lot of Australians and of course myself, I mean I feel it's the right decision but that it doesn't make it an easy decision.
It's tough but everyone has to make that call at some point. The fans of Supercross have been really amazing to me which in a way kept me around in this sport for so long.
