Insight: Christian Craig
Thursday, June 16, 2011 | 2:20 PM
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Lucas Oil Troy Lee Designs Honda rider Christain Craig is turning heads with his strong 450 rides early in Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocros. He led a big portion of the first moto at round two at Freestone, and sits tenth in points in a stacked class. And this is only the 19-year-old’s first full season as a pro! We talked to him today to get his take on the season.
Racer X Online: It sure looks like a good season so far outdoors. Do you feel like it is?
Christian Craig: Oh yeah, it has been good so far outdoors. Supercross obviously didn’t go very well, but this is going good, and I’m happy with every finish so far, except for that last moto in the mud. I’m happy with everything so far.
Why ride the 450 in the first place?
The team needed someone to ride a 450, and they were looking for someone to ride it. So they asked me if I would, and I said yes, and I think I’ve made a great decision. I’m happy I’m doing it.
You did ride a 450 as a pro before, right?
Yeah, I rode the last few nationals in ’09 with Joe Gibbs. The first few races didn’t go that well, but at Southwick I think I got an eighth, and then I got another eighth at Steel City. I mean, I ride the 450 pretty well, I think, and hopefully it only gets better for here.
Craig has proven to be a top-ten threat in his first full season outdoors.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
Racer X Online: It sure looks like a good season so far outdoors. Do you feel like it is?
Christian Craig: Oh yeah, it has been good so far outdoors. Supercross obviously didn’t go very well, but this is going good, and I’m happy with every finish so far, except for that last moto in the mud. I’m happy with everything so far.
Why ride the 450 in the first place?
The team needed someone to ride a 450, and they were looking for someone to ride it. So they asked me if I would, and I said yes, and I think I’ve made a great decision. I’m happy I’m doing it.
You did ride a 450 as a pro before, right?
Yeah, I rode the last few nationals in ’09 with Joe Gibbs. The first few races didn’t go that well, but at Southwick I think I got an eighth, and then I got another eighth at Steel City. I mean, I ride the 450 pretty well, I think, and hopefully it only gets better for here.
Then you had a big crash and broke your back. You missed the entire 2010 season. Where you at one point not even sure you could get back on a bike?
Yeah, I couldn’t even think about riding a bike for a few months. Once I was able to get back on my feet and start walking, and after I did that I started to think it was possible to get back on a dirt bike, and here I am now! So I’m pretty lucky, for sure.
And the team stuck with you.
Yeah, Troy Lee and everyone on the team stuck by me the whole time. I had really only been testing with them for a week, I had basically just signed with them when I got hurt. So that’s a cool thing that Troy did for me, and I can’t thank them enough. They’re really one of the best teams out there, I think. I couldn’t be happier with the bike and everyone over here.
How much did that injury set you back?
I felt good right away. I couldn’t do a lot of laps, but I felt like I didn’t lose much speed even though I had been off for a year. I mean, I was maybe a little bit slower, but I wasn’t that far off. Mainly I just had to work on my cardio.
I know supercross didn’t go well for you. First two rounds were tough and then you tore your patella tendon at round three. Before the injury, did you at least feel like you were riding well?
Yeah, I felt like I was putting myself in good positions, getting good starts. But I felt like I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I crashed in Anaheim and Phoenix, and then in LA, me and Tyla [Rattray] got into it and I crashed and hurt my knee. It was just an experience, really, I wasn’t expecting to win or anything, I was just trying to get my feet wet with a year of supercross, riding the 250 class, everything like that. Hopefully that experience I did get will pay off next year.
Craig has proven to be a top-ten threat in his first full season outdoors.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
So take me through Freestone. You’re leading the first moto, and then you started pulling away! Where you expecting someone to come up on you?
[Laughs] At first I was like waiting for someone to come up next to me, but I didn’t hear anybody! I didn’t look back once, I just focused on riding the track, and that’s what helped me out, I never really thought about who was behind me. It was definitely fun to be up front like that, and hopefully I can have that feeling again over the next few races.
How important was it to back that up with another top-ten in moto two? I’m sure people were thinking that you had just sprinted those first twenty minutes of the first moto, and you’d have nothing left for moto two.
Yeah, that was huge to back it up with an eighth, but, I really didn’t have that much left in the tank after the first moto! I salvaged a good finish, so I was happy with the whole day, for sure.
I’ve talked to Ricky Dietrich, who I know you train with during the week, and I know Ryno [Ryan Hughes] has been working you guys pretty hard.
We’ve been training in the gym and on the bike and Ryno will have us do starts and do motos and just keep pushing each other. We go to the same tracks and we work on beating each other. I think that makes us both better, and Ricky and I, I think we’re both going to keep getting better and not just stay in the same place.
Finally, your dad was a pretty darned good racer in his own right [Note: Mike Craig is a former factory Kawasaki and factory Yamaha rider]. What’s his involvement in your racing?
I do my own thing, he kind of sits back and lets me do my own thing. I think that’s the smartest thing, he doesn’t try to get involved too much, but he will watch the races at home, and then he’ll call me on Monday and give me the talk. So he’s still involved and he’ll let me know how I did and what he thinks. But he doesn’t go to the races.
Has he put it out there yet that he won a 250 supercross and ran up front at a lot of nationals? Is he telling you yet where you’re going to need to finish to top him?
[Laughs] No, not yet, but maybe we’ll get into that in a couple of years.
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Glad he is on a 450.
I like this kid. I think it is a good choice for him to ride the 450. I also think it's cool that Mike has taken a step back and let Christian be his own man and do his own thing at the races.
Glad he can walk.
I'm surprised that Mike doesn't even go to the races. I'll never be a professional mx'er but maybe "the life" wears you out to the point you don't want anything to do with it anymore. But, for me, I can't get enough of it and I would love to have a kid that I could go to the races with every weekend, even if he wants to "do his own thing" on race weekends.
Such a talented rider! HIS GIRLFRIEND KAYLA must be good luck!
Love Craig's riding style, really cool his dad is not deeply involved, Does Mike go to any races ??? It would be hard for me to not go to any races if my boys ever went pro....Glad he came back from such a bad injury!
Just because you are pro does not mean your rich. Maybe thats why his dad does not go to the races, it costs money. Mike is a So-Cal coach that has a lot of upcoming talent under his wing.
THATS FOR SURE! and its smart not too have too many people around him at a race. The kid has a bright future good for him he'll have to bring his girlfriend Kayla out to a few rounds! bringin him some good luck!
Kayla... quit pumping yourself up. If he wants you there, he will ask. Take a step back and support him from home. Christ.
thats funny he ither embarassed or asshamed cuz he said he dont have a chick
Christian is a great rider and hes lucky to have such an amazing gf . jealous tools needa stop hatin bc shes going to be at all the next rounds cheering her boy on. hes taken haters.
Cant wait to see christian kill it this weekend hes gotta land on the box...
Just to make it clear I dont have a girlfriend.
Sounds to me like a failed attemp of a hit and run! Can you say stage 5 clinger!
Christian is an amazing talent,as a rider and as a person. his family situation is why this young man is at the front of the pack! its such an incredible story,more so then is said in this article! His father most def could and should be there with him, his mother ALWAYS has been and deserves major respect and mention as well. thank you Ryno,Troy Lee,Jeremy his brother for your dedication to Christians racing! thank you Christian for all your pains and struggles,we your fans love seeing you on the track and headed to the podium. you belong there,at the TOP!
blknite- thank you :)
@dateammate @cc144 Your a hack you have no idea what is going on with christian and his girl. your jus sum hater CC is TAKEN and happy they hav been seein eachother for a while now so get over it. and if u keep tryin to start summin its gonna b summin. got it.
I happen to know that comment from CC144 is really from Christian!! everyone elses comments are a joke!!
to everyone: Christian is doing an out standing job this year, keep it up! I wish nothing but the best to him and all the other riders.
As for the other stuff on this page i would like to say i personally know both Christian and Kayla. I do know that they are friends and that is it. Leave the kid alone and leave Kayla alone. They are 2 of the nicest people you'd ever meet.
I spoke with Kayla about this earlier and she is pretty hurt over whoever these people are that are posing as Kayla's "friends". She said none of this is true. Remember this is a small industry where everyone knows everyone. You never know who just might be good friends with one of these two. Shes one shy girl she never would do this.
@144mom - youre right those people are jokes!
motolyfe summed it perfectly. Christian is riding great this year and its good to see the TLD team have a rider up front on the 450. To the person who decided to bring Kayla into it, seriously you need to grow up and not post trash on here especially when making it up and by using several different fake indentities.
Oh and great Insight RacerX :) Keep them coming! Would love to see one on our Aussie boy Dean Porter doing the nationals as a privateer for the first time.