Monday Convo: Marvin Musquin
Monday, March 18, 2013 | 9:55 AM
Alpinestars has been delivering performance of the highest level on the motocross tracks of the world for almost 50 years. Racing on Sunday and developing on Monday is a way of life at Alpinestars. Welcome to the Racer X Monday Conversation.
Tweet
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Share
Comment
Email
Print
Had Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin come from last to second on Saturday night in Indy, it would have been an amazing ride, worthy of great praise and press. But when Rockstar Energy Racing’s Blake Wharton threw the lead away on the last lap with a big crash in the whoops, Musquin rode by to take the lead, completing an improbable worst-to-first comeback. His second-straight main event win puts him firmly back into title contention, too. We found him down by the podium after the race for this week’s Monday Conversation.
Racer X: That was amazing. That was unbelievable.
Marvin Musquin: Thank you so much. I felt great, for sure. My start wasn’t so good. I tried to go inside and somebody caught the tuff blocks, actually two big tuff blocks. We were stuck behind the tuff block with Wil Hahn. And we were laughing about it on the podium because we [both] ended up on the podium, so that’s why we were laughing about it. But at the moment we were like, ‘what’s going on here?’ Wil said to me, “Well, we’ll just have to wait.” It probably didn’t take so long, but it feels like it takes forever to get around those tuff blocks when it’s happening live in the race! I passed Wil really quick because I really want to get points on him for the championship. I really fought all the way through. I got [to] third. I was like, okay, it’s pretty good. Ended up on the podium; it’s good. And then [Kyle] Peters was right in front of me and I was faster than him. So I was like, okay, I tried to get second. And then I got second. I was like, that’s pretty good! And then I saw [Blake] Wharton in front of me. I was like, there were like three lapped riders. I’m like, ‘Okay, anything can happen.’ And those whoops were really, really rough and sketchy and I guess he went down. It’s really sad for him. He had the win, for sure. To crash in the last lap it’s really bad. But Frankie, my mechanic, he really believes in me and was helping me on the pit board. He was giving me good encouragement, telling me where I was, how many laps, what position. It was a great race. I felt really, really good. That track was rough, but I love this.
Musquin had to come through a ton of traffic after a first turn pileup.
Simon Cudby photo
You mentioned that on your podium speech. It was pretty technical from your perspective, and you like it that way?
Yeah, sure. Not everybody was doing that double and then triple so it’s good when it’s like this. When it’s tough to do a rhythm and then nobody does the same thing, it’s good. You can make time on riders. And also when it’s rough, ruts, it almost gets to where you can’t jump anymore, but you try to still do it. I really like it. That’s real motocross, when it’s rough and you can do some different things on the track. Like last year, we’ve been talking about it - that’s why I’m here in the East Coast. And we’ve talking about it with the team because it’s rougher on the East Coast and it pays off. It’s good for my style.
It seems like you’re riding better here these last couple weeks, obviously, with two wins. Is there something that you feel changed from the first couple weeks?
I felt that the difference, it’s only during the race. I am doing the same things between the races. I’ve been really consistent and fast during practice but on the race I was kind of tired and not confident enough to win. In Daytona I felt much better and just tried to do the same thing now. Having that win is a big boost of confidence. Be consistent in practice, be consistent on my starts and try to get points on Wil Hahn and we see at the end of the championship.
Yeah, you’re only nine points down. You’re totally in it.
Yeah, for sure. Fourteen points coming in, that was a big gap. You’re like, “Man, I got to win now some races and get some points.” And that’s what I’m doing so I’m really happy.
Musquin celebrates in style.
Simon Cudby photo
Did you like this article?
Check out LONE STAR RISING
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
The James Stewart Freestone AMA Spring Classic in Texas has quickly earned a place on the list of must-attend springtime amateur events. Page 182.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
I'm really happy for Marvin......that was a great ride for sure, he was really pushing it!! I think there will be some good racing between he and Hahn for the rest of the season!!!
I'd never been to a Supercross before Indy. So, no matter what happened it would have been an awesome time. Watching Marvin's Red Bull helmet sailing around the track was incredible. His charging speed made everyone but Blake and Hahn seem like they were riding in 1st gear. Bummer about Blake, but I was pulling for Marv and his friendly team pretty hard before the race anyway.
I came home so pumped up that I talked my wife to join me to go to Toronto. Only did we just learn you need a friggin passport to return to US.
Wilber is such a good guy and has been plugging away at it for so long. Marvin is an earnest and happy fellow. Both are no-drama no-BS guys. Gonna be hard to see one disappointed at the end.
Indy made two riders very happy and left two very disappointed...To Marvin and Wil a BIG CONGRATULATIONS and to Blake and Dean you have our sympathy for the devastation you must feel .. Keep your head up, things will get better for both of you!!
KTM has really scored with there riders, not only are they fast...they are very likable. This is a Big change from the the past as some of the european riders didn't get the support due to they interaction..Marvin and Wil are doing a Great Job for our sport..
Marvin, second fastest in the means nothing PRACTICE. Shouldn't be a suprise he rode so well and ended up front. I am very happy for him, he seems like a happy genuine guy.. I knew it was a matter of time before he put it together based on the speed an lap times he has shown. The confidence from Daytona was all he needed
He looked fast all day.. Myself and my youngest son had a bet going. He said Musquin had it and I said Wharton.. I just said that because he won Indy last year.. and he had it threw it away on the last lap.. So sad.. But Marvin looked good all day.. He is real smooth..
OK I'm going to say It.....Everyone is wearing a GO-Pro, seems like the powers that be should've had enough time to get permission to incorparate the footage into a New Video Game
And Rick--dont get your panties in a bunch over Stewart--I know thats where this is going.. Nobody is saying practice means nothing.. What everyone is disagreeing with is you saying Stewart was the fastest guy in Indy because he had the fastest single lap in practice.. THAT is wrong, he wasnt the fastest there.. So let it go..Look at the Main and the fastest laps over all 20.. RV won that easliy
The postings started out good. Let the downward spiral in intelligence that began with bd200 and his Stewart interjection commence.
@singletrack, glad you got out to enjoy the show in person - nothing beats being there! I hit one per year in Texas myself. If you haven't made it to any of the outdoor nats then you definitely would love that - being right up next to the track and watching the speed those guys carry outside is crazy.
I guess they got tired of talking to RV in the monday Convo?? LOl
Funny seeing MM do the heel clicker two weeeks in a Row now, Never would have guessed he would do something like that because he seems very low key. Very cool.
What a little confidence can do to a guy huh?
I swear he even looked different on the podium. uh Bon Joir
Really dig his riding style
Wish I could be precise and light on the pegs.
Awesome Race Marvin! Never give up.
Heck of a ride Marvin! It's great to watch a racer that is so smooth and technically accurate. Reminds me of another French rider named JMB.
Kepp it up!
@ bd200, you beat me to it. Stop grasping at straws for Stewart @rick it's not a good look for you lol.
Good for him even though I'm pulling for Wilbur. KTM should hand out orange M&M's.
The fact that the 250's can actually come through the pack and the 450's are lucky to pass 2 riders shows that 450's are too much for SX. The 450 is probably, in my opinion, the best MX bikes ever made. Don't give me the man up or you are scared because I have a 450 and love it.
I'm definately pulling for Wilbur but imagine if Marv wins east and Roczen wins west, two euros take the championships. I wonder if that's ever happend before?
@ byrner99 ...... I sure hope not, because then we'll have to listen to Euromike about how he told us so after years of being wrong lol.
So glad to see Marvin havin success in supercross. Was worried last year...but as someone has already pointed out...the depth last year in 250 supercross was insane. Its not quite at the same level of depth this year. I wonder how things would go in a super happy KTM truck in the nationals...if it boils down to their 2 riders. Is Bagget riding 250s outdoors again?....hope not...that guy is too fast!!
Im still hoping for a Milsaps resurge. COME ONE DAVIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Misoheye - the reason Musquin and Hahn can slice through the pack but someone in the 450s can't is not the bike size, it is the quality of the field. The east coast 250s are not that deep this year, with 3 good riders not even starting the series (Durham, Bogle, Izzi). Now Wilson is out too. Compare that to the 450s, I mean look at Indy - Tomac was 9th and that looks disappointing until you read the 8 names in front of him. And that's not counting Canard and Weimer who crashed out, and Brayton who had problems. Other than RV, no one has shown the ability to slice through the 450 pack this season, the field is just too stacked. And if RV started last, no way he would win. Maybe get to 5th, but that would be exceptional.
Congrats to Marvin though, phenomenal ride!
Marvin has got the itch now, the top step itch. Wilbur has work cut out for him.
@byrner99~ And imagine if RD wins the 450? How crazy of a season would it be to see 2 euros win on KTMs and RD wins on KTM? Euros and Euro bikes winning the titles may start world war 3 with Japan.
@hamandsqueeze...That is some of it. When the 450's get around the track like this...Burp...burp...buurp...burp...buuurp....burp...buuuurp in one gear it makes the racing more about minimizing errors than going balls out, which is what racing should be about. At Indy we saw RV really push it for a few laps and that was it. Even RD said he and RV couldn't push it as hard as wanted/needed for the whole race.Imagine how good the racing could be if they were racing full on instead of making sure they don't crash. How many times this year has a rider said "I was waiting for (fill in your favorite rider) to make a mistake"? I personally believe the east/west should be stock 250's (with suspension work allowed) and full on 250's for the big dogs, SX only of course. When a rider can utilize the full potential of his bike the racing will be about the riders skill more so than how good his bike set-up that night is or how good of a start they got compared to their competition. I fully realize this is a touchy subject and is far from a cut and dry situation.
How can you not appreciate a (person) with the attitude of a Marvin Musquin. The only way I suppose, is if you are next to him on the gate every friggin weekend. Then I could see where his positive attitude could piss you off.
And they say (the) French are rude and obnoxious.
Everyone of them but Marvin, maybe... Ha!
"Yeah...for sure!" Love to listen to this guy.
I must say that it's cool to see you guys take to Marvin like you are. There was a time when I was convinced you hated everyone who came from outside of the US and I happily stand corrected. Both Marvin and Kenny are such cool dudes, it's awesome to see them do well. They both deserve it.
Damn shame for Deano though.
@Retardcross Wasn't Euromike blowing smoke up MM's rear end and Marvin came on here and told him to STFU? He might not be a fan of the dude any more. LOL
I see he's switched his attention to bowing smoke up KRoc's backside lately. Wouldn't it be funny if Ken came on here and told him to can it as well. LOL.
Poor old Euromike would then have to wait for Herlings to get here.
Way to go "bd200" and "retardcross" (name kinda fits)........thanks for taking a positive board and somehow turning the direction of "you-know-who"!! "bd200", nobody mentioned "you-know-who" until you did. The practice discussion on the other page was about the importance of practice, for EVERYBODY, not just "you-know-who"........but as usual you have to read in to it and automatically think it is about "you-know-who"!! Say what you want in response, but this one is all on you for bringing it up......get.over.it would you?? Congrats to Marvin, great guy with a really good and humble attitude.......It's hard to pick a favorite between he and Hahn.....both great guys and either one will be very deserving of a title!!
@tardpolice....... I picked my name based on the comments I kept reading before I started commenting myself, I know plenty don't you worry about me. Don't get butthurt about me or bd200 calling a spade a spade. @rick knew exactly what he was saying when he threw that out there, don't take things so seriously because no one else is.
By the way, Wharton only qualified 9th. How could he possibly lead the entire race and almost win? He didn't even win practice!!
Couple things....
First, what a great ride for MM. Last to first, and such a good, clean technical ride. I think KTM has not only hit a home run with their current riders skill levels, but all three are such good ambassadors for KTM and sport of MX/SX.
Second, I am actually very surprised and glad to see all the positive comments about MM, considering how bad many Americans run the French. MM seems like a very genuine dude, an extremely positive attitude, and just happy to be racing in the US. I hope to seem more international riders in the mix in the coming years, just to keep the field deep and challenging. It would be a shame if we removed riders such as CR, KR, MM, MD, and TR to name a few were to go AFK from AMA MX and SX.
Of course the 250's make for more open racing, because they are harder to ride on tracks which are built for 450 power. What is a, Buuurp for a 450, becomes a, BRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAP for a 250. It's the same as a technically difficult track which separates the men from the girlies, and an easy track where everyone can go quick.
Scrap the 450's indoors, and lets have 'em all on the 250's I say.
BillC, I said could, not would. And I stand by my statement, but only if DM is at 100%. It was clear to a blind man that the guy has having issues after about 7 laps.
Well done Marvin great raceing again i'm in Europe (England) i got to say AMA supercross beats watching the world mx championship hands down its so boring watching Herlings and Carolli go around on there own for 45 minute moto's rubbish tv wher's the racing.Thanks for SPEED for a great presentation and great broadcast.
Even Stefan Evert's know's where's the best raceing at letting little Liam race at Indie.
Watch him race in the state's in the coming years full time when he's older no doubt.
Although the current 250 talent pool is weaker than an out-of-shape, cellulite-ridden cigarette chain smoker after the Iron Man Triathlon with an autoimmunodeficiency at the end of six months of chemotherapy and a 45 minute stint in a steam room, it's nice to see a couple of guys work from last to first. Good job.
@Tardpolice--whichever one of you idiots is posting under this name, you are a COWARD and will not get any response from me other than this.. If you dont have the balls to use your real user name then just leave..
@ if you arent smart enough to know where Rick was going with his post, then you are too dumb to try and bench race with anyways.. See ya later COWARD...
@pippidekok--Yes its true.. Irish/EuroMike was on here talking all kids of trach about how Musquin would destroy all the Americans outdoors and all.. And Marvin himself came on here and basically told him to shut his suckhole, because he had great relationships with the American fans and didnt want an idiot to ruin that.. Which is what EuroMike probably would have done, create animosity.. EuroMike hasnt said a word about Marvin since.. Plus Marvin hasnt won much of anything either...