By Chase Stallo and Jason Weigandt
Eli Tomac | Monster Energy Kawasaki | 2-2 for second overall in 450MX
Another day of seconds. I was kind of searching during the motos. The first one I had a really good jump out of the gate and just didn’t close off early enough. Kind of got shuffled back in the first few corners and then I had to play some catch up a little bit. Then once again I saw him in second [Ken Roczen], Broc [Tickle] was in first, but he [Roczen] was definitely on another step today getting away from us. And then in that moto, too, I ended up stalling in the sand rollers and was able just to stay in front of Justin [Barcia]. So that was pretty fortunate there. Second moto I think I got the holeshot. Got in the lead early and it didn’t last long. I wasn’t able to jump the leap and Ken rode by me. So at that point I was kind of stuck in second. Kind of stuck searching for lines and getting in the flow. So a little bit of a bummer because I felt like last week we were fighting for the win. This week we were just kind of riding in second.
The pass you did to get the lead in the second moto was on a long uphill sweeper up by the announcer’s tower. Did you know that once you got by him you were going to have to try to sprint to maybe get some ground on Ken Roczen after how he performed in moto number one?
Yeah, when you get in the lead you try to sprint as much as you can, but obviously he was right there with me so there wasn’t much I could do. He obviously went by me on the leap.
What’s the missing piece right now for you?
I don’t know. I guess just feeling like I’m struggling a little bit with consistency and having the same feel during each weekend. The good thing is my starts are way improved, so that’s a plus. But I don’t know what to say, just a ways off.
Last week when you said you changed a part and it made the starts better, what was that?
Clutch, it’s a different feel.
Different configuration, different plates?
I don’t know. It’s a different clutch, something I like more than what I had previously.
You weren’t jumping the leap in moto two. What was it about that? Was it the face? Was it the run up to it? What was causing you to not do that?
The main line was pretty much inside at that point and there was just getting a lot of acceleration chop and nastiness going up to that. So I didn’t really feel like I had the drive. I don’t know if everyone else was jumping it, but I was kind of settled in to just kind of racing the turn and then scrubbing it at that point.
You said you were kind of frustrated because you felt last week you had made a lot of progress. Is there anything to pinpoint what happened in one week?
The only thing I can pinpoint this week is just track conditions this week was a lot rougher than last week was. It wasn’t even close to the same. This is probably one of the roughest tracks of the year, just bumps everywhere. Glen Helen gets bumpy but it’s edgier, harder. This was just lots of bumps, lots of soft sand everywhere. So it was just different. Last week was pretty smooth to where you could just ride the ruts and you were good, but this week had bumps to where you had to be able to get through those.
With Kenny he’s been able to get out front quickly this year. Does that put pressure on you to make sure you’re hitting those starts and make sure you’re getting around everyone quickly as well?
Absolutely. That’s what we’ve been trying to work on. At least we’ve been improving in that area because the first few rounds we were not so good there. There were points where I was going backwards so at least we’re going forwards now. –Chase Stallo
Broc Tickle | Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/RCH Suzuki | 4-3 for third overall in 450MX
Racer X: There’s a special vibe with you and RedBud. Last year you were fourth overall, and this year going third overall. Is this one special?
Broc Tickle: Yeah, for sure. I have a lot of family who come out. Obviously it’s July Fourth weekend and I feel like it’s the best venue on the circuit. Good vibes coming in. Just stoked to back it up from last weekend. I obviously wanted to keep it going. You can’t really force it to do it. I just let it happen. Today, I got decent starts—by no means not a holeshot. But last weekend definitely gave me some confidence because I made a lot of moves early on in both motos and got to where I needed to be. First moto I actually felt like I should have done better. I caught up to both Eli and Barcia and just settled in. I actually was going faster than both of them. So I was frustrated with myself and wanted to be better the second moto. Obviously I wanted to be on the podium. So there at the end of the second moto Barcia was coming and it was everything I had to keep him at that distance. All I thought about was getting back on the podium and I wanted it. There at the end I laid down a couple good laps and I saw him back off. So I knew I had it with two laps to go. The track was really rough today. It was tough.
A lot of injuries this season with the 450 riders. Obviously Ken Roczen, Eli Tomac doing really great in points. A lot of people are asking who’s going to be third place. Are you that guy?
I want to be. I want to take advantage of it. It’s a good opportunity for me to capitalize on it. Last weekend set the tone and I feel like I can carry the momentum throughout the season and keep it on the podium and if not, keep it close.
The last couple weeks obviously landing on the podium have been big for you. With Ken having his bike almost so dialed, are the guys on the team almost able to focus a lot more on you and get you really comfortable? Is that something that’s maybe happened the past couple weeks where they’ve been able to help you out with it?
Honestly I think going into Hangtown we were on the same motor setup, same chassis stuff, other than suspension. I felt comfortable going into Hangtown. To be honest, I wasn’t ready. I came back from supercross to get on the gate and be prepared, but I think it actually set me back. I didn’t do enough motos honestly on the bike before Hangtown and honestly I wasn’t in riding shape and I couldn’t put two motos together. So for me, it was important to get to the races and almost use that as my training. I came back and I thought supercross would help me for Hangtown but it didn’t. Now it’s paying off. But I’m just stoked on where I’m at. It’s surreal to me right now. I just want to keep it going. It’s nice to be on the podium and to be up front.
How rough did it get out there? I was sitting next to you and you were like, my back’s a little bit sore. It always seems like you excel on these rough tracks.
For sure. I like when the track’s rough and you can’t really just hold it wide and go fast. It just separates people and I feel like I do better. So for me, today was good. My bike was working really well first moto. We made some changes in the second moto to try to help it out a little bit and we went in the right direction. Super stoked with where my suspension guy, Ryan, is going. He’s doing an awesome job. The whole bike was working well today. To be honest, the leap was a tough one today. That inside corner, the chop coming up to it was tough. And that could save you a second a lap. So if you didn’t do that, it kind of broke the lap. So if you could do the leap it made it easy to do laps.
Is it just the injury that’s been the difference? You were fighting for top tens and now you’re fighting for podiums
That start last weekend gave it to me. It gave me the confidence. There’s been a few more for me and I’m ready to keep it going. It’s been since 2012 since I was consistently on the podium. That was my favorite. I had so much fun that outdoor season in 2012. That’s where I’m at now. I just want to keep it going and head to Southwick and try to be consistent. I feel like I’m riding good but I can be better. Kenny is unreal right now. His intensity at the beginning of the motos, no matter where he’s at in the first corner, he finds some way to get where he needs to be by the first lap. He passed me on the first lap like I was nailed down. So that’s the focus. I think it’s just confidence and obviously he’s really good on a dirt bike, everybody is. But he really has a lot going on for him. He’s close to me. We’re on the same team. So I’m trying to feed off that a little bit and feed off the drive I get from getting these podiums.
I think some people maybe even forgot about your 2012 podiums. How important was it just for your confidence to get back up there?
I needed it. I’ve had the potential. I’ve always worked hard. I’ve always trained hard. But I’m getting… I’m not saying old, but I’m 26 now so I want to have a bunch of good years before I retire. To get that holeshot last week is a blessing in disguise. Now I feel like I can keep it going and head into the off-season and have a good off-season and just keep the ball rolling. Today I was doing my own thing. Even though those guys were around me I was focused on myself. That’s what you have to do to do really well.
Is it sometimes that simple as a holeshot to reinvigorate everything?
I mean, I guess. It happened and I’m here again. I don’t think anybody in this tent thought it would happen two times in a row. I knew I could do it, but could it happen? If you look at the past I haven’t done it before, since 2012. And the class is stacked. There’s world champions, guys who won outdoor races on a Lites bike. I never won an outdoor race on a Lites bike. So for me it’s just keeping the confidence going and see what I can do and focus on myself.
How much time did you actually spend in Michigan as a kid?
I’m from North Carolina. My wife’s from here, but I consider this home. I spent a lot of time here in ’07 and ’08. Obviously I’m close to her in-laws. I just rode with Nick [Wey] a lot that summer in ’08 and ’07. It was awesome. The fans out here are unreal. It was cool to have some family here too to support me.
Back to back home races, does that help kind of get this going?
For sure. I don’t want that to be the reason why I’m up here but I definitely think it was nice to do it around them [family]. My goal was just to keep focused on myself and do what I can on the start to be there on the first lap. I think from there I’m good. -Stallo
Alex Martin | Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha | 3-3 for second overall in 250MX
Racer X: With that third place finish in moto number one coming back into the pits what did you know you had to do better or work on for moto number two?
Alex Martin: For me it was pretty minor suspension changes, just with the way the track developed. It was really… the bumps were really gnarly actually. That’s something you really can’t practice or test on during the week so you kind of just have to wing it. But I kind of knew what direction to go in so minor suspension changes and then also a gearing change. Just dropped a tooth in the rear. That was about it, really.
Sometimes when tracks get rough they get more like asphalt. This track was very loamy. Did it affect how rough it got or was it just an unpredictable rough?
I guess RedBud’s pretty similar every year with how it gets rough, but it’s a lot different than other tracks. Just the dirt is so good here and they put a lot of moisture in. They till it deep. It’s going to be one of the gnarliest, toughest races. It wasn’t really that watered or dug deep in practice but it came around for the motos for sure. It was probably one of the toughest tracks we’ve had so far this year, which is saying something because we’ve had some… High Point was brutal and some other tracks were pretty tough this year already.
After High Point and then last weekend’s crash, how important was it to go 3-3 today?
Yeah, it was huge. Frustrated still that I went 3-3 instead of 3-1. Leading the whole thing and gave up five points there with like three laps left. That was frustrating. I basically lost close to 40 points or more in two weekends with the DNF at High Point and then first moto tip over at Muddy Creek. So I’m really searching for points right now. Obviously Cooper’s kind of hitting his stride in the series. He came in, he’d been injured and didn’t have the seat time but like we saw with him and Joey crashes happen and you can lose a lot of points in one moto. Just got to keep the optimism up and keep my momentum going and just search for points every moto.
Did you know it was your brother behind you in that second moto?
No, I didn’t actually. I thought it Cooper was behind me. He was the last person I passed but then I guess Jeremy said he passed Cooper for a short period before he tipped over at the end of the sand whoops. But I definitely knew it was Cooper maybe about halfway because I saw his pit board at the mechanics area. And then he must have bobbled a little bit and I got a slight breathing gap, breathing room, and was able to kind of hold onto it for a while there. It was looking like I was going to take that win until three laps to go.
Take us through that end. It’s not like you fell off. You were still 1.6 at the end. Just small mistakes?
Yeah, I got roosted by a lapper pretty bad before LaRocco’s Leap. And the little Asterisk system I have on my goggles, it fell off and it was like kind of in my mouth. So when I went over the finish line jump I was trying to take it off. That’s why I was basically straight up and down. Cooper just around the outside on a mission and scrubbed about three or four feet lower than me. So it was just really bad timing to have that happen. I was trying to fix that issue so I could breathe and then he just capitalized on it.
They say that this track is an advantage for you and Jeremy because it’s similar to Millville. Is that accurate?
To be honest I felt more comfortable at Glen Helen than I did here just because it’s brutal. The ruts, and it’s just a really technical track. It’s hard to ride. You really have to be kind of on your toes the whole time. I probably made ten to fifteen mistakes in that moto just hanging it out, trying to run the pace that we were running. So I wasn’t really that comfortable out there just because the track’s so technical. But at the same time I really enjoy this track. I like the layout, the jumps. I like the dirt. It’s one I look forward to every year.
West Coast wasn’t always your favorite, right? It used to be you thrived here rather than over there.
Yeah, for sure. I wasn’t big fan of the West Coast, but I spent so much time there the last couple winters that you just adapt. Riding Glen Helen on Thursday you just adapt and you learn how to ride those tracks. So after a while you start getting good at it.
And you guys got a new track in Minnesota. Can you talk about that a little bit?
Yeah. We had Shane Schaffer come in a couple weeks ago and build my brother and I an awesome track. It’s an outdoor track just to train on this summer. Millville, this weekend they have the ATV national. There’s always some sort of local race going on and sometimes we’re not able to ride the main track. So this track is kind of our track that we can do whatever we want with. Build big jumps, build obstacles that may be dangerous for other riders. So just to kind of step our game up a little bit during the week.
You’ve been running up front a lot this season but haven’t been able to pull that moto win yet. How big of a confidence booster would that be for you to finally pull through? What’s it take to get over that hump and get that first one?
Yeah, for sure. I think it’d be a good confidence boost for sure but at the same time it’s a confidence boost that I’m up front almost every moto. In a case like today at three or four laps left just to seal the deal and it was just kind of a brain fart on my end. It wasn’t like I got tired. If you look at the video of the last corner, last lap we were all like within a second of each other. So for me I’m just going to keep my head on straight and not think about who’s behind me. Just focus on racing and just keep doing what I’m doing. I have the speed, I just need to put it all together. -Stallo
Zach Osborne | Rockstar Energy Husqvarna | 5-2 for third overall in 250MX
Racer X: Things look to be firing on all cylinders. Tell us what you’re working on during the week.
Zach Osborne: Mainly right now my starts are terrible. I think my average start this year first lap is like 12th or something, maybe even worse after today because I was worse than 12th in both motos. It’s not ideal to start back there. I’ve had a lot of good motos since the series came east since the first break. I feel like in the second moto I came from a long ways back to second. I’m riding well and my fitness is good, it’s just tough right now with the starts.
As a rider do you think you personally performed better the first or second moto, despite where you ended up in the finish?
Definitely the second moto was better for me. It was a little bit of a struggle going into the first moto. For some reason I had a long travel day yesterday and it just wore on me. It took me four hours to get here from Chicago. I just didn’t feel great this morning and was 14th fastest in qualifying, which is kind of not typical for me. It was frustrating. So to get fifth in the first moto was okay but definitely my second moto was a lot stronger.
Is there anything you can pinpoint on the starts? Is it a matter of confidence at this point or what is it?
I don’t know. Career-wise I’ve always been a good starter but the Yamahas are really fast right now. It’s hard to not start it on one of them, because there’s four of them and with even a decent gate you got to get around them. It’s tough to get elbows out in front of those guys and be up there. The second moto I was close but it’s hard to start 15th and then do anything. To get in the top five from 15th is good, so to get a second, I put on a good ride. But it’s tough.
There’s a lot of talent you’re passing.
Now there is kind of five clear-cut guys at the front, but at any point you can have some other guy that just sticks it in there and has good starts. Definitely a tough class right now. That second moto we were on a pretty blistering pace. It’s a good feeling to be up there and be able to catch it.
I know you haven’t won since High Point, but are you able to take something from that? They say a lot of times you get that first one and it just kind of snowballs from there.
Yeah, for sure. A lot of confidence. It’s easier to just go back and do my program now. That anyone doubted me before but it is just sort of a little bit more validity, I guess you would say, to everything. It’s a good feeling. I need to do it again now obviously and get an overall. The only moto that I started in sort of the top five this whole season I won. So I feel good about everything I have going on. I just need more starts to get into the top five. Sometimes I can use that inside gate and sneak around the inside. So I look forward to the start in Southwick and I’m hoping I can do well on those starts.
Is it just a matter of qualifying better to get the certain gate you want?
Not really. I had 15th gate pick in the first moto and started 15th and I had fifth gate pick in the second moto and started 15th. I started by the box in the first moto and on the inside in the second moto. I’m a little bit lost for words on it right now but I will keep working.
It shows your strength down the stretch how you’re coming from halfway back on a lot of these to top five, even second.
Yeah, but it’s tough. It takes a lot. If you can ride around at the front and get a top five in the first moto it’s a lot different than coming from 15th to fifth in the first moto. I need to get it figured out. It’s starting to wear on me a little bit that I have to do it that every weekend, every moto. It has to get better now.
Does it affect you during the week or even Monday or Tuesday?
Not really. I know that my fitness and speed are there, so that part of my program are pretty set. It doesn’t affect me much. In California there’s not a lot of soft dirt right now. It’s hot and hard. So it’s hard to kind of replicate these situations that we have.
Thoughts on going back to Southwick next week?
I’m stoked. I love the sand. I think it’s going to be a great race. I’m super pumped that it’s on the calendar instead of the other places we were going.
Does it bum you out a little bit knowing that if you had the starts that you probably could have maybe won some of these motos today? Or are you pumped with the way that you rode coming from behind?
Both. I’m happy to get second from 15th or whatever I was, but at the same time I’d like to be in the top five and put myself in position to not have to charge so hard every time I go on the track. So, yes and no. It’s frustrating but at the same time I’m happy with my riding.
I know that you talked about the starts and the Yamahas. How much does that affect you choosing your gate with those guys being able to get off so fast? Fear of getting maybe pinched off by those guys getting maybe a little bit better of a jump on you?
Yeah, like I said, there’s four of them, so if you put one every four gates you’re going to be near them no matter what. It does affect it a little bit sometimes but at the end of the day I just go where I feel like I need to be.
With the team, you guys only have two guys in the 250 class. How big of an advantage do you think it is somebody like Star having five guys in the 250 class?
I don’t know that it’s an advantage. It’s a lot more tight-knit where I am and I’m happy with the way things are. It’s helpful if you have a teammate that can run at the front, but at the same time those guys aren’t always at the front either so it doesn’t really matter. –Stallo
Jeremy Martin| Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha | 4-4 for fourth overall in 250MX
Racer X: First moto, not what you wanted I’m sure. There was a point in that second moto where we were like, wait a minute, he’s starting to come to life! We’re seeing it. He’s rolling. He looks like the old J-Mart! Did you feel it at that point? It looked like it was going well.
Jeremy Martin: Yeah, we made an internal change [to the bike] from moto one to moto two. I felt so bad in moto one. I felt like I was just riding around at 70 percent. I couldn’t be aggressive down the straights or nothing like that. Made a bike change and it took the edge off. It was probably the best I’ve rode since 2015, to be honest.
It looked that way.
I didn’t feel so hot on the line but the bike was working good enough. I’m so tired of losing. It’s driving me nuts. I just want to win. I’ve got the number one plate for a reason and I want to show everyone why.
What happened there in that corner?
There was a guy down and then I just set the front wheel in the wrong spot and then I got a little bit of a head shake. Then the rear came from behind and high-sided me.
It seems like it was hard to get up. Was that because you were trying to keep the clutch in or were you just tired?
I was tired. Also, I’m kind of a small guy so if I swing my left leg over the bike and I have the hands on the clutch like I did, it’s like my little baby hands would fall off! So I held the clutch and then I had to walk all the way around the bike, then I did a right saddle up on it.
You had to do like a 180 around the bike. But you actually still fought back pretty good.
Yeah, I went from eighth or ninth up to fourth. So like I said, I’m not where I want to be, and where everybody may expect me to be, but I see progress. I’m not one to make excuses and say anything and I like to keep things private. I don’t need to talk about all of it, but I see a light at the end of the tunnel. We’re getting better. -Jason Weigandt
