Privateer Profile: Tyler Bright

When round two of the Toyota AMA Arenacross series blasted off last weekend in Albany, there was a relatively unknown rider leading the way. For Lexington, North Carolina’s Tyler Bright, things had finally clicked and he was on his way to his first major professional win. After failing to qualify for the previous weekend’s final it was quite a turn around. I caught Tyler in the Las Vegas airport as he was traveling to round three in Reno this weekend.

Racer X: Tyler, for those of us who don’t know you, tell us about yourself.
Tyler Bright: I started racing when I was six. I grew up racing against Zach Osborne, Austin Stroupe, Broc Tickle and guys like that from North Carolina. I’ve never been as fast as any of them at the big races. I haven’t won at Loretta’s or anything like that. Last year was my first year doing any supercross or motocross nationals. I got a fifth in Detroit last year in a heat race and I would say that was the highlight of my career so far.

Well, I’d say winning that main event last weekend should be your new highlight.
Oh, yeah! That’s top dog now.

Tell us about that race.
I didn’t even make the main the weekend before but when I came home I told my dad that I was going to be top five in Albany. I felt good in practice and won my day qualifier and my night qualifier. In the main I started right behind Jim Neese and I passed him in the whoops and never looked back. I pulled a pretty good gap over Reynard in second and held it to the checkered flag.

What is your schedule for the year?
I’m doing the entire arenacross series and then I’m going to do the rest of the east coast Supercross series.

Don’t the series conflict this year?
Yes, I’m going to miss Atlanta, Indy and Minneapolis. After that I’m doing all of them. Then this summer I will be doing the nationals somehow or another. A friend of mine is talking about teaming up with me and doing all of them together so we might do that.

What made the difference between where you were and now winning main events?
Training, man. I’ve worked really hard this year. I did a lot of training last summer with Gavin Gracyk and his dad up in Ohio. We worked really hard and I just took that home with me to North Carolina and kept it up. When I got to the arenacross races I knew I could do the whole main without getting tired or losing my breath. Once I got out front I knew I was in better shape than anyone out there.

Who do you ride with at home?
I rode with Broc Tickle during the summer quite a bit. I’ve been riding at my buddy, Eric Dean’s house. He’s got an arenacross track so that helps me. Jim Neese, Mike McDade and a few other guys have been riding there quite a bit. I’ve also been able to go out to the Gibbs Racing facility when they aren’t testing or anything like that.

What are your goals for the rest of the arenacross series?
I want to stay consistent and stay in the top five. That’s where I want to be every weekend. I know I can win now so it has definitely motivated me to do that again.

What sponsors do you want to thank?
Foremost Insurance, Carolina Xpress, Scorpion helmets, Smith goggles, Chad Newton at Total Control Suspension, Carolina Express, Moose, Kenda, ICW, Twin Air, Big Gun, Vision Graphics, my mom and dad and my mechanic Isaiah, and Cole Gress at Suzuki. And I especially want to thank Jim Neese and them because they are the ones that got all these sponsors lined up for this deal.