Kyle Chisholm’s fourth-place finish this past Sunday at Southwick was his career best. The friendly 20-year-old from Val Rico, Florida, rides for the Motosport Outlet/Xtreme Kawasaki team—at least for one more race, anyway.
Racer X: Hey, Kyle, congrats on your ride at Southwick. Tell me about the race.
Kyle Chisholm: The race was good. Practice on Saturday was rough. I had a little bike problem and couldn’t get a fast time in the first practice when the track was smooth. I had to go out there in the rougher second practice and lay out a fast time, but the best I could do was thirty-third. I do like running in the sand—obviously, coming from Florida, I have some good practice in it. But more than anything, I think I do well there because it’s rough. The rougher the better for me! I like the track.
As far as the race goes, I got decent starts in both motos. I was inside gate and was able to just kinda sneak around the inside. I think I was, like, third or fourth both times out. First moto, Dungey and Villopoto both got by me early and I tried to follow them and just sprint, you know? It was good. I think I ran fifth for the whole moto. I had Weimer behind me the whole way. I was able to hold him off, though. Second moto, same thing: good start and had a good battle with a few guys early in the race. I got by Izzi, I think near halfway, and caught up to [Ryan] Sipes but couldn’t pass him. He got through some lappers better than me and pulled away. I tried to make a run at him, but with two laps left he pulled me.
You’re a bigger guy on a 250F in the deep sand, yet you had two good starts. Why do you think that was?
I know there, the first turn is kind of tight, and it’s better with the 180-degree turns like that to be on the inside. As long as there’s no crash, you’re okay. I started beside Villopoto both motos and he got a jump on me and I tucked in behind him. I just pinned it. On Sunday I had, like, eighth or ninth pick and that was okay.
How’s your season going?
We’ve had some bad luck here and there, some bike crashes and some bike problems. At Millville I was running, like, seventh or eighth up until the end and my chain broke. Second moto, I was in the first-turn crash and came from almost last to thirteenth, so that’s kind of a summary of my season, I suppose. Just some ups and downs, but I’m coming off my career best and I’m tenth in points. I think I can get Trey Canard, and Josh Grant if he doesn’t race in the points this weekend, if I have a good race. That’s eighth in the series and I’d be happy with that. I think Cunningham is seventh in points, like, 20 ahead of me. I wouldn’t wish bad luck on anyone, but who knows? Maybe I can catch him also. Anything can happen. Look at me at Millville!
What’s going on for you next year?
Nothing right now. Obviously, I’m talking to a lot of people and want to get on a good team. I’m figuring everything out now. Hopefully, I want to be on a good team with good bikes and good people. That’s the most important thing—more than money, you want to give yourself a chance to do well.
You’re kind of a big kid. Do you want to stay on 250s or move up to 450s?
I would like to go to 450. Even last year, before I signed with Motosport, I was planning to go to 450s. I was talking to 450 teams last year. I like it and think I ride it better. I practice on one during the week, and me and a lot of people that know me think I’m better on a 450. It just fits me better. Whatever the situation is, I’ll look at it. A decent 450 team and a good 250 team, I think I’d go with a 450. But a not-so-good 450 team and then a good 250 team? I’ll take the 250F ride. Like I was saying, the quality of the team is what makes you and makes a difference. Motosport told me that I was out, but maybe we can work something out if they have a 450.
So of course, I have to ask you about your Canadian championship. That was probably the best thing to ever happen to you, huh?
Yeah [laughs], it was awesome. I was just coming out of my amateur career and got a call from Billy Whitley. I had run some supercrosses for him earlier in the year and he wanted me to do the East series there. I also did Loretta’s that year as well, so I was going back and forth from amateur to pro.
The series was fun. Billy was awesome. I had some good races, some real battles with Michael Willard. I remember it was a short series, and it was cool. Not much pressure, really, not like down here. I remember it being like a real big amateur race. It was a lot of fun.
Kyle Chisholm: The race was good. Practice on Saturday was rough. I had a little bike problem and couldn’t get a fast time in the first practice when the track was smooth. I had to go out there in the rougher second practice and lay out a fast time, but the best I could do was thirty-third. I do like running in the sand—obviously, coming from Florida, I have some good practice in it. But more than anything, I think I do well there because it’s rough. The rougher the better for me! I like the track.
As far as the race goes, I got decent starts in both motos. I was inside gate and was able to just kinda sneak around the inside. I think I was, like, third or fourth both times out. First moto, Dungey and Villopoto both got by me early and I tried to follow them and just sprint, you know? It was good. I think I ran fifth for the whole moto. I had Weimer behind me the whole way. I was able to hold him off, though. Second moto, same thing: good start and had a good battle with a few guys early in the race. I got by Izzi, I think near halfway, and caught up to [Ryan] Sipes but couldn’t pass him. He got through some lappers better than me and pulled away. I tried to make a run at him, but with two laps left he pulled me.
You’re a bigger guy on a 250F in the deep sand, yet you had two good starts. Why do you think that was?
I know there, the first turn is kind of tight, and it’s better with the 180-degree turns like that to be on the inside. As long as there’s no crash, you’re okay. I started beside Villopoto both motos and he got a jump on me and I tucked in behind him. I just pinned it. On Sunday I had, like, eighth or ninth pick and that was okay.
How’s your season going?
We’ve had some bad luck here and there, some bike crashes and some bike problems. At Millville I was running, like, seventh or eighth up until the end and my chain broke. Second moto, I was in the first-turn crash and came from almost last to thirteenth, so that’s kind of a summary of my season, I suppose. Just some ups and downs, but I’m coming off my career best and I’m tenth in points. I think I can get Trey Canard, and Josh Grant if he doesn’t race in the points this weekend, if I have a good race. That’s eighth in the series and I’d be happy with that. I think Cunningham is seventh in points, like, 20 ahead of me. I wouldn’t wish bad luck on anyone, but who knows? Maybe I can catch him also. Anything can happen. Look at me at Millville!
What’s going on for you next year?
Nothing right now. Obviously, I’m talking to a lot of people and want to get on a good team. I’m figuring everything out now. Hopefully, I want to be on a good team with good bikes and good people. That’s the most important thing—more than money, you want to give yourself a chance to do well.
You’re kind of a big kid. Do you want to stay on 250s or move up to 450s?
I would like to go to 450. Even last year, before I signed with Motosport, I was planning to go to 450s. I was talking to 450 teams last year. I like it and think I ride it better. I practice on one during the week, and me and a lot of people that know me think I’m better on a 450. It just fits me better. Whatever the situation is, I’ll look at it. A decent 450 team and a good 250 team, I think I’d go with a 450. But a not-so-good 450 team and then a good 250 team? I’ll take the 250F ride. Like I was saying, the quality of the team is what makes you and makes a difference. Motosport told me that I was out, but maybe we can work something out if they have a 450.
So of course, I have to ask you about your Canadian championship. That was probably the best thing to ever happen to you, huh?
Yeah [laughs], it was awesome. I was just coming out of my amateur career and got a call from Billy Whitley. I had run some supercrosses for him earlier in the year and he wanted me to do the East series there. I also did Loretta’s that year as well, so I was going back and forth from amateur to pro.
The series was fun. Billy was awesome. I had some good races, some real battles with Michael Willard. I remember it was a short series, and it was cool. Not much pressure, really, not like down here. I remember it being like a real big amateur race. It was a lot of fun.
