Monster Energy's Brandon Currie Wins His Second-Straight AMA Supermoto Lites Class Championship
November 18, 2008 10:44am
CORONA, CA – Monster Energy’s Brandon Currie (Graves/Yamaha) has raced to his second-straight AMA Supermoto Lites class overall championship, this past weekend in Sonoma, Calif., completing the XTRM/AMA Supermoto Championship’s first-ever perfect season; 12-0 (6-0 in heat races, 6-0 Lites class main events).
Currie, 23, from Anaheim, Calif., put it in the books with a dominant performance at Infineon Raceway, winning both his Lites class heats and main events in dominant fashion aboard his Graves Motorsports-prepared Yamaha YZ250F.
With his second title in as many years, along with a 2nd place runner-up finish in 2006, Currie enjoys the status as the AMA all-time leading Lites class winner. But not resting on those laurels, he’s quick to point out he is in fact moving up to the Supermoto class next year. Until then Monster Energy would like to congratulate Currie and the Graves/Yamaha team and re-visit Currie’s amazing perfect season here in 2008.
Monster Energy: Perfect sweep! Heck, yeah! You’re like fellow Monster Energy racers Carmichael and Stewart of AMA Supermoto now!
Brandon Currie: (laughing) “Uh, yeah…I dunno. I look at it a bit different. We don’t have quite as many races as those guys, so what I didn’t is not quite as tough. But all in all I thought it was a good season and something I won’t forget.”
Monster Energy: Still, going 12-0 in heats and main events in any top level pro race season is pretty rad. What were your closest races this year, heat and main?
Brandon Currie: “I’d say my closest heat race for sure was Shawano, Wisconsin. I almost didn’t win. Pretty amazing. Ended up falling early in the race then passing two people on the last lap to win it. The closest main event (pauses) probably Connecticut (New England Supermoto Classic in Hartford). I was racing with Matt Burton. He got the holeshot and it took me a few laps to get around him. He stuck right in there with me basically all the way to the finish.”
Monster Energy: What course gave you the most trouble?
Brandon Currie: “Again, I’d have to say Shawano. It’s a big go-kart track. Really fun course, fast and flowy. The dirt section was a little technical with some big holes in the dirt. Just tying it together fast through the asphalt section made it the most challenging course.”
Monster Energy: With David Pingree moving up to race the 450 class this summer you really didn’t have a rivalry transpire this year like you had the past two seasons. What makes this year different than the others?
Brandon Currie: “I think the difference was I got a trainer and started working hard during the off season, brought my weight down. The whole team worked really well this year. Real fun going to the races and having the best bike out there – everything clicked.”
Monster Energy: Pretty cool having Doug Henry and Mark Burkhart as teammates?
Brandon Currie: “Me and Mark get along great. Whenever he’s in town (SoCal, Anaheim area) we ride and train together. He’s watches me and helps me get faster. And Doug’s always there as well, watching to see what we can do better and giving us inspiration. With that the whole team gets along so well you feel comfortable asking questions and have no problem getting help from Mark and Doug – and not just with racing.”
Monster Energy: Not to foreshadow the upcoming ’09 season, but how close were your times in practice to Burkhart?
Brandon Currie: “Well, when I’m on a 250 and he’s on a 450 I’m usually within about two seconds. On a 450 (Currie smartly pauses) – hard to say. We really don’t get to ride 450s much together.”
Monster Energy: So that’s for sure going to change next year?
Brandon Currie: “Yeah, I plan on moving up. Don’t know exactly where I’m going, but hope to stay with the Graves team. Kind of waiting to hear where the schedule’s going to take us and I hope we can get our contracts going and get everything figured out, start getting ready riding the 450 here soon.”
Monster Energy: Talk about how the finals came together. Did you think they were going to cancel the season after the mess in Austin (Texas)? Note: The original finals, to be held in Austin, were cancelled the week of the race and later re-scheduled for Sonoma last weekend.
Brandon Currie: “That was a big bummer. All of us were ready to race (at Austin) and we’d already had a month off before that. So to take another month off – it was hard to train and stay motivated.”
Monster Energy: “So what’d you do to stay motivated?
Brandon Currie: “The racing’s the highlight and when you don’t get to race it drags everything else on. But getting to the final round, everyone was ready to have the championship decided. I kept working hard and getting my stuff done, what I needed to do in order to have the confidence to win the championship.”
Monster Energy: So what does this second Lites title mean to you?
Brandon Currie: “It means a lot to me, personally, knowing I was able to go undefeated. Knew I had a good shot at the championship, but I wasn’t planning on having a perfect season. Took it race by race, but when we got close to the end there I knew there was a good possibility I could do it. Something you dream about. First of all having an AMA championship, then my second was just as cool. Two championships and moving up on a high note and hopefully leaving my mark of the Lites class for a while.”
Monster Energy: And for your sponsors, what do you perceive it meaning?
Brandon Currie: “For my sponsors I just think it’s great for them, use it for all the publicity they need. Shows them I put in my time. Couldn’t have done it without them. Monster to Yamaha to Dunlop to Alpinestars, Oakley – you can’t do it by yourself. It’s awesome to get it done for them.”
Monster Energy: Speaking of which, do we got you dialed?
Brandon Currie: “Oh, yeah - I’ve got a Monster fridge at home. My favorite’s the blue stuff.” (Editor: Monster Lo-Carb!)
Monster Energy: Finally, we ask this question of a lot of our top athletes. What advice would you give young Monster Army members who are stoked with the sport of supermoto?
Brandon Currie: “I’d just say practice. Practice is the main thing. Get out there and ride, have fun. Don’t specifically just stick to riding supermoto all the time, ride motocross and cross train. Don’t let people discourage you in what you want to do. Ride hard and chase your dreams.”
Monster Energy: Ride on, Brandon! Congrats on your championship and we hope things get put together here soon regarding your 450 class ride.
Brandon Currie: “Thanks again. Look forward to seeing everybody from Monster at the Anaheim Supercross.”
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it AMA Supermoto, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Brandon Currie digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
Currie, 23, from Anaheim, Calif., put it in the books with a dominant performance at Infineon Raceway, winning both his Lites class heats and main events in dominant fashion aboard his Graves Motorsports-prepared Yamaha YZ250F.
With his second title in as many years, along with a 2nd place runner-up finish in 2006, Currie enjoys the status as the AMA all-time leading Lites class winner. But not resting on those laurels, he’s quick to point out he is in fact moving up to the Supermoto class next year. Until then Monster Energy would like to congratulate Currie and the Graves/Yamaha team and re-visit Currie’s amazing perfect season here in 2008.
Monster Energy: Perfect sweep! Heck, yeah! You’re like fellow Monster Energy racers Carmichael and Stewart of AMA Supermoto now!
Brandon Currie: (laughing) “Uh, yeah…I dunno. I look at it a bit different. We don’t have quite as many races as those guys, so what I didn’t is not quite as tough. But all in all I thought it was a good season and something I won’t forget.”
Monster Energy: Still, going 12-0 in heats and main events in any top level pro race season is pretty rad. What were your closest races this year, heat and main?
Brandon Currie: “I’d say my closest heat race for sure was Shawano, Wisconsin. I almost didn’t win. Pretty amazing. Ended up falling early in the race then passing two people on the last lap to win it. The closest main event (pauses) probably Connecticut (New England Supermoto Classic in Hartford). I was racing with Matt Burton. He got the holeshot and it took me a few laps to get around him. He stuck right in there with me basically all the way to the finish.”
Monster Energy: What course gave you the most trouble?
Brandon Currie: “Again, I’d have to say Shawano. It’s a big go-kart track. Really fun course, fast and flowy. The dirt section was a little technical with some big holes in the dirt. Just tying it together fast through the asphalt section made it the most challenging course.”
Monster Energy: With David Pingree moving up to race the 450 class this summer you really didn’t have a rivalry transpire this year like you had the past two seasons. What makes this year different than the others?
Brandon Currie: “I think the difference was I got a trainer and started working hard during the off season, brought my weight down. The whole team worked really well this year. Real fun going to the races and having the best bike out there – everything clicked.”
Monster Energy: Pretty cool having Doug Henry and Mark Burkhart as teammates?
Brandon Currie: “Me and Mark get along great. Whenever he’s in town (SoCal, Anaheim area) we ride and train together. He’s watches me and helps me get faster. And Doug’s always there as well, watching to see what we can do better and giving us inspiration. With that the whole team gets along so well you feel comfortable asking questions and have no problem getting help from Mark and Doug – and not just with racing.”
Monster Energy: Not to foreshadow the upcoming ’09 season, but how close were your times in practice to Burkhart?
Brandon Currie: “Well, when I’m on a 250 and he’s on a 450 I’m usually within about two seconds. On a 450 (Currie smartly pauses) – hard to say. We really don’t get to ride 450s much together.”
Monster Energy: So that’s for sure going to change next year?
Brandon Currie: “Yeah, I plan on moving up. Don’t know exactly where I’m going, but hope to stay with the Graves team. Kind of waiting to hear where the schedule’s going to take us and I hope we can get our contracts going and get everything figured out, start getting ready riding the 450 here soon.”
Monster Energy: Talk about how the finals came together. Did you think they were going to cancel the season after the mess in Austin (Texas)? Note: The original finals, to be held in Austin, were cancelled the week of the race and later re-scheduled for Sonoma last weekend.
Brandon Currie: “That was a big bummer. All of us were ready to race (at Austin) and we’d already had a month off before that. So to take another month off – it was hard to train and stay motivated.”
Monster Energy: “So what’d you do to stay motivated?
Brandon Currie: “The racing’s the highlight and when you don’t get to race it drags everything else on. But getting to the final round, everyone was ready to have the championship decided. I kept working hard and getting my stuff done, what I needed to do in order to have the confidence to win the championship.”
Monster Energy: So what does this second Lites title mean to you?
Brandon Currie: “It means a lot to me, personally, knowing I was able to go undefeated. Knew I had a good shot at the championship, but I wasn’t planning on having a perfect season. Took it race by race, but when we got close to the end there I knew there was a good possibility I could do it. Something you dream about. First of all having an AMA championship, then my second was just as cool. Two championships and moving up on a high note and hopefully leaving my mark of the Lites class for a while.”
Monster Energy: And for your sponsors, what do you perceive it meaning?
Brandon Currie: “For my sponsors I just think it’s great for them, use it for all the publicity they need. Shows them I put in my time. Couldn’t have done it without them. Monster to Yamaha to Dunlop to Alpinestars, Oakley – you can’t do it by yourself. It’s awesome to get it done for them.”
Monster Energy: Speaking of which, do we got you dialed?
Brandon Currie: “Oh, yeah - I’ve got a Monster fridge at home. My favorite’s the blue stuff.” (Editor: Monster Lo-Carb!)
Monster Energy: Finally, we ask this question of a lot of our top athletes. What advice would you give young Monster Army members who are stoked with the sport of supermoto?
Brandon Currie: “I’d just say practice. Practice is the main thing. Get out there and ride, have fun. Don’t specifically just stick to riding supermoto all the time, ride motocross and cross train. Don’t let people discourage you in what you want to do. Ride hard and chase your dreams.”
Monster Energy: Ride on, Brandon! Congrats on your championship and we hope things get put together here soon regarding your 450 class ride.
Brandon Currie: “Thanks again. Look forward to seeing everybody from Monster at the Anaheim Supercross.”
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it AMA Supermoto, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Brandon Currie digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com