GEICO Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard hasn’t quite come out swinging for the fences like he had hoped coming into 2010, but despite some setbacks, he has still managed to pull up into second in the points standings behind series leader Jake Weimer. Despite a foot injury suffered at Phoenix, Canard came through from the middle of the pack to score a third at Anaheim II, and he was gaining on Wil Hahn in second when the checkered flew. We caught up with him after the race.
Trey Canard: That’s the hardest part, trying not to think about it. It would’ve been easier if I would’ve had a better start, but it was good. It was good for me, because I’ve never really been that guy that was the tough guy who rode through pain really well, and I think tonight was a turning point for me with that stuff. I was happy with it. I rode well. Yeah, it hurt, but everyone out there has got something hurt on them. It’s not like I’m the only guy that’s hurt. I’m stoked on the night, and I think it’s something I can build on for a good rest of the series.
How many times did you ride this past week?
About 30 minutes...
Right, so you weren’t able to do what you wanted to do on the bike throughout the week, but you were still able to put together a solid main event. Does that tell you anything?
It was awesome for me, all things considered. I think it made me better, and honestly I’m really happy about it. That third place felt awesome to me.
But you were still charging to get that second place all the way down to the wire...
I wanted that second! I was almost there... But it’s something I can build on, and I feel like that was good for me, and I feel like I’ve got a monkey off my back, so I’m ready to go for next weekend, and I’ll do what I can.
Most of us probably already thought of you as being tough, but most of your injuries, at least since you’ve turned pro, have been major enough that you couldn’t ride through them...
It’s weird because I have been through some pain, with the broken femur [in 2008], and everyone saw my wrist at Mt. Morris [in 2009] – it wasn’t pretty – but I’ve never had that injury that hurts like crazy, but nothing’s really terribly wrong, so it was tough for me. It was almost a mental block, and now I feel like I’m past it. I’ve just got to look forward, be positive, and do what I can.
I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one that can say that Dirt Wurx did an awesome job. I walked out on the track and was just amazed at what it looked like. It was unreal. I’m at a loss for words. It was great.
You said it was a challenge to put your hurt foot out of your head, but does that mean you were actually able to do that?
I was. At about the sixth lap or so, I kind of sucked and wasn’t riding how I wanted to ride because of the pain, but then B [mechanic Brent Presnell] put a message on the board...
What did he say?
“Don’t stop the swagger.”
Did you actually read that and get inspired?
I saw something and then “swagger” and I knew he was ranting about swagger all week, so...
So, you were like, “All right, I guess I’ll go fast again.”?
Yeah, it helped me get in the zone – in the moment.
That’s kind of cool to see that sort of relationship between a mechanic and his rider. That’s a credit to having a guy around whom you’ve had around for a long time.
It’s B, man! Jackie Moon!
So you get him.
Yeah, I get him. It’s huge. B and I are pretty close. We’ve been through it all since amateurs, and lived in the same room in the amateur days because I couldn’t afford to put him up anywhere else. We’ve been through thick and thin, and I don’t see us changing any time soon.
I noticed you’re calling him “B” instead of his former nickname “Big B”...
He’s lost weight! He’s been training... He’s just B now.
He’s going to be “b” before too long.
(Laughs) Yeah, that could happen.
So are you really past the injury now?
Yeah, I think so. For me, it was a mental thing. You have injury after injury, and then you start to wonder, “Am I injury-prone? Am I made of glass? Am I going to get hurt again?” So, for me to put it behind me, I feel like I can move forward now.
No one even knew I had a brow in the first place, actually. They just thought I shaved them. I think the reason why I’m beating him is that mine are a little less bushy, and my face is more red to match.
Well, that’s maybe more impressive than riding through the pain...
Hey, how many people do you know who have clear brows?
Especially clearer than Andrew Short’s...
That’s what I’m saying. I’m kind of a bad dude. Look at the DNA.
Trey Canard: That’s the hardest part, trying not to think about it. It would’ve been easier if I would’ve had a better start, but it was good. It was good for me, because I’ve never really been that guy that was the tough guy who rode through pain really well, and I think tonight was a turning point for me with that stuff. I was happy with it. I rode well. Yeah, it hurt, but everyone out there has got something hurt on them. It’s not like I’m the only guy that’s hurt. I’m stoked on the night, and I think it’s something I can build on for a good rest of the series.
How many times did you ride this past week?
About 30 minutes...
Right, so you weren’t able to do what you wanted to do on the bike throughout the week, but you were still able to put together a solid main event. Does that tell you anything?
It was awesome for me, all things considered. I think it made me better, and honestly I’m really happy about it. That third place felt awesome to me.
But you were still charging to get that second place all the way down to the wire...
I wanted that second! I was almost there... But it’s something I can build on, and I feel like that was good for me, and I feel like I’ve got a monkey off my back, so I’m ready to go for next weekend, and I’ll do what I can.
Most of us probably already thought of you as being tough, but most of your injuries, at least since you’ve turned pro, have been major enough that you couldn’t ride through them...
It’s weird because I have been through some pain, with the broken femur [in 2008], and everyone saw my wrist at Mt. Morris [in 2009] – it wasn’t pretty – but I’ve never had that injury that hurts like crazy, but nothing’s really terribly wrong, so it was tough for me. It was almost a mental block, and now I feel like I’m past it. I’ve just got to look forward, be positive, and do what I can.
I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one that can say that Dirt Wurx did an awesome job. I walked out on the track and was just amazed at what it looked like. It was unreal. I’m at a loss for words. It was great.
You said it was a challenge to put your hurt foot out of your head, but does that mean you were actually able to do that?
I was. At about the sixth lap or so, I kind of sucked and wasn’t riding how I wanted to ride because of the pain, but then B [mechanic Brent Presnell] put a message on the board...
What did he say?
“Don’t stop the swagger.”
Did you actually read that and get inspired?
I saw something and then “swagger” and I knew he was ranting about swagger all week, so...
So, you were like, “All right, I guess I’ll go fast again.”?
Yeah, it helped me get in the zone – in the moment.
That’s kind of cool to see that sort of relationship between a mechanic and his rider. That’s a credit to having a guy around whom you’ve had around for a long time.
It’s B, man! Jackie Moon!
So you get him.
Yeah, I get him. It’s huge. B and I are pretty close. We’ve been through it all since amateurs, and lived in the same room in the amateur days because I couldn’t afford to put him up anywhere else. We’ve been through thick and thin, and I don’t see us changing any time soon.
I noticed you’re calling him “B” instead of his former nickname “Big B”...
He’s lost weight! He’s been training... He’s just B now.
He’s going to be “b” before too long.
(Laughs) Yeah, that could happen.
So are you really past the injury now?
Yeah, I think so. For me, it was a mental thing. You have injury after injury, and then you start to wonder, “Am I injury-prone? Am I made of glass? Am I going to get hurt again?” So, for me to put it behind me, I feel like I can move forward now.
No one even knew I had a brow in the first place, actually. They just thought I shaved them. I think the reason why I’m beating him is that mine are a little less bushy, and my face is more red to match.
Well, that’s maybe more impressive than riding through the pain...
Hey, how many people do you know who have clear brows?
Especially clearer than Andrew Short’s...
That’s what I’m saying. I’m kind of a bad dude. Look at the DNA.
