Racer X: First off, congrats on your win in Finland. There was a pretty deep field over there, with some tough competition. Can you give us a breakdown on how things went for you over there?
Weston Peick: Definitely. It was good the first night. I ended up second overall the first night. The tracks out there in Europe are just totally different from the way they are here—it’s a lot smaller and stuff. First night I took a second, and I didn’t even get too good of a start. Some guy from Sweden won the first night. Then the second night was a little bit better. I actually had Kawi give me a brand new bike, because the bike they gave me was screwed up, so they ended up giving me a new bike for the second night. So I got a new bike and that was a lot better-riding and I ended up winning the second night. That track was super sketchy—super soft dirt, like riding on Play-Doh.
The race was a week after the Monster Energy Cup. How did you adjust so quickly to those very different styles of tracks?
I was there last year as well, so I was a little bit used to it. But before that I raced in Greece, then flew home on Monday, raced the Monster Cup, then flew back to Finland. So it’s kind of the same style racing. It’s my second year here doing the European thing, so it’s kind of starting to click.
Peick was strong in qualifying at the MEC, but had bike troubles in the mains.
Photo: Simon Cudby
Let’s backtrack to the Monster Energy Cup. You did well in qualifying, then things went a little sideways in the main.
I felt super good. The heat races were going really well. My speed was definitely there, but there wasn’t a lot of passing, and it was even harder to set people up to take them out or even try to pass them. But the whole thing about Monster Cup was I just switched from my regular stuff to brand new 2012. I switched everything from my original deal to Pro Circuit. I was running everything Pro Circuit, which, obviously, they have the best stuff out there, but I didn’t have any time to get everything tested out. How the racing was over there, it was just back-to-back-to-back-to-back racing, and the bike started overheating and then by the time I went out for the second main event, my bike was just done. I couldn’t even use second gear, it was so slow. By then, it was just like, I’ve already done this before in the outdoors, so I knew what was going on. As soon as the bike starts detonating, your piston’s pretty much going to melt your cylinder. I’ve already done that once, and I didn’t want to do it again. So I just kind of called it a day. I was like, you know, we came here unprepared, but there’s nothing I can do. I obviously didn’t have a lot of money.
What were your thoughts on the event? What’d you think of the track?
I definitely thought the event was pretty cool. It was just a lot of racing. I could definitely do without the two heat races and stuff like that. For practice, the track was a little bit sketchy, but it was fun. I definitely liked it.
Do you have anything lined up for next year yet?
I don’t know why, but I don’t have a ride yet. I have my guys at Revolution 2 MX. They bought me this first bike. And I have somebody back in Texas. We’re trying to put some stuff together right now. We’re trying to pretty much just have my own race team—just me and that’s it. Just get a mechanic and get my own deal. It’s not like I have any other options cause no one called me or offered me any kind of help. So as of now, I’m just kind of sitting back with no money, just trying to get by right now.
Peick's deal with Chaplin Kawasaki fell through just before the outdoor season began.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
You had a deal lined up with Chaplin Kawasaki going into outdoors last year, but it fell through at the last minute, right?
Yeah, there was a deal that was supposed to go through and everything. That was a pretty good deal. I think it was an all-coverage deal, everything paid for. There was obviously no salary or anything like that, which I was happy with, as long as I was getting everything paid for and it wasn’t coming out of my own pocket. That deal was definitely a big deal but something happened between some people and some other things happened on that end, so they kind of pulled the plug on that deal. I wasn’t really dealing with it on that end—I had someone else dealing with it for me. When it came down to it, it didn’t happen. I’d already kind of given Rock River my notice and everything, so I was kind of sitting there stranded a little bit. Then that’s when Revolution 2 MX came along and helped me out for outdoors.
What was Revolution 2 MX’s role in your outdoor season? Did they help you get to all the races or was it kind of on your own and they were just there to throw in parts and stuff?
They bought me a brand new 2011, and they did help me out with money here and there, but they’re just two, three, four regular guys that have regular jobs with regular lives that ride dirt bikes and just love helping us get to the race. It’s not like they can put out a crapload of money. I blew all the money I made in supercross on outdoors, let’s just put it that way.
Peick is still looking to find a deal for the 2012 season.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
So what’re your plans for the rest of 2011? Are you doing any more races in Europe or are you going to stay in the States and just train?
The Europe thing’s cool and all, but it just gets old. You fly out and you’re gone for a week then you fly home and rest for a few days. Right now I’m working on really getting good with supercross just so I come out swinging next year and have a super-good season so that maybe next year I can have people call me to be their rider or something like that.
You mentioned you wanted to lose some weight for the upcoming season. Are you making any changes to your training regimen this year?
Yeah, I’m definitely changing it up a little bit. I’ve got to change it up a little bit. I’m heavy right now. I was heavy for supercross. I’d like to drop at least 15 or 20 pounds, just so I feel better on the bike, so I can sit better and stuff. It’ll definitely be a good year.
Would you like to thank anyone before I let you go?
Yeah, I want to thank the guys at Revolution 2 MX, Fly Racing, Garne Boots, Hammerhead, Works Connection, No Toil, Moto Pro Graphics, Pro Circuit, Dunlop Tires, Utopia Goggles, JER Motorsports, Galfer Brakes, Pro Taper, Headhunter Industries, Hinson, Max Muscle, Engine Ice, Renegade Fuels, MTA, Acerbis, and Pro Drive.
