Cobra Moto Interview: Pierce Brown
HILLSDALE, Mich., – The motocross industry is still abuzz over the dominant performance at the recent Red Bull Amateur National Motocross Championship, presented by AMSOIL, by Cobra Moto’s Pierce Brown on the American-made Cobra CX65.
The victory was Cobra’s first-ever 65cc national title, along with being the first-ever 65cc championship won on an American-made motorcycle. Brown’s 1st/1st/1st performance in the 65cc 7-9 Stock class at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., was flat out historic – certainly one for the record books in terms of American motocross heritage.
But for Pierce, motocross wasn’t exactly the sport-of-choice at the Brown’s household. The son of Paul and Tricia Brown of Sandy, Utah, Pierce’s older brother (Luke) is a scholarship pitcher for the University of Utah baseball team. And for a short time it looked as if Pierce would follow in his older brother’s footsteps - that was until something unique caught his father’s eye at one of Luke’s baseball games.
“I saw Pierce riding a pedal bike with no training wheels … at the age of two,” recalled Paul Brown. “And that’s when a little bell went off in my head.”
Travel by car to baseball tournaments would evolve into fueling up a big 5th wheel to hit all the major amateur MX National events across the USA for Paul and Pierce. And this past week at Loretta’s was for sure the biggest day of their young MX career to date.
Cobra Moto caught up with Pierce and asked him a few questions on his new national championship, how the Cobra CX65 performed and what advice he’d give younger Cobra King 50 and 50JR riders that will be moving up to the CX65 in the coming years.
Cobra Moto: Pierce, congratulations on your 65cc title at Loretta’s. Has it sunk in yet that you’re a National Champion?
Pierce: Yeah, sort of.
Cobra Moto: You’ve had some excellent successes in the past on the Cobra CX65, a 3rd overall at Loretta’s last year in the 65cc 7-9 class, an Open Class win at Ponca City (Okla.) in the second moto and overall Ponca victory in the 7-9 class the week leading into Loretta’s. Then you go 1st/1st/1st at Loretta’s to win the class. Talk about how the CX65 performed for you at Loretta’s.
Pierce: It performed great, with a lot of bottom end and good top end power.
Cobra Moto: You hit a bit of a growth spurt this past year. How was that working with your dad to get the CX65 set up to race Loretta’s this past week? Was the setup much different than for previous races you’ve had on the bike?
Pierce: Yeah it was close. We made a few changes to the suspension at Ponca that helped keep the rear end down, that and some jetting changes. But that was it, really.
Cobra Moto: Tell us some of the things you really like about the Cobra CX65 – and how the bike helped you achieve your national championship.
Pierce: I think the bike is taller that the KTM and KX and that helped me a lot. And the power of the Cobra is so much better now … it matches my style of riding.
Cobra Moto: What would be some of the best advice you could give a younger Cobra 50cc racer who’s considering moving up to the CX65?
Pierce: You don't need to use the clutch as much as you think you do because of the power valve, but you have to shift a lot to get it to stay in the right power band.
Cobra Moto: Right on. Thanks again for your time, Pierce. And congrats from everyone at Cobra Moto on your historic week at Loretta’s!
Pierce: Thank you.
For more information on Cobra kids competing in the 2012 Red Bull Amateur National Motocross Championship, presented by AMSOIL, at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., link to: www.mxsports.com
