Eli Tomac, GEICO Honda, Third in 450SX
Racer X: You were doing good all day today. Had a good qualifying time, obviously heat race win. Saw you were taking a little section over there with the step-on-step-off, trying that in practice. How was the track today in general?
I thought it was the best Anaheim this year. There were options. There were a couple step-on-step-offs, like I did it different in practice but didn’t really work in the race, so I never really tried it. There was another outside triple before the finish line, which was good. Paid off for me in the main; it kind of slung-shot me on that pass on Kenny [Roczen] there. I was able to get a bar on him, so that was good. The second set of whoops was a little bit one-lined. That was a little bit of a bummer, but overall I thought the rest of the track was the best one yet.
There were a couple times you tried to pass Kenny on the inside line. Were there just some bumps exiting that weren’t allowing you traction?
In the corner where I almost got him the first time it was just a little bit rough. The main line in the whoops was just too fast that you couldn’t really make a pass on the right side.
You were kind of playing nice.
I could have drilled him, but who wants to do that? It would be dumb.
As the race was winding down, did you realize you had to pull the trigger at some point?
Yeah, I knew I had to pull the trigger if I wanted to get on the podium. I was able to do it there and I got him after the finish line on the last lap.
San Diego, how do you feel about going into that race? It’s a new stadium. Do you expect anything going into that, or just kind of take it as it comes?
I guess take it as it comes. It’s a [baseball] ballpark. I actually kind of like ballparks. New place is always cool. We’ll see how it goes. – Jordan Roberts
Trey Canard, American Honda, Fifth in 450SX
Racer X: Stupid sand pit. I felt like you were maintaining, everything was going good, and then you fell in that stupid sand.
I felt decent. I didn’t feel especially great all day, but on days like this you just try to make the most of it. Got a little bit of a rhythm about halfway and kind of got a little bit of urgency to get around Cole [Seely] because [Ryan] Dungey was kind of pulling out. Maybe rode a little too aggressive and just went a little too wide into the sand trying to square it up, and just washed the front. I kind of buried the clutch lever so I had to dig that out. I never really got going after that.
Once you get up, I thought the pace with you five guys; you pulled away from everybody else. It was pretty high. There wasn’t much you were going to do once you got up there—everyone was on it.
I was really trying, because you’re always fired up, you want to try to get back at least to a podium spot. I put in a good charge and Tomac kind of gapped me. Those guys just kind of kept the pace, and I kind of never really found my rhythm. I kind of coasted it in
Track tonight had the elevated start and some tricky sections that Tomac and a couple guys were doing. What’d you think?
I thought it was good. It was good to see that the track was a little bit slower. But it was tough. It was technical. It was scary walking it on track walk. It gets your heart racing a little bit.
On another note, your teammate, the #14, career-best second place. You’ve got to be pumped with that. You were hauling behind him. You want to beat him of course, but you’re a team at the end of the day.
I’m so happy for these guys, from Dan [Betley, team manager] to everyone at management, to Cole himself. It’s just a really cool time to be on this team. I’m really happy to be here.
Do you ride a little different when it’s Cole, your teammate there?
We got together last weekend. I didn’t really want to do that.
Last weekend was kind of an accident.
It was an accident, but I didn’t want to force the issue. I felt had I been able to get up on his rear a little bit tighter I could have made the move, but “shoulda, coulda, woulda.” Glad that I came out with a fifth. Ready for next weekend. – Steve Matthes
Cooper Webb, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha, First in 250SX
Racer X: You did great on that first gate drop. What was going through your mind when you saw that red flag about five or six laps in?
I was actually pissed off. I finally got a good start, made it easy on myself, and then I didn’t know why they red-flagged it so I was like freaking out. I calmed down and then luckily got another good start, and that made it a lot easier for myself. This time didn’t get the lead quite as fast, but it was still a solid ride and it was fun.
I heard it was a little colorful over there at the starting gate.
It was. Somebody said that somebody crashed on purpose to get a red flag. That’s what I heard. So I was real ticked. Gotta talk some smack on the gate I guess.
You can’t have a completely drama-free race.
No, exactly. That’d be too easy.
It took five or six laps to get a red flag.
That’s what I was a little concerned about. After I saw what had happened, they knew that happened within two laps. Why not do it right away? That was my only concern, too. Obviously five laps isn’t a lot, but when you’re out front and your heart rate’s so high, you’re just getting starting and to pull everybody off it’s kind of a bummer. But it all worked out.
How about your battle with Jessy [Nelson]?
It was a good battle, for sure. I knew he was going to be fast for those first laps for sure. So I just kind of stayed right there, saw what he was doing, and just was patient. Made the pass when I knew he was going to come into that next corner and do what he did. Squared him up and I made it stick and went and tried to do a couple fast laps just to get a gap and rode free to home.
Was it nice to have a race where you’re not going through half the pack?
Yeah, starts are… I’m going to have to start getting some. Makes it easy.
Is everything all mellowed out now between you and Tyler [Bowers] or are things a bit tense still?
I moved on. That was last weekend. That was kind of my mentality the whole week. Obviously I regret it; I spoke out of frustration. My part, it wasn’t too professional but I apologized. I think he’s still a little upset about it. I guess a couple people said that—we had a thing on Fox Sports 1—I haven’t seen it but I heard it wasn’t too good. So we’ll see. I’m over it. Just out here trying to race, so hopefully he does the same.
You guys ride and train together at Rockwell, so has that gone okay this week?
We actually don’t ride together. I haven’t ridden with him all year. We train together. I think he got injured or something this week and I actually didn’t see him all week. Obviously we were going to stay away from each other the first couple days just to kind of let it go through. But it’s all good.
We’ve got one to go before the break. You looking forward to having that points lead and thinking about that the whole time during the break?
Yeah, it’s nice. I guess now we have a big break. I didn’t even know. Tyler had a bad race, so I think it’s an 18-point lead, they said. So we’ll just take it one race at a time. It’s fun. I’m enjoying riding supercross right now. It’ll be nice, though. Start riding some outdoors and really focus on that. Obviously I was strong last year, so try to steal that plate right there. – Holly Wingler
Aaron Plessinger, Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha, Third in 250SX
Racer X: We obviously saw something in you in the first round. I think you got fifth in the first round. You just needed a good start to show us what you really could do. How did your first career podium feel in your first supercross season?
Aaron Plessinger: It’s amazing. Getting up on that podium, it’s just been a long time coming. Since the first round I knew I could do it, but just had to get a good start. I did that tonight and it definitely showed. Me and Zach [Osborne] had a great battle. It was just a great race.
You finally got him in that sand section. Compared to the first gate drop, how did you do on that first one?
Actually wasn’t too good. I was probably around tenth place. I started picking guys off, and then when they red flagged it I was pretty excited because I knew I had the good gate to get a good start and it just showed on the second time. I came out fourth and just charged hard.
Obviously it sucks for the other people that got red-flagged, but obviously good for you because now you can show us what you have.
Oh yeah. I’m going to continue to show this and get good starts, so everybody be ready for it. – Holly Wingler