Fans of Monster Energy AMA Supercross in Glendale saw the Supercross Futures hit the track for the third time this year. However, coming back from injury, Team Green rider Ryder DiFrancesco lined up for the first time in 2023. After winning four rounds in 2022 and finishing second in the main event championship finale, DiFrancesco was a favorite to win, though with limited time on the bike, and a track that proved difficult to pass on he seemed pleased with his second-place result. We caught up with Ryder after Glendale to get his thoughts on the race and his future plans.
Racer X: All right Ryder DiFrancesco, Supercross Futures, coming into this where were you percentage wise, were you 100 percent or are you still feeling the effects from the injury?
Ryder DiFrancesco: Umm that is actually a tough question because I have never asked myself that, I just knew I had to come here and kind of just know how good I am, right. So, I mean I was 95-100 percent ready and I tried my best all week. That is really all I could ask out of myself. Hit the whoops every lap clean, never hit a rhythm that was bad, I hit them clean every lap. So, honestly a pretty good week for me, not a win but just as good.
Take me through how difficult it was to make up time with how slippery the track conditions were.
Yeah, you could see in the 450 and the 250 race, kind of where you would start is where you would finish. You’d see Coop [Webb] start fifth and finish fifth. So, I knew that going into that race and once I got a second-place start, I was like “All right, I’ve got to put the hammer down.” I could never get it within a half of a second. It was super tough. After that I was just kind of waiting for a mistake from him and it never came. So, finished second, and all in all a really good weekend.
Like you said coming off of an injury, where does this kind of fit into your program. Was your plan always to do this and then the next couple of Futures and then roll into outdoors or was it sort of a last-minute decision to ride Glendale?
So, I got hurt and the doctor said two-three months so honestly, I was just planning on going straight to outdoors. But I worked at it pretty hard, and it came a month faster. So, I am like, “Let’s just get on the bike and get comfortable.” I kind of set a goal for Glendale and that’s what came. So, we made it. Great night, great progress. We will just keep on going from here, I don’t know what my plans are, but I will keep everyone updated.
You obviously raced Futures last year, was there anything that you felt you learned today that you didn’t learn last year, that was different from today or the last couple of days?
Not really. I think I was just honestly more calm. And that helped just go out there and race. It's not rocket science, you know. But I think the nerves helped from last year, the pace was obviously a lot higher this year. And honestly, I am ready to be up there with the pro guys.
