The Monster Energy Supercross season wrapped up in Salt Lake City over the weekend, and with so many factory riders out, a lot more privateers were making main events than ever before. But then there are guys like Grant Harlan and Joshua Cartwright who have been making mains all season long against an incredibly deep field. With more riders out, they just moved even further up the charts.
One could easily argue that Cartwright and Harlan are the most improved riders this year, as both made main events with regularity. The duo takes us through their night and even discuss a little on-track bumping that happened between the two of them.
Grant Harlan
Racer X: What a main event it could have been, I guess. You start good, you’re up there, you go down, you charge back… It was a good race, but I think you want more, right?
Harlan: Yeah. I’m bummed because I felt so good on the track and I rode good, but I rode good so I can’t be too mad. Top twenty in points. I think 18, so we’ll take it.
Are you surprising yourself at all?
Every weekend.
You just dislocated your shoulder two weeks ago and now you’re a top-ten guy. Is that unbelievable to you or what?
I think the 13th and the top 15 and stuff, the Seattle area, I think was cooler, but we’ll take the top tens. Now that it’s the end of the season, two factory guys finished. It’s cool, but the rides where I was beating a couple more guys were cool too.
In the heat race, you got third. Is that something that you’re like, ‘I got a third in a heat race,’ or you don’t even care?
Not really. It was cool. I got a good gate pick for the main event. I got a good start in the main event. All that is cool. It helps. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh my god, I got third in the heat race.’ It’s cool, but it’s all right.
When you reflect on the season, seeing how much you’ve built over this year, what is it that you’re going to take away from this year that you just hope to get better at next year?
I made a lot of improvements, so I’d like to take what I have now and show up to Anaheim 1 next year with that. That way, start off the year where I left off, a lot closer, and improve on that like I did this year.
What’s your plan now, then?
The plan is to do all of the outdoors. I don't know if there’s anything coming up other than that, but all 11 outdoors and then that’s the next playoffs.
Josh Cartwright
Racer X: Not the end result you wanted, but still a good season. Just take me through this night and what you thought out there.
Cartwright: Yeah. This night started out okay. Qualified 14th. Wasn’t too bad, but there were some people in front of me that I wish I would have beat. But not too bad. Then the rain started coming and I got a little nervous. I’m not the best mud rider. But we got out there and got into ninth place in the heat and just kind of rode our race. When it came to the main event, it looked like it was going to rain a lot more, but it ended up getting pretty good. I was in 13th I think and honestly, I was pushing pretty good. I could have caught up, and then me and Grant [Harlan] got into it. He hit me over the berm. It’s racing. I get it. We’re friends. So, we got 16th tonight. Decent night, but happy with the season. It was unbelievable. I can’t believe how this season went.
With the conditions the way they were tonight, how tricky is it to push on a track like that, where it’s sloppy on top and then slick underneath?
Yeah. The one line is super slick, and that’s all you do. There’s one line everywhere. It’s impossible to pass. There’s Tristan Lane, Cade Clason, then me. There was zero passing. We were a little faster, but we just couldn’t pass. You couldn’t go on the outside or inside, because once you got out of the lanes, it was done. You couldn’t go anywhere. It wasn’t too bad.
Reflecting on the season as a whole, like you said, good season for you. Just talk about the strides you made and steps you made to get to where you’re at.
I started having fun more this year. I stopped thinking about it as a job and started thinking about how I just love dirt bikes. That’s why we do it. Just riding the bike more and getting used to it. Just the flow, the consistency. I still can’t believe how the season went. Only missing three main events. I’m really happy with the season.
