Getting to run the #1. You won titles here, but you never got to actually run the one afterwards, it's got to be pretty cool to see it on the bike.
Man, it's gonna be cool. I've seen a little bit of what the gear looks like. I haven't seen the graphics just yet. But yeah, I mean, a lot of people have asked me, you know, “Why don't you run the open class? You can be #3, like do it for Dale.” But no man, #1 is different. I think the #1 is unreal. I mean, especially in the 450 class and against the world, you don't get the chance to run #1 very often. So, to have that opportunity, you know, I can’t pass it up.

I know the track in France, it's pretty hard packed. I don't know how much video you've looked at or how many people you talked to about it. But is that something where you're going to go try to test hard packed and get a little better feel of it before you go or just kind of go with the settings you’ve already got?
Maybe this week. I'm actually running outdoor stuff here. So maybe this will tell us a little bit. I don't think I'll go actually test for it, but I do think that I do think that we have a pretty, pretty decent set up. I think that we'll be good. I think I definitely have a good set up. RJ, you know, he has an outdoor set up. Christian might need to dial in a little bit. But I know he was testing this week and, yeah, I think overall we know what we're riding, and we don't want to stray away from that too much. I've watched some videos, and it seems like a pretty tight track, and it looks like it rains over there quite a bit. So, a lot of ruts, a lot of rough, kind of dry, square edge bumps. It will be interesting, but I'm sure we can figure something out in practice.

For you, like you say, going out of the country for the first time. Do you get to go with the family? I'm assuming if you got yourself all planned out, is it a big trip too?
So it's just me and my wife, you know. Yeah, keeping it easy. The kids, I would definitely bring them but eight-hour flight. It's hard, it's hard enough for me, much less. If I was two years old, I couldn't imagine. But yeah, just me and the wife we're gonna go over, hopefully win the whole thing, and then stay the next couple of days and reap the benefits.

Lastly, anything to top the haircut from 2018?
The haircut from 2018, it's gonna be hard to beat, but we're definitely gonna be seeing something in the sides of my head. Whether it be, you know, a #1, a USA flag. I don't know, team USA, it's gonna be something extravagant. I might even use some markers. We'll see, we'll see. I got some stuff up my sleeve, but we're keeping the mullet, we're gonna rock the hair out the back and the fans are going to see what the #1 is all about. Let's go!

RJ Hampshire – MX2 - #2

Racer X: RJ Hampshire, Team USA MX2. That’s got to sound good right?
RJ Hampshire: Yeah, that's awesome, man. Just getting to represent our country, man. I'm excited for it.

I know you wanted to go really badly in 2021 and you didn't get to go. Does it feel a little bit like redemption then?
Yeah, for sure. I was really close to going racing on 450 out there which I was really stoked on. Don't get me wrong. I'm still so stoked to race it at all. But yeah man, I am just excited. I get to go over there and make a trip out of it with the family, and you know, we got three guys that are going to give it our best shot and put in our best effort.

You've known for a little bit I think that you would end up on the team. Did you start testing a 450 because you thought maybe that would be what you end up on or no?
I had a full 450 setup there built, ready to go. I was going to start riding it this week. There's pros and cons and I don't have to worry about that. I know what I have with the 250 the setting and it’s ready to go. So that's one good thing to it. But I'm more like, just stoked at this team, our bosses, our manufacturers support in the race because if it wasn't for that, there would be no Team USA, to be honest with you. That's just what it comes down to is these guys, they see how much it means to us and the sport. So, yeah, just a huge shout out to the whole Husqvarna, GasGas, the whole Pierer Mobility Group because they are the real reasons why we're going with the team selection.

It's obviously a team race but do you yourself look at like the MX2 guys you're going to go against and maybe kind of gauge yourself before you go or is it just get there and see where you're at?
Yeah, I mean, just pretty much get there, and see where I'm at, see what the tracks like. I've been watching quite a bit of video, and yeah, I mean, it's a hard packed track. We’ll be ready and that's about it. That's really all we can do. We don't really have much of a track kind of similar to that, especially in Florida. So, yeah, just go there, don't get too spun out, and stick to the plan.

Is Ernee a track you’re excited to ride based on history that we've seen over the years?
My history is pretty bad with that. [Laughs] So, you don't want to ask that question. More of the atmosphere, the hillside, and just the best nations alone. That's what I'm most looking forward to is the fans. And I know how crazy it gets there. Like you said, I haven't been able to race when I was close to in ‘21. I had a shot last year. So just for it to finally all come to fruition, I'm stoked on it. I had a good season going. I mean, it wasn't like I was way away from being chosen. Realistically, I think before Deegan showed up at Washougal and crushed us all, I was still kind of a guy. So, I mean, I definitely know I can go out there and battle for a win. My main focus right now is getting healthy enough to go there and be able to do that. So that's where I'm at. I'm stoked for it. I put a lot into that race, so we'll be ready to go there.

I know [Roger] De Coster will make a plan next week, but he said that you guys could probably stay in Florida. Is there any plan to do like some hard packed testing?
Yeah, I'm going back to Florida right after here also. And I think Tuesday we're going to ride a full hard packed track. Then Wednesday, I'll be back on supercross for the last round and then I think we'll ride maybe three or four more days before that strictly on hard pack. We'll go find somewhere here in Florida.

Have you booked your travel?
Yeah, I've already booked mine, I've had mine booked for a couple of weeks because I knew I knew we were going. What circumstance, I didn't know. It's funny though because the team actually sent a 450 and 250 just in case this was to happen because like I said, I was inked in on racing a 450. Like we were set on that and they just kind of, they had a feeling, so they sent both bikes, which was a good call. Whenever we lost another guy, it was like, “Alright here we can make this happen still.” I don't know man, we'll see, I think we'll stick to the plan. Stay in Florida. We all got a decent set up now, ready to go racing.

Christian Craig – Open - #3

Racer X: Well, Team USA, pretty exciting news! Just kind of take me through the emotions of being selected.
Christian Craig: Yeah, it, it all happened pretty fast I would say. Came out to California to test with the team and then Tuesday got sat down and asked if I wanted to do it. So, yeah, it's, I know a lot of people have turned down to do this this year, but I was ready to step up. So, pretty crazy. But I'm excited. I think I'll be more than ready for this. By the time this race comes, I'll have close to eight weeks on the bike. So that's plenty of motos, especially with the boys. I'm excited. This is obviously prestigious race. It's a race that I've watched every year since I was a little kid and I wanted to be a part of it. So, yeah, this is crazy. But I'm up for this challenge.

I know you really wanted to go badly last year, and you didn't get to. Is this a little bit of, I guess kind of redemption that you do get to go this year?
Yeah, you could say that, I mean, use that as motivation. I did get picked over the phone last year and then it obviously it changed a few weeks later. So, it is what it is. They still haven't got it done, Justin [Cooper] did it. But yeah, it's my turn to step up for this team and I think we’ve got a strong group. I know it's easy to say that this isn't the best group to send, but that's just more motivation for us to get over there and do it. So, yeah, I’ve just got to work on fine tuning, and I think we're in a good spot with the bike. It's just three weeks of, probably a little three-week training block on what we're going to be doing here and be ready coming off the injury.

How much time have you had on the bike? I know it's been a few weeks and then where are you at percentage wise right now?
Yeah, I'm like week four on the bike. So, I probably did three days of just doing my own thing riding and then went to Aldon’s [Baker] and he threw me in with the boys. So, a little bit of a rude awakening with that one. Yeah, I was struggling for a bit with fitness and stuff like that. But man, it came back pretty quick. I'd say two weeks later I was up to speed and feeling better. It's just, it's seat time more than anything. So, I'm back up to riding 3-4 times a week and feeling good. I don't think that's going to be an issue. It's mainly just me showing up and believing in myself.

Coming back from injury, was a little nice that you can just only put your whole focus into this now?
Yeah, for sure. I mean, I would love to be here racing. I hate being here and being a spectator. It gives me a couple of extra days I guess each week of when these guys are on supercross, I can fine tune on outdoors and be ready that way and catch up I guess because they've been racing all outdoors. So, use those days to just get ready and be as ready as possible. I'm going to take this race as serious as any other race, whether we're getting paid or not. It means a lot to me and proud to represent that flag.

I know you didn't get to race this bike outdoors, but in the few weeks that you've written it so far, what have you felt about the chassis and everything on it so far?
It's good. I think I had two or three days on it before I got hurt in Arizona. And we were just about to start outdoor testing right when I got hurt and they found a lot of positive stuff outdoors with RJ and stuff like that. So, we've been trying that. I came out to California to test and got a good day in. I'm not worried about that. I know the bike is going to be in a good spot. It's me showing up putting in good starts for two motos and seeing where we stand.

I know Roger said you guys will make a plan for going early or anything like that next week. But have you personally got your travel booked?
I don't think we're going that early, maybe a couple of days, but as of now it's the week of [the race] that we're going to be going. So, we're going to stay at home in Florida and grind away there and be ready as possible and then show up there ready to race.

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