It is official: Jorge Prado is staying for one more round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross. The Spanish native originally had a three-race deal to come race AMA Supercross in the U.S., but now after two consecutive muddy rounds, the 2023 MXGP World Champion told our Kellen Brauer after the San Diego Supercross on Saturday night that he will be staying for one more round of supercross before going home and putting a #1 on his GasGas MC 450F. Here is what Prado had to say post-race about his second straight mudder and his plan for the next week.
Racer X: Jorge Prado, another good, even night, like I feel like it was just another solid main event for you. Did you feel like you made any progress this week that you're happy about?
Jorge Prado: Yeah, I think, I felt better than the others, like for sure, better than Anaheim. For example, on press day, I was feeling super good. This morning in a free practice, I was feeling super good and when the rain came, I start feeling not that good because it was so slippery and I started thinking too much because last weekend. It was so deep that it was almost like slow racing, but here you gotta jump everything and I didn't feel comfortable doing it. And in the main, bad start again, made it very difficult to get a good rhythm. But I feel like at the end of the main event I could do good laps.
You had a dry normal A1, just complete mudder last week, then this week it starts dry and then goes wet. So, how was that experience today?
It's difficult because I'm not used to jumping when it's wet and that makes me a bit scared because I'm not used to it. So, I was feeling not really comfortable. But I feel like at the end of the main event I was feeling good. I just missed many positions a few times because they put blue flag, but guys were behind me and the leader was still behind those guys. So, I let everybody go. So, I'm like, oh man, I let the guys pass that were racing with me.
![Jorge Prado]()
Jorge Prado Align Media ![Jorge Prado]()
Jorge Prado Align Media
There was one time that Eli [Tomac] was behind you and then you look back, I think you let Eli go and then AP [Aaron Plessinger] got to the back you.
Yeah, crazy. Crazy.
In the main event, obviously, some guys started busting out the supercross triple and then there's a couple of lines that started working out a little bit better. How quickly did you kind of find those as opportunities?
So, all the rhythms I could do pretty much from the first lap, like the supercross triple and all these jumps. I was missing one, just that little like step up before the whoops. And it took, I think, almost half main until I'm like, “Okay, I'm gonna jump it,” and it was very easy. And after that, I think I was clearing it super good and smooth. The whoops, I was very consistent, like doubling, doubling, triple, and all that. So, yeah, if the first laps I could have made more passes, I think would have been better.
Did you look around and see the guys that are in front of you and start kind of gauging yourself and how quickly you could catch them? Or was it just survival?
No, on the first lap, some guys were just in front of me and because they could pass the guys in front of them fast, they were just gone and I'm still behind those guys trying to figure out where to pass because I'm not so good at passing. So, I need to learn.
Go to 5:04 above to watch Prado talk about returning for Anaheim 2.
So, it sounds like you're coming back next week?
Yeah, finally, finally. I was super happy. I get the opportunity to ride again in A2 and, it's Triple Crown. We'll be good. Interesting.
Was the Triple Crown kind of something that you were like, I need to try this as well and see what that feels like or was it just, this opportunity works to stay another week?
You know what? We got two mud races out of the three and it’s a pity to go back. So, I'm like, "Hey, please let me [do] one more," and the first GP probably gets canceled. So, I get two extra weeks.
San Diego - 450SX Main Event
January 21, 2024| Rider | Time | Interval | Best Lap | Hometown | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Aaron Plessinger | 22 Laps | 57.722 | Hamilton, OH  | KTM 450 SX-F | |
| 2 |  Cooper Webb | +2.188 | 57.383 | Newport, NC | Yamaha YZ450F | |
| 3 |  Justin Barcia | +22.099 | 58.650 | Monroe, NY | GasGas MC 450F | |
| 4 |  Jett Lawrence | +37.164 | 57.668 | Landsborough, Australia  | Honda CRF450R | |
| 5 |  Jason Anderson | +42.230 | 58.993 | Edgewood, NM | Kawasaki KX450SR |
What are some of the things you're looking to improve on, do you think?
Just suspension because, you know, at the same time I'm getting faster, and the bike needs to step it up too.
So, you feel like it's more the whoops with the suspension or is it the rhythms?
No, just general.
I know you're gonna do one more race. But if you look back on this experience so far, tell me how it's been.
A lot of experience, a lot of riding, training. It's nice to work with the team. It's been very good.
