Craig: “I Want To Be Racing”

I’ve been hearing some of the numbers thrown around for riders. Obviously, you’re not going to tell us, but this is a good deal, I would imagine. The World Supercross, the Australian stuff, they kind of collide. Teams are forced to find some riders who want to do this, who want to travel, like yourself, and race this world supercross series. Money is pretty good, isn’t it?
Yeah, for sure it beats a 9-5 and you get to travel the world. I think it will help me huge for supercross in ’26 since I didn’t have a ton of racing this year. I really want to do good in WSX but also build back up to 100 percent. So, this will help.

I agree with that. For sure it will get you racing, but this is not a 2026 supercross deal with Quad Lock.
It is. We’re working on it, but right now it’s WSX. But I do plan on doing something with Yarrive and trying to work that out. Either way, I want to be racing.

Are you worried about that? It’s not a done deal, but you think you guys can figure it out? McElrath was on a six-race deal to start last year. Doing well, he kept going to the races.
I think that’s why I’m really focused. I want to get some good results. I know in a lot of people’s eyes, WSX isn’t that big of a deal yet, but it is growing and there are some good guys that show up and are racing it. If I can do well there, then that can translate into a full-time ride. But I am confident that we can work something.

So, you’re not looking for another team for 2026 supercross?
No.

But that brings me to my next question. You had a year left at Star there. Obviously, it didn’t go great. You jumped in late - injury from the off-season. But you are walking away from a deal, which I think is pretty bold for you to do this. For all the reasons I just laid out, it didn’t go great for you going back to Star, but you had a contract. Talk about the decision that, as you said in the social media post, you asked to be released.
It was my option. I went up to the team manager and asked for it. It wasn’t like they were trying to get rid of me or anything. It’s a complicated kind of contract I had. I had it kind of split where I would help the guys and race. It was supercross-only and I was hoping that I could turn that into full-time. Unfortunately, I got that shut down after supercross. Kept training, kept riding, hoping I’d get a call. Then Webb went out and still nothing. At this time, I’m still training the guys every day I can. I just kind of was like, “Hey, I want to keep racing and the direction I’m going right now is not that one.” I know I have a few more years left in me, and I’m not ready to be a coach full-time. I want to race full-time. So, I asked for a release.

What did they tell you outdoors? When you were like, “Hey, can I ride for Cooper Webb?” They were just like, no? Did you not feel good outdoors? Were you not riding much outdoors? That did seem a bit strange to me.
Yeah. I was like, I want to keep building and ride as much as I can. Unfortunately, they have so many riders that it’s hard to keep up on equipment, so I was limited riding. They limited me to one day a week, which was pretty tough. I wanted to ride almost every day and try to build, but I get their situation too. They were understaffed. Since I wasn’t racing, I’m low on the priority list. They needed me there to help the other guys, which was fine. They kept me busy. I enjoyed helping the younger guys. That was fun, but I did want to ride more. That was a big deal.

I can see their side and I can see your side. They do have a lot of guys. At the end of the day, if you go outdoors and get them eighth or ninth, what are they gaining from that for their end of stuff? I guess that’s how they looked at it. Was there any chance for SMX or no? They just shut that down too?
No. It was a long shot, for sure. I thought I would play a bigger role in this whole thing and unfortunately, I did not. I thought maybe I could test more, I could ride the guys’ bikes if they were struggling and maybe help them out with some settings. Never got that opportunity. I thought I could maybe help the 450 guys with suspension settings. Got that call one time and the rest they used someone else. So, I was pretty bummed on that, but it is what it is. It’s not my decision. Like I said, I just wanted to ride, and I had a dirt bike sitting there. I was just so bummed that I had to keep showing up at the track and not getting to jump on. But it is what it is.  

Like you said, you’re not that old. You’ve got some years left in you.
I get it, though. I’m on the older end, but I’m still really competitive and I still have that fire. So, I’m like, let’s give it a go and see if we can end on a high note.

I did one of these with you when the deal was announced, and it definitely sounded more positive on your end to what it turned out to be, and things happen. Whatever. But it did seem like a nice match and it seemed like you would fill in outdoors, ride, all of that. You were doing really more of just training work - bicycle stuff and gym stuff with the 250 guys? Is that what it turned out to be?
Yeah, that and then I would help out Swanny (Gareth Swanepol). He’s obviously the head trainer there. I would kind of take some guys and do Swanny’s program under him. I’d say about two out of the twelve riders they have there actually gave a crap about what I said there. But it is what it is. They’re young and want to have it their way. I was there to help and give advice, try to stay positive for everybody. But I was kind of limited.

How did Brad Hoffman and Bobby take the news? Were they fine? Did they understand that maybe they let you down in ways? How did that go?
No, I think everyone pretty much understood. With as many riders they have. So, I get it. I get their side of it.

Early on in the program, you were going to work with Haiden Deegan and they were a big part of your program. You’re good friends with them. That only lasted a little while, right? I don't think there was any hard feelings or anything like that, but that didn’t quite work out either, like you expressed on the show, as far as helping Haiden out.
Yeah, and that was my full-time gig, which it was fun. I spent an entire off-season with Haiden. I’d like to say I’m a pretty big part of his championship even though it didn’t end that way, me being up there on the stage with him. But the early rounds with him were tough. He was super strong, super-fast, but obviously made some mistakes. Then around Arizona, I got told that he won’t be working with me anymore. We’ll all be back with Swanny, which was fine. I’ve never had anything against Swanny. I actually started training with Swanny after that too. Then he goes on and does his thing. It’s a bummer, for sure, because I invested a lot of time. I spent a month away from my family in California to help him, which was good. His parents let me stay with him, and they took good care of me. But I’m bummed at how it ended.

For sure. It did seem like a good match because you’re great at supercross. You know how to ride supercross. That’s his weakness, as great as he is. He can use some polish indoors. So, it seemed like it was a match that was going to work out, in my opinion. So, bummer for that.
Yeah. It was fun and then obviously results and the team was looking at me. They looked around and tried to make some changes to try to get him to win. They went with having me stop working with him.

The good news for this move to Quad Lock for you for World Supercross is you don’t have to move, right? They’re at MTF, so you’re good.
Yeah. The race shop is based out of MTF and that’s about a 35 minute-drive for me. So, one less move, and that made it a lot easier on the family, for sure.