SuperMotocross Playoff Round 2 in St. Louis is in the books and it delivered all of the racing action and drama that fans were hoping for. We have already heard from the podium finishers in the post-race press conference, but what about the rest of the pack? Steve Matthes and Michael Antonovich caught up with multiple riders after the race to get their takes, so we compiled a few of them together. Tom Vialle clears up how he faded back to tenth in the first moto and then rebounded for the second moto win. RJ Hampshire describes what it is like to pass guys in the 450 class, especially Justin Barcia. And Ty Masterpool talks coming from the Wild Card race to almost score a podium finish.
Tom Vialle | 10-1 for 5th overall
Matthes: What was the difference between the first and second moto?
Tom Vialle: The only thing changed was the fork. When you do one lap in practice it's fine, I feel like my speed is alright. I am not the best guy in timed practice, I am always between maybe third and tenth. But to do only one lap was fine, I was only 0.3 from Haiden [Deegan] so I was in P5 so it was okay. But you know when you do more laps, first moto the speed was not the problem, but I was struggling a lot to turn. And when the track got dryer and dryer during the moto, my fork was way too stiff. So I came back after the moto, I was pretty darn mad, and I said to the guys, “We need to make a big step because I am riding at 80 percent, I can’t even ride, the guys pass me, my back end push I can’t follow the turn, and I am struggling.” I thanked the team, and I want to thank them too because you can’t really make a big change when you are a factory rider. They normally don’t do that, and I think they went a lot softer. I got the holeshot and the first lap I was like, "This is it." I can turn, I have way more traction to the front and I can feel my front tire a lot more. And I was like, "Okay I am just going to do a good moto." And I did, I think we did 17 or 18 laps and I haven’t done many mistakes and it was good. Finally, I feel like I should ride like that every moto. We have been struggling with the fork a lot and that was a nice step.
We’ll leave that fork on for next weekend for sure.
I think so because they normally have really dry, normally hard packed so I feel like I told the team I want to bottom the fork, I want to go on the soft side. I want to say ‘That fork is too soft’ and I feel like we can still go softer actually. So maybe we will for next week because Vegas is really dry and hard packed but hopefully, we can feel the same for next weekend.
I feel like the KTM is one of the best bike when the set-up is right, but it's really like something that can change a lot.
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Qualifying Points | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jo Shimoda | Suzuka, Japan  | 617 | 167 |
| 2 |  Seth Hammaker | Bainbridge, PA  | 408 | 144 |
| 3 |  Tom Vialle | Avignon, France  | 468 | 127 |
| 4 |  Nate Thrasher | Livingston, TN | 307 | 118 |
| 5 |  Haiden Deegan | Temecula, CA | 723 | 116 |
The window is small.
The window I feel like is a little small, but once you find it it's probably the best bike or one of the best. But it is tough in this condition when the track is dry to find a good feeling and that’s obviously the team and the riders we are working on it. Trying to make it better of course, but yeah like you said the window is small. When you feel uncomfortable I feel like today was a good example between first and second moto.
You looked like a different guy.
Yeah, exactly. You can tell that guy is riding bad but sometimes the bike can change a lot. And for myself it's often when I feel comfortable, especially with my fork it's a lot better. Especially on a tight track like today.
RJ Hampshire | 7-6 for 6th overall
Matthes: RJ Hampshire, you and Justin Barcia were going at it in that second one, I was watching that more than the other battles.
RJ Hampshire: Dude, we had a battle royal going way back there.
I think he caught and passed you and then you got him back? Or am I missing something?
I had a decent start, but I cased the three-on, I got wheel spin and cased it so bad, so I lost him a little bit. Then there was someone between me and him, I got him and then I caught Bam, and I passed him twice and yeah, he gave me a good Bam Bam there. I kind of knew it was coming but I didn’t expect him to finish it off the way he did.
I honestly thought he could have been dirtier.
He definitely could have been dirtier, but I had no more room to go. I kept going up like, “Here dude” and he kept coming up and I was like, “Oh no, I am about to get Bammed!” But overall, it was hectic back there. Dang dude, I need a start. That was brutal.
It looked like it was hard to make up time out there.
Honestly first moto I was making up time on a lot of the guys. I actually had a good start and then got whiskey in the sand first lap, went off and I was like sixth and I went all the way back to like 13th. I don’t know if you seen but I made a lot of good passes that first moto. I was pretty stoked on my riding. All day I was pretty happy with the way I rode, I didn’t expect for me to be that good to be honest with you. I qualified damn good and then I didn’t really have any of the moments everybody said I would in supercross, like I didn’t go into the stands or anything like that! But yeah it was hard to pass, I was working so dang hard to make passes, I wanted Coop [Webb] pretty bad that second moto just for the overall but I didn’t get him, so sixth overall on the day.
I actually had a pretty good line after the finish, that left right, I was making a bunch of passes there. Man I am just trying to be super respectful, I mean I’m a new guy so, people definitely race me a lot harder right now which you expect that. But yeah, I make sure to be almost a little bit nicer than what I could be making these passes right now.
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Qualifying Points | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jett Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia  | 580 | 166 |
| 2 |  Hunter Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia | 516 | 151 |
| 3 |  Eli Tomac | Cortez, CO | 475 | 135 |
| 4 |  Ken Roczen | Mattstedt, Germany  | 288 | 117 |
| 5 |  Justin Cooper | Cold Spring Harbor, NY | 670 | 115 |
| 6 |  Cooper Webb | Newport, NC | 516 | 112 |
| 7 |  R.J. Hampshire | Hudson, FL | 366 | 109 |
| 8 |  Chase Sexton | La Moille, IL | 510 | 92 |
| 9 |  Joey Savatgy | Thomasville, GA | 277 | 89 |
| 10 |  Justin Barcia | Monroe, NY | 381 | 86 |
Ty Masterpool | 4-6 for 4th overall
Michael Antonovich: How was the weekend?
Ty Masterpool: Overall really good, unfortunately I had to ride that Wild Card race, like even last weekend I qualified first and then came out with gate 16. So, I am making the most of it, obviously I came out with a pretty good start that first one for my gate pick. And did good. Unfortunately tied for third overall and got fourth, just couldn’t make that pass stick for third overall. Feeling good, feeling healthy, got a good group around me. Just feeling like myself again, God’s good, and excited to go out with a bang in Vegas. Overall, very excited for next year, I am feeling good, it's going to be good.
You mentioned the Wild Card thing, when you know you have top three speed, but you have to go through the Wild Card, is it reassuring or a bit rattling?
At the end of the day, I just have to do the best I can with the cards I am dealt. I try and not think about that, you know what I mean? It's the way it is and it's the cards I am dealt with so make the most of it and go out and do my job.
