Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1063250
AMA 450 SUPERCROSS CHAMPION JASON ANDERSON P98 Interview hard because a lot of these guys, when I was younger, like Barcia and a lot of them, they were training in the winter at MTF [Millsaps Training Facility]. They were in the deal really early on in their careers as amateurs. Honestly for me, for a long time, I would just stay at home [in New Mexico] and if there was snow on the ground we weren't really riding. Then I would do pretty good at the amateur na- tionals. Then I got a pro ride and I was just going to do the same thing, and then it didn't really work out that way. But luckily for me, those hard times really made me learn and respect what you had to do to be pre- pared to race. So I think it kind of turned me into a hard worker, but naturally I don't think I'm a very hard worker. I'm mellow and I like to have a good time, but I love riding dirt bikes and I'm going to do whatever it takes to be able to have that as my job and my career as long as I can. I enjoy that part of it a lot. I don't enjoy working out, but I enjoy the dirt bikes and stuff, more than a lot of people, I think." But in the end, it's possible that Anderson's career could last longer since he hasn't been training since he was a child. It could prevent burnout. Still, his goal is to make sure the fun is always the point in racing, which is a good thing for most kids rac- ing today (and their parents) to understand. "I would say my biggest goal is I would like motocross to be a little bit less serious and results- driven," Anderson said. "I would like people to just try their best and have a good time at it. I feel like some of these guys put so much hours of work in and really maybe sometimes they're not even happy with a third. But real- ly in the grand scheme of things, you're one of the third-best guys in the world that night and you should be proud of yourself for that. It doesn't go that way a lot. I'm even a victim of it. I feel like it should be a little bit more light- hearted. That's the biggest thing I would like to try and preach. Just enjoy it because you only live life once. "My parents are the most mellow," Anderson says. "My dad never pushed me, nothing. Didn't care, anything. Even when I was doing bad he was like, 'Well, I guess we'll figure some- thing out.' It's not like it was do- or-die. If I wanted to be success- ful it was on me and I could try my hardest and he'll support me. I feel like that's how it should be more often." ALTITUDE SICKNESS It's no secret that Anderson suffers from altitude sickness, which comes into a play at cer- tain races, such as the Denver "We've seen so many greats in our sport win that championship and we've looked up to them and just kind of wanted to be them. It's just unreal." Not only was this Anderson's first AMA Supercross title, it was also the first for Husqvarna and the Rockstar Energy crew.