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/127829
How did your amateur career go? Did
you guys just stay in your region and
then start to venture out to the big amateur events?
For the first year we stayed around,. then
in the second year we started to travel
around a little bit to races like Muddy
Creek and the Mega Series, and I went
to the Mini Olympics and we ended up
going to Loretta Lytm's three times, but
it always seemed like I had bad luck
there. I would go out and crash in one of
the motos and it would mess me up for
the rest of the week. The best I ever did
there was like a ninth.
How did you develop into your professional career?
Well, I was iri the B class and I would
race the (Florida) Winter AMA Series,
and I knew I was lacking some experience, so I decided that since I had such a
late start, I was going to jump right into
the Pro class to gain experience. I did
the A class first for a while, then went
right into the Pro class. rt took a couple
years for me to start running with the
major guys, but I worked hard at it and
it finally started to payoff just last year.
When did you get a feeling that you
could play in the big leagues - when
did you think, "Wow, I could do this, I
could make it?"
I would say last year. I have always
been the hardest person on myself, and I
guess most riders are probably like that,
but I would say that last year when I
finally started running up front and was
able to start from behind and be able to
catch up, I started to realize that if I put ,
everyone knows
him as Bundy. He wasn't able to
the effort in, I could make something of
myself in the sport.
come over with me to the Primal deal,
even though I tried everything to make
Like a thousand other kids out there
that are hard-working and want to
that work, but it didn't happen. When
make it to the top, you made it
the Suzuki deal came together, they
through. Most don't. What do you
needed a mechanic, and everything just
attribute that to?
worked out perfectly. It was almost like
I don't think it's anyone thing; it's a
it was too good to be true. At one point,
when it all worked out, 1 had to take a
combination of things. You can have a
good work ethic and all that, but I also
step back and say to myself, "Wow, this
is what I have been working so hard for.
had my family and all my 'friends
behind me. I also love to ride motorcyand I.finally got it." I was very happy
about the whole deal.
cles as well. You really have to have that
How is life on the factory team?
- you have to love motorcycles. You also
have to stay away from all that stuff
. I like. it a lot. They have been treafing me
really well. Everybody knows I'm the
teenagers can get into. I think it's a lot of
that mixed together.
new guy, so they have been trying to
teach me all of the new things and work
When did the factories start knocking
on your door? Was it during last year's
with me as much as they can. I love
supercross series?
being in the semi; everything you need
is there. I just have to go out and ride.
Yeah, it was right after the: St. Louis
Supercross. I started to talk to a few
Has Roger been prettY cool to you?
.yeah, Roger is being real cool to me.
teams like Team Chaparral and Honda
Whenever I get done riding, he tells me
of Troy and places like that. Then all of
that talk started, that the factories all
what I am doing wrong, or things I can
wanted me and all of that,but I hadn't
work on. He's been grea1 to me.
talked to anybody. I had heard that I
Has all of the hoopla of Team
McGrath/Suzuki been distracting to
was hot property, then about threequarters of the way through the year, I
you?
.
talked to Honda a little bit and Suzuki
Not really. If anything, it draws a bigger
crowd over to Team Suzuki. rt draws a
some; they were all in a hurry to do
lot more publicity, but I've been good
something. But then I ended up in a
holding pattern into the off-season.
friends with Jeremy for a while, so he
You were initially slated to ride for the
has been real helpful to me. I just kind
of benefit from everything.
Primal Impulse team weren't you?
Last year you were a full-on privateer,
Yes, we came across with a verbal agreeweren't you?
ment a few months after the last race of
Yes, I was. I had a shop sponsor who
the season. Then I never received my
helped me with bikes - Suzuki of Wincontract and it seemed,li1