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INTERVIEW MX2 RACER THOMAS COVINGTON P74 rap, but it was like no Ameri- cans wanted to come over. Coming over here for an American… it's like, the way of life is so easy back home. We're spoiled for sure. Here it's just tough, being away from home for so long. Last week before this race I got so homesick I had to go home for a week. I just flew back in yesterday. It's pretty tough and then when the results don't come also, it just makes it that much worse. These guys over here, they're no joke. They're a lot better than a lot of people give them credit. I think a lot of people are find- ing that out now with Villopoto. These guys are the real deal over here. They're good. But I think with me coming over here it kind of opens some amateur kids' eyes as another option. Hopefully in the future some guys will come over. I feel like we need an American over here representing a little bit. Do you think Villopoto com- ing over and getting eighth and ninth and stuff has kind of opened some American's eyes and made them realize that we're not the dominant nation that we think we are? I think in certain aspects. It's so much different—the racing. Here, like I said, the tracks get so rough and rutted and they don't prep it as much. It's a lot more technical and slow speed kind of. There it's wide open and really intense—the outdoors. So it's just a different style of riding. And also in the U.S. we've got Supercross. So they don't really even have an off-season; they're just constantly going, going, going. I think as far as outdoors go the Europeans have proven themselves to be the top guys here recently. But I think if the top European guys went to the U.S. they'd also struggle a little bit, just like RV [Villopoto] is here. It's just completely different. It's really hard to compare the riders because it's so much different. Tell me how this year has gone for you. This year has gone really well. We've improved the bike a lot with the team here. So the starts have been a lot better. Pretty much overall everything's been good. I feel a little bit more at home and just more comfort- able. Hopefully I can keep it up there in the top five and get some solid points. My goal is to be in the top five in points at the end of the year. So are you staying in Hol- land because the team's based there? Yeah, the team's right down the road… Also because it's in the sand. Coming from America we don't have anything like that. It's new for me. I'm about 30 minutes from Lommel. I go there a lot. Just trying to get used to riding in the sand. It makes you a lot stronger too because it's so rough and bumpy all the time. Have you gotten used to the fans and how crazy the fans are at different tracks? Yeah, that's awesome. I love the atmosphere at the GPs. Now that Covington has a year under his belt in MX2, he's looking to return to the podium.

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