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/615690
INTERVIEW 2015 AMA HARE & HOUND CHAMPION IVAN RAMIREZ P118 they're supporting me in a long career in rac- ing. They believe in me and I feel like the whole racing [thing] was a way to keep the family close. I remember my sisters used to come with me and go to the races, and I know they wanted to be at the mall or having fun or doing some more girly stuff, but most of the time they were there [at my races]. It was just cool. When did you start riding for KTM and when did you start riding full-time in the U.S.? I did a couple Bajas with David Pearson; I think it was 2010. We did the 500 and 1000. After that, in 2011 I rode for KTM Mexico; I was doing national enduros down there and won the E1- class championship. That's when they started talking to [KTM North America Off-road Team Manager] Antti Kallonen. Being from Baja and racing with Pearson, that gave me a little advantage. In 2011 I was doing some WORCS here and there. In 2012, that's when RPM [Racing's Mike Hurlbert] picked me up. I did the Pro 2 class in WORCS and won the championship in the Pro 2 class and 450cc A. At that time I had my contract with the KTM factory for Baja races with Kurt [Caselli] in 2012. I think in 2011 we did the San Felipe 250, Kurt and I, and we had some is- sues with the bike and DNFed. In 2012, that's when we went down as a full factory effort. You actually lived with Kurt at his place in Palmdale, so you could train like he did and learn from the best? It was '12, just after the 250. I remember he texted me—I was at my dad's and he sent me a text: "Hey, you want to move in with me?" I'm like, "Sure, why not?" At that time I was living with Brandon Prieto and Eric Yorba. So I told my dad and he said, "Yeah, why not? It'll be really good for you!" We got really close, riding and training all the time together. It was just a fun two years, for sure. Riding for RPM in the WORCS series, I knew I had to be here in the U.S. and just train a little bit better and get more serious about my racing. That's how it started. Living with Kurt had to help you improve tremendously because you'd be seeing first- hand what the best did every day. That was probably the best decision of my whole career. I never thought I would be this far in my career [with an AMA National championship]. I'd always wanted to be a pro motocross racer, I WAS CHUBBY BACK IN THE DAY AND I WAS HAPPY. I'M HAPPY NOW, TOO! BUT I HAD TO CUT A LOT OF FOOD FROM MY DIET. Ramirez celebrated his first title at the final hare and hound of the year.