Matrix Concepts Presents 3 Q’s With Ryan Lockhart

With the holiday season fast approaching, it’s almost time to sit back, relax, and in this case, ask some of our industry people a few interesting questions. This week we reached out to our readers to see if anyone had a few questions for Ryan Lockhart. As you know, Ryan has been in this industry for over twenty years and during that time he’s been a rider, a mechanic, a riding coach, and most recently the Brand Manager over at Matrix Concepts Canada. Ryan knows a lot about a lot of things and he’s always a great guy to talk to. Here are this week’s 3 Q’s with Ryan Lockhart presented by Matrix Concepts Canada. 

MXP: It looks as though we’re going to have our first mudder of the SX series this weekend in Orlando. Who do you like for Round 7 if the conditions are messy?

RL: Well I just took a looked at the forecast and your right it doesn’t look good!! SX and mud make for some of the toughest races. I did the famous San Francisco mudder in 2006 and they seem to be more challenging than outdoor mud races for whatever reason. It’s easy to say that a guy like Barcia has to be a favourite as history has shown his previous success in the mud. You know as well as I do that confidence and mindset always get you the results in the mud. For a guy like Roczen, it’s going to be stressful as he has taken control of the championship, but anything can happen when the conditions are extreme. Regardless, it will be exciting as mud conditions are the great equalizer and it gives a chance to a rider who’s having a tough season to turn it around. Maybe this weekend is where a guy like Zach Osborne gets himself back into the series with a win?

MXP: With the series moving to Florida for the next three rounds can you give us your best ‘Florida’ memory from over the years? 

I spent a lot of winters in Florida over the years and I have a lot of great memories. Some of them can be talked about while some should just remain in my memory bank (laughs). The one that really sticks out to me is the Daytona Supercross in 2002 and what was my first ever SX. What an experience! I was 17 years old, never rode a supercross track before, no SX suspension, but I just went for it on a stock CR125. This was the old Daytona type of track so it was really rough. I remember it very well, 70 plus guys trying to make the night show, it was a real eye-opener for me but at the same time it was awesome to be on the same track at Grant Langston, Travis Pastrana, and Mike Brown. I didn’t make the main event but it was an experience I’ve never forget. 

MXP: We have to ask you about the Vince Friese incident from Round 6. Obviously, lapped riders aren’t supposed to just move over, but honestly, this isn’t the first time that Friese has appeared oblivious to what is going on around him on the race track. Does Friese get a pass on this one or have you just had enough of him?

 It seems like lots of guys are oblivious to what’s going on out there this year. Is it bad flagging? Is it that they don’t care? Is it that the tracks are narrow and tough to pass on? It’s hard to say but here is what I think the issue is. The pace is at a level it’s never been before at the front and the leaders are getting into lapped riders really quick. A rider like Friese is battling for 10-12 place in the main which pays him good money, so I can understand that it’s hard for him to completely move over and risk losing a position. It’s common sense and always has been. The situation last weekend in my opinion was not intentional by Friese as he was just racing hard. It was a tricky spot on the track and I think Barcia could have made a better decision on how to get around Friese. Vince struggles to get out of his own way most of the time so I’m not surprised why most figured this was 100% his fault. But with this one, I just feel like it was a racing incident.