The past few seasons have definitely been up and down for Jess Pettis. On the positive side, there have been moto wins and overall wins in the 450 class in 2021. However, after coming into last year’s Triple Crown Series with minimal preparation due to an off-season injury, Pettis crashed at Round 2 in Alberta and unfortunately suffered another injury that put him out for the remainder of the series. But all of that is now in the past, and after an incredible three months of training down south, Pettis is healthy, fit, and ready to race! We caught up with Jess as he was preparing for another training day at his home base in Quebec.
MXP: Hey Jess! It’s been a few months since we last spoke. How are you?
JP: I’m doing well, thank you. I’ve been back in Quebec for a few weeks now, and everything has been going great.
That’s good to hear. The last time we had a long chat, you were back from the opening round of the German SX Series and deciding what you would do during the off-season.
Yeah, I went over to race the opening round in Germany, and although the team and the fans were great, things really didn’t go as planned. I had the option to go back over for Round 2, but I decided to head to Florida and get a head start on my outdoor training. Looking back now, I think I made the right decision.
Sometimes it’s a really cool experience to head overseas and race, but it also can be a big risk, and I feel like you’re in a position where you need to manage your risks.
I agree! I love travelling, and as athletes, we’re very lucky to be able to do this job and travel around the world. However, with all I’ve been through in the past two seasons with injuries and trying to adapt to the 450s, I really needed an off-season where I could just ride, train, and get completely comfortable on my bike.
That was going to be my next question JP. You headed down to Florida in mid-January and started riding and training. Overall, how did everything go down south?
It was a great few months, and we made so much progress on the bike as well as off of the bike. It just felt good not to have to worry about racing or having to come back from an injury; it was just riding and trying to get comfortable.
If you break it down, even though you’re entering your third season of racing in the 450 class, you don’t have much time on the bike because of injuries and time off.
Exactly! During the past two off-seasons, I was either injured or riding SX on a 250, so I have yet to really have any real testing time or extended riding time on the 450. One of my big goals for this off-season was to ride as much as possible on as many different tracks as possible. I needed to learn how the 450 reacts in different situations, and I believe we accomplished that. Back in 2021, I only had two weeks on a 450 before the opening round, and then again last year, I only had a few days on the bike before the gate dropped. Unfortunately, that is how we had to do things at the time because I was coming off an injury, but we couldn’t keep doing things like that.
I’m excited for you because I’ve seen what you’ve been through, and it’s never easy always being in recovery mode. You showed amazing speed in 2021 with very little preparation, so common sense would suggest that you will be really good this summer?
Yeah, that is the plan. It feels good to be where I’m at right now, and hopefully, I can keep it going here for the next few weeks and head into Edmonton with some much-needed confidence.
I think sometimes people don’t realize how much you guys go through off the bike, especially when you have to deal with injuries like you have. It can be really draining mentally and physically. How have you remained focused and motivated to keep coming back?
It’s not easy by any means. At this level, it’s challenging to stay healthy as we usually hit the ground hard when we crash. I think it starts with a true love of the sport. As you know, it’s like a drug, and we don’t want to give it up. Second, we’re getting paid to do a job, and you can’t do it from the couch. Our sponsors want and need us on the track, so if you get injured, the mindset is to get back racing as fast as possible. Finally, you must have the drive and determination to get to a certain level of any sport. So, you just keep trying to get better and push forward. I’m 26 now, so I still have some great years ahead of me and want to make the most of these next few years.
I would agree with all of that. My feeling is that one thing that hasn’t changed in this sport is that you really don’t reach your prime until your mid-20s. As we’ve seen with riders like McNabb and Piccolo in recent years, you can be a teenage champion. However, it still takes time for your mental and physical sides to come together and peak. At your age, you have a great wealth of experience to draw upon, whether that is with training, bike set-up, or how to adapt to everything this sport throws at you. So, while there are obviously exceptions to every rule, you, Dylan [Wright], and Tanner[Ward] are all entering your prime.
I mean, I hope so Palms. I know I feel better now than I ever have. My fitness feels great, and we’re in a really good spot with the bike. I’m excited for the series to start and see where we are.
So, you’re in Quebec now. Will you just remain there until the opening round of the Triple Crown Series?
Yes, that is the plan. I really like it here as it has everything I need. I live with my girlfriend right across the road from the Ste. Julie track, so it’s close to everything. KTM Canada is close, and I have about five other tracks all under an hour’s drive from home. So, I will stay here and then fly to the opening round in Edmonton.
That sounds like a great plan! Before you go, I want to ask you specifically about your training. I don’t expect to divulge any secrets of course, but in the past few years, you’ve worked with Aldon Baker and some of the trainers at Red Bull. During the past few months in Florida, were you following Aldon’s program even though you weren’t training with him, or have you just been doing your own program?
As you said, I’ve been very fortunate to work with many great trainers in my career. You mentioned Aldon; obviously, he’s one of the most accomplished and well-known. Mike Brown is also at Baker’s Factory, so he’s full of knowledge and has helped me a lot. During the past few months, I’ve taken what I’ve learned from everyone and then catered that to how I am and how my body works. When you’re training at a facility, everyone has their own programs, but everyone is doing the same sort of thing at the same time. Sometimes it’s tough because everyone recovers differently, and maybe one guy needs more rest one day, but you can’t because you have a group workout. Anyway, to answer your question, for the past few months, I’ve had Justin Boyd helping me with training, and he’s been great, but I’ve also taken what I’ve learned from several people, including things that Brett Metcalfe and Colton Facciotti have told me over the years, and added them to my 2023 program. At the end of the day, you have to put the work in and be as fit and strong as you can. I’ve never been afraid of doing the work, so whether I’m at a facility or on my own, the work is getting done.
Well, that is great to hear. As I said, I’m happy to hear that you’re healthy and ready to go. Enjoy the next few weeks, and we’ll see you in Edmonton.
Thank you Palms! It was good to chat with you. Say hi to the family, and we’ll see you out west.