MXP: First off, how is your new KTM 350?
I really like it. I’m not going to lie; it took me a few good 20 min sessions to get comfortable as the chassis is so much different than anything I have ridden. The motor is strong, which is part of the bike that surprised me. It pulls and revs to the moon. Overall happy with my decision to go 350 over 450.
MXP: We assume you’re heading to Seattle this weekend for the Supercross. What are you expecting this weekend in the Emerald City?
Actually, I’m not going to make it to Seattle. We are in the USA right now, but were at Horn Rapids MX Park doing some pre-season riding. They have a 4-day practice, so we headed down Wednesday and will ride Thursday to Sunday. There are a bunch of Canadians here, so it will be a fun few days. Our first race of the season is Easter weekend, so we need to get in all the riding we can before the season starts.
MXP: Let’s talk about the Star Racing Yamaha Team and the 250SX East heat race incident between Deegan and Smith. It was a little much for teammates and also for a heat race. What are your thoughts, and do you think there was more to it leading up to Detroit?
Yes, the whole thing was a little weird for me. Whether they’re teammates or not, there is no reason for that in a heat race. The way Deegan was break-checking was more like AX crap. In saying that, Jordan Smith was completely innocent either. If I were the Team Manager, I would not be happy with both of them and would have lost my mind on Deegan, but from what I have heard, nothing happened. No talking, no meetings, nothing. That sounds a little strange to me.