“Everything fuels me. Anything. I mean, you can say one word and that fuels me to work harder and that’s just how I work.”
That is what Haiden Deegan said after the first round of the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Playoffs. We all know Deegan is unfiltered and, depending on your opinion, arrogant when it comes to talking on the mics and on camera. That's either refreshingly candid or really disrepectful. Or both. Cocky or confident. Or both. But we clearly now know what we're getting.
He also compliments his competitors—not too much though and only before he considers them a real threat for race wins each week. He makes sure to never end up on the wrong side of a scenarior. Righting the standard questions asked to him in post-race TV interviews on the podium and beating around the bush on specific questions (i.e. maybe a significant wrist injury suffered in the preseason) has become the norm for the second-generation rider. On Friday while on stage with 10 other 250SMX competitors to preview the SMX Playoffs, a comment was made about Deegan opting not to be a part of Team USA for the upcoming Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) event. This was the first time the field was in front of the media since the Team USA announcement, so not shocking to see questions revolving around MXoN asked, even though the focus is on SMX. With MXoN, Deegan didn't elaborate much.
“People look at it in a way…there’s a lot more behind the scenes that go on than people think. There’s a lot of pieces of the puzzle that have to play out right.”
Come Saturday, Deegan again had some extra VP Racing fuel and proved again he is the top 250 rider in the field.
He came into the SMX Playoffs with the #1 plate on his bike from last year’s inaugural event, but he also came in with the red plate overall points lead AND momentum from the final round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider stamped his 250 Class Pro Motocross title with his tenth moto win on the season in the final race of the summer and then carried that into a big 1-1 day at the opening round of the SMX Playoffs. In Saturday’s motos he had bad starts, was jumping a big line only a select few would pull the trigger on out of both classes, and he charged through a handful of riders in both motos in a rather dominating day. Fitness, race craft, and frankly, cojones, give little doubt for who the best 250cc rider in the country is at the moment.
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While Deegan does run his mouth to the cameras when his helmet is off, he sure does back up the talk when his helmet is on.
The latest?
"I mean dude, even RJ [Hampshire], he was behind me in qualifying yelling at me and I was like, ‘Dude, don’t do that,'" Deegan said. "Like, that’s not smart. And that obviously didn’t work for him, so that was not smart. I get fueled by anything. Any crap talk. If you guys want to say anything to me, say it because it’s gonna make me better."
The comment on Hampshire is referring to the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider saying he wanted to be “More in the danger zone” after a third overall at the Pro Motocross finale, Hampshire stating he wished he could battle with Deegan for the Pro Motocross title instead of missing the first nine rounds with his wrist injury. When the two were battling inside the top five in the first moto at zMAX Dragway, Hampshire had a costly crash that dropped him out of the top ten. Note, his crash came in that big rhythm section that only Deegan was doing at the time.
Hampshire could only respond on Instagram that he found himself in danger!
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Qualifying Points | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Haiden Deegan | Temecula, CA  | 649 | 166 |
| 2 |  Tom Vialle | Avignon, France  | 584 | 132 |
| 3 |  Pierce Brown | Sandy, UT | 400 | 131 |
| 4 |  Jo Shimoda | Suzuka, Japan  | 470 | 130 |
| 5 |  Jordon Smith | Belmont, NC | 430 | 124 |
Julien Beaumer, an 18-year-old rookie from Arizona, had a breakout ride and landed second overall with 2-4 finishes. After the race, Deegan appeared happy for the KTM rider he has faced on and off throughout his amateur career. But that joy Deegan has for his competitors can quickly change. Ask Chance Hymas, who went from getting complimented by Deegan early this summer to suddenly an instant rival and receiving negative comments just one week later! From compliments to “Cooked.” Why the shift? Deegan explained his thinking in the press conference.
“Yeah, I’m always hyped for them to get on the podium for the first time,” Deegan said. “Stuff like that, it’s definitely cool. But once you start becoming a threat, that’s when I kinda turn sides [Laughs] as you guys see! But I had to give him props.”
For now, Deegan is rolling and Beaumer isn’t a foe—yet. Tune into the second round this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway for double the points and double the action.
