Every rider is a story at the first race of the year. Aaron Hansel caught three of them off the podium in the 250 class, but these three riders have reason to believe an actual podium could be coming soon. They all rode well at different times. Here is their take.
Garrett Marchbanks - 9th
Racer X: You had a good race going early. Take us through it.
Garrett Marchbanks: My start was good in the main, I just rain a little tight in some areas and needed to loosen up. I made some dumb mistakes during the race. I missed a rhythm twice, missed a couple other things, almost had two tip-overs prior to crashing, I don’t know what it was. I think just me being a bit excited being up there for the first time in a while. I talked with the team and we’re going to figure some things out on Monday and Tuesday, regroup, and figure it out.
Take us through the crash. How’d it happen?
I just came into the whoops, caught an edge a little funky, and it just kicked the bike out.
With Levi Kitchen being out tonight, and you being the only Pro Circuit rider out there, did you feel any added pressure to pull in results?
No. I was just doing me. I’m sure Levi was dealing with way more pressure than I was, he’s the guy. Same with me, we’re both podium guys. I just went out there to do the best I can. I wanted that podium really bad, but obviously it didn’t happen.
You mentioned you were going to work on some things during the week. What are those things?
Probably just some technique stuff. I need to clean up my turns. I was a little sloppy in the turns today. Maybe change some clickers on the suspension, and that’s about it.
So nothing major with the bike or anything like that?
No, it wasn’t the bike. It wasn’t the team or anything like that, it’s on me tonight. I take full blame. It was just me being excited and riding tight. I haven’t had good starts like that, probably ever, in supercross. I was just excited to be up there and made some mistakes.
You’ve been around for a while now, and even you still get excited and make mistakes. Thinking about that does it make you shake your head, and maybe even chuckle when you think about it, or is t just frustrating?
It’s frustrating. I’m better than that. I’ve been here for six years and it’s like, man, I’m an idiot for riding like that. I guess it’s part of it, everyone deals with it. It is what it is. We’ll learn from it and move on.
Coty Schock - 6th
Racer X: Dude, exciting night for you, especially in avoiding the LCQ in the heat race. Take us through it all.
Coty Schock: The heat race, I had a decent start, and decided to test the sand out, twice, on the first lap. Why start in the front when you can start in the back? But I was really proud of my ride to come back to ninth in six minutes, that was huge.
Yeah, we were watching you up there wondering if you were going to make it.
For me to have that ride was awesome. The main, P6 on the night, was solid. Honestly, jus being here at A1 I was stoked. There are so many good people in the industry. I thrive on being at the races, I don’t stress too much, this is my happy place. To end it, P6 on the night when I know I have some things to work on, I’m stoked. There are a lot of good goings going on for me right now.
What happened when you went down again while trying to get going?
I caught traction in the sand, got off balance, and down I went [laughs]. I was like, ‘Ah crap, I’m really digging myself a hole right now!’ But I pulled myself out of it.
Well nobody wants to start the night like that, but did it give you a boost after charging back to a transfer spot?
Oh yeah. For me to come back and get P9 in the heat from last was awesome. In the past I’d get back to maybe 12th and have to go to the LCQ. It goes to show how much faster I’ve gotten, and how much smarter of a rider I’ve become. I still have things to learn, don’t get me wrong, but it was good. I’ll keep building.
On that last lap, when Haiden Deegan was coming, I thought he was going to drill you. But then, in the last turn when he passed you, you had a chance to punt him and you didn’t take it. I thought for sure you were going to park him, especially after what happened in Birmingham last year. Did you consider it for a moment?
To be honest, I let that stuff go.
What!?
You have to, it’s racing! We’re all fighting for a paycheck, and he got the best of me. I ran it in on him, I didn’t make it easy, I’m not going to just let him go by me, but it’s all good. He was clearly faster, it’s all good. The kid rips, all respect to him. I wasn’t going to wave him by, but I don’t need to be dirty. I race with a lot of respect and I’m not trying to start stuff.
Ryder DiFrancesco - 4th
Racer X: Good night for you man! Take us through it.
Ryder DiFrancesco: All day I was on the board in qualifying, and the heat race was good with third. The main event stings a little bit, I ran third for a while and ended up getting passed with a lap-and-a-half to go. But I’ll use that to fuel the fire next weekend and build on it. This is a stacked 250 field, the quality of riders is high, so I’m happy to get out of here with a top four. My goal was top five, and I achieved that.
You surpassed your goal, but you’re still leaving frustrated because you were in a podium spot. What’s that like? Is that just the racer’s mentality?
Yeah, I’m bummed on the position, but overall, leaving here with a fourth at the first race of the year, in the preseason I would have been more than happy if you told me that. I achieved the goal I set, and that’s what tonight was all about, achieving goals. But yeah, being that close, and getting passed, stings.
Yeah but still, you were running up there.
Yeah, running that high gives me confidence. It proves I can ride up there.
Did I hear you say in the press conference that you’d gained 15 pounds since Las Vegas in September?
Yeah. That was one of my goals, to get bigger. As I grow and age, I’ll fill out and get bigger. My goal was just to put on as many pounds as possible, and get as strong as I can. Tonight showed I didn’t really get tired until the last two laps, and it wasn’t even really physical.
Yeah, it did seem like there was a difference in your riding this weekend.
Yeah, I’m just stronger and more fit. 15 pounds is a lot, and it makes you feel like an animal on the bike.
Leaving here, is there anything you feel like you need to work on, or is it just, keep doing what you’ve been doing?
Just do what I’ve been doing. It’s just being at the races. The practice track, I’ll keep going during the week, but as I click off these races on the weekend, that’s where I’ll grow the most.
