Despite limited pre-season time as he transitioned to the 250F, Casey Cochran has picked up where he left off on the 125 two-stroke: at the front of the pack. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider had a hand injury in the pre-season that limited his time on the unfamiliar machine, impacting his training time both on the 250cc four-stroke and supercross tracks. However, CC66 got the ball rolling early in the year, picking up a handful of top-five finishes (including three total podiums) in the Supercross Futures program of Monster Energy AMA Supercross. He even picked up the main event win at the championship finale, leaving Salt Lake City, Utah, with the 2023 Supercross Futures #1 plate.
Then at the first MX Sports Pro Racing Scouting Moto Combine event over the weekend at RedBud MX, Cochran pulled off two holeshots, led all 28 laps, and took both moto wins en route to the overall. The Florida native competed in the combine event in Michigan one year ago—albeit on his 125 two-stroke—but gained experience through the different elements of the combine that he then used to pick up the race win this go round. Racing on a pro track, listening to feedback from former pro racers, and more, the combine mimics a day as a professional racer. Still in his first year on the big bike four-stroke, Cochran has had a strong showing to start the year. He is looking to keep the momentum rolling next month at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. Following the completion of the combine, here is what Cochran had to say about his day.
Racer X: Casey, walk us through your day here at the moto combine at RedBud MX.
Casey Cochran: Yeah, it was good. Perfect, perfect day. Two holeshots, led every lap. And to come away with both moto wins with a good lead. So, it doesn't get much better!
You've done this one last year; you were on the two-stroke. It's got to be a lot different. Not that you were not competitive last year, but you were still in a younger group working your way up there. Even now, still as a B-level rider. But being on the four-stroke now this year, coupled with good starts, just how much different was that? Learning from the event last year, even though you might have been at a slight disadvantage on the 125, but now on a different bike equal with the rest of the field.
Right, it was a good experience last year as well, especially bring it into this year getting to know the track, getting to know the dirt. And I actually really like this place. I've had some good moments here, and last year was fun as well. I think I got fourth overall in the two-stroke, so I was stoked with that, and the 1-1 today it doesn't get, doesn't get any better like I said.
So, looking ahead, what's the next thing for you? Loretta Lynn’s, right?
Yeah, so we have Loretta's and I'll be racing, 250 B and Schoolboy 2 there. And then after that, it's kind of where I'm gonna move into the A class obviously. And so it's kind of just playing it by ear by then, maybe, maybe hit some of the amateur days after this.
So, maybe we’ll see you at the Ironman combine?
Maybe. Maybe there. Maybe the pro race there, we'll see! [Laughs]
Just talk about your year. Supercross Futures went really well, the podiums, and you pick up the win at the end, as well as the championship. You know, it's got to be good getting the confidence and everything. Like you said, had a little bit of injury that had limited your pre-season time coming into Supercross Futures. You start working on limited time on supercross, as well as on the 250F, but right away the starts were there, results were there, too. Talk about building and looking to keep that momentum rolling through Loretta’s and the rest of the year.
So all of the whole supercross season this year, most of the guys were just riding supercross and I had regionals and everything. So I was like two days motocross, two days supercross. So just keeping it on both ends and to come out and win Salt Lake. I was happy, so happy with that. I mean, especially without a lot of time on the bike and not a lot of supercross time.
And then, yeah, we, we rode motocross that whole time as well and maybe it gave me a little extra step against these guys that were in Supercross Futures, and it showed today, and I'm stoked.
I think that’s pretty much everything I have, anything else about today, anything else you’d like to say?
Yeah, RedBuuuuuud! [Laughs]
