San Diego Interviews

Making the Main's staff writer, Kendra Keene, got a few minutes with Ricky Carmichael, Chad Reed, Josh Bagge, Darrin Sorenson, and Davi Millsaps. Check out the interviews below.

For Ricky Carmichael Interview
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For Chad Reed Interview
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For Josh Bagge Interview
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For Darrin Sorenson Interview
Click Here

For Davi Millsaps Interview
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San Diego was very good to MTM

What began as a mad rush to find tickets and pit passes turned into one of the best days of racing this year. The MTM staff had been scrambling for weeks to get tickets from a number of "promised" sources. Basically we were promised free tickets but nothing was coming through. Finally at 8:30pm on Friday night I got the call that we had two tickets available to us.

So, at 6:30am, Saturday morning, we left for San Diego. On the way we stopped off at Big O Tires for free pit passes. A quick stop at McDonalds for an Egg McMuffin and we were back on the road.

As we pulled into the stadium (after circling it for about fifteen minutes trying to figure how to make a left turn) we noticed the pit area off to our left. We decided to park as close to the pits as possible. The Etnies new RV was just setting up it's awning so we parked next to them. With all the rain I was sure they wouldn't mind sharing their awning space.

Getting out of the truck Kendra noticed Ernesto Fonseca getting out of his vehicle. he was all bundled up and wearing his Uggs. Then Kyle Partridge got out of his car. Kendra was gone, racing across the lane to give him a big hug.

Rather than walk around to the public entrance, Kendra and I just walked into the pits with the racers. Security was tight but for some reason we just walked in. That seemed to be our M.O. for the rest of the day. When the riders did their track walk, we went with them. We found ourselves on top of the first triple with Jeremy McGrath, Ernesto Fonseca, Ivan Tedesco, Travis Preston, and Sean Hamblin. When Jeremy asked Kendra if she would like to walk down the face of the triple first she responded, "I thought I'd let you go first and take your line." On the tabletop section we had a nice conversation with Honda Team Manager Eric Kehoe. Seems I almost picked up his Team Honda shirt at the cleaners by mistake. Back on the starting line straight Jamie Little noticed Kendra and hollered out, "Kendra, you are everywhere today, girl!"

Up until race time we never took out our tickets to see where the seats were. When we did we noticed they were in the press box area. Total score! Seats under a covered portion of the stadium. No one in front of us. No lines to get food or go to the bath room. Total dream seats.

After the race Kendra and I decided to go back to the pits for a few interviews. Chad and Ricky said they would give Kendra a few minutes after the race. So we headed to the pit area via the credentials only gate. It was a zoo. Security was so tight. Then one of the security guys recognized me from earlier, motioned for me to step up and directed both of us through. We interviewed RC and CR, then headed home.

All in all a big day for Making the Main. The only down side was that our photographer, Chris Patey, had to work.

Five Minutes with Ricky Carmichael

So far this year it has been the Ricky show, winning five of the first six races. Coming into San Diego RC had last year's champion on the ropes. Reed had yet to find an answer for Ricky. All that changed tonight as Chad posted his first win of the year. After the race, after all the big press interviews, the team meetings, and after signing dozens of autographs for the loyal fans that waited the extra hour after the race, Ricky sat down with Kendra for a few minutes. Here's what he had to say.

MTM: Ricky, thanks for giving me a minute. After finishing second for the first time this year you seem pretty positive.

RC: No problem. Yeah it's not what we wanted, second place. But it is just one race. I've got a great team of people around me and next week we'll be there.

MTM: I was watching you out in practice and you looked good. How was the bike set up?

RC: Actually the bike was working great. I think the lappers messed me up tonight and that’s the way it goes sometimes. It’s hard to win every race. That’s why there is another race next weekend.

MTM: What happened in the heat race? You were in the lead and suddenly we saw you on the ground?

RC: Oh man, I was coming out of the big sweeper and had a really fast line through the rhythm before the triple. I was just a little low and the back end caught on the top of one of the jumps and that was it. The front end was tweaked. The bars were going this way and the front tire was going that way. I tried to ride it out but it was too messed up and we had to get it fixed in time for the semi.

MTM: Well, at least you got a little bit more track time.

RC: Yeah, but that’s not really the way I wanted to get it.

MTM: What was the hardest part of the track tonight?

RC: Just the lappers, the obstacles were easy. But that’s just the way it goes.

MTM: What kept you going, what kept you strong after the get off in your heat race?

RC: Definitely the start. Then I just tried to put some good laps in.

MTM: Hopefully you can get that winning streak going again next week.

RC: That’s the plan, to get back up on top.

MTM: Good luck in Atlanta!

RC: Thanks.

Five Minutes with Chad Reed

Chad Reed, last years champion, beat Ricky Carmichael at Las Vegas and hasn't won since. That is, until tonight. Chad battled back from a bad start to pass RC on the last lap. All day long in the pits, Chad was all business. At practice he turned the fastest lap time. At the track walk Chad had his team around him and his game face on. No smiles broke out until CR crossed the finish line ahead of Ricky. Then it was all smiles. After all the after race stuff that comes with winning the event, Chad talked with Kendra about the day.

MTM: Chad, I know it's late and you've had yourself a pretty good day. Can we talk about it for a minute?

CR: No problem.

MTM: In practice today you looked like you were on your game, you seemed fast, smooth, and totally ready for tonight’s race. What made the difference this week?

CR: Just trying to rebound. Every week going home trying to make things better. This week it was short, we only had one practice. I think the best guys capitalize on that. When you look at it, me and Ricky almost lapped third place. I think you improve on the little things to try and make the big thing better. That’s it.

MTM: What was the hardest part of the track for you tonight?

CR: The hardest part was probably the start. It had a lot of traction and I had a bit of a hard time with it. But other than that the track was pretty tough. You know. You had to kinda be careful on your lines and just hit your lines good.

MTM: For you, where was the race won tonight, what section?

CR: I think the whoops and the turns are where you can make the most time up on, and this week I felt like I hit my turns better than I have been and also my whoops. And, you have to put in 20 good laps. You got to be fit, you got to be strong. If I wasn’t fit or strong I wouldn’t have been there at the end. It was good to be there at the end and get a win.

MTM: Well, it was good to see you there at the end. We’ll see you next week.

Five Minutes with Privateer Josh Bagge

Josh Bagge (sounds like bag) is the new kid on the block. A local favorite, Josh grew up out by Magic Mountain. He frequented the hillsides out behind the amusement park and the local tracks (some legal, some we’re not sure about, some we KNOW aren’t). Early on Bagge caught the eye of locals who urged him to follow his passion and race professionally. Last year Bagge emptied his piggy bank, hired a mechanic, got a Funmover, and hit the road to challenge the entire THQ Supercross 250 series. I caught up with Josh at the San Diego SX race.

MTM: Hey Josh what's up?

JB: Not much, just waiting for the qualifiers.

MTM: Josh, you've already done one full season of Supercross and this is your second. So, what’s the hardest part of a supercross track?

JB: The whoops, they’re the hardest because they are scarier then anything else. It's a total head game.

MTM: Where do you feel confident enough on the track to make up speed, how do you catch up to some of these guys?

JB: You don’t, you wait for them to lap you. Then you get to see them for a split second and try and stay with them and learn from their lines.

MTM: Why did you become a SX racer?

JB: I decided to do this because I don’t have to work a regular job. I can go to the gym everyday, ride my motorcycle everyday, train and have fun every day.

MTM: Are you having fun out there?

JB: I have fun when I ride good.

MTM: What makes you ride well?

JB: Usually if I get myself worked up, I won’t ride good. I need to be just relaxing and trying to have fun.

MTM: So it would bother you to be lined up next to Chad or Ricky?

JB: Oh, no. That wouldn’t bother me unless they jacked me up and I got a bad start.

MTM: What does your mom think?

JB: She thinks I do a great job. Even when I lose, she thinks I did a great job.

MTM: What is she thinking or doing while you are out there on the track?

JB: She knits sweaters for the dog. She doesn’t like to watch cause she’s afraid for me. Or maybe she just likes the dog.

MTM: So, Josh, if you could ride with three guys, past or present, who would it be?

JB: Damon Huffman, Mike Healy, Darren Stoffer, Eric Kehoe.

MTM: Hey, Damon (Huffman), you've been here hiding out in Josh's rig listening to all of this. What do you say, who would you ride with?

DH: Johnny O’Mara, Buddy Vince, Darren Stoffer.

MTM: Well, good luck to both of you. Keep the rubber side down!

Five Minutes with Darrin Sorenson

Darrin Sorenson is the mechanic for Chad Reed, the 2004 THQ Supercross Champion. Darrin is better known as "Rookie" in the motorcycle world (and to his girlfriend - cute to hear her call him that). Darrin has been wrenching for nine years and has worked for Larry Brooks, Pro Circuit, Primal Impulse Suzuki, FMF Honda, Fast By Ferracci Husqvarna, and Factory Connection Honda. Now, exclusively with Team Yamaha and Chad Reed, Darrin works with the best in the business. Here’s what Darrin had to say to Kendra at Anaheim three.

MTM: What it the hardest part about being a mechanic?

DS: Traveling bouncing around and never being home. You don’t have a normal life. It’s kind of like a circus life. You get to come home for a couple days a week and that’s it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, though.

MTM: Well, you are the mechanic for one of the fastest riders in the world, that must make you feel pretty good going home at night.

DS: Yeah definetly. Then you wanna work a few extra hours and it’s no big deal, you know your guy's working as hard as you are, you know you'll get that loving feeling of winning, and nothing feels better than that.

MTM: What’s the best part about being a mechanic?

DS: Winning. Absolutly by far it’s the best feeling in the world, if your guy wins everythings better. The champagne is better, everything is better. You could have a headache from being stressed all week, you could be injured, whatever your guy wins and nothing matters anymore

MTM: So what’s your favorite tool in the tool box that you can’t live without?

DS: Wow, the torque wrench. I always say that. I know it sounds kind of like a lame tool but then you know for sure that you got it right.

MTM: Does Chad’s results effect your mood?

DS: Yeah, yeah. A lot. We basically live through him. If he’s happy, we’re happy. When he wins we get to see how good that makes him feel. We feed off of that. Then when he’s bummed out, I’m bummed out because we both work to achieve the same goal, to win. So, his mood effects mine a lot.

MTM: During the race you are more than just his mechanic. You have to act as cheerleader too. What all do you say on the pit board? What is it that he likes to know?

DS: It depends. Reedy just wants to know a couple of things, just a little bit of information so he can glance at the board and not have to think about too many things. He wants his lap time and then the lap time of the person who is leading or who is right behind him. If he’s in the lead he wants to know the lap time of the guy right behind him. If he’s not in the lead he want s to know the leaders lap time. Then if I can see something really obvious that I think will help I’ll put that on there, but it’s just a word or two. And that’s it. We just keep it simple.

MTM: How many hours a week do you spend with Chad working on the bike?

DS: Because Chad is one of the top riders in the world he’s got a lot of people here helping out. He’s got his trainer, his agent, his team manager. We have our engine guy and our suspension guy. There’s a lot of people that want his time. But for me, I try to leave him alone. But the time that I get to spend with him is the moment he puts his goggles on. That’s kind of our time. When he gets on the line and gets out on the track. During the week out we chill at the test track, we joke around and talk smack, try different things that will help him during the races. We don’t go out to dinner or that kind of thing cause he’s so busy. Then at the races, when we get out on the track or on the starting line we b.s. a bit if he’s nervous, or I give him a little pep talk, that’s when that happens.

MTM: So you say you like your job?

DS: Yeah, yeah. I love my job. The only thing I’d rather be doing is being a rider but that isn’t going to happen.

MTM: So I hear you’re faster than your brother?

DS: Ah, nope. I have to be honest. He’s a little faster than me. He thinks his wife is faster then me though.

MTM: Darrin, thanks for your time. Good luck tonight!

Five Minutes with Davi Millsaps

Editor’s note: Kendra did this interview at Anaheim three but didn’t want to post it until after Davi raced Indianapolis. Why? Because right after Kendra interviewed Broc Hepler, he crashed out in the main. Then, the following week he crashed and broke his arm. Kendra didn’t want the same to happen to Davi.

MTM: Davi, next week is Indianapolis. What have you been doing to train to get ready for that first race?

DM: I have a routine, ride the bicycle, go to the gym, then get on the motorcycle and ride. Last year I rode hard during practice but wasn’t really giving it 100% because I didn’t think it would be that hard. This year I am training a lot harder and taking advantage of it more than last year.

MTM: Roger DeCoster is always saying to be a great rider you have to be rested and bored.

DM: Rested and bored?

MTM: Yeah!

DM: I’m never bored, I’m never bored!

MTM: Roger says if you’re not bored you’re probably getting into trouble.

DM: I’m always in trouble. I am.

MTM: You’re one of the youngest guys out there on the track and yet still one of the fastest. Do they put a lot of pressure on you?

DM: Yeah.

MTM: Well that was an easy answer. Okay. So, you are surrounded by all these past champions like Rick Johnson and Roger DeCoster. What kind of advice do they give you?

DM: Ride smart, you know. But I pretty much do my own thing. But it’s great to have them on the team cause you can go to them. But my mom helps me out and my trainers help me out.

MTM: Your mom seems like an awesome lady. She’s got that whole facility.

DM: You haven’t met her.

MTM: What?

DM: I’m just kidding.

MTM: I’m sure you don’t want me to put that in the interview?

DM: No, really, she’s an awesome lady. She’s been with me, helping me train for the last eight years. I’ve been riding for fourteen years. She’s there for me 110%. I love her to death. You got to.

MTM: What’s the best advice she’s given you about racing?

DM: Stay focused, no girls, no tits in the pits.

MTM: I remember an article when you were ten and they asked about a girlfriend and you said no girls are gross.

DM: Yeah, mom was right back then.

MTM: So do I have to leave?

DM: No, no, you can stay.

MTM: Alright. Now looking at next week’s competition, what are you thinking, how are you feeling about it.

DM: There’s a lot of top guys out there. You know, I’m excited to race. I have been waiting for it. I want to go out there and have fun. The competition is going to be tough. There are twelve to fifteen top guys out there, some of the biggest names out there. Except for Bubba of course and a few guys on the west coast.

MTM: Now that you have one season under your belt which race are you looking forward to the most?

DM: All of them. You can’t look for just one. They’re all important. I can’t wait.

MTM: By the time the Las Vegas race comes around, what’s the one thing you want to accomplish?

DM: The east Coast Championship.

MTM: Great. So Davi, why do you have Maverick written across your butt?

DM: Oh, I can’t tell you that.

MTM: Good luck next week.

Kendra is RacerX's Fan of the week.

Once again Kendra makes the Internet with her original tee shirt creations. TFS stopped Kendra at Anaheim 2 and asked for a few shots. Each race Kendra has a photo taken of her and the racers, mechanics, and other support staff. Then she digitizes the photos, prints them on iron on transfer paper, and irons them on the shirt. At the next race Kendra gets each person pictured to autograph his or her picture.

Anyway, here's the picture. Be sure to go to www.racerxill.com/main.cfm to see her. Scroll down on the left.


Thanks again to RacerX and TFS!