NUMBER CHECK with...Nick Desiderio
Author: Andrew Campo	Number Check | Wednesday, 25 June 2008 03:59

Bad things happen. It's just the way life goes. My mom and dad used to say, "Life's great, but life's not fair, it just depends what subject you are talking about at the time." Whether you've heard it 1,000 times or are hearing it here for the first, it still rings true that life isn't about how hard you get knocked down; but how fast you get back up. Life is all about attitude. If you play the victim, then there is no doubt that you will become the victim.

 
Nick Desiderio may not have had a story book 2007-2008 season, and while it has undoubtedly affected him in the past, he is currently focused on his future. He qualified for Loretta's last week despite choosing to ride with a two week old broken wrist, and he's keeping an upbeat attitude about his amateur career moving forward. "I think everyone hits a few bumps on the way up, I'm just glad that mine are out of the way and I can focus on what needs to be focused on," said Nick in a conversation yesterday afternoon.

 
Nick is currently staying off the bike for a few more weeks in order to allow his wrist the time it needs to heal, but will be back training in plenty of time for the big race. Read on to find out how Nick feels about his luck moving forward, his plans over the next few weeks and just how the heck he managed to qualify for Loretta's with a broken wrist. 

 
How's it going, bud? Where are you guys at right now?
I'm down at Frankie Lettieri's for the week. We're at a practice track right now and I'm watching him ride because I have a broken wrist and I can't ride.

 
I know you raced last weekend. How long until you are back training hard again?
It all depends on how I feel. Maybe I'll get some ice on it later, and I have my brace, so it just really depends. Whenever I feel that I won't be feeling much pain when I ride that's when I'll get back on the bike. I just want to give it time to heal so I don't have to worry about it.

 
Let's cut to the chase. I saw you at Muddy Creek two weeks ago and your wrist was hurting so bad that you could barely get around the track, and then I hear that you not only qualified at Birch Creek the very next weekend, but actually got third in a moto. What happened?!
[Laughs] Yeah, the first moto I got a pretty good jump off the start and then it was all muddy on the inside and I got caught up a little. I ended up making my way up to sixth in that moto and I was pretty happy considering how my wrist was feeling. The second moto I almost pulled the holeshot. I got off in second and was really just trying to hold my position. I ended up third, but I was still really excited to be going into the final moto with a third under my belt. The last moto I missed the rut at the start and ended up 13^th. I ended up qualifying in 8^th overall.

 
How bad was the pain?
It was pretty bad. Sometimes I would really try to push hard, but most of the time I was just hitting smooth lines and trying not to do anything crazy. Luckily it was just a Youth Regional so the track didn't get too rough. 

 
So you will only be riding the one class at Loretta's?
Yeah, I will just be riding the Schoolboy 2 (14-16) class.

 
I put a little blurb about you in our Muddy Creek race report the other week. But let's get back to that. It was only one week before the Youth qualifier at Birch Creek and you could barely get around the track. How much changed in that one week?
I think at Muddy Creek it was just too soon. I didn't have much time to heal at all. I went there not ready and unprepared. I just went out there and gave it my best shot, but I had nothing.

 
You have had a tough go of things over the past year or so. Is your main goal now to just put all the bad luck behind you and focus on the positive going forward?
I just want to put everything I have in to it and move on.

 
Will you be doing Ponca and Loretta's?
No, I'm just going to focus on Loretta's this year. I really want to go there and have a good week, so that is what I am focusing on.

 
So what do you think? We saw you jump out front in Vegas in one moto but then you faded with arm pump, plus you were probably a little nervous being back out front. Realistically, what do you feel you can accomplish at Loretta's?
I just want to train hard and get myself ready to do the best that I can in this one class that I'm in. I just want to keep working and getting better and eventually go pro after next year.

 
What are your plans after leaving Frankie's? Will you be going back home or what?
I'm not really sure what the exact plan is quite yet. I will definitely train with Frankie some before Loretta's. But we also plan on heading down to MTF at some point.

 
It's no secret that you had a tough year last year. You missed a ton of races and were unable to race Loretta's. Has that had an affect on you? Have you been able to stay positive?
It bothers me, but now I just try harder and it makes me want it more. If everything was easy there wouldn't be any point in doing it. I think everyone hits a few bumps on the way up, I'm just glad that mine are out of the way and I can focus on what needs to be focused on.

 
I couldn't have said it better myself. In closing, who would you like to thank for sticking with you throughout the years?
I've would love to thank MSR, Alpinestars, FMF, Factory Connection, One Helmets, Decal Works, Scott Goggles, Pirelli tires, Pro Taper, Panolin Oil, Wiseco and Coastline Motorsports