Fifteen year old Max Anstie has had his hands full the past few weeks. After the incidents at Oak Hill (video here, article here), and his A class debut at Competitive Edge two weekends ago and another showing at Honey Lake in Northern California this past weekend, the young Brit has been busy to say the least.The hot rumor on the street has been that Anstie will be turning pro at Glen Helen. While you may have heard it elsewhere already, we spoke with Max to clear up any rumored misconceptions. But to be honest, there really weren't any.

Anstie is taking a career path unaccustomed to other amateur riders, but maybe he's not like other amateur riders? After riding the Supermini class throughout the entire 2008 season, Anstie is officially turning pro after only a few months on big bikes. While he will definitely be the youngest rider on the line at his debut national at Glen Helen, he definitely won't be the slowest. At a very young age Anstie has proven to posses speed of riders much older and more experienced than he. Like it or not, it's going down. Max Anstie will be making his pro debut at Glen Helen in May, and he will most definitely be the most talked about rookie on the line...

Vurbmoto: Give us the scoop, are you lining up for your first Pro National, at Glen Helen?

(Max whispers on the phone) It's Vurbmoto they want to know if I'm going to Glen Helen...

Max Anstie: Well, as of right now, we're seeing what's going on with the team and everything, but more than likely, I'll be there for the first Outdoor National. I'm working on getting my pro points in the A class. I raced at Comp Edge and up at Honey Lake so far.

You were racing in the B class three weeks ago, your first A race was just last weekend at Comp Edge, you've given Wilson a run for his money...You actually beat him.

Yes, Dean Wilson was there. All the A riders from California that were in Texas were there; Travis Baker, Blake Baggett, Tommy Weeck and then up at Honey Lake Christian Craig was there. I'm still just working on getting more points. Glen Helen is still two months away, ya know.

Last year you were on 80s...

Yep, 85s and Superminis. Up until Loretta's last year, which was in August.

Don't you think it's kind of crazy how fast you've progressed through the Amateur ranks?

Well you know, my bikes and everything have been working great. I made a good transition up from the 80s to big bikes. Obviously I'm still 15, I'll be 16 by the time Glen Helen comes around. You know, I think I'll be ready by then. I've raced with the B class guys and done really well at all the Amateur Nationals and I've raced against the A class guys as well.

Pro nationals are physically demanding - they are on a completely different level compared to the Amateur stuff. Is your body going to be physically ready, at your age and with your experience, to endure the long motos and the tougher tracks?

I mean I grew up in Europe racing the 20 min plus two lap motos and stuff. Going back to the longer motos, it's going to be more fun for me.  I trained back home for that and then I came over here to America where we have the 6 lap motos in the Amateur Nationals and now going back to the long motos, it's going to be really good for me. Plus, there's Tommy Searle, the other KTM rider from Europe, so it's going to be good fun, ya know.

Do you see going Pro as an opportunity for you to escape from all the drama that you've had pin pointed on you over last month and get out of the Amateur scene all together?

I've learned a lot and I'm going to continue to learn a lot as I go into the Pro ranks. I think everything is going to go really good and it's just time to move forward.

You're speed is really dialed in, you have a tremendous amount of confidence right now, let's talk about Barcia, there's a lot of hype regarding his GH debut, are you on his level - can you beat him?

Actually, I raced with him at Lake Whitney the first year I came over here when I was on 125s and I beat him my first ever 125 race.

Oh, so you have, but that was last year?

Yeah, it was sweet though. Blake Baggett won, I got second and Barcia got third. It was when we came over and I did my first ever Amateur National with KTM.

He'll be a year older than you and he has been preparing for this transition a lot longer than you have, also, take a look at all the rookies coming off of their first Supercross season, you are going into this race very unprepared wouldn't you say?

Well, we've been going in with an open mind. It's the first round, there is going to be a lot of fast guys, not just the Amateurs moving up and the rookies coming from supercross. There's a lot of Europeans that come over, Pourcel will be making his debut. Ya know, I feel my speed is there, I like Glen Helen, I'm going in with an open mind, and I want to have a lot of fun. It's going to be good.

You seem to be dealing with all the pressure pretty well.

I've been trying too. I'm just going to go into it and ride like I usually ride and  see how everything goes. That's all I can do.

If everything goes as planned, will you be pitting under the KTM rig?

We are still trying to figure that out. Our plan at the beginning of the year was to go Pro after Loretta's, at Unadilla, and now everything has been changing so, we're just seeing what the team wants to do. Figuring out whether I'm under the KTM rig or not, that's what's going on at the moment.

Thanks for your time and for clearing that up. I'm just going to say it, we'll see you at Glen Helen.

(laughs) Okay, cool.  It's going to be good fun and I can't wait really, I think it's going to be awesome. Thank you.