Slaw
Storybook. Dream ending. Whatever you want to call it, Saturday at Spring Creek was special.
For the fans. For his family. For his team. For everyone.
What Jeremy Martin did at round 7 of the Pro Motocross Championship never happens. Ever. In his last professional race, at his home track (literally), Jeremy grabbed two unprecedented holeshots, won the second moto (the last of his career) and brought home second overall in front of friends and family.
“It was a fairy tale kind of ending to my career,” he said in the post-race press conference. “Um, you know, I was obviously, we all know I was doing the VIP gig. I lined up at Pala and Hangtown and then like I was practicing starts. I was a yard sale. Like I literally tried these really tall starting blocks. I hit the middle of where they dropped the gate. Like I was just all over the place. I was just not dialed in, and um took a break, got everything better, and you know, what a dream day really. I mean, it’s just insane. And it’s an honor to be able to battle with these guys. I mean, to see the pace of the next generation. I mean, I was good back in my day, but these guys are really good now.”
Its not that Jeremy isn’t fast enough. He’s a two-time champion in the class. But, injuries have derailed his last few years and his “comeback” with Monster Energy/Yamaha Star Racing got off to a terrible start. So much so, that Jeremy and the team decided to have him sit a few rounds following a crash at Hangtown so that Spring Creek would mark his final race. Even Jeremy said post-race, a top five would have been a win heading into the weekend.
“I mean, to be honest, like, I was terrible the first two rounds,” he said. “If I would have gone 5-5 today, that would have been a win for me, you know? I mean, obviously, I got a little bit of a gift. Um, [Haiden] Deegan got off to a not as good of a start as me in moto 2 and then Jo [Shimoda] lost his rear brake and then he went off the track like a wildcat. And so, I kind of was I got gifted there and I just ran with it and I was like man I’m definitely kind of tired but these are the last laps of my professional career and I said you got that dog in you. Let’s go.
“I definitely put a lot of heart into it. To keep the keep the number one at bay ain’t… it’s not easy, right? To keep these guys, like I said, that next generation speed is insane. I’ve had another proper dig like that at Millville here and I think of 2020 COVID year with Dylan [Ferrandis]. We went down to the last lap. It was at Moto 2 or whatever. We had a gnarly brawl, but uh yeah, I was just grateful. I was I was trying to hide the tears, man. I went up for the Grand Marshal deal and I broke down on the podium and you know I saw my brother and my family at different times throughout the day and I was like man you got to get you got to get your together like these are the last two moss of your career. So, um I was able to do that and um as Deegan says lock in. I locked in and you know got her done.”
Of course, the question was posed if this is truly his last race, seeing as he just won a moto. Jeremy said it is, and that he is content to move on to the next chapter in his life.
“I knew that question might come,” he said when asked if he might race more this summer. “Yeah, I’m content, right? Like I’ve accepted it. I don’t know if you’re ever like the motivation and when you get on top of the box, that drug, right? Like winning that high. That’s what we all chase every Saturday, right? Like it’s a drug and it consumes you. And when you get it year after year after year and you can be in that position, how do you those endorphins alone, like how do you just say, “Hey, I’m done.” I definitely miss it but I’m ready for chapter two in life. It does come at some point. And uh and you know, I’m passing the baton on to these guys, you know, and I’m just going to sit back, be your VIP host, cheer them on, and you know, salute them, have a beer, go try other things in life.
“So, my mechanic Millsy put on the board uh, five to go and I look I was kind of like looking back and I saw that the red number one with the red background and I was like, dude, I’m in the danger zone. And I was just like, well, I don’t know, man. I got five laps. Have led quite a bit cuz Jo went off the track and I’m just like dude this is the last five laps of your life and I was like I raced Leadville 100 mile mountain bike race last year and I was like I’m sorry Deegs I’m going for this thing I’ll die for this thing I’ll bleed for it. So, um, yeah, I just tried to clean up some areas and, you know, put in a good in a good little surge there to try to try to get him. And, you know, I also at the same time, too, like he’s in championship mode, right? I have nothing to lose. So, two different perspectives, right? Like, he’s long-term. I’m just living for the day.”
Living for the day. One last time. And what a way to end a brilliant career.
Images: octopi.media
