Slaw
Haiden Deegan is on cruise control in the 250SX West Division. With his fourth consecutive victory, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider continued one of the most dominant stretches of the 250SX season as he claimed a fourth straight win at round 5 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in Glendale, AZ on Saturday.
Glendale marked the 11th win of Deegan’s 250SX career, tying Ricky Carmichael for 11th all-time in class wins. After five rounds Deegan holds a commanding 27 point lead in the series over Michael Mosiman.
In his last championship in the 250SX Class, Deegan is in full control and is nearing a second straight 250SX West Division title. After the race, he spoke with the media about the win, overcoming an illness and more.
To start off, 11th 250 supercross class victory, tying Ricky Carmichael for 11th and all time. Haiden, this is four in a row. We know this is what you do, but winning in the manner that you do where you’re kind of just in your own zip code up there, honestly, does it ever get old?
Haiden Deegan: I enjoy it, especially, I mean, a win’s cool. Two wins is cool, but when you could do four in a row like this, it’s a dream come true. It’s my first ever time doing that in the supercross series. And I believe that’s the first ever time I’ve gotten four wins in a row in general, but it just feels good knowing all the hard work I put in this off season. And I mean, I wasn’t going to say anything leading up to this race, but during the week, dude, I was so sick after that race, I couldn’t even stand up while I was riding. I tried to get some laps in. I’m like, I’m sleeping, sleeping, sleeping until the race and somehow got my body recovered enough to still win.
That was tonight. Today, you haven’t been feeling well or last week?
Deegan: Oh no, the day after the last race, I tried to ride Tuesday and I was so weak I couldn’t even stand up. So, it’s like crazy how, I mean, just heart it really, really comes down to.
You seem unfazed by it. You further increased your points lead tonight. Is this any sort of weight off your shoulders? Going into a night like tonight, just knowing you continue to grow that points gap, is that any sort of weight off your shoulders?
Deegan: I don’t think there’s ever weight off my shoulders. I’m held to a high accountability because of who I am and what I’ve done on a dirt bike at such a young age. So, I feel like the pressure each weekend is exactly the same no matter if I have a 30 point lead or a no point lead. So, it fuels me and it makes me better.
The decision to stay 250 for another year is supercross, it seems like if there were any imperfections or anything you wanted to work on last year, you’ve really fixed and out there. Is this why you wanted to make the decision? Are you feeling like you’re ready to make this step now? Because out there, it doesn’t look like there’s many mistakes at all.
Deegan: Yeah, that was a big thing to me. I was like, okay, we can go race a 450, but I’m still young. I still have another year to defend my title. I’m like, why it would be kind of stupid to go race a 450 when I still have to get better in supercross and I feel like I’ve went to another level than I was last year. I mean, you can just watch and see. And I had a lot of work to do and I feel like I’m slowly checking all those boxes off and the time will come next year on race of 450.
How much of that race was just trying to manage the lead versus actually putting down your best laps?
Deegan: I mean, I feel like when I could get a holeshot like that, I feel like those first few laps I was able to sprint away and get a decent little gap where you kind of manage it. I mean, it is fun to see how big of a gap you can put on them obviously, but now we’re getting almost past the halfway point in this season and it’s time to be smart too. So, the best bet is to manage a gap and ride smart. And the only way you can get better is just nailing these races each week.
Also, were you keeping tabs on Levi coming through the pack at one point moved into second and was catching up quite a bit or…
Deegan: I could care less.
I know that at Star, you guys tend to prepare when you know that there might be inclement weather for the upcoming race. Of course, we’re going to Seattle. Who knows what’s going to happen with it. So, fast-forward to this week, do you anticipate that they may flood the track and get you guys prepped in that way?
Deegan: Now that I’m feeling better, I feel I can go do some proper training this week and do some motos and kind of get back in the flow of things. And yeah, I mean, rain or shine, I have a huge points lead now, so I’ll feel comfortable and just go do what I do best.
