Slaw Dog
Interview/photos/video by: @foggyllamafilms
The 250SX West Region returns this weekend for Seattle Supercross at Lumen Field. During the West Region break, privateers Chance Blackburn and Devin Harriman chose to return home to the Pacific Northwest. The two were seen at the opening round of Pacific Racing’s Northwest Motocross Series at Horn Rapids MX recently and here’s what they had to say about their time back home.
Chance Blackburn
How is being home during the break?
It’s nice being home, you know. It’s always kinda good getting away for a bit and isolating yourself, but it’s good to be home and hit the local races and stuff.
What’s the biggest difference between the two race atmospheres for you?
Local races are more laid back. I would say it’s more fun, but it’s not really. I like doing supercross more but it feels comfortable when you’re back at the local spot racing with all the boys. It’s something special for sure.
What’s it like preparing for Seattle in the Northwest?
When you’re back in the Northwest, you’re just riding whenever the weather is good. Just watching the weather right now, hoping to get on some supercross this week. It’s not as good as being in SoCal, but I kinda figured coming back home getting the intensity with some local races might be good for me.
Why did you choose to return to the Northwest as opposed to staying in SoCal?
Yeah, I came home because I pretty much had just enough money to get home, so I had to hit PRO (Pacific Racing Organization) and try to make up some money. That’s pretty much what decided it for me at this point, just trying to make money for the rest of the summer doing training classes and stuff like that. Planning on working my butt off so I can save up enough money to really do it right next year for supercross.
Anything special planned for Seattle, sort of the hometown race?
Trying to make the main. That’s my one goal. Kinda cap the season off, because I think Seattle will probably be my last one. After that, I’ll just be hitting some money races, and trying to hammer out as many races as I can.
Devin Harriman
How is being home during the break?
Good. Have had some downtime, just relaxing. I like being home so it’s nice. Got to do a little bit of racing at woodland and see some familiar faces and ended up at the PRO at Horn.
What’s the biggest difference between the two race atmospheres for you?
Supercross is a lot more high maintenance, and a lot more physically demanding. Where racing back home is a lot more laid back, and there’s not nearly as much pressure on me. I mean there’s still a lot of pressure, but it’s different from the pressure at a supercross. Locally there’s the pressure, because I come home from Supercross and everyone expects me to win, versus on supercross, I have expectations to be in the main every time now. That’s the only main difference. Obviously, I have more confidence at home than I do on a supercross track, but that’s because I just got done racing the best of the best, and then come home to race some guys that are local and just do it for fun or retired guys.
What’s it like preparing for Seattle in the Northwest?
I’ve been relaxing, A3 was pretty rough on me. I’ve only ridden a couple of times since A3. I’ll start to get ready later this week. I’ll try to stay here locally but it all depends on the weather in the Northwest. If the weather is rough then I’ll have to head back to California but hopefully, it’s good and I can stay up here to ride local stuff. I don’t need a full-blown legit SX track. I’ve been doing this stuff for six months now on a supercross track so I know what to expect and know what I need to be ready for. As long as I have something tight to get in the swing of supercross.
Why did you choose to return to the Northwest as opposed to staying in SoCal?
There’s no place like home. I’ve been home for six months straight, so that’s the longest I’ve been gone. I was just over being on the road. Supercross doesn’t pay the bills, but what does pay the bills is being here at home. I’m able to train kids and do some local races to make money. Came home and wanted to see some friends and spend my birthday here at home. I like coming home; I like the northwest. I don’t like SoCal.
Anything special planned for Seattle, sort of the hometown race?
Yeah. I just got word that I’ll be on the AJE team for the rest of the season. I no longer have to be pitted out of a Sprinter van so that’s exciting for me. As a kid growing up, watching supercross, always wanting to be on a team, was a dream of mine. So now to become a guy that is on a team, and to have a debut at home is a huge thing for me. Not only is it a big thing to be on a team, it just takes off a lot of pressure from me. I can just come back from the track and take my boots off.
