Slaw
Defending 250SX West Division Champion Haiden Deegan is rolling once again in Monster Energy AMA Supercross. The Monster Energy/Yamaha Star Racing rider has now won back-to-back main events and holds a nine-point lead in the championship over teammate Michael Mosiman. Is this the best we’ve seen Deegan in Supercross? Maybe.
After the race, Deegan spoke with the media. See what he had to say.
Let’s talk more about that pass for the lead. How long were you sitting back there sizing it up and analyzing when and where to make that pass or was it not that deep?
Deegan: No. Yeah, it’s a patience thing for sure. I tried to make a little push there in the middle and endoed that three on. I had a feeling that was going to happen too. I was like, “This is slippery.” It’s probably not the greatest idea, but I am gaining a lot of time. So, after that, I was just like, “Let’s just play the waiting game. I know I’m strong with like two minutes to go. I can pick it up.” So, waited that out and yeah, got him at the end.
But talking about your teammate right now, you were tracking down your teammate, Michael Mosiman. You seemed like you put a lot of laps together. How was that, like tracking him down and just having that comfortable factor in that main event?
Deegan: Yeah, it was nice. I got into a decent start. That was my goal is to come around that top five. I feel like I can win these races. I mean, I personally think I can win these races if I start further back, obviously, but that’s not the goal. The goal is to start top five and get to the lead. And yes, got a decent start and just slowly picked them off. And by the time I got to second, I mean, Mosi was riding great. He was so consistent. I’d make a little push and it was inches like it wasn’t enough. So, I had to play my cards right and wait till the end when maybe fitness related and mistakes caught up to the other riders and I was able to capitalize.
Wil Hahn is your team manager. He said he sat you guys down this week and had a little chit-chat with you. Was it like, “Hey boys, you just need to settle down,” or give us some insight into that conversation?
Deegan: No, he was just like, “Max, you’re too old to be bullying the little kids still.” No, I’m just kidding. I’m just playing, I’m just playing. No, we’ll keep it, lay it down, we’re cool, it’s good. I’m focused on myself. I’m focused on winning these races and that’s what I’m doing. And I have big goals ahead of me and the last thing I’m doing is getting dragged down, or focused on something that’s just really not necessary.
We’ve seen you come out even in press day. I feel like you had a different mentality and you were just more aggressive and I feel like you had more of a focus coming into the weekend. Can you talk about that?
Deegan: Yeah, I’m just hungry really, man. I feel like this off season, it was the hardest I’ve ever worked and I feel like I need to pay respect to myself to be serious throughout these races and really go out there and dominate. And I feel like I was able to do that the last two weekends and yeah.
Well, let’s talk about the track, Hayden. It was a very technical track. It seemed like it broke down. It had some very slippery spots. How was it feeling like the triple after that finish on the outside and then the triple, triple after the whoop sections? Because it seemed like those were like the really key points of the track where you needed a nail and be perfect.
Deegan: Yeah, totally. I think this is one of the most technical tracks I’ve ridden so far this season. There was like super, I don’t know, like a lot of moisture super deep. It was everlasting. Those ruts just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger and I enjoyed it. I mean, I like when rhythms get hard and the better guys can separate themselves. And it was tricky though, especially after those whoops. I was like, every lap. I’ve worked on these whoops a million freaking times. So, I’m like, “Just get them good every lap.” So, I get this three and it worked.
I think one of the big topics of the night is in those heat races. We’ve seen a triple after the finish line around the outside, that triple lip seemed to be very difficult and given a lot of the riders problems. They’ve fixed it four or five times throughout the night. Can you give us some insight on why it was so hard before they fixed it and why it was easier afterwards and why that was the line of choice?
Deegan: Yeah. I think that, I mean, it’s a hard situation because things can bite you obviously. I mean, me sliding and endoing off that three on and things can bite you here and there, but you really have to pay attention, especially in a heat race. Personally, I try and make sure there’s anywhere sketchy. I mean, they just prepped the track. They just had a break. Things are covered up. I mean, it’s been soft all day. They’ve thrown soft dirt over it. So, it’s like, I always try and pay attention, but things can bite you out of nowhere like that. And we’re professionals, that’s how it is. This sport’s gnarly and things are going to happen.
What was it like finding yourself behind another teammate? Were you just like, “Yeah, I got to get you”?
Deegan: Yeah. I was like, “Shoot, I might have to park them just so the fans like me some more.” No, I’m just playing. No, I try to make it a clean pass and make it stick. That’s always my goal. I don’t like to do a half-ass pass. I like to make a pass, make it stick and go. And that’s what I did and just rode a comfortable race after that.
Photos: octopi.media
