British MX privateer Brad Todd, who has had a strong start to the season here in the UK is fulfilling a dream this Saturday by lining up at Thunder Valley in the third round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in America.
Todd, who currently sits sixth in the MX1 class of the Dirt Store ACU British Motocross Championship, spoke to us and told us how his trip to the States came about and what he has been up to so far since he has been in America and his goals ahead of his AMA debut…
DH: Brad, I hear you have just been at the practice track. How is it all going over there?
Brad: Yeah, it’s unreal. The weather is obviously a bit different from what we have at home. Where I am at is really high altitude, so everything is just different. I get out of breath a lot quicker, and the bikes are a lot slower, which is good for me as I find that the bikes are so fast now anyway. So yeah, it’s good!
DH: This must dream come true for you, how did it come about?
Brad: It’s funny, really; four weeks ago, me and my mate Adam, who helps me out at the races, were sort of making a joke about it, saying, “Wouldn’t it be cool to do an AMA round?”. I thought about it at the start of the year, but then we only had provisional dates, and the British Championship was clashing with one of the AMA rounds I thought I might be able to do, so I didn’t think anything of it. But then we checked the calendar and realised that the British round was a Youth only round, so I texted DK Offroad, who has a place out there and always said we should do one, and within three days, I got a text back with plans being made for me to go out there.
It was a struggle to get all of my licensing, and I had to do a medical, so it wasn’t cheap, but luckily, I had people willing to help me out, like DK Offroad over there with Pace Motorcyles, who supplied me with the bike. It’s been hard, but now I am out here, it’s just unbelievable how good it is.
DH: Have you been watching what the other British Championship riders have done over the past couple of years, and based on what they have done have you set yourself a target of where you would like to finish or are you going there to just do the best you can? Also how do you feel the British Championship has been going for you this year?
Brad: I sort of have. To put it into perspective, I went to an Enduro the other day just to have fun, but as soon as they said go, all I wanted to do was win. There were no goals set in place, but now I am like, if I get in the top twenty, then I have had a good day. It looks like the field is a bit stronger this year. All I have been doing is watching YouTube and studying what the other riders do out there. The people who did it last year seem to be a few positions back, but that might be because there are a few more factory riders, but I don’t know.
I saw Tristan Purdon just outside the top twenty. I am not a million miles away from him. He just got something a little bit more, and he is riding well this year. My goal is to be in that top 20, whether he had a good day or a bad day. He said on his race report that he was struggling a lot, so if that was his bad day, and we can get in the top 20, that would be a good day for me.
In terms of the British Championship, I am happy where I am, but I am a typical racer. Really, I always want more. I believe I can be on the podium, and that’s the goal at the end of the day.
DH: Has there been anyone at the practice track you have been able to gauge yourself against?
Brad: No not really, as it was Hangtown last week, I think they are all travelling still as its like a 48 hour drive or something from there to here, so I have not seen nobody. I have been here for a week previously just to get myself acclimatized, and that’s been good, but like I said, there hasn’t really been anyone here. It’s just going to be what it is on the day. It’s going to be hard as there is no time to learn the track compared to what we are used to. There is just a straight out 15 minutes, and you have to put a lap in within that 15 minutes, or it’s not happening.
DH: Have you had any tips or advice on getting that fast lap in?
Brad: Yeah, Jake Nicholls commented on one of my posts and said, “Make it happen in the first practice”. By the sounds of it and from what people are saying you just have to go like fuck from the get go, so that’s what I have got to do.
DH: How have you found the Americans reacting to a British guy coming over?
Brad: They are pretty funny, actually. They are just so positive. I have had a few phone calls from back home with sponsors and stuff, and you can compare them to people over here, and they are so excitable.
The Enduro I did the other day, they were just trying to hype everyone up beforehand. It’s funny as it’s so different but sometimes cringy at times. I say cringy but it’s quite nice.
DH: So what does the rest of the week behold for you?
Brad: I have just ridden today (Tuesday), and I am riding again tomorrow. I am trying to get on the press day on Friday. I won’t be doing anything on Thursday, just get my kit and everything together. It will be nice to get on the press day so I can learn the track a little before I get thrown in at the deep end. I am enjoying it which is the main thing about it all. I have rode nearly five days, and my bikes not needed to be washed at all. As much as it sounds like I am not looking after it’s just dust out here, which is good as well.
DH: Who is out there with you?
Brad: My mate Adam, from Ablin Smart Electrical who mechanics for me at the British, it was our idea when we were on the way down to Lyng. So he has come over for a couple of weeks to give me a hand with the set-up with the bike, it’s been good. To be honest with the bike I have just brought over my suspension and ignition. Luckily for me I run everything pretty stock so I don’t need to change a lot on the bike, I feel pretty at home on it when it’s pretty standard.
DH: We wish you the best of luck, and we look forward to watching how you get on…
Brad: I will give it my best shot anyway. As long as I get qualified, I will just enjoy it. It’s an experience of a lifetime, for sure, so I am looking forward to it.
