Photos and Interview by: Nolan MacDonald
The 2015 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship series, was all about who’s next in the 450SX class. With the reigning four-time defending Champion retiring from Supercross, it was wide open for some new blood to throw their hats in the ring. The newest blood in the 450SX class were the four rookies signed to factory deals: Yoshimura/Suzuki’s Blake Baggett, Red Bull/KTM’s Dean Wilson, Rockstar/Husqvarna’s Jason Anderson and Honda Racing’s Cole Seely.
Of the four, it was Anderson coming out of the gate swinging when he put his Husky on the podium at the Anaheim 1 opener and Baggett scoring the second rookie podium of the year in Daytona. Since Daytona, though, Cole Seely has put his factory Honda on the box three times and even scored the first rookie win of the year last weekend in Houston. With that, Cole moved himself up to third overall in the 450SX Championship and moved himself to 48 points ahead of Baggett and 53 points ahead of Anderson in the “Rookie of the Year” race.
After Cole’s first-ever 450SX win in Houston, MotoXAddicts’ Nolan MacDonald caught up with him to talk about it. You can read what Cole had to say below.
Cole, first and foremost, how does it feel to get your first-ever 450SX win tonight?
It’s crazy! It doesn’t feel real yet. I remember feeling this way when I won my first Lites [250SX] race. I’m just kind of waiting for it to set in. I’ll wake up tomorrow morning and relive it all over again. It’s so awesome. The team’s been working so hard and so have I. It’s been a huge group effort, and I’m on cloud nine right now.
What would you say the biggest difference is, in terms of how you’re feeling, between your first 250SX win and your first 450SX win tonight?
I don’t know. My 250 one was pretty special because it was my very first dirt bike race win so that was really cool. I feel like I was a little more of an underdog this year and I’ve been slowly chomping at the bit and getting close. I don’t know, they’re both really special and I’m just waiting for the emotions to kick in. It’s a crazy feeling for sure.
What’s been the biggest thing that you can point to that’s helped you turn the corner over the last five weeks of the season? You’ve gone 4-2-3-4-1 over the last five rounds.
Just learning each week and trying to build every weekend. Things have just been clicking really good. The team’s been awesome and just everyone has been working really hard together to get me where I am. Yeah, it’s been crazy, and we’re all going out to celebrate tonight.
Now that you’ve gotten that big first win under your belt, what’s the game plan for the rest of the season?
Keep doing what I’m doing. (laughs) Make sure I’m working hard enough each week, recovering enough and making sure I’m ready every Saturday for the race.
Can you describe to someone like me that’s never won a race, what it’s like to win a race at this level in front of your team and a stadium full of people?
Yeah, it’s crazy. Just going around that last turn and looking up at the board and seeing #14 at the top on lap nineteen, about to cross the finish line and make it twenty, it’s a crazy feeling. I can’t really explain it, but it’s a crazy feeling. I don’t know, it’s just crazy.
Congrats on the win. Thank you for your time and good luck next weekend.
Thank you.
