Photo by: CJ Zimmerman
After winning back-to-back AMA 250cc National Motocross Championships, Star Racing / Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin had just one last personal goal to fulfill before graduating to the premier class in 2017: win a 250SX Regional Championship. With two disappointing years of 250SX Supercross in his rear-view-mirror, Jeremy looked more than ready to take the 2016 Eastern Regional Championship home after winning the 2016 Daytona SX and getting the red plate in Toronto, but at the next two rounds in Detroit and Indy, the #6 scored just a combined nine points. With that, Jeremy left Indy a massive twenty-eight points down to GEICO / Honda’s Malcolm Stewart and the Championship looked completely out of reach.
With nothing to lose in St. Louis, though, Jeremy ripped the holeshot and walked away from the field for a dominant win. While Jeremy rode his own race at the front, Stewart was having the worst race of the season. Stewart crashed three times before crossing the line with an eighth. After the points were tallied, Jeremy had made up twelve points, and while the Championship is still a long shot with just three rounds to go, a sixteen-point deficit is a much easier mountain to climb than twenty-eight—especially with their being five to six different riders that can win on any given night.
After Jeremy became the first two-time winner in the East, MotoXAddicts’ Chase Yocom caught up with the Champ in the pits to talk about his day in St. Louis.
Jeremy, tonight was a complete turnaround from last week. You came in here and you got it done. How are you feeling?
It feels great. St. Louis has always been good to me. I finally got a holeshot tonight, and I wasn’t on the ground in the first turn of the main event. I think that dictated a lot.
You didn’t have the best heat race tonight, but I missed what actually happened to you. What happened to you? I think you finished seventh.
I had a great jump and I just wheelied a little bit out of the gate. It was just enough for the guys to get by me, and I went down in the first turn.
You were way out front in the main event away from the chaos. How was it for you up there? Were there a lot of lappers or anything tough to deal with tonight?
On the first lap I heard a big “woahhhh” from the crowd—something happened in the sand section—and then I made a mistake before the finish and rolled the finish line [jump] on the first lap and I’m like, “Ah, crap.” Then we were coming up on the lappers and they had the blue flags out, but I had a little bit of a gap. I just kind of took it easy and played it smart.
How were you feeling after the DNF in the main event last week? I saw you after it, and you were like, “Man, that one hurt.” Obviously the win this week helped. (laughs)
Yeah, the win helps for sure. I’m still pretty gutted about how the season’s gone so far, but I’m just out here to have fun, to win and do good for my sponsors.
You obviously are showing you have the skills to win in Supercross, but not being able to string them together is what’s frustrating you, I guess?
Yeah, I just got to get good starts and not let other people dictate my race and I think I’ll always be a threat.
Everyone always compliments the dirt in St. Louis, but what were your thoughts on the track today?
The track got a little rutty, but let’s just say Indy was twice as bad. Let’s just say I enjoyed being able to hit stuff consistently and not feel like I was going to die. (laughs)
Thanks for your time tonight, Jeremy, and congrats on the win. Go enjoy it.
Thank you.
