Photo by: CJ Zimmerman – Interview by: Chase Yocom – Words by: Dan Lamb

These “Privateer Showcase” interviews presented by Race Tech Suspension at MotoXAddicts tell the stories of the guys in the trenches week in and week out trying to chase their dream of racing professional Motocross. While the riders at the front of the pack get the money, the T.V. time and the glory that goes with it, there’s a huge pack of guys just hoping to become regulars in the big show. We talk to those riders.

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This week’s “Privateer Showcase” interview is with a rookie privateer from Rochester, Minnesota, Henry Miller. I follow amateur racing pretty closely, so it doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while, a rider I’ve never heard of appears on the scene and impresses. During the 2016 Eastern Regional 250SX Supercross Championship, the #297 did exactly that. Henry did not even make the 40-rider field at the opener in Atlanta—he qualified 42nd and got in as an alternate—but that was the only race that happened at.

Henry made every 40-rider show from then on and went on to make the first main event of his career in Detroit—and later in the year turn a lot of heads with a 12th in the Foxborough SX main event. Henry scored 18 points towards his first national number in 2017, but he showed everyone—most importantly himself—that he belongs in Monster Energy Supercross.

Heading into his 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross campaign Henry was forced to make the switch from Honda to Yamaha, so it took him until High Point to get comfortable enough to join the series. Just like in Supercross, it’s taken Henry a minute to find his way into the points, but the freshman has hovered right around mid-pack and has scored points at Muddy Creek and last weekend at his home national in Millville. Even for the factory boys, getting acclimated to the professional speed and intensity is a learning process, but Henry is showing he has the ability to score points at this level in SX and MX.

After the Spring Creek National was in the books, MotoXAddicts’ Chase Yocom wandered over to the privateer pits to get Henry’s story.

Henry, 18 – 22 score for you today for 20th overall. How are you feeling about your day? Was today your best overall so far of ’16?

Yeah, that’s the best one I’ve had so far this year, considering this is my rookie year. Things have gone a little rough to start the year, but we’re finally getting things figured out and stuff’s turning around for us.

Henry Miller is another in a fast growing list of Minnesota born professional motocross racers. Photo by: CJ Zimmerman
Henry Miller is another in a fast growing list of Minnesota born professional motocross racers. Photo by: CJ Zimmerman

Tell us a little bit about your team or the program you have for this year; it’s a little bit different. I know that you’ve done some Supercross as well, but is it a completely different setup in Supercross than it is now in motocross?

Supercross was a totally different ball game. It was basically like learning how to ride a dirt bike again. (laughs) I rode a Honda in Supercross for Ti-Lube / Honda, but they’re not doing the outdoors. So I kind of had to scramble to do something, and this guy Chaz Cadillac offered to help me out. He’s doing the best he can and supplying me with everything I need to get the job done. We’re finally getting everything together. It was a dramatic change from Honda to Yamaha in two weeks, and I think it’s finally coming around to be a good year.

 

What do you think the big differences are between the Honda and the Yamaha? Obviously there’s a lot of Yamahas up front right now, but what do you think of the bike so far?

I like the Yamaha; it’s pretty quick. It’s probably faster than the Honda. The Honda was for Supercross so I really can’t compare them, but the Honda was quick. I like how the Yamaha handles, though. But the Enzo suspension on it is really good. Craig Decker has it all set up real nice. We’re figuring that stuff out too, slowly but surely. Everything’s been kind of a struggle here for the first year. Everything’s kind of coming together finally, though.

 

Have you done all of the outdoors rounds so far this year? I remember first seeing your name when the series went East, but did you do the early California rounds?

I skipped the first three because we changed bike brands and I wasn’t comfortable at all. I wasn’t ready. We came out swinging at High Point. I had a little bit of a bike problem there, but we’re doing the rest of them.

 

You’re only in your first year, but what are your thoughts so far on the experience of traveling the circuit? Are you having some fun with it?

I’m having fun with it, for sure. Supercross was a struggle. I did it all in my van. I was by myself driving. Outdoors has been better so far. I’ve gotten to fly to some of them and drove to the closer one. But the traveling, seeing everything and just being to different parts of the country, has been really cool. The pro racing is a totally different category [than amateur racing]. I enjoy it a lot more ’cause I’m not very good with the sprint. To get going, it takes me a couple minutes to get moving, so the longer motos is really nice.

 

You’re kind of a local boy here in Millville. On the results sheet it says Rochester, Mn. is your hometown. How was it this weekend racing in front of the friends and family this weekend?

It was really nice, actually. I could hear people screaming and yelling my name all the way around the track. It was nice. It’s definitely really good to come to a track that you know and you don’t have to scrim to figure out all the good lines. It helped me a little bit this weekend. I wish I could have made a better results out of it, but it is what it is.

 

Was it a little added pressure having the friends and family here?

No, not really. They all are calm and collective to have around. They’re great. They support me 100%.

That #297 will be a two digit national number in 2017. Photo by: Ryan McCormick
That #297 will be a two digit national number in 2017. Photo by: Ryan McCormick

In terms of training during the week, I seem to remember hearing that you’ve been down at Club MX. Is that what you’ve been doing?

Yeah, I’ve been staying at Club MX since Supercross ended. Brandon [Hass] has us on a real good program there. I’ve been doing motos, sprints and all that good stuff, working out with those guys. We’ve made a lot of progress since I first went there. It’s awesome. I love the place. It’s a great facility, and it’s always rough. Brandon does a great job with it.

 

Privateer life, if you had to describe it to somebody, how would you do it? (laughs)

It’s definitely nothing like when you think of when you think of pro motocross or the factory guys. It’s nothing like that. It’s a lot harder to do. You have to work a little bit harder. You have to pay for stuff, obviously. You gotta find your way to the races and get back. Make sure the bike’s running and just all that stuff. It’s definitely a lot harder than people think.

 

Sometimes when we’re talking to privateers, they don’t even have a mechanic. They’re bringing people in almost every single race to do the job. Do you have a consistent mechanic and who else is helping you out right now?

My mechanic is actually just the guy [Chaz Cadillac] that’s supporting me. He works, he pays for it and he wrenches on all the bikes. He does all that stuff himself, but I definitely would like to thank 6D Helmets, FXR Gear, TiLube, EVS, 139Designs, Perrelli, DT1 Air Filters, Mika Metals. They all kind of just jumped on board at the last minute. Those guys have all done a great job. I could not appreciate them any more than I do.

 

I noticed a lot of those sponsors were with you during the Supercross season as well. It shows how important keeping those relationships is.

Yeah, definitely. I kept a good relationship with the ones that I could and the ones that wanted to keep on helping me. They’ve been awesome. I couldn’t thank them enough for going out of their way when there’s no budget left. They helped me out big time.

 

There’s just four rounds left in the season after today’s round. Can you talk about your personal goals for the rest of the season?

I want to definitely try to keep it in the top twenty, and I’d like to break into the top fifteen before the end of the season.

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