Photos from: australiansuperx.com
Australian MXoN hero, and former GP winner Dean Ferris scored his first ever supercross main event win last weekend, and with the adulation of his countrymen continues to grow in confidence as he chases the 2016 Australian Supercross Championship.
Ferris who has spent his share of time in Europe chasing his dream, is still looking at returning to the MXGP series if the opportunity arrives for the 2018 season.
Before that happens though, the Queenslander has a special night next weekend, when he comes up against one of his heroes and the greatest Australian motocross rider of all time, Chad Reed. We sat down with Ferris and asked him about his SX victory, and also racing a man he has always looked up to.
Congratulations on your win last weekend mate. You have won a supercross main before or not?
In the lites class and never an overall. They had a funny points system before, where you had three races for the overall, and I had won races, but never and overall, so it was my first last weekend.
So how did it feel to get that first win?
It was awesome. I guess you got be in it, to win it, and I had a good start to put myself right in it, and I just waited and waited There was a sand section and I was really strong in that, and I waited long enough if I made a pass Daniel wouldn’t have as much energy, to fight back, where if I did it at the start of the race (he could fight back). I made a solid pass, and pulled out two seconds and maintained that until the end of the race.
And in the championship you also closed ground on Justin Brayton or not?
I think its eight or nine points, I actually haven’t thought about it, just doing my thing and training. This weekend is a double header, so two rounds in two days, so no used in adding up points until the last race. I am just going in relaxed and I have already exceeded my expectations. I seem to be improving every week, so we will see.
Next weekend is the big supercross in Sydney against Reed and Villopoto. How much are you looking forward to that?
I am really looking forward to it, and had a blast. Now I get to race Chad Reed for the first time in my life, I am really grateful that can happen as he only has a short time left in his career, and he is one of my heroes. I got to race Ryan in the GPs, so it will be nice to race him again. Its going to be great, we have the America versus Australia race, because we have had Americans here for the whole series, and obviously Villopoto coming. Its really great having them here, because the crowd really get behind you because you are an Aussie. If they were not here the crowd wouldn’t be so vocal.
I know when I lived in Australia, back in the 1980s they used to run Australia versus America, but have they done this before while you have been racing?
No this is the first time. As I said because the Americans are racing the series, its made the rivalry, and now they will have a feature race for it this weekend. That will be really cool.
You mentioned you wanted to race a couple of GP’s. Have you thought any more about that?
I do know the schedule now, and my original plan was to come in June, because we have a five week break, but they only have Russian and Trentino, and I wanted to do two GPs and that plan isn’t really going to work out. I have signed motocross only in Australia, so hopefully I can get my ass into gear and do the last round of the AMA Nationals and then the USGP at Charlotte. Then keep heading over for the Motocross of Nations at Matterley Basin. I want to focus on those races, because when I came to the MXoN this year I was in between supercross and motocross, and it would be nice to just focus on motocross.
What about the Indonesia for the GP in March?
I actually have committed to race for Josh Coppins in New Zealand and that is all around the same time. Even if I did have a free weekend, it’s hard to be rushed flying backwards and forward, when I have made a commitment in New Zealand. But I still need to look into it.
Obviously you want to get back to Europe, but if that didn’t happen, are you also open to race in America?
I am keen as mustard to come back to Grand Prix and I need to set it up right so nothing is rushed. But in saying that I am open to racing the AMA series if nothing comes from the Grand Prix’s. Honestly Geoff, I am feeling fresher than I have in years. It was nice to come back to Australia for a year, and get my body 100% healthy.
