One of the biggest surprises in a Monster Energy Supercross season full of surprises has been the rise of Rockstar Energy / Husqvarna’s Zach Osborne. Zach has been racing professional SX since 2006—minus four years in Europe racing MX2 World Championship—and heading into the 2017 Eastern Regional 250SX Championship, he had yet to win a main event. That all changed with his win at the 2017 Atlanta SX and the flood gates officially opened.

Since Atlanta, Zach has gone on to win a class-leading four main event wins in 2017 including a dominating performance last Saturday night in East Rutherford. The #16 was the fastest in both qualifying sessions, dominated his heat race and, after a tenth place start in the main event, he was still able to blow by the field and win it handily. It was an incredible reminder to everyone in the class that Zach was far from conceding this title to anyone.

If not for a crash and bike issue in Detroit, he would be well on his way to dominating the Championship. Because of his issues in Detroit, though, Zach finished the East Rutherford SX main event seven points behind Joey Savatgy. After the race, though, it was announced that Savatgy would be penalized five positions for cutting the track. With the penalty official, we now have a winner-take-all situation in Las Vegas between Jordon Smith (160 points), Savatgy (159 points) and Osborne (159 points). Bring on Vegas!

Zach is a family man and shares all his celebrations with his wife wife, Brittney, and his daughter, Emory.

After the race, I caught up with Zach to talk about his dominant performance, his year, the new 250SX rule change and the Championship.

Zach, you got the win tonight at the New Jersey, New York, East Rutherford—or whatever they’re calling it now (laughs)—Supercross. How are you feeling about it?

Good, man. It was a good day. I felt good all day really. I was fastest in both session, won my heat race and the main event; it’s pretty awesome.

 

Yeah, you were clearly the fastest rider every time you hit the track today. There were a couple races there where we thought maybe you lost the mental edge you had earlier in the season, but it’s obviously back.

Yeah, Detroit was obviously a throw away, and in St. Louis, I was pretty sick. Weege [Jason Weigandt] said that to me earlier that I need to get back to the way I was in the beginning of the season. I was kind of thinking that to myself earlier this week, and I realized I won the race before Detroit and I was sick in Detroit and still got on the podium, so I put myself self right mentally.

 

We still don’t know what’s going to happen in the Savatgy situation, but for now, you are seven points behind going into Las Vegas. What’s the strategy? [It was later found out that Joey Savatgy was penalized five spots for cutting the track. With that, Zach only trails by one point.]

The strategy is to win and put the pressure on someone else. I feel good about my chances.

 

Does the new rule change in the 250SX class that allows you to come back in the 250SX class and defend your championship make you feel better about pushing for the title?

No, not really. I wouldn’t have had to move up unless I won the Championship, and I kind of wanted to move up anyway. There’s an opportunity for me, and it’s all kind of up in the air right now, but we’ll just see what happens.

Zach was an absolute madman on the track for the first 8 laps before taking the lead in East Rutherford. It was get to the front or consequences be damned ride.

I think the rule, before it was changed, was tough for riders like you or a Wil Hahn. The riders that have fought their whole careers to get to the level to win a championship and then they are not allowed to run the number one plate and defend it, so I like the rule change.

Yeah, I definitely always thought that rule was silly, to not be able to run the #1 plate. It’s big for us financially, and there’s really not a ton of 450 rides to go around too. It is tough to get on a team. It’s huge for us to possibly defend the title. I would like, if I do win, to try to defend it. We’ll just have to see what happens.

 

I’m sure somebody explained to you what happened to Joey Savatgy. I doubt you have too much to comment on that, but can you tell us what you think?

I have not seen it. I heard that it was pretty blatant, but I don’t know. It is what it is.

 

Yeah, he crashed in one rhythm lane, remounted and took off in the next whoop section.

That’s what I heard, but we’ll see. It’s definitely a high pressure situation, and you’re going to possibly make bad decisions.

 

Chase Yocom has been covering our east races and I’m out west, so I haven’t been able to talk to you much this season. It’s been a heck of a resurgence for you in 2017. What do you attribute this year to?

Definitely being at Aldon’s [Baker] has helped me out a lot—riding with Ryan [Dungey], Jason [Anderson] and Marvin [Musquin] every day. I just feel more confidence with myself, my bike’s really good and I don’t have any issues [physically]. I think that’s the main thing. It’s going good right now, and I’m happy to be where I’m at.

No matter what happens in Vegas, Zach will finish with the most wins in the 250SX East.

With a seven-point deficit, do you think the Vegas format—East/West combined main event and points—gives you a better chance to make up the points?

Yeah, like I said in the press conference, if I was in somebody else’s situation, I would be worried about it. In the attack position that I’m at, I’m happy.

 

(laughs) It’s nice to have any lead, but you’re right; that format would have me worried with anything less than like a 10-point lead.

A lot can happen. I understand he has three teammates and I have one, but it’s going to be a war and I’m ready for it.

Photos: Courtesy of Husqvarna

Author

Dan Lamb is a 12+ year journalist and the owner of MotoXAddicts.