The international makeup of AMA SX and MX series in the last decade has been completely transformed by the number of foreign-born professional motocross racers making their home in the United States. For decades—although there were exceptions—if you were an American-born racer, you raced in America, and if you were from any other part of the world, you raced the World Championship Grand Prix circuit. Today, though, when you look down the starting line at any AMA event you will see racers from Australia, South Africa, France, New Zealand, Scotland, Germany, Brazil and a myriad of other locations all over the world. This Inside Story focuses on a rider from the small South American county of Ecuador.
As a teenager, Martin Davalos left his family in Ecuador and came to America with a bike and a dream, and fought his way to the pinnacle of the sport. In 2006, Martin jumped into the ranks of the professional AMA motocross and supercross. Since then, he has found himself on the podium numerous times and has been on some of the best teams in the sport. For 2011, Martin is racing the West Region of the Lites SX series with the Rockstar Suzuki team and has had a very up-and-down season. We called Martin after the Seattle SX to find out how he thinks 2011 has gone thus far and to find out how he got from Ecuador to the U.S.
Photo by Brian Robinette.
Thanks for doing this, Martin. I’d really like to know more about where you came from—because that’s kind of what I do (Laughs)—but, to start, how would you say this season is going for you so far?
Not as good as I want it to. I’ve had the speed, but I’ve struggled with my starts. Seems like I’m fast in practice, but there’s just something missing.
You’re not just fast in practice; you have incredible qualifying pace! It’s just in the mains that you seem to find trouble at times—or it finds you.
Yeah, I know! In a lot of races, it wasn’t my fault, but a lot of races, it was my fault. I did get caught up in some bad situations here and there. Like this past weekend was very frustrating because I feel like I rode good. I didn’t get the greatest start, and I wasn’t drastically faster than the guys in front of me. I was able to catch up, then I would make a mistake and they would pull away. And the track was so demanding and challenging, which made it easy to make a mistake. This weekend I felt like I rode good, but the result wasn’t what I expected.
You were right behind Hanny and Morais, and like you said, you would make a run at them, but you would have those off laps where you would run in the 56 second range and lose touch.
Exactly, and that’s what throws you off. You catch them, make a run for it, then you make the mistake and you lose all that time. I wasn’t enough faster than them for me to be able to afford that mistake.
You said earlier the year as a whole wasn’t going as good as you want it to. The year started out real well for. At Anaheim I, you went out and qualified second overall in timed practice, and then you finished fourth in the main event. You obviously have all the tools, so what is it that keeps you from getting up front consistently?
It’s just me, man. It’s in my head. I just gotta believe. That’s an important key in this sport, and I’ve been struggling. I know that’s what it is. You know, it sounds easy to just tell yourself you’re faster than this guy. Obviously I know I am, but there’s something else that I gotta find on my own. There’re no excuses. I have a great team behind me, great people around me. I trained hard this year, and I always have. You know, they’ve worked too hard for my results, and I’ve personally worked too hard for my results. This is something I’ve been struggling with not just this year, but the past two years. I’ve always been fast. I have had really good years in the Lites class. In the East Coast, I podiumed four out of six races before I got hurt. What got me there was the starts. I just can’t get the starts this year. Maybe I lost the feeling, but I was great at starts. I really was. My bikes right now are really fast, but I just lost that feeling. I don’t know if I lost my reaction time or what. I don’t know what it is.
Photo by Brian Robinette.
Overall, how is the Rockstar Suzuki working for you?
I love my bike! It fits my riding style so well, and the guys at SHOWA have worked so hard to get the suspension where I want it. It’s a great bike all the way around.
How are you liking the EFI? I’m just curious because I still haven’t ridden an EFI 250f yet.
Well, this is my first time riding one, because obviously we didn’t have it back when I rode for KTM or back with Yamaha. It’s great for SX because you don’t ever have to worry about that bog or jetting. It’s all mapping, and they do it with computers. It was a little sketchy at first because you’re depending on a computer, you know. (Laughs) But now, the technology is so good, and they work so hard to get the EFI where it needs to be. It’s so good. I recommend you get one.
Nice! Everything in life is a computer now! (Laughs) What are your goals for the last two rounds of SX?
I would love to get on the box for my team and for myself, just to get that confidence level up. I know I can. I’ve been fast and everything. We have two rounds left, and for Vegas, I’m going to go all out.
Outdoors is now right around the corner. What is your goal for the 2011 Outdoor Nationals?
For outdoors? I think outdoors is all about being consistent. It’s such a demanding season, and with two motos. Just being top five as much as possible, and top five overall. I know it’s going to be tough. You have five Pro Circuit bikes, four GEICO bikes and four Star Racing guys that are really fast. So many fast guys. I’ve always been fast, but it’s all about being consistent. I’ll try to stay out of trouble and have good results.
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Did you and the team get a lot of outdoor testing done during the West Coast break?
We did. I couldn’t believe how much time we actually had until the West Coast came back. We did a lot of testing and solid riding. I think we did 3 ½ to 4 weeks of solid outdoor testing and riding. This week, I go back to outdoors, then next week back to SX.
Do you have your own trainer that helps get you ready for outdoors?
Yeah, I have my own personal trainer. His name is John Louch.
I’ve always when been curious to hear the story about how you got to the US. I know you’re from Ecuador, but what city?
It’s actually the capitol city, Quito, and Ecuador is with a C not a Q. (Laughs)
I might normally take offense to that, but I literally Googled it 5 minutes before you called me, and noticed I had been spelling it wrong all these years! (Laughs)
(Laughs) Everybody spells it “Eq.”
So how old were you when you started racing?
I was eleven. I started late considering most these guys I race were born on a motorcycle. (Laughs)
Ever since I heard your name on the scene and where you’re from, I’ve wondered how you made it from Ecuador to the AMA SX and MX series. Is there a decent-sized MX racing scene there? Did your dad race?
No, that’s the funny part. Ecuador is such a small, little country, and racing there is not big at all. Honestly, when you go to the races, you probably have two hundred people max. My dad had—you know what the pizza guys ride?—that kind of bike, he had a couple of those to just ride around the park with my mom. They would take us on the front or on the back of the bike, just me and my brother. Then, he got a PW 50 when I was old enough. I was really talented on a bicycle when I was little.
Photo by Brian Robinette
Like BMX-type stuff?
Yeah, BMX! Do you remember the little, skinny-type tires?
I do. I raced a little BMX for a couple years, but not a lot of it.
Yeah. So, me and my dad did a lot of South America and Inter-Continental races, and stuff like that. At the time, I was a really wild kid and did a lot of other sports too, and when my dad gave me the PW 50, that was just to ride around the house and in the grass. That was when I was six, and we kind of quit for two years. I was still playing soccer and, like I said, BMX.
So, how did you guys get back into it?
Well, my dad got my older brother a KX65, and we heard of this race. We went, tried it out and I won it. (Laughs) My country is not very big, but I won it, and then, my family liked it. I’m very fortunate, because sometimes if your family or everyone is not behind you, it’s hard.
Yeah, it’s impossible if your family isn’t 100% into it.
Definitely everybody was behind me; they liked it. Actually my older brother—he’s 26 right now—he started racing too, and he was better than me his whole life, until he started graduating. And I started getting really serious, and started doing a lot of Latin American Championships. I won a lot of those in the 80 class. Then, we moved up to the 125. Actually the last year on the 80, my dad said “let’s think outside the box,” and we went to the World Championship in Spain. That’s when my life changed, because I met the Millsaps family.
Considering where you are now, that had to be a huge turning point.
Yeah, we met Colleen and Davi. Well, he was the top amateur here in America at that point, but at that race he blew out his knee or he would have won it for sure. We kind of stayed in touch with them, and I went back home and moved up to the 125. I was fifteen then.
How did you do in the World Championships in Spain?
Actually, my bike blew up in my qualifier. We brought my bike all the way from Ecuador to Spain to race. You know, I wasn’t sponsored by Kawasaki or anybody to race. This was just out of my dad’s pocket, so it was very tough. Once my bike blew up, my weekend was over. We didn’t go there with any parts. We went there with an air filter and chain lube. (Laughs)
That’s awesome! A bike, air filter and chain lube, but ready to take on the world. I love it! (Laughs)
So, yeah my weekend was over after it blew-up. Like I said, I we went home and moved up to the 125 class, and I was fifteen, so I was still able to race the World Championship one more time. I was the right age, so I moved back down to the 80 and went to Austria. I saw Davi again, but he had grown up so much. I actually got eighth there. When we saw Davi there, they told me they were going to open MTF. [Millsaps Training Facility] They told us about it, and they were going to open the facility. My dad came to me—and I was in 10th grade—and said here’s the opportunity. Colleen talked to Suzuki and told me “they’re going to give you one bike, and the other one, I’ll buy it. Do you want to do it?” You know, I’m a momma’s boy. I told my parents “I want to do it, but I don’t want to leave you guys.” It took a lot to decide, but I said let’s do it. So, my uncle brought me to the States, and I was very fortunate that the Millsaps family brought me into their home as another family member.
Photo by Brian Robinette
How was it being away from home and your family in the beginning?
The first couple of months I was an emotional wreck, and I wanted to go back. But my dad was like “you need it, give it a shot.” I’m glad he made me stay, man, ‘cause I’m living my dream and not many people get to do this. I’m very thankful to be in the position I’m in. I wish I had a better year so far, but I’m thankful that I’m safe and God has given me this opportunity. I’m also obviously thankful my dad was able to afford so much.
Family is so huge in this sport. I mean, it is in all sports but especially motocross.
Without my dad’s help and God’s help, I wouldn’t be able to be where I am obviously, and my dad taking care of me here in America and my family back home. I just—you know—I would get down on my knees for him now that I actually manage my own money and I make a living myself. It is probably crazy how much he went through to make me happy.
That is awesome! Are your parents still in Ecuador now?
Unfortunately, yes they are. I wish they could move out here, but my dad already has a business, and he’s settled there. My sister’s going to school—she’s only fifteen—and my brother works. So it’s kind of tough. I’m here by myself, and I’ve been here for eight years by myself. My dad was here for a couple of races at the beginning of the year. He couldn’t stay for more than five races because he had to go back to work. They come whenever they can, whenever there’s a chance. Obviously our country isn’t doing that good, so business for my dad is not great right now. It’s tough with the economy and everything for them to come, but they do try to come as much as possible.
That’s gotta be tough at times, but you’re living the dream now. Thanks for telling MotoXaddicts your story. Is there anyone that you would like to thank?
Yeah, my mechanic, my trainer, my mom, my dad, Davi Millsaps for always being a true friend to me, and the Lord Jesus Christ for giving me this opportunity. Also, all my sponsors: Rockstar Energy Suzuki, Yoshimura R&D, Dunlop, Maxima, Renthal, ONE Industries, Works Connection, Hinson Clutch Components, Renegade Fuels, Skullcandy, Motosport.com, Mechanix Wear, Dragon Goggles, 661 Boots, DC Shoes, Losi, RK Chain Excel and Lightspeed.
Photo by Brian Robinette.
