This edition of Inside Story is brought to you by MXStools.com.

In motocross and Supercross, there is no crazier time than the off-season. Riders are changing bikes, changing teams, changing numbers and all the while trying to prepare for the upcoming Supercross season. This craziness in moto-lingo is better known as silly season.

Earlier this week, there was confusion surrounding what team Mike Alessi would be joining. A press release was sent out and then retracted only to be followed a couple of days later with Mike confirming the original press release–that he would in fact be joining MotoConcepts. In the deal it was stated that both Jeff and Mike would be making the move under the guidance of their father Tony Alessi.

To try and find out more about the earlier confusion and what their plans are for 2012, MotoXAddicts gave Tony Alessi a call. Here’s how that conversation went down.

It’s been a busy week for the Alessi’s. Can you tell me a little about it?

Well, it started with me and our guys at the shop working on an RMZ 450 we purchased for Mike to race the Monster Cup. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect, and it turned into long days and nights, but it  was really a fun and rewarding experience in the end. Those few weeks of working with people inside the industry showed me that quite a few industry people wanted to see us try to make a go of this on a more permenant basis, so it quickly grew into  trying to put together an opportunity to run a program with Mike and Jeff Alessi with the Suzuki 450s. So we went looking for a  program with  the infrastructure to support Mike and Jeff  on a Suzuki racing team. Obviously, MotoConcepts has really good infrastructure. You know, they have a really nice semi, good mechanics, a good race shop, and obviously, we have our program. We have our people, track, trailers, so we both have things we both need. I think this is the start of  something different than what’s been done before, but at the same time, I think the industry will benefit more from something like this.
2011 - US AMA National -  Washougal - Mike Alessi
Mike finished fifth overall on the Factory KTM in the 2011 outdoor National Championship after missing the first two rounds from a concussion. Photo by Hoppenworld (click to enlarge)
What’s your thinking on why the industry benefits more from something like this?

Well, factory riders and factory programs do not benefit the industry as a whole that much at at all. Riders that are out there using one-off factory products—like say a factory front break rotor—will not sell a galfer rotor like we can!  The industry wants their products promoted and used by the rider and wants to make the statement that  those products that you can buy at your local dealers can compete at the highest level, and that  is exactly what benefits the industry. Showing that they’re as good or better than the factory level is what the industry is looking for. I think this is a good opportunity. It’s an opportunity to launch that concept—and to do that with a good rider. Mike will be able to showcase their products. You don’t have to have the one-off parts. You can use the parts the industry supplies the public now—same parts that anyone can buy. So that’s the goal. Everybody wins in this situation. If the rider does well, the products do well, and the industry that’s promoting the products does well.
I’ll be honest with you. When we rode for factory teams, I had no idea what parts went on the bike. No idea. Now, we’re actually interfacing one-on-one with the different parts of the industry—whether it be the guy that built the air-filter or the guy that makes the wheel or the guy that makes the hub, the foot-peg, radiator hoses or even the radiator itself. Now, we have all those guys speaking directly to the rider, and the rider actually knows the products that are on his bike. It’s a good program.

So in this program merger—as you call it—is Tony Alessi officially the team manager?

My responsibility is Mike and Jeff Alessi. Just like it’s been in the past, that’s how it is now. That hasn’t changed. My responsibility is exactly what it’s always been.

For whatever reason, you stepped back from Mike’s program a couple years ago, and now, you’re back to playing a major roll. Was you coming back to play a major roll Mike’s decision?

We’ve always—since day one—been a family program. You know, “the family that plays together stays together” has always been our motto. We operate good in that environment. There’ve been conditions, regulations and restrictions like that in the past that’s kept that from happening, so I like the open minded thinking of Mike Genova from MotoConcepts. Instead of thinking we’re going to block this, he’s going to embrace it. I respect that. At the end of the day, all fathers out there that have kids that are coming up have to remember that they spend more time with their kids than any mechanic or factory manager. Those parents know more about their kids as a rider than any team manager or mechanic will ever know. So don’t be so quick about doing a hand-off because—you know what—that could turn really bad, really fast. If, as a father, you have a way to keep yourself involved, you should.
2011 -  Monster Energy Cup  - Mike Alessi  - Supercross
Mike made his debut on the RMZ 450 at the 2011 Monster Energy Cup. Mike went 6-21-6 for 10th overall. Photo by Hoppenworld (click to enlarge)
Will you talk at all about David Vuillemin and his interview with Supercross.com when he talked about quitting his team manager position at MotoConcepts because of you requiring so much control?

David Vuillemin’s situation has nothing to do with me, it’s not my responsibility, and so I’m not going to talk about that.

Fair enough, but I wanted to give you a chance to respond since he has been pretty vocal.

Look, I can’t move people’s fingers. All I can do is be responsible for the future of Mike and Jeff Alessi and get them the best race results in what we think is the best program.I know the merger between Team Alessi and MotoConcepts is official now, but I’m curious why earlier in the week a press release confirming this merger was sent out and then promptly removed? Some speculated that it was because you were trying to sign with Joe Gibbs Racing.

I don’t know too much about all of that. I think there was a problem at that time, and some people manipulated things—the press, for example. It was so they could stop information from going out.

So it had nothing to do with your visit with JGRMX?

Like I said, I think that there were people out there that were possibly trying to manipulate that situation and make that situation go the way that was best for them. However, at the end of the day, that wasn’t what was best for Mike at this particular time, so the official press release went out yesterday from us.

Fair enough, but I have to ask. Was the trip to JGRMX’s facility after you signed with MotoConcepts?

The trip was something that had been planned for awhile. Basically, we were just following through on what we agreed to do. We went there, and we were there. It was definitely educational.
2011 -  Monster Energy Cup  - Jeff Alessi  - Supercross
Jeff Alessi will be joining the MotoConcepts team at Anaheim 1. Photo by Hoppenworld (click to enlarge)
In earlier interviews, you said that Jeff Alessi would be at Rock River—going on to say Rock River was a great fit for Jeff—but now Jeff is going to MotoConcepts with Mike. How did that happen?

Rock River selected riders for their team, and Jeff wasn’t one of the riders selected. So at that point, Jeff had an open opportunity.

So will both Mike and Jeff be on Suzukis?

100% for sure Mike and Jeff will both be on 450 Suzukis. There’s a possibility that Jeff will ride East Coast Lites because he is still eligible. If he does do that, he will be on a Honda 250. The whole look of the bikes, the color schemes, will be the same whether it’s the Suzuki or the Honda.
*Update Edit – Tony just contacted us to let us know that he misspoke and that Jeff will not be riding Hondas.

So Jake Canada, who is signed to ride Lites West, will be on the Honda?

From my understanding, Canada will be riding the Honda 250 in the West.

How did you guys feel that your first race on the Suzuki went in Vegas’ Monster Energy Cup?

We felt the Monster Energy Cup was a success on a lot of different levels. It could have been even more successful if Mike didn’t have that practice crash. People don’t realize Mike raced that race pretty injured from a big practice crash. He was pretty dazed—just ask Josh Hansen and Kyle Cunningham who both crashed in the same spot, and compare their results to Mike’s. One of the two never made it to the gate and the other one just rode around concussed. It was very difficult for Mike to ride in that situation. I felt that Mike did good with pulling himself together, competing and riding near the front in every one of those races. Obviously, he could only do the best he could do in his situation—which was obviously a bad situation from the crash. He pulled through and showed he could ride the Suzuki really good.

Yeah, I felt he did well, all things considered. It was amazing how many fans seemed to be upset with Mike for blocking a competitor. I’m obviously talking about his battle with Dungey. It was almost as if fans expect a rider to pull over because the rider behind is on a faster pace?

Mike Alessi’s job is to beat the other guys and any way he can do that. We’re not rolling over, we’re not moving over, and Mike Alessi is going to race every guy as hard as he can. And they better get used to it because he’s going to be up near the front, and that’s what he’s going to do. He’s going to race hard. He’s not going to race dirty, but he will race hard, and that’s how it’s going to be.
2011 -  Monster Energy Cup  - Mike Alessi  - Supercross
Mike spent most of the third main event focused on keeping Ryan Dungey and his new factory KTM behind him. Photo by Hoppenworld (click to enlarge)
What are your expectations for Mike in Supercross for 2012?

Mike’s goal is to do a lot better in Supercross. In past years, we’ve been somewhat conservative in SX because the focus was outdoors, but now, Mike wants to be a better SX rider, so I think you’re going to see Mike racing his hardest at SX. Hopefully he can carry that into motocross as well. I don’t think you’re going to see that conservative guy in SX any more.

I noticed Terry Varner in your camp at the Monster Cup. Is he going to wrench for you guys this year?

No. Terry will be at the shop helping out, overseeing anything mechanical. At the end of the day, Terry Varner is an engineer and not just some mechanic off the street. He’s been in the business 40 years and is an older guy now, but at the same time, I don’t trust anyone more than Terry to oversee every mechanical aspect of what we do.

Alright, well I know you guys are at the airport heading to Bercy so I’ll wrap it up. Thanks for answering the phone and for answering some questions. Good luck to you guys in Paris, and in 2012.

No problem, Dan.

 

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Author

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