Written by: Geoff Meyer – Photo: Youthstream
British rider Tommy Searle isn’t wasting time in putting the pressure on FIM World MX2 series leader and favorite Jeffrey Herlings as the series hotted up in Sevlievo, Bulgaria last weekend. Searle who had finished on the podium in Valkenswaard a couple of weeks ago came out swinging in round two and was clearly the fastest rider on the track.
Having won at Sevlievo in 2007 and finished second to Ken Roczen in 2011 Searle knew he had a good chance of taking home the victory.
Tommy, you looked so strong in that opening moto until your brake problem. How motivated were you going into the second moto?
I really wanted to go out and win that second one, because I should have won the first one but because of losing the front brake that didn’t happen, so I went into that second moto and pretty much thought to myself let’s go and win this thing. I just did my thing, but the biggest thing is my starts. I mean I really want to thank the team for that, because you can see it this year, I didn’t get one holeshot in 2011 and this year I had two here in Bulgaria and nearly one in Valkenswaard, so big improvement.
James Dobb mentioned to me that you had been sick leading into Bulgaria. What happened there?
I had been suffering with a cold. Everyone was sick in England, and I was like I never get sick and telling them why do they always get sick, and then I got sick, so I wasn’t really looking forward to racing when I woke up this morning. I got some nose drips and stuff to help me breath. I didn’t expect to be so strong in that second moto, so happy to come away with the win.
It’s been a while since KTM have not dominated the early going of an MX2 moto and to see you and Joel (Roelants) in front was really a little strange. What difference does it make to have that extra power?
Actually for the starts I was so confident I knew I would holeshot, I told myself on the start I could get the holeshot and that confidence is a big thing, if I keep getting starts and keep doing my thing and run consistent laps. It also makes your luck better, because you are not struggling to come through the pack and not getting hit by rocks and stuff.
There seems to be a little mental fighting between yourself and Jeffrey. Is that something you want to get involved in?
I know about the mental thing and I am older and I know the situation. Jeffrey says silly things, everyone after the race was hating on him because he said he let me win that second moto. Everyone could see the situation, see what it is. We just go race to race and try and do our best and make the most out of it. I think it is what it is, but I think he (Herlings) is playing mind games with himself, and I just do my work.
I wasn’t sure if you would celebrate when you crossed the finish line. I thought maybe you would try and play it cool like it was easy.
I think it is nice for everyone to see that I was happy, and a race win is a race win, when you come over the line and don’t make a big deal about it, it’s not good for the people who want to see me celebrate and I want to celebrate for the team. Everyone in this team works hard and to come over the line and act like it doesn’t matter isn’t right.
In Italy last year you won, are you confident going there?
I went 1-2, but I crashed in the second moto and caught up to Jeffrey. I hope the weather is good, I think it’s pretty similar to Bulgaria to be honest. I mean you go in there with the same mind set to go in and do the best you can. Hopefully I can narrow that points lead down. If everything had gone how it should have today I should have been even on the points lead anyway. Just keep knocking those points down.
So you are building your confidence and you are getting starts. You can’t ask for more than that can you?
I am confident, but little things like the starts, that help so much. When you get good starts it helps everything and it will just keep building.
