Photos by: Mark Lester
At MotoXAddicts, being a website that started as a total privateer effort, we know all too well how hard it is to make it from week to week trying to follow the professional Supercross circuit on your own dime. This year, we will be showcasing some of the true privateers of supercross and motocross in a our feature, “Privateer Showcase” presented by Race Tech Suspension. In these interviews, we’re not talking to your upper-class privateers that are sponsored by a satellite team; we’re talking to the guys that live from race to race, buy their own bikes and even clean their own air filters: the true privateers.
When looking at the pre-entry list for the 450SX class for the opening round of the 2015 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship series, the main event looked like a pipe-dream for the true privateers of the world. In a 450SX class stacked full of former 250SX and 450SX champions on factory and satellite team bikes, somehow two privateers that fit our description of the true privateer made it into the main event at the Anaheim 1 SX: Tevin Tapia and Kyle Partridge. While both finished 21st and 22nd respectively, the night still had to feel like a huge success.
Pacific Northwest born Tevin Tapia has made plenty of 450SX main events in the past, but with the depth of the field in 2015 and starting the day by barely sneaking into the night show with the 37th fastest time, his confidence was not at an all time high. After finishing 15th in his heat race and 10th in his semi, though, Tevin put his head down in his LCQ. After yanking a good start, Tevin held off two formidable foes in Jimmy Albertson and Nick Wey to finish 4th in the LCQ and take the 22nd spot in the main. In the end, Tevin finished 22nd in the main, but with this field, that is a successful night for a man doing his deal on his own dime.
After the night was over, we caught up with the Team 3BR/3T Performance/BRT privateer to find out how he felt about his Anaheim 1 and his plans for the 2015 season. You can read what Tevin had to say in this week’s “Privateer Showcase” presented by Race Tech Suspension below.
Hey, Tevin. We’re doing a “Privateer Showcase” today at Anaheim 1 and you were one of only two full privateers in the main event tonight. You finished 22nd in the main, but with this field, it’s still got to feel good to make the main.
Man, I feel great. Practice was a little bad for me. Actually in the first couple I rode a little tight and was getting frustrated with myself. The track was pretty easy to go fast, but really hard to go super fast. In the last practice, I dropped my lap times a couple seconds, but I barely made it into the night show—I qualified 37th. I’ve always been a better racer than qualifier, so I put my head down and went to work. I knew I could make it in. I’ve made plenty of 450 mains in the past.
How did your heat races go tonight? Obviously, the LCQ went well, but can you take us through your heat race and semi?
My heat race went okay. I don’t give it everything I have. I use it more as a practice because the top-four is pretty hard to make. I just try to make sure I set myself up with a good gate pick for the semi, but it went pretty good. I got like 14th. In the semi, I got a really good start and hit the triple in the wrong gear. I framed [came up short] the triple hard, so that sucked. After that, I dropped back a little and ended up 9th or 10th in the semi. I put myself in the right position in the LCQ with a good start and things went my way.
Yeah, you held off two big names for that final spot in the LCQ—Jimmy Albertson and Nick Wey were coming at you. Did you feel them coming? (laughs)
Oh, I heard them, but you can’t be too cautious. Like my dad always says: “Look ahead and shred.” (laughs) There were spots they were faster than me and spots I was faster than them. I would just try to capitalize on my slow spots the last few laps, which I did, and I was able to hold them off the last few laps. All the glory to God.
I know it’s tough with the 22nd far outside gate pick, but overall how did the main event go for you?
Yeah, I tried to sneak it in to the inside off the start. It went alright, and I probably came out of the first turn in the top fifteen or so. [Justin] Barcia didn’t hit the second triple and I had to just double it behind him. [Brett] Metcalfe and a couple of other guys didn’t care that I doubled, jumped right over my head and I had to jump off the track.
Sounds like a scary Trey Canard Los Angeles SX type of moment.
Yeah, I probably had to check my underwear after that one. After that, though, I just kind of rode. I had a little bit of a bike problem in the main, but overall it was a good night.
I know being a privateer isn’t easy in this sport, but what’s your program like for 2015?
It’s family. Team 3BR, Loren Borski and the whole Borski family is behind me. There’s also the Baker family behind me—they’re from the Pacific Northwest—and there’s my dad, my mom and my girlfriend. It’s Team 3BR, 3T Performance and BRT that are really helping me out this year a lot.
How many rounds do you plan on making it to this year?
All of them. I’m a racer; I was born to race and that’s what I’m going to do. I’ll race until I can’t race no more.
Well, if you keep making the mains, you’re pulling in a little over $2000 a week or $8000 a month, right? Right now, is that enough to survive on while supporting your race effort?
I got a new truck. (laughs) You know, God is good. I give all the glory to God and I have faith in him. He provides all the time. I always have faith, and I wouldn’t be here without him.
Well, alright, congrats on a solid start to your season. Food luck next weekend and thanks for sharing your night with us.
Thanks.
