Photo by: Hoppenworld
Expectations were mixed for the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motcoross 250MX Champion, Star Racing/Yamalube/Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin, heading into the Eastern Regional 250SX Championship. Over the first two years of Jeremy’s professional Supercross career, the #6 had DNQ’ed at three main events and had yet to make a main event at the opening Eastern Regional round in Arlington. At the opener, Jeremy looked tentative, but the National Champion qualified with a 2nd place finish in his heat race and went on to finish fourth in the first main event of the year. Then, at round two, the Minnesota native instantly became a Championship contender when he came from behind and blew by all the big named in the East for his first main event win of 2015. It was a statement race that he followed up with two more straight podiums, but the ghost of Supercross past showed up at round five with yet another surprise DNQ for Martin at round 5.
From that point on the Championship went from a three-way battle between Marvin Musquin, Justin Bogle and Martin, to a two way fight between the Red Bull/KTM rider and the GEICO/Honda rider with Martin picking up the pieces to salvage third in the Championship. Over the next two rounds, Jeremy was able to salvage third in the Eastern Regional 250SX Championship with a 4-2 scorecard, and at the final round in East Rutherford, he fought it out with Joey Savatgy for the final podium spot on the year. Jeremy obviously had the speed in New Jersey to finish on the box, but Savatgy put on a clinic in how to keep the faster man at bay. For ten laps, Martin tried everything to get around the Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider. In the end, though, some contact and an off-track detour for Martin ended his 2015 Eastern campaign with a fourth place finish.
That fourth place finish was still good enough to secure Jeremy third in the Championship and send him into his Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship title defense feeling as hungry as ever. After his fourth in East Rutherford, we caught up with Jeremy to ask about his gnarly battle with Savatgy, his season as a whole and how he’s feeling heading into his first-ever title defense beginning at Hangtown.
[Jeremy and I are hearing Marvin Musquin burn up a Dunlop on the New Jersey concrete celebrating his Championship] First question, when you won your outdoor championship, did you look for any concrete to burn a tire up after you won your title? If not, are you going to find some next year?
I thought about revving my bike, and it was actually locked up. You know what, to be honest, some of those other guys can do it for me. It’s just crossing the finish line and being able to hold that #1 up is enough of a celebration for me and to be able to go back and take it back to my mom and dad, and all the sacrifices and the journey there, the people that have helped along the way, just to talk to them and say thank you. For me, that’s good.
See, with some kids I would think that was such a PR answer, but I believe you 100%. You are all business out here. Tonight, fourth, after a very gnarly battle with Savatgy. Take us through your main a little bit if you can.
Yeah, me and Savatgy we were banging bars. Like the old movie series where they say the Supercross “Bar-to-Bar,” we were definitely doing that tonight. I learned and I’ve addressed what I did wrong, and I’m moving on.
Did you get frustrated at all? I mean, you were getting that front wheel in on him in every turn, but just could not make one stick. You could tell you weren’t thinking about anything but going for the passes.
Yeah, I was wanting to keep racing and keep moving forward. I felt like there was lots of clear track in front of us and trying to go down and chase those guys down in front of us, Bogle and Marvin, and I didn’t get ‘er done tonight so we’ll just move on.
The track was pretty gnarly. It seemed like there were a lot of lines but, at the same time, hard to pass on with the deep ruts everywhere.
I liked the track. It was fun. It was a little tough to pass just because once the line got developed, everyone is searching for that good one. It was a good track, and I truly enjoyed the program today. Getting done earlier, it was nice. It reminds me of outdoors. Normally when you’re doing the regular Supercross program, you get done at 10. Everyone tries to get 2 hours of sleep and then they’re up at the crack of dawn catching an early morning flight, so now we got a little time to wind down.
Third overall for the season, how would you rank your season compared to your goals coming into it?
I obviously wanted to win the championship and that was the goal, but compared to how my last two seasons were before this one, this is night and day better. I mean, I wasn’t even in the top 10 the last two years, and to be able to get third overall was good. I had a great time this year battling with Marvin and Bogle, and hats off to Marvin. He really rode hard this year and he did what he needed to do.
I heard you’re working with one of my idols—and he lived next to door me—Johnny O’mara. Like your dad had a track, my dad had Indian Dunes, and that was Johnny O’s local track. How did that come about? How’s that working?
It’s good. I really enjoy working with Johnny O. I’m just like a sponge around him. He’s got so much knowledge, and it’s very motivating to have him in my corner. I think he’s the best trainer out there and he taught some very good people—like Ricky among others—how to get ‘er done, so I’m looking forward to it and just ready to work hard.
Outdoors is coming up. Have you been doing a lot of testing? How are you feeling heading into your first title defense?
I feel good for outdoors. We’re getting solid and getting faster and just trying to keep improving, and those guys are going to be animals this year. They’re already on it. Bogle and Marvin have been challenging me. So I just got to be ready for that challenge.
Thanks for your time, Jeremy. We’ll see you next week in Las Vegas.
Thank you.
