Gannon celebrates a long overdue first-ever podium. Photo by: Hoppenworld
There’s nothing better than a good comeback story that ends with the athlete getting carried off the field by those who believed in them all along. Well, we don’t quite have one of those to share with you, but we do have the resurgence of Gannon Audette to talk about.
In 2011, Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki’s Gannon Audette was a teenager on the top of the world. After winning the 450A class at Loretta’s and narrowly losing out to Jason Anderson for the 2010 Horizon Award—the award given out to the top amateur motocross rider in the nation—Gannon graduated to the professional ranks with a two-year factory ride with the Star Racing / Yamaha squad.
Unfortunately, the industry had not—and still somewhat hasn’t—caught on to the fact that it generally takes a bit longer for these kids to win races and championships at the professional level since the change from the 125cc two strokes to the much bigger 250cc four strokes, and after two very mediocre seasons, Gannon was cut loose from Star after the 2012 season. The former amateur star was left on the outside looking in as a privateer and while he never gave up, he spent the next two years recovering from one injury after the next.
After a great off-season and a decent stretch without any major injuries, Gannon came into the 2016 Eastern Regional 250SX Championship prepared to work his way back into the minds of the factory team managers. He was not lighting the world on fire by any means, but he was improving every race on his Legends and Heros privateer Kawasaki. After a top ten in Toronto, Gannon matched his career-best with a sixth in Detroit. That was enough for Mitch Payton—who had lost Arnaud Tonus to an injury—to call and ask him to fill in on the Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki squad.
A day later, Gannon was on a flight to California to test, and a week and a half after that, Gannon was holeshotting the main event and celebrating his first-ever career podium in Indianapolis. After Gannon’s podium, Chase Yocom caught up with Gannon to talk about what’s been a whirlwind week and a half.
Gannon, has it sunk in yet? First career podium, what’s going through your mind right now?
A lot of different emotions. I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. I’ve been really busy since it happened. It just feels amazing! I can’t thank the Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki guys enough, my mechanic and everyone that’s given me this opportunity. To come onto the podium for them is just awesome.
After the heat race, did you think you had a podium in you tonight? You were up there, but nothing like the way you rode in the main event tonight. You were killing it!
No, I just feel like I always kind of do that. I just want to get through the heat race, get into the main and then put it all together. I mean, honestly, the whole day I felt all over the place. (laughs) I think a lot of people did because of the ruts and everything. It was a very technical and demanding track. I just got the holeshot and was like, “Alright, it’s time to go.” I just tried hitting all my lines, and I came out with a podium. It feels awesome.
Each time you get on the new Pro Circuit bike, you have to be making improvements because you’re so new to it. What do you have, a week or so on it?
Yeah, I’ve had a week and half on it. I flew out last Wednesday, and I felt really good on the bike right away. I’m just trying to make small adjustments and improvements. The whole Monster Energy / Pro Circuit team has been behind me making adjustments, testing with me, and it’s just been an awesome experience. I can’t thank them enough.
Can you take us through the main event. You came out and ripped a huge holeshot. (laughs) What was going through your mind during that?
(laughs) Yeah, I couldn’t believe it. I was on the outside of the gate and thought, “Man, this is going to be tough if I want this holeshot.” I ended up getting a good jump out of the gate, leaned back, moved over…..
(laughs) You felt that Pro Circuit power.
Yeah, exactly. I shifted and it hooked up. Man, it was awesome to get the holeshot, and I just wanted to put fifteen solid laps together. I wanted to hit my lines and everything because the track was a really technical, demanding and rutty. I ended up doing that, and to come out with the podium was awesome.
What was going through your mind on the last lap? The first-ever podium is a huge milestone. I may have seen a little mistake here or there. (laughs) Did you get tight? Were you thinking about it?
No, I wasn’t getting tight or anything. I was trying not to crash because I was looking back and stuff to see where fourth [place] was. Man, I didn’t want to do anything stupid. I basically doubled the whole way through the last lap. (laughs) I just wanted to bring her home for the team and everyone. It’s just an amazing feeling.
Did you ever think you were going to get this call from Mitch Payton to fill in? How did it come about? Did Mitch pick up the phone personally and give you a ring?
Yeah, Mitch called me two weeks ago on Monday. We ended up finalizing it that Tuesday and gave me the okay. I ended up flying out that Wednesday and have been testing ever since. It’s awesome that he gave me this opportunity. I wasn’t expecting it and didn’t even know that he had a hurt rider honestly. To get that call and all of a sudden you’re out in California the very next day testing with Pro Circuit…
Were you back home in Florida?
Yeah, I was in Tallahassee at home. I flew out there, did some testing and here we are.
How stoked is Mitch Payton for you? I believe this is the first 2016 Eastern Regional podium for the team. I think the best this year was Tyler Bowers with a fourth, so was he ecstatic?
Yeah, I think he was really happy. He is definitely really happy for me. To give me this opportunity and to come out and podium like that is amazing. I can’t thank him enough. Also, my mechanic, Jon [Primo], he puts in a lot of work behind the scenes, and just everyone on the team. It’s all teamwork.
We’ll see you on the rest of the East with PC, correct?
Yeah, that’s right.
Congrats, again. I won’t take any more of your time. Go celebrate and enjoy it.
Thank you, I appreciate it.
