Photos by: Ray Archer
Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings might not have had it all his own way last weekend in Assen, but the soon to be three times World MX2 champion did score a bunch of points and stretch his lead in the MX2 championship.
Battling with Jorge Prado, even struggling to beat his countrymen Brian Bogers and Bas Vaessen it wasn’t his most impressive performance, but as he does, he still got GP win number 60, and heads to Charlotte this weekend for the first of two USGPs. Of course, it is also where he will race AMA 250 champion Cooper Webb in an AMA vs FIM battle.
We caught up with him and asked him about his weekend and also his expected battle with the likeable American Cooper Webb, who has dominated the 250 class in America indoors and outdoors.
What a tough weekend, how was it after your Saturday misfortunes?
Saturday was dry weather conditions and first practice, 2.7 faster (than everyone else), and second practice everyone was wide open, and I was just cruising for a good gate pick in the qualification race. That qualification race started good I was third. Worked my way to second and I felt like the power was getting less and less and then after about eight laps the bike just blew.
Sunday came around and you still had to deal with a really difficult circuit and that Prado kid?
So I knew Sunday I was going to be right on the outside of the gate. I had two options, to either lets the pack go and go up the inside, or go with them. I took the risk of letting the field go and try and sneak up the inside, there was a big pile up and I didn’t go down, but got caught up in it. Then a few corners later I did go down (hit a falling Paturel). It was unlucky, but I was quickly 8th and then got to third and crashed again and I was sixth and got back to second and I didn’t want to crash and risk the championship, so I just held on for second place. I knew Jeremy (Seewer) was way back.
Was that circuit anything like a sand track in that first moto?
That first moto wasn’t anything like a sand track, it wasn’t even motocross, it was more like endure. You couldn’t push hard, you just had to survive. With the bike you felt it getting so hot and the radiators were closed with sand and you had to watch out and be careful of what to do with the bike.
The second moto the circuit was more like a motocross track wasn’t it? What was your goal for that second moto?
The second moto I didn’t want to take too much risk (cutting up the inside again), so I started just wide open and came out in third place. I worked my way into second and was battling with Jorge and the track was pretty flat and that kid is like a third of my weight and when the track is flat and you have one good line, it’s hard to pass. I had more speed, but he was riding very defensive and really well and it was just one line. It was tough, but we made some serious points in Seewer and we have a lead of 76 points, so we can go home happy.
Jorge was at times a little ruthless in his blocking. I noticed when you passed him you made some sort of hand signal to him. What was that?
I just points to my brain, I was 15 once as well, so I knew he was racing like living and dying situation and I could see he was getting tired and he was taking risk and going for the moto win. I know him really well and he has told me he is a big fan of mine, but I could see he was making a lot of mistakes, so I just told him to use his brain. I passed him, but then two turns later he passed me back, but I could see he was knackered, I mean he is only 15. I have had some serious accidents in my life, but I was also 15 once and I know how that is. On the finish line jump there was some serious deep ruts and he was just taking the risk there. I am at the point I have a championship on the line and as you get older you get really calm.
Cooper Webb has spoken of his respect for you, and that should be a nice battle in Charlotte next weekend. What is your opinion on it?
I don’t know him, but when I see the guy, he is like me, he wants to win, he just wants to win, so we are similar in that. I think it’s going to be really interesting, I have a lot of respect for him and I think he is man enough and adult enough to know I have a championship on the line, so I think he will respect that. I have big respect for him, a supercross and motocross championship this year and a person like that will have enough brains to not do anything silly and hopefully we can both get a good start and just race head to head.
