Photo by: Hoppenworld

These “Privateer Showcase” interviews presented by Race Tech Suspension at MotoXAddicts tell the stories of the guys in the trenches week in and week out trying to chase their dream of racing professional Supercross. While the riders at the front of the pack get the money, the T.V. time and the glory that goes with it, there’s a huge pack of guys just hoping to become regulars in the big show. We tell their stories.

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This week’s “Privateer Showcase” interview is with one of only a handful of true privateers making 450SX main events in 2017, Alex Ray. When you talk about guys that personify the words “never give up” in Supercross, Alex is definitely on the top of your podium. The #314 started chasing the Supercross dream back in 2011, and it wasn’t until the Detroit SX in 2015 that he was able to line up with the best SX riders in the world for a main event. While some may have thought he should find a new hobby, there was absolutely no quit in Alex.

Since making his first main event in 2015, the man that calls Tennessee home went on to make three main events in 2015, five main events in 2016 and is on his way to bettering that with two main events made already in 2017. Alex is one of the best stories of where passion and desire meet perseverance in this sport, so after he scored another career best—18th in Oakland—we decided to give him a call.

Check out what Alex had to say about making that first ever main after four years of trying, his aspirations of making it into a factory semi, the struggles of doing 17 rounds of SX on a short budget, having Steve Matthes as his mechanic and more.

With four points this early in the season, there's a good chance we'll see a two digit Alex Ray in '18.
With four points this early in the season, there’s a good chance we’ll see a two digit Alex Ray in ’18.

Alex, where are you based out of at the moment?

Right now I’m in California, but we’re loading up to leave and head east. I’ll probably be stopping home [Tennessee] to see the family and then head to ClubMX.

 

How did you originally get into racing dirt bikes?

My dad. My dad raced pretty much all his life and he sort of brought me into it. That’s all she wrote pretty much. I was never really an outstanding amateur. It was just something my dad and I did on weekends for fun. We never really thought much of it. We got linked up with a guy named Bryan McDonald and I started racing Supercross when I was 16. I caught on to it really well and it’s been good since then.

 

What year did you end up turning pro and did you ride the 250 class at all?

I turned pro back in 2011. I did ride the 250 my first year, but man, honestly, I’m a bigger guy and it didn’t work out too well for me. (laughs) The jumps were big and the 250 I had was fast, but it wasn’t fast enough. I cased a lot of jumps.

 

Man, when you think of the word perseverance or the phrase “never give up” you have to be the first person that comes to mind in Supercross. You were night making shows in Supercross in 2011, ’12, ’13, ’14 and half of 2015 before you finally made a main event. Was there ever a point in there where you were like, “Man, maybe I should find something else to do for a living,” or were you always gung-ho and dead set on, “I’m going to make it.”

Well, yeah! I always had that mentality where I was gung-ho and I knew what I wanted to do and was going to do it. The only thing was, I had a lot of pretty bad injuries back-to-back with legs, knees and stuff like that, that put a damper on things. There was two years where I didn’t get to ride very much. I was wondering, “Is this really what I want to do?” I overcame and that itch to get back to racing was right there.

 

When you finally made the main event at the 2015 Detroit SX, you nearly blew your bike up revving it out in excitement.

I was so pumped! Well, you know that feeling you get whenever you get to check off that life goal on your checklist. Making the 450 main event was definitely one of those and I got to check that off my list. The feeling you get it’s really, really satisfying. It just pumped me up so much. I was like, “Yeah, I’m gonna rev my bike to the moon!” It was sick.

Jim Holley from SupercrossLive was so pumped when Alex made his first main event. Jim made sure he caught Alex for an interview about the accomplishment.

What were the feelings that were going through your mind at that moment?

I think relief, excitement, and it’s obviously one of the best feelings you can have in this world. There was just so much excitement going into one thing. Overcoming all that adversity, makes it so much better.

 

Since then, you went on to make three main events that year, five main events in 2016 and you’re now on pace to probably make more than five in ’17. You’ve made two this year out of the first five and you made it in Oakland last weekend. That track was sketch.

The track was super gnarly, but it was a lot better than what it could have been. The Dirt Wurx crew did a great job. They did the best they could with the weather. It was soft, rutted and gnarly. I didn’t really do very well in the semi, but coming into the LCQ, I knew Deano [Dean Wilson] would be good, but other than that, I knew I was going to make the main event. I got a great start. I’m on a stock bike, and I pulled Deano down the start straight. I’m a bigger guy, and he’s on that factory Husky now. He beat me out of the turn, but I was the first into it. Twisted Development put a good map in my bike and I put a Bills Pipe on it and that’s all she’s got. It felt good to do that on a stock bike with the best riders in the world.

 

Oakland was a career best finish in a main event for you too, right?

Yeah, I got 18th. I scored three points—I was pumped! Yeah, it was good.

 

I’ve dealt with this myself and talked about it with other privateers, but it seems like the biggest hurdle is getting over that name intimidation. Seeing Tomac or Roczen on the back of a jersey and knowing they’re just like you.

We’re all humans. No one is better than the other guy. Technically, yes, some are faster than others, but we’re all people. There’s nothing that he can do that I can’t do. That’s the main focus that I try to tell myself going in and that usually helps.

 

You’ve made two mains so far, won an LCQ, scored your best finish last weekend—what’s next? What are your personal goals for 2017 Supercross?

Top 15. I think that’s a realistic goal and something I can achieve for sure.

 

You had Steve Matthes—PulpMX Show host, Racer X writer and a former mechanic—wrenching for you at Anaheim 2. We all know Steve’s a clown, so that had to be a fun night despite not making the main.

Yeah, he was my mechanic (laughs). The Pulp Nation was in full effect at that round. It was actually really fun. We cracked a lot of jokes. We knew when to be serious and when to crack jokes, but it was a lot of fun. He helped me out a lot actually. He knows a lot of people in the industry, so if I needed anything, he went out and got it for me. Of course I had my cousin Mike there who’s been helping me out on the West Coast there also, so Steve had a little help whenever he wanted to tweet stuff.

Alex Ray’s (#314) best imitation of a two stroke on the line at A2.

Please tell me you made Steve change your clutch or something labor-intensive like that. (laughs)

No, he didn’t really touch much. He tightened the spokes and put a breather hose on, but other than that, he didn’t do much. He just pushed the bike.

 

(laughs) You’re doing all 17 rounds and I know you get help, but talk about how tough it is to do a full series as a privateer. I’m sure even with help it’s a struggle.

It’s definitely a struggle, man. I want to get to all of them, but I also want to do my prep during the week and ride. This year, I’m having to go into my own pocket to get flights, my bike hauled and stuff like that. I know it will come together and either way I’ll be at the races.

 

Have you ever sat down and added up what it costs to do a full 17 round season? Bikes, parts, travel, etc.

I haven’t, but man, it’s a lot. It’s a lot. I don’t know a set number, but it’s up there. We don’t make very much money. We make more money in the 450 class [over the 250SX class], but I’m going to have to make the main events and do well. It’s not a matter of “Hey, I’m happy I made the main event.” It’s “Hey, we’re going to do this this weekend, ’cause I want to race next weekend.” (laughs)

 

Do you still have aspirations to make it off privateer island and into a factory semi, or is it more just you love racing SX?

Oh no, I have every intention of getting off of privateer island. I’m doing everything I can to swim away from the island (laughs). We have to make the right adjustments and in time it will come. I’m 23, and still pretty young.

 

After SX in ’17 is over, what’s the plan? You did some select nationals and some other races over the last offseason. Is that the plan again?

I’m to, yeah. We have a night race my dad puts on at my house, it’s called Powerline Supercross back in Tennessee. I’ll have to miss a few races to do that, ’cause I want to help him with that. Hopefully I’ll do some more International [SX] races, honestly. I did a few of those in the offseason, and it was so much fun. I would really like to get back into that.

 

Thanks for doing this, Alex, and good luck on the rest of your 2017. Who do you want us to thank you for the help you’re getting this year?

Yeah, shout out to all my sponsors: TXS Productions, K1 Speed, FXR, SSI Decals, Dedicated Ride co, No Toil, Dirt Tricks, SIDI, 2xu, ARAI Helmets, Eks brand, Dubya, Vortex, Streamline Brakes, Ride Engineering, Motion Pro, Killer Customs, Bills Pipes, PulpMX, PRL Motocross, Spider Energy Drink, Spectro, Husqvarna, Motoseat

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Author

Dan Lamb is a 12+ year journalist and the owner of MotoXAddicts.