Photos by: Simon Cudby – Words by: Dan Lamb
Eleven years ago in 2007, Rockstar / Husqvarna’s Zach Osborne turned pro as one of the most highly-touted amateurs in the country, but since then the Abingdon, Virginia native has had a very unorthodox career path that’s taken him all over the world. Zach has won MX2 World Championship races and even scored his first ever 250 AMA Motocross National win in 2016, but so far, a win in Monster Energy Supercross has eluded him.
During the offseason—looking to take his game to a new level—Zach joined forces with the Baker’s Factory training program in Florida. With that and the expectations that comes with having training partners with names like Ryan Dungey, Marvin Musquin and Jason Anderson, Zach’s stock has gone up, and he comes into the 2017 Eastern Regional 250SX Supercross Championship as one of the odds-on favorites for the Championship despite not having a single main event win on his resume.
At the Minneapolis SX opener, Zach quickly showed the fruits of his offseason labor. The #16 qualified first in both of the daytime qualifying sessions and headed to main with a second in his heat race after starting way back around tenth. In the main event, Zach finished lap one in fifth, but by lap 11, he had moved into second and looked poised to challenge Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki’s Joey Savatgy for the win. Unfortunately, a crash on lap fifteen pushed Zach back to third and that’s where he would finish.
After scoring a solid podium at the opener, MotoXAddicts’ Chase Yocom caught up with Zach to talk about his offseason and his performance at the opener in Minneapolis.
Zach, third on the night in the 250SX main event. You were fastest overall in both qualifiers and have to be stoked on some aspects of your night, but I know you came into this wanting to win.
Yeah, it was a good day. Like you said, I was on pole [1st qualifier], and then I kind of messed up my start in the heat race and was back there in the carnage. That was a little bit scary. But I managed to get second—third gate pick for the main event. I made a better start in the main and got stuck in some first lap carnage just one lane into it. It put me back to fifth and then I charged back up for a while. Even after I fell I charged back again. There’s a lot of positives to take from today. I knew for sure that I would be in the hunt, for sure. I feel like moving forward it’s going to be good.
This is your first time back on the East Coast in a while. We talked about it earlier and I want to say it’s been since your rookie year back in 2007. How was the track for you tonight?
Man, I just said to someone else, this is what I signed up for when I said that I was going to race the East Coast. I actually thought it would be like this every weekend, but they act like it’s not. I was happy with it, conditions wise. I can’t really complain a whole lot.
Yeah, you’ve always been good with the big ruts and I know you like the sand. You definitely had a lot of sand practice racing overseas, and then there’s your time at ClubMX.
Yeah, it kind of played into my hand a little. I enjoy being way low down in the corners and stuff. I didn’t really have any real issues with the track.
You’re working with Aldon Baker this year. When I saw you today and when I watched you ride, you seemed like you had a different intensity about you. How’s the offseason been training with Aldon? I know you’ve been dealing with a wrist injury, but you look really fit.
It’s been really good. We had a solid winter. Like you said, I broke my wrist in October at the Manufacturers Cup in Germany which was a bit of a setback. I started riding at the beginning of December and we haven’t let up since. We’ve just been grinding the whole time. No complaints, though. Those guys push me to a new level every day and I’m grateful to be part of the program.
What is it like training and riding with Jason Anderson, Ryan Dungey and Marvin Musquin? You’re the only 250 guy, but it has to help you out to be chasing those guys around all day.
Sometimes it’s discouraging to feel good and be as far off as I am some days. (laughs) We’re still working. It’s awesome to be in their company and just kind of pushing each other on each day. Everyone pulling in the same direction is a good feeling.
What was your favorite part of the track tonight? It was awesome watching you hit that combo in the double dragon’s back section.
I actually liked that section because I felt like I had it pretty dialed. I wasn’t too nervous about it every lap. That would normally be one of those things where you have a double dragon’s back and you’re like, “Oh man, here we go” every lap, but it was something that I felt like I had dialed really easy. That was probably my favorite section.
Alright, congrats on starting the season with a third place finish. I’ll catch you next weekend and we’ll hopefully see you on the top of the box.
Thank you.
