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 get a spot inside a factory semi. We tell their stories.

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This week’s “Privateer Showcase” interview is with second year pro 450 rider Josh Mosiman. Josh turned pro during the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship and went twenty-four motos without scoring a point, but the HD Supply / Husqvarna privateer moved up to the 450MX class for 2017 and has taken his game to a new level on the bigger bike.

So far in 2017, Josh has scored points in seven of the first ten 450MX motos of his career, and he currently sits 19th in the 450MX Championship points. Putting Josh second amongst what we consider “true privateers”—behind Freddie Noren. Last weekend at Muddy Creek, Josh had the best ride of his career with a 16-15 score for 16th overall, so we decided to give him a call and introduce the Californian to our readers.

Josh and his mechanic, Averi, at Muddy Creek. Photo by: Cycle Dump

Josh, thanks for giving us some time today. You said you were out riding today. Where were you riding at?

We rode out at Martin MX today in Michigan. It’s really good. Everybody around here likes it a lot. They say it’s the closest dirt to Red Bud. It definitely was pretty similar, so it’s real good. It’s loamy and kind of that orange color like Red Bud. It was sweet.

 

I know you guys are from California, but what part? And what was your local track growing up?

Yeah, I’m from Northern California in a little town called Sebastopol. It’s an hour north of San Francisco and about two hours from Hangtown. That’s where I’m originally from, but we moved down to Southern California down in Menifee, near Temecula. I’ve been there for about three and a half years now. Argyl MX and Club MX were the two closest tracks and then it was Hangtown after that.

 

How old are you now?

I’m 21.

 

What was your amateur career like? I heard the Mosiman name a lot as you and your brother [Michael Mosiman] were coming up, but I don’t know if it was you or your brother I was hearing more about.

It was probably mostly my brother. For me, it was nothing crazy. I rode for the Suzuki amateur team when it was booming, probably in like 2011-12 maybe. Beyond that, it was my own deal. I won in the 85 class at Mammoth a few times, and beyond that—as far as national championships—I won the College Boy class at places like Texas and Freestone. I also won at Mammoth a few times in the 450B classes. Nothing too great, but I went to Lorretta Lynn’s a lot and raced Monster Cup the first year they had the amateurs. One of my highlights was racing the Jr. World Championships a few times. I raced in France in 2010 with Team USA, which was the first year that Team USA put a team together, and we won. Joey Savatgy got 2nd in the 125 class; Jake Pinhancos won the 65 class, and I finished 11th in the 85 class. The 2-1-11 score gave us the overall championship. That was pretty sick. I raced overseas quite a few times after that.

Half the battle of being a privateer is believing you belong up front. That belief is beginning to creep into the #125’s head. Photo by: Cycle Dump

It is hard to raise one kid that makes it to the level you are at now, but with your brother turning pro this year, both the Mosiman’s are there. Your parents have to be proud. Are your parents super into it and going to all the races still?

My parents are fully into it. They love it! My dad works full time up in Northern California, and this season he’s flown to all the races and made it to every race. And when we’re home in Southern California, he comes down on the weekends whenever he can. He makes time and comes down to see us. My mom is fully into it, too. She’s been at every race except Tennessee, and she’s coming down this weekend to Red Bud.

 

As a parent, I couldn’t imagine how cool it would be to have two kids at this level. You started racing pro in 2016, right?

Yeah, I turned pro last year and raced all the nationals in the 250 class. I made every national but never scored a point. My best finish was a 21st in a moto—the second moto at Washougal. I still don’t have my Supercross license. I was going to do Arenacross to get it in January, but I got hurt. I hurt my shoulder in November, had surgery in December and was off the bike for three months.

 

What made you move up to the 450 class for outdoors this year?

I always rode 350’s as an amateur and really liked them and rode them well, but when I turned pro, I wanted to start out in the 250 class. Last year didn’t go as planned, and right after the season ended, I bought a 450 to try it out and do some local races on it. The first day I rode it, I loved it. The second day I rode it, my trainer, Nathan Ramsey, he was like, “Dude, we have to race this next year. This is where you need to be.” I really like how it suits me. I’m a taller rider, and I like the 450 style where you are a little more reserved. With the 250 you have to hang it out there the whole time, especially if you don’t have a factory bike. Big difference between a factory 250 and a privateer 250, where the difference isn’t as big in the 450 class.

Josh during round two at Glen Helen. Photo by: Cycle Dump

It was obviously a good decision for you. You went out in the first national of the year and scored the first national point of your career at Hangtown. That had to be a big monkey off your back and had to feel good.

It felt great. In the first moto, I struggled big time. I had the speed to get points and was actually running in 21st, and I made some mistakes, got tired and basically hit the wall. I ended up 24th. Mentally, I kind of screwed myself for the second moto and got pretty down, but I had a lot of friends there to cheer me up because it was my local race. That was cool to have those guys there. Also, before we went back out, we realized I had a front flat tire. (laughs) I didn’t know if it happened on the last lap, halfway through the moto or in the pits after the moto, but once I figured it out I was like, “Okay, that’s why I did bad. We’ll just blame it on that and go out in the second moto and do better.” And it worked. (laughs) I didn’t post about it online saying that’s why I got 24th, but in my head, I blamed it on that. I was able to ride a lot better in the second moto and get 20th. For me, that was huge, a big monkey off my back. I had been thinking about getting that point since last year.

 

Your speed has improved since the opening round. You started out qualifying outside the top 20 and have steadily improved. At the last round in Tennessee you qualified 17th. Is that something you’ve been working on, that one lap speed?

We’ve been working on sprints and stuff like that, but honestly I think it’s just confidence and experience. Qualifying has always been really good for me and 17th was really good. The track was really technical in Tennessee. It was raining and slick and I think it messed with a lot of guys. I was able to keep going through that and get a good time. In the first practices at the other races, I would get 17th, 18th or 19th in the first practice, but the track would get faster or guys would drop their time down in the second one. I was never able to get faster in the second practice, but in Tennessee nobody passed me in the second one.

 

At Tennessee you had the best race of your career as well, going 16-15 for 16th overall. You’re now up into a really solid group of guys in the 450 class. Do you see even better results in the near future?

Yeah, it’s awesome. For me it’s all about getting the start, running with those faster guys and being up there. Being able to run that pace at the beginning of the moto is what carries it through. I feel like I’m giving an average answer on this one, but last weekend I felt like I could still do better than 15th and 16th. I was running 12th for ten minutes of the first moto, and I feel like I should be able to keep it on even longer and stay in 12th. I think by getting more good starts and staying up there, it should help my confidence and get closer to the top 10.

In 2018 Josh will lose the three digit number for a new two digit national number.

I’ve never figured out how the Arenacross qualification for Supercross works. You’ve scored 24-points in the 450 class so far and I expect you will score a lot more. Do you still now have to qualify for SX through AX?

Yep, you still do, unfortunately. It’s not ideal, but that’s the case. I’m not too excited about AX, but I guess we’ll have to cross that bridge when we get there.

 

Now you have finished 15th in a moto, what is the goal for you from here on?

Honestly my goal was 15th before Tennessee. Now that I got to 15th, it’s 15th or better really. My next goal is 14th, 13th, top 12. My next landmark I would say is 12th. Because I was in 12th last weekend and I let my good friend Freddie Noren get around me, and then Dakota Alix and John Short at the end of the moto. Those guys are legit guys, but I feel like I can be up there if I put a full moto together.

 

Alright, thanks for the time today Josh and good luck moving forward. Being a privateer it is all about those sponsors. Who are the people and companies that help you get to the races every weekend?

I’d like to thank my sponsors. I always say, “I have the best people and brands behind me!” HD Supply, Fox, FMF, Dunlop, Lucas Oil, Munn Racing, Scott, Pro Taper, WP suspension, Twin Air, MotoMaster Brakes, Twisted Development, TCR, Acerbis, Twisted Development, MotoPro Graphics, Guts Seat Covers, Hinson.

And I’d also like to thank my Parents, my mechanic Averi Lison and deck hand Forrest Templin.

Author

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