Photos by: Chase Yocom – Interview by: Chris Cooksey
Almost every year in the Monster Energy Supercross 250SX Regional series, we see a relatively unknown rider make a leap forward and come out from under the radar, but it is seldom a rookie. For 2018, the breakout rider of the year for us has been the CycleTrader / Rock River / Yamaha rider Brandon Hartranft. Once we figured out how to spell his last name this year, we began typing and talking about him a lot.
I personally follow amateur racing relatively closely, and while I saw his name here and there, he was never a rider that was talked about as “the next big thing.” Then right out of the gate in the 2018 Eastern Regional 250SX Championship, he jumped off the page as someone to watch. The results were not there in the beginning of the year, but when he finished 9th in Atlanta, 8th in Daytona and then 6th in St. Louis, he put himself in the running for “Rookie of the Year” and we began to really take notice of the #114.
Last weekend in Minneapolis, he scored another top ten with a 7th overall in the final “Triple Crown” and he is currently in a heated battle with Sean Cantrell—who finished a career-best 4th overall—for that “Rookie of the Year” honor. Sean is 7th in the points with 78 points and Brandon is 8th in the points with 73 points. It is definitely a battle we are all paying attention to.
After his 7th overall in Minneapolis, Chris Cooksey talked the Brick, NJ. rider before they left the stadium about his night in Minneapolis.
Brandon, how was the Minneapolis SX overall for you? I know the first moto of the “Triple Crown” didn’t go great for you, but overall a good night for you.
There were a lot of positives out of tonight. The first main, was definitely rough, but I rode really good. I just regrouped and kept my head up for the last two mains. I got my best finish of the year, so, honestly, it’s a good day. [Brandon’s best finish was actually a 6th in St. Louis]
Were you injured at all in that crash?
I wasn’t, but my knee was hurting pretty good. It went away, so, no, I’m good
I have a different question for you. In the “Triple Crown” you guys are out there double the amount of time with the whole class yet the pay and the points are the same. I know if someone asked me to do twice the work for the same pay, I wouldn’t do it.
I think we should definitely get paid more for it. We’re definitely doing double the amount of work, but I kind of like that because I’m in good shape. But, yeah, the payout should be a little more. I agree with you, but you gotta take what you can get.
That seems to be the consensus, take what you can get because there’s no other way to deal with it. I’m not familiar with your amateur career because you kind of came out of nowhere for me. Did you have a stellar amateur career?
Well, in 2015, I won a couple titles. The best one was, I won Loretta’s in 2015 in the 450 class. In 2016, I moved to the A class and was kind of mediocre. Last year, I was on the amateur team for Rock River and won two national titles, and then I got hurt. I think last year was going to be a good breakout year, but I injured my ACL, so that was the end of the season.
The Rock River team has tended to be a feeder team for the Star Racing / Yamaha program. Is that something that is openly discussed?
Nah, we don’t really talk to them too much. I kind of keep to myself with them, you know. (laughs)
I wasn’t sure what the situation was, because Star seems to grab up all the good talent. I thought with all their injuries they might try to grab you.
Honestly, I haven’t really talked to them about anything.
Are you signed for this year and next year?
No, it’s just a one year deal until the end of outdoors.
I don’t remember seeing you, but did you do any outdoors last year at all?
No, my first pro race ever was in Arlington.
Are you excited to head outdoors this year?
I always rode outdoors, never SX, and I’m a good outdoor rider so I’m pretty excited.
