A quick status report with my pick for the West SX Lites title. BT20.
I told Broc two weeks ago that when he got his first win this season I was going to interview him for the Pulp fans, so here it is.
-Kevin
I’m betting Broc Tickle is doing the same thing today he does any other Monday following a race weekend, win or lose. My point being, you’re 1pt out of the title lead, your program looks solid so why alter it, right?
That’s right doing the same old thing, riding Tuesdays and Thursdays, training Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Pretty much the same as last year, still working with Charles Dao.
Congratulations on the win, was it any more or less gratifying than your win last season?
Well, a win is good no matter what. I think the first one is definitely the best but I want to get a third win as much as the second win. You know what I mean, once you get a taste of it you just want it more.
Regarding those who bag on your podium presence, do you just feel like, how could I be expected to act any differently when the title is my goal and race wins are just a big step toward that goal?
Yeah definitely, I mean I may not act that excited but I definitely am, it just doesn’t show.
You expect to win right?
Yeah I expect to win at this point and if I don’t I’m gonna be bummed. I don’t want to say that last year it was out of my reach to win, it was there but the win last year I didn’t show it because it was almost like a shock, like “did I just win?” Now I’m at the point where I know I belong up there so, it may be the same kind of look emotionally, just because now I expect to win where last year I was just shocked. I’m glad that this year if I get second Im frustrated.
To me it looked like you made a decision after last week to be more assertive and definitive with your passes this week, was that the case?
Yeah last week I was really bummed because I lost the podium on the last lap by not being patient, I want to make sure from now on when I make a pass that it sticks. I wasn’t expecting Tomac to come back like that and it’s something that I learned from. Every pass I make from now on is going to be a solid pass, not something where I hit them in one corner and allow them to come hit me back in the next corner.
Sitting on the line for the main, were you looking at the track and weather knowing that it was shaping up to play right into your strengths?
I was watching the weather all day and new it was going to be off and on with the rain and I liked that. I knew it would be more difficult for the other riders than me and I was pumped when it started raining.
Does this win give you more confidence or was it just the pragmatic next step toward your goal of the title?
Oh yeah well just being on the team in general brings a lot of confidence and obviously the team wants us to win, I know that, I mean he wouldn’t have put me on the team in the first place if he didn’t feel I could. So yeah, everything all combined is a big confidence booster and thats what I needed to take me to the next level.
You don’t strike me as someone who feels external pressure, you set goals and work toward them in a tunnel vision manner, is that the case?
I know how much pressure I need and what I need to do to be my best. The team isn’t putting pressure on me, but I put pressure on myself because I know they expect me to be on the podium every time and to win races. That creates some pressure but I just don’t care about the little things, I just know theres a job to do and I focus on doing that.
Are you happily surprised with finally being able to get holeshots or were you expecting it from the moment you started riding the PC bike?
Honestly, I didn’t even know what to expect. I went into Anaheim 1 and to be honest with you, I never even practiced starts the whole time leading up to A1; so that’s evidence of my confidence in the bike which is obviously really good. Just part of the combination of everything which made it easier.
What’s the most obvious strength of the PC bike over what you’ve ridden before, suspension or motor?
I think just the stock Kawi in general, especially the handling is better. Everything about my bike as it is now is better, I really couldn’t ask for anything more. It’s kind of hard to tell power-wise, like back to back would be easier but when I started riding my Kawi, I hadn’t ridden since a month earlier at Pala so when I first got on the Kawi it just felt fresh and I didn’t have to adjust. My first PC bike was Weimer’s practice bike because our ’11’s were just coming in and getting setup, and I pretty much stayed with that setup and only changed a few things.
It seems like you and your mechanic Dave are a perfect personality match, is that the case?
Yeah he’s great, I like how he’s older, he’s a been there done that kind of guy. He was here at PC for four years with Casey Johnson between ’95 to early ’99 and know’s how to motivate. He’s great at what he does and you gotta have respect for your mechanic and I have a lot of respect for him and I know he respects me as well, so like you said, yeah it is a good relationship.
What are you looking forward to the rest of the season? Just stick to the program and making those passes stick?
Yeah y’know, the starts come first and that’ll make it a lot easier on myself so Im not going to focus on it too much but thats the main thing. Everything else, I feel good, I mean there’s a couple little things I can work on here and there. The main thing is I feel so much smarter this year with my race craft and that takes you far in this sport.
This weekend was so gnarly, like when I got off the track I couldn’t remember anything. I couldn’t remember where I passed anybody. I couldn’t remember where I passed Hansen, I don’t remember where I passed Roczen, all I could think of was how good I felt after the race.
At this point the conversation turned to Verizon iPhone talk, Mad Skills MX and other “non-Pulpable” topics…
Thanks to Broc for the time and thoughts.
