MotoOnline.com.au catches up with one of Victoria’s finest to get his thoughts on his new privateer life, freeriding with Blake ‘Bilko’ Williams, his crash with Billy Mackenzie at Wonthaggi and his aims for the 2013 Australian Supercross Championship.

Working full-time this year…

This year has been a lot different as I’ve been working in a quarry for the Krusic family. Team contracts weren’t looking good at the end of last year, so I took the opportunity to work a day-job for the first time in my life.

Racing was good for me, especially the five years I was with Yamaha and winning races. It meant I could set myself up, but the last few years have been tough; the industry is hurting and while I earned some bonuses last year it got to the point where I still need to live. As a result racing isn’t a priority, but I still believe I’m capable of racing the top guys, like I proved at Wonthaggi.

This year has changed my outlook on racing. I took a lot of things for granted when I was a full-time racer and I used to get really stressed out on race day. Now I see things from a different perspective: I know where I need to be at, but because it’s not my main income it’s different. But at the end of the day I’d go back full-time racing in a heart-beat if the opportunity came up.

The highs and lows of Wonthaggi…

The Wonthaggi round of the MX Nationals was awesome. I felt great and even though I worked four out of five days leading up to it, I had good preparation. After a fourth in the first race I got taken out while fighting with Billy Mackenzie at the end of the second moto. I hit the ground so hard I fractured ribs, bruised my tailbone and pelvis, and actually tore my arse crack. I couldn’t breathe and all I could think about was how I thought I’d ripped my arse cheek off!

It’s still hard to swallow and out of my 13-year career I’ve never been taken out like that. It still bums me out that I was having a good race and this guy switches his brain off and ends my day on a bad note. It was disappointing to see that attitude from a professional rider and I don’t have much time for him now.

My freeriding videos with Bilko…

In the first half of 2013 I wasn’t racing a lot and my sponsors wanted me to do some local rounds, but I questioned what coverage they’d get out of it. The Gippsland and Vic Titles have no media following and honestly no-one gives a shit who won. I then thought ‘why not make a freeride video?’.

I’m good mates with Bilko and was working at the quarry and thought we could build a big freeride set-up there that incorporate a FMX ramp into some of the jumps. We definitely wanted to do something that people would talk about, is always online and accessible. The first video went really well and was about six minutes long.

Monster Energy USA, who sponsor Bilko, got wind of it and have said they’d sponsor and fund this video as well as a second and third video. However there’s a lot of legal stuff to sort out; once it’s all ironed out we’ll be able to release it… hopefully it won’t be too much longer!

We’ve already filmed the second sand dune-riding video and the third one will incorporate supercross, Speed and Style and freeriding. They’re all going be pretty crazy and with Monster’s help, will hopefully get a lot of exposure for us.

My supercross plans…

I plan to race the vets class at the MX Nationals at Coolum, then compete in the Australian Supercross Championship. It’s only 11 weeks until supercross, so I’ll set my bike up in the next couple of weeks, then get into some full testing. I want to do well at supercross and am looking forward to it.

Darwin is a decent distance to travel, but it sounds like Yarrive Konsky is going to look after the privateers to get there. That’s the biggest hurdle for me. But regardless of where it is, we need more races and to build the profile of supercross. I’m glad the series is going ahead and I’m looking forward to the double-header rounds.

My best days aren’t behind me…

While it looks like my best years were from 2007 to 2010 with Yamaha, I feel as if I’m riding as good, if not better, than ever. Chad Reed says the older he gets the better he gets and I feel exactly the same. I feel I’m more consistent and just as strong, if not stronger, than ever, and have more experience and racecraft.

When I won four nationals straight I knew I was doing bad things, such as my diet, which I would totally change if I could do it over. Craig Dack would talk about racecraft, but I’d be like ‘if I hit the lines the fastest, that’s all that needs to be done’.

I still want to be racing in three or four years’ time and I’ve still got a lot to give, but if no-one gives me the opportunity, well, there’re only so many years you can do that for.

All I’m trying to do now is stay active on my bike, get support, and be ready to jump at the opportunity to ride for a team again if it arises.