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Fox Racing Canada Presents MXP Chatter- Blake Davies

Like every young hockey player in Canada who dreams of one day playing in the NHL, most of our young riders, including myself once upon a time, dreamt of lining up for a SX inside Angel Stadium in Anaheim. Over the years, we’ve witnessed multiple young Canadian riders make it to the gate in Anaheim, and this weekend 16 year old Blake Davies will join that list. 2025 will make Blake’s first year as a full time pro rider, and with the help of his new Sky Racing Triumph Team, he’s trying to make the most of it. We caught up with Blake for a quick chat as he’s making his final preparation this week for his Monster Energy Supercross debut.

Blake used the AMO AX Series in Nov to sharpen his indoor skills. Photo by James Lissimore

MXP: Hey Blake! You’re now in California getting ready for Anaheim this weekend. How has everything been going and how are you feeling?

BD: Everything has been great, and honestly I feel ready to go. We’ve put in a lot of work for the past few months, so now it’s just time to go to the opening round and see where we stack up.

Through November and the early part of December, you had the opportunity to train down in Georgia at the Triumph Factory Racing Facility. To most young riders, that would be a dream come true. It appears like you certainly made the most of it, so can you tell us what the experience was like?

As you said, it really was a dream come true as every young rider would be honoured to train at a facility like that. It was pretty much what you’d expect it to be. It was amazing, it was incredibly challenging, at first it was a little intimidating, but overall it was a great experience, and I’m a much better rider for it.

You mentioned the word ‘challenging’ so we’re assuming you’re talking about the daily workload that was involved. Was it just the amount of work that was tough, or the type of work as well?

It was honestly everything. The training off the bike was tough, the amount of laps that we did during the week, and the pace that you had to do those laps at. Not to mention, you were being watched and judge all the time. Basically, there was no days off, or days where you could slack off.

Blake will be part of the new Sky Racing Triumph Race Team in Canada this year.

Sounds like it was both physically and mentally tough, especially considering you’re still just 16 years old.

Yes, for sure. As a rider, you always had to try and be at your best each day. Obviously, there were days that I showed up at the track tired and worn out, but I still had to go out and perform. Also, each day I was riding with the factory guys, so the pace was high, and most of the time I was at my limit. But overall, they were a big help and I was able to improve my riding by quite a bit.

When you say ‘they’, who are you referring to?

Mostly Mike Brown as he is the team’s official trainer. He is an awesome guy, and obviously a great trainer. He would train with us off of the bike as well, and he was always at the track. He is calm and relaxed, but stern and serious at the same time. The way he explains things is really good, and obviously he’s extremely knowledgeable about riding and training.

That sounds amazing Blake, and also it’s very cool that we’re going to see a Triumph Team in Canada this year. You’re coming off a few years of racing a Husqvarna, was it easy to adapt to the Triumph?

Yes, I really liked it from the first time I rode it. Right away I was comfortable and I was able to get up to speed quickly. We’ve obviously been riding SX mostly for the past few months, and it’s been great. I can’t wait to see how the bike is outdoors.

As an athlete heading into a big event like Anaheim 1, it would be impossible not to have an idea of where you’d like to finish. What are your expectations heading into the opening round of the 250SX West Series?

I’ve thought about it a lot, especially this week. Honestly, I know the class is going to be stacked and everyone is going to be amp’ed up on Saturday. But, I know what my speed is compared to the Triumph Factory riders, so my goal is to qualify for the night show, and see what I can do in the heat races. It will most likely come down to the LCQ, so hopefully I can get a good start and maybe make the main event. If not, I’ll take what I learn on Saturday and then apply those lessons to the following rounds. Right now, I’m just excited to get to Anaheim and get the weekend started. I’ve been thinking about this day for a long time.

Blake ended his successful amateur career off by winning the prestigious Fox Bronze Boot last summer at Walton Raceway.

Well, it sounds as though you have a great attitude Blake. Also, it’s clear you’ve done the work, and you’re as prepared as you can be for this incredible opportunity. Good luck and we hope you enjoy yourself. Thank you for taking the time to chat with me.

Thanks Palms! It should be fun and I cannot wait to get the season going.

Chris Pomeroy

1989 Rookie-of-the-year and former nationally ranked pro racer who turned into a dirt oriented scribe

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