MXP Chatter With Cole Thompson Presented By Kimpex Canada

The last time we reached out to Cole Thompson, he had just arrived in Australia, and he was still adapting to down under things like driving on the opposite side of the road, the water going down the drain in the opposite direction, and of the Aussie delicacy known simply as a ‘meat pie.’ There are obviously a lot of things different in Australia, as there are in any country, but the one thing that did remain the same for Cole was his work ethic and his attention to detail. During his stay in Australia Cole stayed focused, and his results steadily improved until he stood on top of the podium at the final round of the Australian SX Series. Now he’s back in North America and preparing for the opening round of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Series at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. We caught up with Cole as he made a quick stop in Ontario before driving west.

MXP: Hey Cole, I saw on Social Media that you’re back home in Ontario. How long are you home for?

CT: We got home the other day, and we’re only here until Saturday. I’m just getting the motor home ready and then we’re driving it out to California for the opening rounds of SX.

You have been all over the place during the past few weeks. Can you tell us about your travels?

Yes, it’s been a crazy week as I went straight from the final SX round in Wagga Wagga to Sydney and then from there, flew to Florida. From Florida, we flew out California to do some testing and be a part of the Team Solitaire Intro. We were only there for a few days, and then we flew home to Ontario. It’s been tough on the body and mind for sure, but honestly, this is what I’ve wanted to do for a few years, so I’m enjoying life right now, even if it means sitting on an airplane for hours!

I hear you Cole for sure. And trust me, no one loves travelling more than I do so I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Let’s talk about Australia for a moment. The last time we spoke, you had only been there a few days and everything was new and different. You appeared to adapt quickly to everything and your results showed that. Looking back now, how challenging was it just to pack up and head to Australia and jump right into racing?

It was tough for sure but as soon as I landed there I went straight into training, riding, and then racing. There was no down time and no time to sit around miss home. My wife Chloe wasn’t even with me for the first month so it was just the team and me. It was good though and I figured things out pretty quickly and honestly, the team was a big help with making me feel at home.

How did the Australian deal come about and was it fairly last minute on your end?

Yes, it was a little last minute for sure. I actually have Joe Skidd of SSS Suspension to thank as he is the one who got the ball rolling. I guess Joe knows someone from the Serco Yamaha Team and they reached out to him and asked who he thought might be a good fit to head down there. Joe mentioned my name and the rest is history. So yes, I owe Joe a big thank you. I didn’t have too much time to think about it so I just said sure I’ll come and I’m glad I did.

For sure! Opportunities like this don’t come every day, so good on you for taking them. You were there for almost two months; was it hard to say goodbye to everyone?

It actually was! The team and some of the riders I trained with each week became like a family to me, so it was tough when it was time to go. They’re good people and overall, Australia is just amazing.

Did they say ‘see you next year?

Not exactly, but I hope to go back and experience that again. I was filling in for an injured rider so who knows what happens in 2023. By winning the final round I definitely left on a high note, so if there’s a spot next year, I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out. As I said earlier, this is what I wanted to do with however long I left in racing. I wanted to focus on SX and I wanted to go where the racing took me. I started in the fall with the Triple Crown Series indoor series, then went to Australia, and now I’m getting ready for Anaheim. I’m really excited about how the past few months went, and I’m excited for the next few months.

We’re all excited for you (laughs). Okay, unlike last year when it was just you and Chloe and a YZ250F with a few parts on it. This time you’re heading into Anaheim with the support of Team Solitaire Yamaha. You tested the bike last week. How is it and how do you feel heading into 2023?

I feel good and am excited to get to California and return to a normal training schedule. With flying and travelling it’s been tough to eat properly and get all the sleep you need. But it’s great knowing that I’m part of a good team heading into 2023, as that was one of my goals last year. I don’t have too much time on my new bike, but so far I love it, and we’re in a good spot heading into Anaheim. I’m back with Factory Connection Suspension, they were a massive help to my program earlier this past year and it’s good to have them again. Our motor package is great and overall, I’m really familiar with the Yamaha package, so we’re good to go.

Also, it was cool to see your team announce their new partnership with Heartbeat Hot Sauce, which along with your Team Manager Chris Elliot has some solid Canadian roots.

Yeah, there is definitely some Canadian connection to this team and I think it will be great. We have some cool stuff planned with Leatt and our gear for each round of the SX Series so we will make a statement for sure.

So you’re on a team which is exciting and what you wanted heading into 2023. But it comes with a price, and you had to replace Chloe as your mechanic. No husband likes giving their wife bad news. Did she take the news okay, or was she upset?

Well, I still may need her if I ride some 450SX races in the east, so she may not be done yet (laughs). She took the news okay, but I’m sure she’ll miss being down in the action.

She was definitely the mechanic of the year for sure. So the plan is to get packed up and then head west to California?

Yes! I’d like to get to California by Tuesday and get set up. Then I can get back to a normal routine and start preparing for Anaheim. I feel good right now, having been racing since September, so I just need to fine-tune some things and then I’ll be ready for A1.

Well Cole, safe travels and good luck in Anaheim. Also, Merry Christmas and happy new year to you and your family!

Thank you Chris! Same to you and your family and hopefully, we will see you down at one of Anaheim’s.