Yamaha Motor Canada Presents MXP Chatter With Joey Crown

For many years, young Michigan rider Joey Crown had been one of the top amateur riders in the USA. As a member of the elite Team Green Kawasaki Team, Crown won many amateur titles before turning pro late last summer. With no top-level rides available in the USA for 2018, Crown turned his sights to Canada and landed some very good support with the Redemption Racing KTM Team for this summer. Since the 250 MXTour Series began in late May, Crown has been the model of consistency. Most recently he won a moto at Round 5, and then this past weekend in Moncton grabbed his first ever overall win as a pro rider. With just two rounds remaining in the series, Crown is just six points out of the championship lead. We caught up with Joey Crown for a quick chat, moments after his big win at Round 7.

MXP: Hey Joey, great job today on a pretty rough track. This wasn’t your first moto win this summer, but it was your first ever overall win of your pro career. Can you take us through your day?

JC: My day obviously turned out pretty good with getting the overall win and closing the points up in the 250 class. But it really didn’t start off that great, I didn’t qualify very well in practice and I really felt off this morning.

Well, it was good that you were able to turn things around. In the first moto you were running near the front and riding well.

 

Yes, I felt good in the first moto today, I just got a little arm pump and couldn’t really make a charge to finish any better. I’m not sure why I’m getting arm pump this summer, it’s happened a few times and I just can’t seem to shake it.

Whatever you did in between motos must have worked as you came out, got the holeshot and won the second moto.

Getting out front early was the key, for sure. I could take my own lines and ride how I wanted. I got into lappers and they messed me up a few times so Osby started to catch me. I knew he was catching me but I didn’t really know he was that close until he passed me. At first, I thought it was a lapper passing me back, but when I saw that it was him I was kind of mad.

After he got by you it appeared that you began to loosen up and actually ride better.

You’re right, after he passed me I saw a couple of lines that he had that I wasn’t using. Once I began to take those the whole track just seemed to flow better and I was able to pick up my speed. I stayed with him and then I was able to make the pass back.

From there, you were able to pull away quickly and pretty much cruise to the finish line. Did those final few laps feel good?

They felt so good! After I passed him I think he got a flat or something so he had to slow down. I won a moto at SDL but I wasn’t able to win the overall, and at Gopher Dunes I just didn’t ride well for some reason. I raced Millville last weekend and had a great race there, so I came into this weekend feeling really good. To be able to go out today and win a moto and the overall is really special.

Also, you closed up the points in this race for the championship. Did you think you’d be just six points off the lead with two rounds to go?

I did actually! I came into this series wanting and believing that I could win this championship. I’ve managed to stay consistent throughout most of the series and now we’re in a great spot with four motos left.

For a rookie rider this summer you’ve been very consistent. Have you enjoyed your time up here so far?

This summer has been really good for me and my program. Learning how to race in the Pro class is tough; the travel, the competition, just everything is more intense and different. I think racing in Canada this summer has given me the chance to learn stuff and also still get great results. Originally the plan was to race full time in the USA this year, but so far, I’m glad things have worked out the way they have.

So, we go to yet another track next weekend in Quebec that you’ve never been and then we finish up at Walton. Which is a track that you’ve had a lot of success? As you said before, you’re in a pretty good spot in this title chase.

I’ve always been a rider who can learn tracks quickly, so that really hasn’t been a problem this summer. This coming weekend I hear the dirt is more like SDL than Gopher Dunes, so that’s good for me. Yeah, and then it’s off to Walton and one of my favourite tracks. I just have to keep getting good starts and then we’ll see what happens. Right now, my Dad and I are having a lot of fun and hopefully we can make up a few more points and maybe win this championship.

Well, great job today and we’ll see you next weekend in Quebec.

Yeah, for sure. Thanks for all of your support this summer.