Catching Up with...MIke Brown

Interview by Chris Pomeroy

Photos by James Lissimore

Mike Brown debuted the new KTM350SXF at Ste. Julie

  Former AMA national champion (125 motocross 2001) Mike Brown is winding down a successful career that sees him a supercross and national winner and he even competed in the GP’s a couple of years. Nowadays, Brownie is riding the WORCS series but before he rides off into the sunset, KTM Canada brought him up to ride the most recent round of the Monster Energy Canadian nationals on the all-new KTM 350 machine. I got a chance to talk to Mike before the day began and although it didn’t go exactly to plan for Mike, it was great to see him up here nevertheless.

DMX:  Hey Mike, welcome to Canada.  You raced the national at Red Bud a few weeks ago, how did that go?

Mike Brown:  It went pretty good, well the second moto went pretty good.   I hadn’t raced one in awhile and it was only decide on the Thursday before that I was even going to go.  So all things considered, I was happy.

Q:  How old are you now.

I’m 38 now.

Q:   These long motos probably suit you pretty good.  Do you feel like it takes you a little bit longer to get warmed up when your racing these days.

Yes, kind of.  With the WORCS Series you have a lot of time to warm up (laughs), but in the Nationals you still have to sprint with the kids right from the start.  I have always been good at both parts, sprinting and the endurance part, so even at 38 things are still good.

Mike Brown rode to 12-9 moto scores at Ste Julie for 10th overall.

Q:  It’s great to have you up here, how did you coming up here happen.

Well, it actually started a few months ago.  It was just mentioned that I should come up and race, I have watched these races on television a few times and the tracks all looked good.  Just the more we spoke about it, the better the idea sounded and here I am.

Q:  How do you like this track today.

It looks great.  Its pretty fast and has some really cool jumps an elevation changes, the dirt and they way its prepared reminds me of back home.  I am looking forward to racing today.  I hope they let it get rough because that will separate guys a bit, but on the other hand, the 350 probably will work better if it’s a bit smoother.

Q:  I had a chance to ride the KTM 350 a few weeks and I really like it.  How have you found it so far.

I really like the bike, I have won a race on it so I know its competitive.  Mike Alessi has been doing okay on it in the USA Nationals against the bigger 450’s, I think when more people get a chance to ride the bike, it will be a popular bike for sure.

Q:  What are your expectations for today.

I would be really happy with a top 3 but I know these guys are fast.  I just need to get a good start, stay out of trouble and I should be okay.  It’s always tough when you join a series after it has already started, the regular guys are just used to racing against each other and going fast.  It should be fun whatever happens.

Q:  Alright Mike, thanks for this and good luck today.  Hopefully we’ll see you at another round or at the Montreal SX.

Yes for sure.  It was good talking to you and yes, hopefully I can make it back up again.