MXA INTERVIEW: JEREMY MARTIN TALKS HIS WIN AND TRAINING WITH ELI TOMAC

 

Jeremy Martin

By Jim Kimball

Although he had very credible finishes at the Hangtown, and Glen Helen outdoor championship this year, Jeremy Martin captured his first win of the season this past weekend at Thunder Valley in Lakewood, Colorado. He did it in convincing fashion with 2-1 moto scores. Equally impressive was older brother Alex, who finished second overall. Just turning 25 years old, Jeremy has renegotiated his Honda contract to where he would stay in the 250 class for 2018, and 2019. If you know Jeremy he simply wasn’t that happy with his 2017 season. He felt he had more to prove. Now training with Eli Tomac in Colorado, Martin is in the right shape mentally and physically to make another run at the 250 outdoor championship, as he did when he won the National championship titles in 2014 and 2015. At this point it’s difficult to predict the 2018 AMA 250 motocross champions but you can bet Jeremy Martin will be in the mix. We chatted with the new red plate holder just after his second moto.

JEREMY, WHAT AN IMPRESSIVE DAY FOR YOU IN COLORADO. Yes, it was a great day. Practice started out a little rough being 7th fastest, and I was kind of bummed out because I really like this track. I like the flow of it, but was thinking, “ Man, is this track ever going to get rough enough.”  None of the tracks have been really that rough this year, and I have been disappointed. They do not seem like they are digging them in as deep or not putting as much water on the track, but it came around. I had two motos and two great battles with my brother, and I was able to go 2 -1 for the overall.

YOU HAVE A NEW BIKE THIS YEAR, DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE IT DIALED IN PRETTY WELL? To be honest, we have a good base, but we are just getting started on it, and just figuring it out. I think there is room for improvement, and although I think the bike is really good right now we can make it better. I look forward to getting the bike better so I can go a little faster, and ride in some places that maybe my competition is not.

“I look forward to getting the bike better so I can go a little faster, and ride in some places that maybe my competition is not.”

OBVIOUSLY, YOU EARNED THE RED PLATE AGAIN, AND YOU SHOWED EVERYONE THAT YOU ARE IN IT TO WIN IT. Oh for sure, if you think about it, after 2015, I did not feel good in 2016, I was just really, really run down and not feeling well. Things were not jiving with the team and me at the time, so I split from there and went to Geico Honda and I was still trying to recover from being run down. I had a new bike, and just did not understand it. Then this year, we got a new bike, a new approach, and the whole Geico Honda team went to work last year. They really stood behind me, worked with me, and helped me get better.

YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN AS ONE OF THE FITTEST RIDERS.  THIS YEAR YOU SWITCHED IT UP A BIT, AND HAVE BEEN TRAINING WITH ELI TOMAC IN COLORADO. DID THAT PLAY A FACTOR IN TODAY’S WIN? I think being up in elevation plays a factor, and I knew that. Like I may have said before, I am pretty genetically gifted. I knew that when I came to the Colorado elevation, and first started training with Eli, that I could feel it. So I knew at the high intensity that we were racing at, that some of the boys would be feeling it in moto two, and I was pretty certain that I was right.

IT SEEMS LIKE TWO OF YOUR MAIN COMPETITORS, PLESSINGER AND OSBORNE HAD OFF DAYS.  YOUR BROTHER WAS RIGHT UP THERE.  YOU LAP OSBORNE, OULD YOUY SEE WHAT WAS WONG WITH HIM? I did not know what exactly was going on, but obviously there was something wrong, because Zach is a beast master, and he is really good. You know you never like to see anyone down like that. I have been in that situation before, and have been lapped by the number one guy and it sucks.

JOEY SAVATGY, AND JUSTIN COOPER WERE UP FRONT IN MOTO ONE, BUTIT FEELS LIKE IT WILL BE A SEASON LONG BATTLE BETWEEN THE MARTIN BROTHERS AND AARON PLESSINGER. Back when I raced in 2014, there were weekends where you had one occasional guy in the mix, and then you had your consistent title guys.Now it’s the same thing, just a different year.

Jeremy MArtin

WE HAVE A WEEKEND OFF COMING UP, WHAT WILL YOU DO DIFFERENT? I am going to train during the week as normal, but take the weekend off, and enjoy not having to get on an airplane.

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