THE CONTINUING ADVENTURES OF EZRA LEWIS AND THE 2023 AMA NATIONALS

In every issue of Motocross Action magazine and in every one of our videos, we have test riders riding different bikes and wearing different gear. Sometimes we mention the names of our “show ponies” and explain who they are, but not often. Usually, they are masked by the orange helmet, and we focus our attention on how the bike performs. 

Ezra Lewis, also known as “Ezra Sexton,” is our most stylish MXA test rider, and he’s graced the cover of the magazine three different times since he began helping us with photoshoots three years ago. He also spoke on camera in our Pro Circuit YZ125 test video and has appeared in many ‘This Week in MXA’ videos. Last year, Ezra traveled the country in his van, racing the 2022 Pro Motocross series. Over the offseason, Ezra worked at FedEx to save money for his 2023 National season. Now he’s at it again, traveling the country to all eleven rounds of the AMA Nationals.

Over the past few weekends of racing, Ezra and the team have faced a list of issues besides just getting from event to event. Here is a look into what goes on behind the scenes of racing the Nationals, some of the difficulties faced, issues with health and equipment, and overall pulling something together to go racing on the weekend.

We’re happy to interview Ezra about his adventures as a privateer on the AMA National circuit. 

Seat time is the best way to gain confidence in qualifying for the mains.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER WE KEFT YOU AT RED BUD?  At Red Bud I wasn’t able to qualify for the motos,  but Bryce and Jason decided to stay the night at the track to race the Pro-Am on Sunday. It was a good way to get more time on the track and earn some purse money. Mike Lapinski blessed me big time, allowing me to borrow his Honda CRF250 to race in the 250 Pro class. He was also racing a couple of motos back-to-back with mine, so it was like a fire drill getting back to the line for his gate pick. Good times.

I was surprised by how comfortable I felt on Mikes’s Honda; I had better results on it too! Ended up 3rd on the 250 and 9th in the 450. Chandler Baker was able to win all the motos Sunday after a 13th in a moto on Saturday. Bryce Hammond rode solid getting second in the 450 Pro class and breaking away from Jason and me. Jason Fischera, another traveling buddy from California, almost caught me in the first 250 motos, then we went back and forth, battling for third in the second moto. Jason Finished 4th in 250 and 6th in 450 Pro.

Keeping up with maintenance on the road is not an easy task, as the team demonstrates here with a rebuild. The manuals laid out on the trailer’s bench.

MXA: DESCRIBE YOUR JOURNEY AND EXPERIENCED LEADING UP TO AND INCLUDING SOUTHWICK.  After a long four days of Red Bud, we left for Southwick on Sunday night and stopped at an awesome track owned by Todd Richotte. It was a deep sand track with hills and crazy jumps. He and his girlfriend Jenn were very nice to let us all stay and ride a couple of days before Southwick.

From there, it started to go downhill, I got a bad sickness and clipped a bridge that ripped  the A/C unit off the trailer. After managing to make it to Southwick, I found out I was not the entry list for the 450 class. So I waited at the MX Sports trailer for a couple of hours, and they told me there were two open spots in the 250 class. Once again, I raced Mike Lapinski’s bike, this time with a custom tape number Jason put together the night before the race. I was in 250 Group B first thing in the morning and knew it was going to be a good opportunity to qualify on the smoothest track. In qualifying I needed one more second to be in, but I was thankful just to have the chance to give it a try with the help of Mike and many others around Bryce’s pit.

Ezra and Mike Lapinski with his makeshift number plates leading into the Southwick National.

COULD YOU WALK US THROUGH THE CHALLENGES YOU FACED AT THE NEXT ROUND IN MILLVILLE? At Millville! I met an A/C repair guy named Jason at a track called Meadow Valley,  about 5 minutes away from Spring Creek. I didn’t know we were that close to Millville until after I rode and saw a bunch of people on bikes and golf carts rolling by. So, Bryce and I peddled down the street and ran into the line for Thursday Amateur parking. On Saturday. I was close to qualifying and ended up 41st with a 2:12 lap time and needed a 2:11 flat to get into the Nationals motos. Spring Creek was the most fun track I’d ridden this year, and I was honestly not sure if the new triple was going to be possible until I hit it, so I was stoked about that, at least.

WHAT’S THE PLAN FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON?  I’m going to spend a week in Florida riding at the 83 Compound, then fly back to California to help at Panic Rev’s Summer Camp at Lake Elsinore! I’ll return to Florida after CampRev and then head to  New York for Unadilla on August 12 after the two-weekend break in the National schedule.

 

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