Mike Brown talks UK Arenacross
By Team TMX on 25th Nov 15
The final rider jigsaw pieces are starting to fall into place for the 2016 Monster Energy Arenacross Tour powered by Ford Ranger which kicks off on Saturday, January 2, at Manchester Arena...
The 11-round schedule will take place at seven major city arenas in Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast, Birmingham, Newcastle, Sheffield and London.
You can expect plenty of indoor MX racing, freestyle MX action and huge entertainment for the whole family with riders representing America, France, Spain, Italy, Estonia, Finland and – of course – Great Britain.
There will be loads of opportunities for fans to get to their feet and cheer on the mighty and mini racers and sit back and watch in awe as the freestyle boys place body and bikes in seemingly impossible airborne situations.
In advance of the tour, we got to speak with legendary former AMA motocross champion Mike Brown, a top runner on the world 125 scene, supercross winner, X-Games medallist and, more recently, endurocross competitor...
By the time the Monster Energy Arenacross Tour kicks off at Manchester Arena, Brown will be edging ever-closer towards his 44th birthday.
However, despite his maturing years and amid rumours that he's on the verge of hanging up his racing boots, the Tennessee hero is returning to the UK to take to the AX stage and mix it up with the best that Europe has to offer on the indoor arena scene.
Brown has had a colourful career and even quit the sport altogether for a while.
He last won a British series in 2007 when he won the MX2 class for Honda at the age of 35, yet we're told he simply loves racing and is as competitive as ever.
Just what motivates someone to cross the Atlantic and do battle with a bunch of younger guys, some of whom are almost half his age?
We caught up with Brown just as he returned from racing in South America earlier this month, fresh from winning yet another enduro championship...
TMX: What do you like about racing in Europe? What keeps you coming back?
MB: I have some good memories of living in England. The food's okay and the fact there is no language barrier helps.
I've also had a lot of help from people like Dave Thorpe over the years. Living in the UK for two years – in Reading, Berkshire – was a pretty big change for me and my career.
I got to race in the right class and learnt things like how to corner and race better. I reckon the training I packed in back then, usually in the rain and on sand, got me to where I am now.
It was like when I returned to America I could ride in the sand pretty good.
But I think what really does it for me is the way the fans get behind the actual racing and also, people in Europe are more
sincere.
TMX: We understand you're currently mainly tackling endurocross. Yet here you are on the other side of 40, facing 11 rounds of tightly-packed, fast-paced arenacross against a number of younger riders, some of whom are half your age. What are your thoughts on this?
MB: It will be hard racing against younger riders who have no fear. But I still ride hard and still enjoy the supercross style of racing.
I relish the challenge of change and, having pretty much conquered off-road riding, I'm ready for the challenge of arenacross.
TMX: Is your age slowing you down, or can you still mix it with the best of them?
MB: I'm confident I can still mix with them, otherwise I wouldn't put myself in the frame.
I train now as hard as I've ever trained and certainly have no concerns about my physical fitness.
TMX: Will your experience be a major benefit? How do you cope physically and mentally?
MB: Physically I'm still doing the same training as when I was winning back in 2000.
Of course, I'm older and it takes a little longer to recover but I'm still training on the bike, cycling
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and in the gym. Nothing has changed really other than it may vary depending on how I feel when I get up in the morning.
TMX: What do you know about the guys you'll be racing against?
MB: I know Cyrille Coulon and Adam Chatfield from racing in America and England.
I'm also familiar with the racing styles and talents of Angello Pellegrini and Thomas Ramette.
They're all great riders and there is no doubt that it's going to be rough racing in arenacross but 99 per cent of it is getting a good start and then it's a matter of consistency.
I'm really looking forward to it.
TMX: Which bike will you race?
MB: I'll be running a 350 XBladez Husqvarna in a team put together by Dave Willet.
It's a bike I have 100 per cent confidence in and believe it to be the perfect machine for arenacross. It has almost as much power as a 450 but is easier to turn, is light and flickable.
TMX: You switched to Husqvarna last year. Perhaps not a massive change from KTM but still a change. How is it going
so far?
MB: It was great riding for KTM as it took me in a new direction but when Husqvarna approached
me I could see the potential for a long-term
relationship.
It was tough to begin with, going with a new team and getting to understand new organisational procedures and the like and halfway through the year I realised that the Husky bike was actually a lot different to KTM.
But now it's going great. We have a great set-up, the results are coming in and all is good.
TMX: We understand you're working with Husqvarna as more than just a rider. What's the story there?
MB: I've just signed up for another couple of years in an ambassador type of role but I'll still be racing for a while yet. It's a good company – fresh and new – and I'm lucky to be a part of it.
I'll be going around to the big shows and meeting dealers and seeing the other side of racing.
TMX: What about becoming a team-manager like one of your earlier racing opponents, Stefan Everts?
MB: I would love to do something like that and in fact Husqvarna has offered me something along those lines but it would involve moving to California and I'm not ready to uproot my family yet.
I love travelling, getting to ride and being around it all but my family needs its roots.
TMX: You're a family man now. How does that fit in with racing overseas? Does the family travel with you?
MB: We have two boys – one is 12 and the other eight. The 12-year-old is massively into basketball and even travels more than me. He's going all over America with his sport and so the family don't get to travel to the races so much. Basketball is their thing and racing is my job.
Having said that, my younger son loves riding and would race every day and at weekends if he could.
I guess it's going to happen – but I'm not ready to be a schoolboy dad just yet.
TMX: Finally, how much are you looking forward to arenacross? And what are you most looking forward to about being back in the UK?
MB: As I said earlier, I'm made up with the prospect of racing arenacross because of the challenge and the chance to start over again with something different. I haven't taken part in this series before so it will be a steep learning curve.
I'm also looking forward to catching up with all the friends I had when I last lived in England and can't wait to meet the fans.
