So you guys are friends on the track. But
off the track, it’s game on. How is it racing against your friend?
Derek: We have respect for each
other on the track.
Carson: Yeah. Sometimes it comes
down to like, are we really that close
friends? But in the end we’re always
friends. We always know not to cross
that line. When we do, we come off
the track feeling sorry, so that’s what
makes us friends.
Does it make it easier or harder racing against your friends?
Carson: I’d say it makes it harder. If
you throw a wheel in on him, you
don’t want to hurt your friend, you
don’t want to even hurt yourself also.
And then, you just look dumb when
you try to go for it and take you both
out.
So what is it that draws you to racing
motocross?
Derek: Adrenaline! If you hit the corner really good and you know the
guy behind you didn’t hit it as good
as you, and you just keep doing it all
over again. It’s fun.
Carson: For me, at the start, I get so
much adrenaline, I’ll take a breath,
feel my heart pounding a million
miles a second. It’s gnarly.
Derek: Yeah, you don’t think of anything except you and your dirt bike.
How do you bounce back after a
crash. Does fear ever get to you?
Derek: When you’re riding you don’t
think of it. But when you’re on the line
it’s in the back of your mind. As soon
as the gate drops, nothing’s in your
mind.
Carson: When you’re on the line
you definitely know. You’re thinking.
That’s when you think the most. Like,
should I really be out here right now?
Still hurting right now? Should I take
that risk again? And then, like Derek said, as soon as that gate drops,
nothing matters.
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theROOTSMX • ISSUE 1 2014