Frid’Eh Update #30 | Sebastien Racine | Presented by KTM Canada
By Billy Rainford
We’re coming to you from a picnic table at the side of the track here at the ECAN at Motocross Deschambault near Quebec City, Quebec. There are a record number of entries here this year, so that’s a great sign for the health of our sport. However, it also means I’m going to be quick here.
Sebastien Racine is the rider running #30 this season. He’s a rookie on the Red Bull Thor KTM Canada team in the 250 class. He’s shown that he has the potential to run with the leaders in this competitive class. In fact, he had his first moto win in the bag at Sand Del Lee but fell in the final corner and had to settle to 3rd. We’ll cover that in our interview, don’t worry.
We grabbed him for a short conversation this week to get his thoughts on the season so far. Here’s what he had to say:
Direct Motocross: Okay, Sebastien. Hey, um, thanks for talking with us today. Where are you right now? It’s Thursday morning, where are you?
Sebastien Racine: I’m at Deschambault. I just got done with the first practice.
Oh, you were on the track. How is the track this year?
I mean, it didn’t change a lot. It’s kind of the same layout. It’s actually pretty nice right now. It’s not rough, so it’s just wide open everywhere. But, it should be nice later this afternoon.
Okay, so I assume that means you’re doing the big double.
Yeah, this morning I was doing it.
Is it easy once you’ve done it a few times.
Nothing to it. It’s just the approach. When you get used to how to go up to it, I mean, it’s easy to do. It’s like wide open on a 250, so you can’t really gauge it wrong, I guess.
Well, now let’s talk about your first year with the full factory support. How has this year been different that way? How has the extra support helped you out? What does it feel like?
It’s been really good this year. I mean, it got me some pretty good results. It’s just, they tell me a little bit, like tips and stuff. How to get used to the track when it gets rough, like what to do and stuff, so that’s helped me. And then I’ve got good bikes and everything just like suspension or everything’s just going really good right now. It’s a good experience, that’s for sure. And yeah, pretty fun.
Okay, now let’s not talk about your second moto at Sand Del Lee just yet, but, you’ve managed to get yourself on the podium. Talk about how that felt and is that what you expected out of yourself this year?
I mean, yeah. This off season I broke my collarbone the first day I was at Club MX, so that wasn’t too good. And then I kinda lost one month there in my training, so I just got back on the bike and I didn’t have the strength to hold my bike, so it took a while, probably like three weeks, before the first round is when I really started to push. So, at the first round I didn’t know how I was gonna do, but after qualifying and my lap times it’s been pretty good.
And then I was able to get on the box at Drumheller, so after that I’ve just been trying to keep my speed up and keep consistent.
Okay, now you’re still obviously young so when you look behind you and you see like Harrison or McNabb or Piccolo, do you feel like you can run with them or do you look back and go, “Uh oh, I’m in trouble” or are you confident that you can run that pace?
I mean, I know I can run that pace. It’s just kind of…their race lines are a lot better than mine and the way they pass people, I gotta learn from that. I’m not too good at passing, so I gotta learn how to pass and then keep the pace up. That’s pretty much my biggest challenge right now is just not to try getting like a comfort zone, that’s about it.
That makes sense. Hey, okay, well, now we have to talk about it. You almost did it again with your first moto win at San Del Lee. I mean, I apologize for being right there and getting you all on video but, I gotta ask you to take us through what happened there and then you just sort of lean back like, “Oh my God, I can’t believe this just happened.” Can you take us through what.
Yeah, I mean, last lap came out and Mitchell (Harrison) was like right behind me. I got stuck with some lappers and he fell. And then I knew I had it. I went the whole lap and I just kind of settled.
There was that lapper on the outside too, so I couldn’t really go outside. I just kind of funnelled in behind Devyn (Smith) that was inside and he tucked the front and I had absolutely nowhere to go. So I hit his back wheel and I fell. My bike was stuck and then he picked his bike up and then my bike was like stuck sideways.
I was pulling on it and then the bike fell. I fell back and I think I stayed there for like 5 or 10 seconds. I couldn’t believe what happened, but then, yeah, at least I was able to get third and kind of still get a podium.
You’re one of the top few guys and it’s weird because you’re not always in that top group that is way ahead. Can you explain that? Is it different tracks? Is it starts? Because I mean, those guys are always there and sometimes you are there. What’s it gonna take to get there consistently?
For me it’s all about the track, so it’s like the way I feel on the track and how I can get a flow. On a hard pack track I struggle a lot. I’m used to the sand. Like, out west there wasn’t that many ruts. I was able to just kind of make my way around everything, but like Walton and Moncton this weekend, it was like gnarly ruts and I gotta ride more in that. I kinda get in my own head and I ride too tight and then I just get arm pump and kind of stay back. I have to learn.
Now, I have to back up here. You mentioned arm pump. Is that something you are struggling with? Do you have trouble with arm pump?
I mean, I get arm pump sometimes, like, especially at the start of the season. Sometimes when I can’t find the edge I ride tight and kind of lose my flow.
How old are you now, Sebastien?
I’m 16.
You’re 16. All right. So we’ve got two rounds left. Obviously, you like day Deschambault. I think everybody does, but, to end the season, the last two rounds, what’s it gonna take to make this a successful season or is it already?
I’m not far from third in the championship. I am only 14 points behind Jake Piccolo and he’s not racing this weekend, so hopefully I can kind of get third and then hopefully hold it for Walton and get third in championship. That would be cool.
You’re going to be the only ride under the tent this week (We learned after this interview that #33 Jeremy McKie will ride Jake’s bike) Is that pressure or are you just gonna make everybody do stuff and help you out? LOL
No, I mean, I just ride like I do every weekend, so I’ll just try to do my best.
They just announced the official Arenacross and Supercross schedule. Are you going to be racing those? (Gopher Dunes, Sarnia, Calgary)
No, I don’t think so. We don’t ride it a lot and it’s right after the season and I don’t think we have enough time to get prepared for it and I don’t wanna get hurt doing that.
Do you have aspirations to do AMA Supercross?
Um, not this year. I think we’re gonna hop on the 2023 and just kind of try to do some testing and I’ll hopefully get ready for next year.
Okay, but you do wanna do Supercross in the future?
Yeah, for sure. I mean, that’s where the sport is right now. Hopefully in a few years, I’ll go out there and have some fun.
All right, Sebastian. Hey, what’s been your favourite race so far that you’ve done here this year?
Uh, probably San Del Lee, just home track and home crowd. Everybody was there and it was pretty cool.
Okay, was that your biggest racing disappointment that 2nd moto? I mean, you still got third, but looking back, are you able to laugh at it now? Or what do you think?
Yeah, but I still feel like it was going to be my first win. We’ll get it again. It happens, I guess, for a reason, so we’ll try to get back to it pretty soon.
All right, Sebastien, I’m on my way to the track. I’m a couple hours away, so I’ll see you there later but do you wanna thank some sponsors there and we’ll call it quits?
Oh yeah. I mean, I’d like to thank the whole Red Bull Thor KTM Canada racing team for having me this year and then M7, FMF, WP, Motul, Parts Canada, Oakley and everybody I forgot, thanks a lot.
Deschambault Round 8 Notes
Let me just highlight some of the stories that are going on at the moment from Round 8 of the Canadian Triple Crown Series MX Nationals here at Motocross Deschambault in Quebec.
Ya know what? I’ll just post from our Instagram page:
The Canadian Motorcycle Association (CMA) is pleased to announce the riders that will represent Canada at the FIM World Junior Motocross Championship’s in Vantaa Finland August 26-28, 2022.
Two riders are competing in the 85 c.c. class. Ben Kongmany is 13 years old from New Lowell, Ontario. The second rider is 13 year old Dustin Burbridge from St. John, New Brunswick. A 125 c.c. class rider is yet to be named pending verification of entry.
Rider Manager is Chatsworth Ontario’s Carl Bastedo. Carl has been Canada’s Team Manager at 9 Motocross of Nations. This will be his 3rd World Junior.
Rider and Mechanic Liaison will be Zeb Dennis. Zeb is a USMCA certified coach. He is also the Operations Manager and lead instructor at Motopark’s Summer Camps. He has attended a number of MXON and World Junior events assisting Canadian riders.
OK, we’ve got to get back to the amateur racing action here at the ECAN. If you’d like to follow along with the live timing, you’ll need to download the free Speedhive My Laps app and sign up for a free account. It’s definitely not the most straight-forward timing app out there, but you’ll be able to follow along, at least.
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