ICYMI | Catching Up with Brad Nauditt
By Billy Rainford
Washington State rider, Brad Nauditt. It seems like just yesterday the holeshot master was making his debut up here in Canada, but it was like 10 years ago now!
Brad made a name for himself right away and became one of those riders from the USA that we happily adopt as one of our own. Every time Brad tries to retire from competitive racing, he inevitably shows up at the line for another season of the Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Tour. But this season will likely be different.
Let’s have a quick look at brad’s 2019 season before we get to our interview:
Brad was #52 in 2019, so he was the final rider to get interviewed for the Frid’Eh Update Intro Interview last year. It feels like we just did this, so I tried to go in a slightly different direction with the questioning.
Direct Motocross: Hello Brad. You were #52 last season so it seems like we just did this! Anyway, let’s learn a little more about our favourite Spokanean (??) We’ve all expected to have seen the last of you racing in Canada the past few years and then here you are again! What keeps bringing you back?
Brad Nauditt: I don’t know, Billy, I just really love racing and riding dirt bikes and I still feel like there’s days where I can throw it down!
Did you ever chase the AMA Outdoor Nationals? Which ones have you done and how did they go?
I raced the AMA nationals in 2009 and it was a blast to race all the best tracks in the US but I wasn’t ready to really race at that level. The memories were unreal.
I remember when you first came up here. You were the holeshot master! Is that something you’ve been good at your entire racing career or did you figure something out along the way?
I always sucked at started until about 2011. I just spent a ton of time figuring out what worked for me because I hated getting roosted by everyone for the first couple laps. So I figured I would roost everyone else.
You’ve seen our entire country several times. What’s your favourite part? What do you look forward to every time you come up here?
Ahh, man, I love the west coast with all the terrain especially because it’s closer to home. But I do like staying over in Ontario and the riding is unreal out there.
You came up here last season and raced the entire AX series. How did that go for you?
I felt like I should have done a little better but that’s my fault. I still had a blast! I love racing AX but the only bummer was that most of the rounds were one night.
Then you decided to hit the MX series too. You were usually in the low teens. Were you happy with how you rode?
Overall, yes, I was happy with everything and I just struggled with the transition of bikes. I felt I should have done better but at the end of the day, that’s where we were.
Then you left after Gopher Dunes. What prompted your early departure from the series?
My results weren’t where they needed to be and it was time to call a spade a spade instead of beating my head against the wall for the next 4-5 weeks. I had no obligations to race. I was just purely doing it because I wanted to and it didn’t pencil out with everything and some family stuff that was going on back in Washington.
Can you explain to everyone what it is you do for your 9-5 (again)?
Haha. I work in Spokane and Portland and sell office equipment (copiers, printers, furniture and cyber security) and software to all kinds of businesses. It’s a family business my dad started in 1990 so I’m very fortunate to be able to work there when I’m not racing.
I hear you’ve got a couple new bikes and have even started hitting the trails. What’s the plan? Are you gonna be a woods guy now?
I picked up a couple CRF450’s from Mike Genova at Smartop and was going to maybe race Calgary, but that went out the window with Covid. So, I’m mainly just riding trails out here in WA and Idaho. It’s been so much fun just riding the terrain we have here in the Pacific Northwest.
With all the coronavirus/border stuff, I think I know the answer to this, but is there any plan to come to Ontario this summer for some racing?
No, you won’t see me. It’s too big of a pain to get there with everything at this time.
Will we see you up here racing again in the future?
I’m sure I’ll pop up for a couple races here and there. I like racing too much.
If you had to sum up the Canadian scene in one word, what would it be?
Adventure.
How about actual Canadians?
Family.
Are there Tim Horton’s in Spokane?
No. Haha. That’s defiantly not a thing here in WA.
OK, Brad, it’s always good to chat with you. Too bad we won’t get to hang out until we randomly bump into each other in California some time. Haha. Thanks for talking with us. Who would you like to thank?
I would like to thank Baldface Lodge, Shift, Fox, Fusion, motosport.com, Guts Racing, Proven Moto, my family and friends for their support and Alex Haley for all his hard work! These memories will never be forgotten.
