ICYMI | Catching Up with Quinn Amyotte | KTM Canada
By Billy Rainford
Quinn Amyotte is the rider who earned #21 for the 2020 season. Over the years, we’ve watched him grow up and move through the amateur ranks to become the 2019 ‘Most Improved Rider‘ of the Rockstar Triple Crown Tour.
The Amyottes have been friends of DMX for a long time. In fact, Quinn’s sister, Jensen Amyotte, has taken over the ‘Out of the Blue‘ WMX weekly feature presented by Schrader’s.
Quinn is a pretty big kid and you’d have to think he’s going to really thrive when he moves up to the 450 class. Let’s have a look at his 2019 season:
We got in touch with Quinn to talk about his great seaosn and find out what his plans are heading into the new season:
Direct Motocross: Hey, Quinn. Let’s take this back to the beginning. How did you get started in Motocross?
Quinn Amyotte: My dad raced when he was younger and got my brothers into it and even my sister. So I was just born into it and have been addicted ever since.
What was your first number and how did you choose it?
My first number was 4 because of Ricky Carmichael.
Do you remember your first race? Where was it and how did it go?
My first race was at Motopark and it was pouring rain and all I remember is crying on the side of the track waiting for my mom to come help.
Who did you come up through the amateur ranks doing battle with? Do you have an amateur highlight?
I came up with Tanner Ward, Marco Cannella and all of those guys. They were always one step ahead of me but I was always kinda there with them. Never did anything too impressive in amateur, but winning Mini O’s was definitely cool.
How did your Intermediate year go? How did you do at the TransCan?
I had a pretty rough Intermediate year. It started off with compression fracture in my T7 vertebrae at Arenacross. I came back for the MX portion and got number 60 for my rookie season. I finished 3rd in 450 Intermediate but unfortunately I always had a rough time at the TransCan.
To be honest, I thought you were almost going to walk away from the sport a couple years back. Am I right? What kept you going?
I don’t know if I was gonna walk away from the sport but I was definitely slowing down with it. I did really good in my last Junior year and that made me realize I might be able to do something, so I told myself if I’m gonna try I gotta start training and putting all my effort into it, and I’m glad I did.
And now we just gave you our ‘Most Improved Rider’ award. Tell how you feel our 2019 season went.
I am very happy with how my rookie season went! I definitely did way better than I was expecting with how stacked the class was. Getting the Most Improved Rider award was definitely an awesome award because after how much time and effort I put in. It was nice to see that people noticed that.
What was your best race, in your opinion?
Even tho the results don’t show it, I would say Sand Del Lee. I crashed on the start in moto 1 and worked my way back to 13th, I believe. In moto 2 Westen Wrozyna and I we’re battling all moto then I got heat stroke with a couple laps to go but still managed to finish in 12th.
That was about the hottest, most humid day ever in Ontario! What did you get up to during the winter months?
I worked 7 days a week during the winter with Aide Industrial who has been so amazing letting me work and still follow my dreams in motocross! I worked as much as I could to pay for my racing this season. My family has helped me so much in the past that it was time for me to put my big boy pants on and pay for everything myself.
What have you been doing during these lockdown months?
The first couple months I took advantage of all the down time I had and trained as hard as I could and rode as much as I could. I am now back at work full-time till we go back racing!
Hey, Westen Wrozyna says he’s stepping away from Pro racing, but that he’s now hooked on pit bike racing. Did you have something to do with this because of all your pit bike shenanigans?
Wouldn’t say I had anything to do with it, but I definitely have a training facility for him to practice at. Looks like he’s got potential to be a pit bike pro..
How are things at your crazy pit bike track, anyway? What’s been going on? Is the big race weekend going to happen?
The pit bike track’s so good right now with the weather we’ve been having and we’re always working on it making it more crazy, but I am currently rebuilding my pit bike so I unfortunately can’t ride it right now, but I will have lots of pit bike videos coming soon!
What are you racing plans for this coming season, assuming we’re able to get back to racing?
Plans are to do the series, whatever that may be, and I was hoping to race Southwick this summer with AMA, but I don’t know if that will work out now.
Awesome. Thanks for talking with us today. Who would you like to thank?
My pleasure. Thank you. I would like to thank GP Bikes, KTM Canada, Fox, Shift, TCD suspension, Amsoil, TEAM LTD, Guts racing, Crossfit Bowmanville, Aide Industrial, D.O.T express, LAKA coolers, the Williamson’s.
