Catching Up With…Mike Brown

Brendan Lutes

• March 09 2009
• 4,824 views
• 12 comments

Words and Photos by Brendan Lutes

At one point in his career, Mike Brown was one of the guys to beat in Supercross and motocross. Since retiring from profession SX and MX, though, Brownie has found a second career in off-road racing. And after recently winning the second round of the WORCS series, Brown made a deal with KTM manager Kurt Nicoll that if he won, he would get to race the Daytona SX. Following the first practice session this weekend, we caught up with the always-friendly racer to see how his time back on the SX scene had been going.

What has Daytona been like for you?
Scary. I was watching all the top-20 guys out in practice and I didn’t know what to think. I was thinking to myself, “Man, what have I gotten myself into?” I’ve been riding Supercross in Europe for the last couple of months, but this is totally different; the jumps are bigger and the whoops are bigger. I just felt like I was at my first Supercross all over again. I haven’t been riding Supercross at all this week—just the off-road stuff—and it’s been scary, but in two laps, I was able to jump everything. I felt a lot better after that.

How did it come about that you were going to race Daytona?
I was in California the week before a WORCS race and at KTM with Kurt [Nicoll] the off-road manager. I asked him that if I won the WORCS race I could race Daytona, and he agreed. I won and they kind of held me to it, and I think they needed a rider here, though, too. I wanted to do it, but something in me said that I didn’t’ really want to do it, because I haven’t tested for it, trained for it, or ridden Supercross. I just decided, though, to come out here, have fun, and ride.

How has off-road been treating you?
It’s tougher than I thought it would be. I think a lot of people in my position think that too. Going into the WORCS series or GNCC, those guys are in their territory and have done it for so long that they’ve got it down—the racing, the tracks, and the whole thing. It’s hard to get used to. I’ve done five WORCS races so far, and it’s been hard to get used to. It’s good and I like it a lot. The endurance is what I like the most about it though. Two hours or three hours is where I think I do my best. But like I said, the guys are faster than people think they are in that stuff.

Have you had to change your style a little bit for off-road?
A little bit. Like I said, if it’s a WORCS race with a motocross track, those guys go pretty well at that. For sure the GNCC stuff is a mellowed out pace for three hours. Those guys kind of pace themselves for three hours, and if you go and try to race it like a motocross for three hours, it wouldn’t work to well for you. You would probably end up in the trees or really tired. The WORCS is pretty flat out for two hours and the GNCC you kind of have to pace yourself.

What are you looking for from yourself for Daytona?
I’d be happy to qualify. I’ve been watching it every week on the computer and television and it’s hard to qualify. You watch those guys and it’s tough. I’d be really happy to just qualify and get in there.