Catching Up With…Sean Hamblin

bayodome

• May 13 2009
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• 6 comments

In the ten, or so, years since Sean Hamblin first came onto the scene, the friendly Californian has raced all over the world, with a multitude of outfits and levels of support, from full fledged factory racer, to journeyman privateer.  Sean’s first foray into the American racing spotlight started with a Suzuki factory ride try out where he finished ahead of many factory riders aboard a nearly stock machine at both the 2002 Glen Helen and Hangtown Nationals. After that, Roger DeCoster himself chose the youngster to replace an oft injured Travis Pastrana for the remainder of the series and the relationship would continue for several years.  Many ups and downs have followed since that time, and Hamblin now finds himself back aboard privateer equipment, ready to give the AMA Outdoor Nationals another go.

Let’s back up to the beginning of the Supercross season.  You had somewhat of a cameo appearance with factory Yamaha that was obviously supposed to last longer than it did.

(Laughs) Yeah, I had an appearance for three races.  I was meant to do about four or five races with the team and I ended up injuring myself in practice at Houston.  When I got home I found out that I had some bone fragments jammed in my knee and it was just locked up.  So, I had all of that removed and I think it was about ten or eleven weeks before I was on a bike again.  I got back to riding and that was when GL (Grant Langston) was still healthy and making his comeback to do Outdoors and I was riding one of his bikes yet again, shocker, and we were riding quite a bit together.  Not that I was putting in a lot of time or anything, but I was just getting some seat time.  He ended up doing his knee in, and I hadn’t received my bikes yet from Valli Motorsports, and I was actually riding one of Yamaha’s bikes that they had given GL.  I was just trying to get some time under my belt.  I got this bike a little over a week ago now and I finally have something that is my own with my own setup and everyday on the bike I feel better and better.  It’s funny how I say that every year, but every day I learn things and I think that is the biggest thing, to keep progressing.

I recall Kevin Windham saying that every time he goes out, he learns something new on the bike.

Yeah, and it feels good.  Especially from me being on a Yamaha last year has been huge.  Just getting back into shape and back up to speed is fun.

So how did this Valli Motorsports deal come about?

Believe it or not I was really depressed.  I really didn’t know what I was going to do yet again; if I was even going to race Outdoors.  I spoke to my wife about doing some riding schools here and there, maybe do Glen Helen on my own and just figure things out from there.  But that night, Jimmy Alberston called me and was like, “Hey, do you have a ride for Outdoors?” and obviously I said, “No.”  So I got in touch with the team owner and team manager they flew me up to San Jose just to meet with them pick each other’s brains a little bit and it all came together.  Now we are a little over a week away from Glen Helen and the days are ticking down.  It’s good to have something to look forward to and good to have motivation towards getting ready for something.  It’s always hard when you don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.  Now everything is good though.

Coming back from an injury is never easy, so I think a lot of people can empathize with that.

So far everyone has worked well together and we are all having a good time. We won’t know for sure where we stand until race day, but I do feel really good on the bike.  I just can’t wait to get racing.

Last year was almost like the year of the privateers.  Glen Helen came around, and then Hangtown, and suddenly there were four or five 450 privateers up in the mix, and you were certainly one of those guys.

I think I ended up seventh overall at Glen Helen.  It was an uneventful first moto: I got a decent start around tenth or ninth and finished seventh.  Second moto I started 32nd and came all the way back to seventh.  That was the story of my life last year and if I can start up there I know I can run with those guys, I just have to give myself a chance.  You can’t allow those guys 30, 20, or even 15 seconds.  We’ll be grinding it out here in the next few days and hopefully we will be good by Glen Helen.

Any expectations or goals for this summer?

Last year was weird because Glen Helen was my first race in eight or nine months; its was my first time racing since returning from Europe.  Going into it I really didn’t have anything.  I just wanted to go out and finish well.  I know that I ride well at Glen Helen but everyone know that the National versus a regular practice day there are totally different.  Overall I would just like improve every weekend just like I did last year.  Top ten in points would be good, and I think with some good starts I think top fives are not out of the question, I don’t even think podiums are out of the question its just a matter of putting myself in the right situation to get the job done.  That’s what I’m going to be doing and I want to prove, once again, that I am capable of being up front.

I don’t think anybody doubts your capabilities.

Staying injury free is very important.  Although I didn’t really miss a race with my shoulder injury but it definitely set me back a bit.  It was good to have my strongest showing at one of the roughest tracks of the year, which was Southwick.  I need to do that again, just steadily improve, and every weekend will be a plus.

You mentioned Europe earlier and there are a lot of European riders coming over hear this year.  What are your thoughts on that?

It’s weird.  I went over there, obviously I wasn’t the only American to go over but I was one of few.  Unfortunately for myself, I have never been good at riding a small bike.  That’s not saying I’m a better big bike rider, I just get along with the big bike more and I feel my results would have been a lot better had I been on a bigger bike.  We had great bikes over there, I am just not a small bike guy.  But with Tommy (Searle), Tyla (Rattray), and (Christophe) Pourcel coming over, I think them leaving the GPs is not necessarily showing that the GPs are week by any means and one is superior over the other.  I hate when people debate about that.  Each of them have their own credibility.

I would rather be a well-rounded racer than one who just stays in the US all my life.  I have been to Canada, the US, and Europe and I think that overall it has helped me grow as a person and understand things a lot better.  I obviously love home and don’t really want to leave it, but in some instances that’s what you need.  With Tyla, Tommy, and Christophe, they kind of needed a change and something different.  We definitely have a good series over here just like they do so we will see what happens.  I know that all three of those guys are going to be fast, there is no doubt about it.  I know Tommy is going really well right now; Pourcel, the guy is ridiculous on a dirt bike and the same with Tyla.  You don’t have three guys do well over in Europe and not do well here.  I think it will take them a little time to get adapted but who is to say they are not going to come out swinging either.