I bet it was! Were you able to give Chris some riding pointers?
No way! [laughs] I can’t keep up with him at all on a dirt bike. The best I can hope is that I can give him a run for the money a road bike or something. It’s cool because now we still stay in touch and compare bike times and running times. He’s not really my trainer, but I’ve learned so much from him and we stay in touch. He has kept me motivated and focused, so he’s a big part of my program! 

You don’t mind that he rides a Honda?
Yeah, that’s too bad. [laughs] No, he’s a really cool guy and it was just an unbelievable opportunity to have someone of his level come down and ride and train. I learned so much. I mean, I was already keeping my elbows up, head over the bars and all that. But to see the way he looks at the track, identifies lines and just the little things that make a pro go so fast. It was a really productive winter and I think I’m having a great season because of his help.

How is your season? I see you have 8 wins in the 200A class, but in your own words, how’s it going?
It’s good. It started in Florida like every year. Florida is Florida and I expect to do well since I live here! I like the big sand whoops and everything. So I got 31^st overall and that set the tone. But you always want more so I set my goal to make top 30 after that! But it didn’t happen in Georgia! That was just an off race for me. The second half of that race, my mind started wandering and I just wasn’t on it. In Steele Creek I got hurt and came home with a deep bruise in my shoulder. I actually didn’t finish the race. That was a bad crash. At Big Buck, I actually got lapped on my last lap…so I was pretty far back in the overall on that one.

It’s pretty neat to see your expectations with these results. You actually won all those races in your class, except Steele Creek. But you are looking at the overall and charging for THAT podium!
Yeah, I mean, we definitely have some good battles in the 200A class. But that just pushes us farther into the overall and that’s what all of us want! Like in Indiana, Chase [Hayes] had me on the second to last lap. I got really nervous, I’m not gonna lie! I want to win, not come in 2^nd. He had me and I was already pushing it. But I managed to ride really smooth and not make any mistakes that last lap. I got him back and we both ended up 42 and 43 overall that day. 

Not the top 30 you were shooting for, but I think you hit your goal at Camp Coker?
Yes! That was a tough race. It was muddy and there were the open field sections with hay bales. They were very specific in the rider’s meeting that you had to go around the hay bales. It seemed everyone around me was cutting them, though. I did what I thought was right and stuck to the course and had a really bad first lap. Tristan Landrum started on the row behind me (4 Stroke A Lites) and he came by me. When that happened, we just hooked up and took it to another level! It wasn’t a super-fast pace, but we rode smooth. Sometimes he would lead and then I would lead through the next mudhole and we just went back and forth like that the whole race. When I came through and was told I made the top 30, I didn’t believe it! But I checked on the way home and sure enough, I was 29^th overall!

That’s the way to do it! Sometimes that freight train really pays off. Was that your best race?
Actually, it wasn’t. I felt like I only rode 50%. It was muddy, so you couldn’t push and had to ride smart. I’d say my best race – at least, what I “feel” was my best race – was Tomahawk. I started on the last A row but was physically leading the Open A class by the 2^nd lap! I passed my buddy Dylan Rash who was leading Open A and we hooked up and battled the rest of the day! He crashed pretty hard on the last lap and let me ahead of him. I think we finished right together in the overall…33 and 34 maybe? Anyway! It was a great ride and I had a lot of fun in that race!

Sounds like you are off to a great start with your new team!
I’m really excited to be riding for the FMF/RPM/KTM Maxxis team! It’s like a dream come true! I’m only 16 years old and to have this kind of opportunity is huge. I’ve got great teammates. I just went out west to do a team photoshoot with them. It’s been a lot of fun and I’m really thankful that they took an interest in me. I hope to get the results and recognition that they deserve!

You are on a great path to do just that! What KTM bike are you riding in the 200A class?
The 125. People always ask about whether I’m riding the 150 or not. And truthfully, I test rode it a couple years ago and it was a good bike. It had the top end like a 125, but the bottom end was just…different. I don’t even know. I just know that when I rode the 125, I was like, “Yeah! This is it!” So I’ve been on a 125 for the last 3 years. I also think it’s very important to get the 125 seat time. I’ve looked at every pro who has become a champion and they all have 125 experience. It’s key to making you go fast. You learn momentum and corner speed. You take something that isn’t fast and make it go fast, then when you get on a bike with power, you can really go fast! So I’m not concerned about getting a different bike. I really like my 125 and know that I’m building for the future.