Mike Brown is known for his fondness for riding a lot of different types of off-road races. This winter, Brownie spent a few weeks in Australia where he rode a couple of rounds of the Australian EnduroCross series in preparation for the upcoming U.S. series. This past weekend, the Husqvarna Factory racer gave the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series a try, riding the Rad Dad Enduro in Westpoint, Tennessee, where he finished a respectable 15th. The race served as another opportunity to get precious time on his new TE350 before the first EnduroCross in Las Vegas.
Dirt Rider with the 42-year-old Brownie at the Rad Dad to see how things were going.
Q: How was Australia?
A: It was fun, really good training. I went there to get in some good training and I think it will pay off. I won a race there and the tracks were good, so it was a good opportunity. I just need to be racing and getting time on the bike before the first EnduroCross.
Q: You don't mind riding any kind of race, do you?
A: Yeah, I like racing all kinds of races. I told Husky I don't care what kind of race it is, I just need to be racing, because I think if you're at home on the couch then you're just getting slower. You need to be out on a track riding and pushing yourself.
Q: How is the new bike?
A: It's really good and I think we're making improvements over last year. The suspension is really good for EnduroCross, and the engines are really good. And we have stuff we didn't have on the bike last year, like brakes and other little pieces.
Q: Are more guys going to the four-stroke for EnduroCross?
A: I think that's the trend, but Cody Webb is still riding a two-stroke. I think it's just up to the rider, like Cody Webb, he went from a four-stroke back to a two-stroke, and that suits him well.
Q: Have the EnduroCross courses changed very much over the last few years?
A: They have, but last year they started out kind of fast and a little bit more wide open, which is what I was doing good on, and then halfway through the year they got a bit tougher. I don't know how they will be this year. Hopefully, they'll make them more open, not just for me, but I think it makes for better racing.
Q: It seems as though when that series started it was just about getting through the obstacles, but as the series and riders have progressed, it is now more about racing through the obstacles.
A: Yeah, when I first started it was about getting through the Matrix without falling down and then riding to the next obstacle. Now, it's about getting through the obstacle as fast as you can and then race to the next one. People used to struggle to get through each one and then take your time getting to the next one because they were out of breath. Not it's like a full on supercross with rocks and logs.
Q: How do you prepare for something like that?
A: I think I've done every kind of riding there is this week. I rode EnduroCross, I did some woods riding, I did motocross, and I practice on supercross.
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Q:** What kind of races are you riding this year?
A: I'm going to do a lot of different races. I'm going to do this enduro, some GNCC, and of course, EnduroCross, then I'm going back to Australia in August for the Four Day Enduro. I'm also going to do some motocross, and then I think I'm going back to ISDE. Just a bit of everything, like I said, I'd rather be racing then sitting at home.
Q: Do you have tracks at your home?
A: I have a brand new EnduroCross track and a motocross track. I have about 30 or 40 miles of trails a few miles from my house.
Q: You always made a lot of money riding the supercross races in Europe during the winter. Do you ever think about going back to those?
A: I do. I was thinking about going to Germany this winter, but we couldn't get the bike in time. I enjoy doing those and maybe I'll go back this year, but the EnduroCross in Australia was fun too and it paid good money, so I'll go back to those too.
Q: What about Six Days, do you enjoy that?
A: Yeah, to me that's one of the funnest races I do. I just like the whole concept of working on your own bike and then the special tests. It's just a fun race.
