Five Minutes with ... Tim Tremblay
JUNE 4, 2007

Tim Tremblay picked up his first moto win and his first overall win at Gopher Dunes.

 

By Allison Kennedy

Ste-Jeanne D’arc’s Tim Tremblay had a huge weekend at Gopher Dunes. Tremblay picked up his first national moto win as well as his first national overall for the KTM Canada team, edging out former MX2 East champ and teammate Michael Willard. While Tremblay’s smile said it all on the podium, we caught up with Tim to see how he felt about his first win. Bear in mind that last year, Tremblay’s English was very limited. We could barely get through a few sentences together. After a winter of English courses, Tim was able to do this whole interview fluently; clearly he’s planning on giving a few podium speeches this summer.

RXC: First off, Tim, Congratulations. How did that feel?
Tim Tremblay: It felt so nice; it was awesome.

Were you expecting to do that well here at Gopher Dunes?
I am pretty good at sand tracks, I had the second best lap time this morning and I was sure to be top three if I got a good start but … I wasn’t expecting first overall. (laughs)

In the second moto, you made a few big late-race passes, one on Tyler Medaglia and then a last-lap pass on Chris Pugrab for second place. Tell us about that?
We had a good battle and I was so tired, but the last two or three laps, I just kept thinking, I can’t finish fourth, I just have to push. I pushed so hard and I passed Tyler and then I passed Pugrab right at the end to finish second, it was awesome.

With his first round jitters out of the way, Tremblay rode smart at the Dunes.

How about last weekend at Ste-Julie?
Last weekend, I just had a bad start in the first moto, I started maybe fifteenth place and I just came up to sixth place. In the second moto, I crashed on the start and I started in 40th and I finished sixth on the finish line. It was a nice race but a bad start.

Were you nervous last weekend? It was your first weekend in the KTM big rig.
Yes, I was very nervous. But this weekend, I just relaxed and I’m okay. (laughs)

How do you like the team?
It’s awesome. Every guy is talking with me. I like the team. I don’t have stress and they don’t push me, I just do my best and just have fun.

You took some English classes over the winter I see?
Yes, just a little course … but I try.

I heard Pierre Corbeil told you that you had to learn English, since you would be the next French Canadian superstar?
Yeah (laughs). I just try very, very hard and I do my best. I have a very good bike this year, and good suspension as well, everything is okay.

You have a big break before the MX2 East resumes at Sand Del Lee. What is your plan?
Actually, I will be racing in Manitoba in the MX1 class.
 

Tremblay got the starts he needed at Gopher. Here he goes into the first turn alongside teammate Michael Willard (11) and just behind Kawasaki's Chris Purgrab (183).

 

Have you been riding the 450 much?
Maybe about 15 hours, but I am going pretty fast on the 450.

Will you be doing just Manitoba or the entire West on the big bike?
Maybe all the way, it depends on my results. If I am good and I am just in the top 10, I will keep going.

What are you goals for the rest of the season?
Top three every weekend in the MX2 class. Maybe a second for the championship … or a first … I don’t know because at Ste-Julie I did a 6-6 for 32 points and this weekend I got 47 points. I don’t know, I would definitely like the championship.