Five Minutes with … Michael Willard
JANUARY 9, 2008

Michael Willard collected his second MX2 East title in three years with Royal Distributing/ KTM Canada this summer.

photo: James Lissimore

 

By Danny Brault

Some of you may have missed little Michael Willard in the mud at Anaheim. That’s because the long time KTM rider is now on a Cycra/ Roland Sands backed CRF250R. It’s basically the same people who supported Gavin Gracyk’s run through the Toyota AMA Outdoor Championships. While most riders were dreading the rain that was supposed to fall on Saturday, Willard was probably one of the few wishing for it. The Ohio kid always favours the mucky conditions. We caught up with the two-time MX2 East champ to see how things went in second Anaheim 1 experience.


RXC: Hey, Michael, it looks like things went okay for you at A1.
Michael Willard: Yeah, it went all right.

You had a good start in your heat race and finished fifth or sixth …
Yeah, I think I got sixth.

But then in the main event, you didn’t get the best start.
No, Broc Hepler—some guy with a factory ride loops out on the start! He looped right out onto me. I didn’t crash, but we hit and squirreled out and ended up being last going into the first corner.

You’re on Hondas now. Tell us how about that change
We went to talk to KTM, but with them changing teams, we thought it might be a good idea to try something different. Cycra ended up wanting to help out a lot, on Hondas, so we got some bikes. We got some help from Roland Sands, who does those custom choppers. He’s helping design the graphics for my bikes and my bike looks sweet! For each Anaheim, we’re going to have a different graphic scheme. Other than that, pretty much just doing my own thing getting sponsors and stuff like that and I’m getting a little money here and there from people. It’s going pretty good; it’s something different.

So are people looking after your travel expenses, flights?
As far as right now, no. But I’m getting some outside sponsors chipping in a bit here and there. But if you know anybody [who wants to help out] let me know [laughs].

You’ve been on KTM pretty much your whole career, right?
Yeah, pretty much Zach Osborne and I helped carry the torch in the amateurs. Coming into the pros, it kind of sucks that this year we’re both on different bikes. Things weren’t going all that well, I guess, with KTM, but I appreciate all of their help and now it’s time to move on.

How is the Honda treating you so far?
I like it. It handles really well and it’s got some good power. We’re trying to get it dialed in right now. It sucks because I’m the only one on the team so I don’t have a second opinion. But I think I’m doing a good job evaluating and testing.

You have a solid background with testing though, I believe. Didn’t you used to help setup bikes for KTM?
Yeah, last year I did a bunch of stuff for KTM. Not production stuff, but just things they wanted to try. It was pretty cool; it helped me out a lot actually. But it’s a fine line between testing and racing, so …

Obviously with you being on a Honda for the first time, it will take a bit to figure everything out on the bike.
Definitely.

How long have you been on the Honda?
Probably about three months. I haven’t been on it a whole lot—more looking at the bikes than riding them—because it hasn’t stopped raining.

Are you in California?
Yep, I will stay out here all season. Zach Osborne and I got a place in Corona. It’s pretty central and easy to get around.

I’ve heard that Zach’s been hitting the gym hard and has lost a few pounds.
He’s lost like 30 pounds! He’s losing a lot of weight; he looks good. He was going fast this weekend; I think he was second fastest in practice. He was doing well in his qualifier but crashed and got fourth. In the main, he crashed on the second lap and popped his shoulder out. He’s actually at the hospital right now. [Ed note: This interview took place on Monday.]

When I saw the forecast before Anaheim, with the rain coming, I figured it was going to be Willard’s weekend. I know you’re one of the only guys who enjoys riding in the slop.
I know, I know, but we had a dilemma with my race bike and we didn’t get it done in time because we were debating on racing my practice bike because of the rain. We had a couple of half-together bikes; we didn’t know what to do, so we used a practice bike. It worked out. It was pretty slow; it was stock with a pipe and stuff and we had some good gas in it. It ran okay, I guess. It wasn’t terribly slow.

The people supporting you, are they the same people who helped out Gavin Gracyk in the outdoors last summer?
It’s pretty much the same thing he did, but it’s a bit more organized and there are more sponsors. More like a team, I guess.

This would have only been your second A1, correct?
Yep.

It has to be a big atmosphere to take in. Do you get nervous?
A little bit. Especially on the West Coast—there are so many riders! There are so many riders on teams that didn’t make the night show, it’s ridiculous. I think on one of the teams, nobody made it.

Willard finished a respectable 15th at Anaheim 1.

photo: Simon Cudby

Is your deal supercross-only?
Yep.

What’s the game plan for outdoors?
If supercross goes good, I think Fox Shox will kick in a little more money and maybe get a rig. I’m totally sure; I just heard people talking about it.

That’s what you want to do, though, is stay in the U.S. full-time?
Yeah, I wouldn’t mind coming back up to Canada, but I don’t want to ride a 450.

Really, I always thought you rode the big bike well. You’ve been on the podium a few times.
I liked it. I just feel like I have a couple of years left on a 250F before I start riding the 450 full-time.

Have you had any offers to race the 450 in Canada?
Uh, no, to be honest with you.

When I was speaking with you in Vegas, I learned that your parents have a long history with motocross. I believe your mom works for AMA Arenacross and your dad’s father owned a track?
No, it’s actually mostly on my mom’s side. Well, my dad raced and all that, but it was my mom’s dad, Dick Klamfoth, he owned Honda Hills. He is also a three-time winner of the Daytona 200, when they raced it on the beach. You’d go a half mile and then turn and go half mile down the road, right on Daytona. I think he won in `50, `51 and `53. And my mom also works at all of the AMA Arenacrosses and helps with scoring and my brother helps build the tracks.

What’s the game plan for Phoenix?
As far as right now just trying to get going. My goal for the season is top 10, but there are a lot of riders. I think I can do it, I just need more time; I kind of got a late start. In the next couple of weeks I should be getting a lot better.

When are we going to see one of those patent holeshots?
Maybe this weekend!

Okay, Michael, before I let you go, give a shout out to those backing you this year.
Yeah, Cycra and Roland Sands, Moose and Parts Unlimited, Fox Shox, Vans and Quicksilver, One Industries, Alpinestars, Boyesen, Wiseco, Renthal, SDG, Motorex, CV4, RK Chains, Braking and Sunstar, RG3, and my mom and dad!