Five Minutes with ... Brady Sheren
FEBRUARY 20, 2008

Brady Sheren put his #611 RM-Z250 in the main in Houston.

James Lissimore photo

By Danny Brault

After making nearly every night show this year, Fun Center Suzuki’s Brady Sheren finally put his #611 RM-Z250 into the Supercross Lites main event in Houston. The pieces of the puzzle came together perfectly, as Sheren pulled a top five start in his heat race and finished seventh to qualify for his second-ever supercross main. We caught up with Sheren to see how things went, how his new trainer, Donnie Hansen, is working out, and to ask about his plans for the Canadian Nationals.

RXC: Brady, how is Donnie Hansen doing?
Brady Sheren: Pretty good.

What’s he helping you with?
Just riding and stuff. I’ve been working with him for a few weeks now.

How did you get hooked up with him?
I’ve known him for a while and my dad knows him. I started talking to him, and he called my dad and said he was interested in helping me out.

Has his advice helped you out at all?
Yeah, probably. Obviously, I’m not as fast as some of the guys out there, but it’s not really the riding that’s the problem; it’s the start and the little luck things that will make the difference each weekend. I think it’s helping.

I wouldn’t necessarily say your speed isn’t there; you’ve posted good lap times each weekend.
Yeah, definitely, but like I said, it’s those little things that relate back to practice. The better times you have in practice translate into a better gate pick which means a better start in the qualifier. That’s the only way you’re going to make a main. The LCQ is pretty tough. Really, if you get a start like I did in Houston, you can basically ride around, hold your line and qualify. I was like fourth on the first lap and a few guys got by me and then there was a comfortable lap. It’s only six laps.

What worked for you this weekend? Why did you get a better start in your heat race?
Well, I ended up having the 22nd fastest time so I had a good gate pick. I was on the inside and I just got a good jump. I tucked in around the inside and everyone pushed out wide and I came out in the top five. I didn’t do anything different, but I do feel more comfortable on the tracks. It’s almost too late, but….

Hey, you made it in! Supercross is turning into NASCAR, where everyone is fast and everyone is on a team. There are several great riders not making mains this year.
Every guy that signs up can make a main. There is no one that is slow or that sucks—some people have a bad weekend—but everyone is capable of making mains. There’s the guys in the top 10 or top 15, and then from there, it’s pretty wide open.

Did you have a goal once you made the main?
Of course I wanted to do the best that I can, but if you look at it realistically, it’s tough to expect a whole lot. The last five guys in the race are the ones I can battle with, realistically. If I were making mains all year, then maybe I would set a higher goal.

Take us through the main event.
I actually got a good start. I was in tenth on the first lap, I think. I got caught up with a few things and got passed and kept getting passed [laughs]. It sucks because it’s hard to go backwards like that. But I was getting passed by guys like Tommy Hahn halfway through the race and he got second last week.

It’s always to get a good start though and be in the race.
Definitely. It helps a lot. I feel that my conditioning is good, but 15 laps on a tight track gets tough. Last year, with switching bikes and then getting hurt this fall, it’s tough to get where you want to be when you need to be there. Even with San Diego last year, it was the last race before the break, just like this year.

Sheren is still working on a Canadian outdoor deal...but it's looking like he'll have a 450 ride.

Simon Cudby photo

 

Do you think Kevin Windham did a good job designing the Houston track?
Yeah, I thought it was pretty cool actually. The finish line over the start was pretty big and kind of neat. It was like a big triple. It was something different. A lot of the guys this week, were like ‘Oh, it’s super technical; it’s tight!’ Well, it’s like that every weekend [laughs]. People have trouble flowing when it’s that tight, but I feel better when it’s like that. There’s no awkward things; you either double or you single.

Now you have a long break before Seattle. Will you come home for a bit?
I am flying to Colorado on Thursday to race an arenacross. Our team is based out of Durango, and that’s where the arenacross is. The shop owner, Lyle, and his wife, Tonya, want us to fly out there for him. We’re going to do some press deal on Thursday. Then I will fly back to California on Sunday, and fly home to BC on Monday to hang out with the family and Newf. I will be there for ten days and then come back to California and start riding outdoors.

So outdoors: do you have anything lined up?
Yeah, I’ve talked to a few people but nothing is really finalized yet. I won’t say much yet, but it’s definitely going to be on a 450.

Cool. So who would like to say thanks for your season so far, Brady?
Lyle and Tonya of Fun Center; Greg Lynk, Rob, Cory, and my mechanic Travis; Terry at fly; Eddie and my dad at 661 and Sunline; Suzuki, RG3, John and Bevo at Scott; basically the whole crew for working so well together, it’s a great scene. Everyone is really positive, and behind the Blose brothers and myself 100 percent! I also want to thank MXforum for helping me out down here, and making day-to-day living a bit easier. Everyone at Racer X Canada for doing this interview, and also to anyone who has, or will print a photo anywhere, your press is much appreciated. And last but not least, my family, my friends, and everyone else who is behind the scenes that helps out, and supports me.