Photos and Story by Allison Kennedy

Simon speaks with Yamaha Canada team manager Jari Heinonen.

After posting some of the best MX1 results in his career to date, Simon Homans decided to ride both classes at the Gopher Dunes National last weekend. It was a tough decision for Simon, who wants to better his #12 national number this season. Homans was an ironman on the rough Gopher Dunes track, racing four motos and finishing 3-10 in both classes. Leaving Gopher Dunes, Homans sits fourth in the MX2 East points and sixth in the MX1 standings. Will Homans continue to tough out four motos a day? Here’s what he had to say after Gopher Dunes.  

Racer X Canada: You rode awesome out there today. How did you survive all four motos?

Simon Homans: I don’t know. I guess I train. It was a good day but a hard day… a long day. I started way back in the second MX1 moto, it was my worst start of the year. It was really not the best time to get that start. I was pretty much dead last by the end of the second corner and for sure, I could have gone faster if I was only doing MX1 but I think I did a decent job. First lap I was in 24^th and I finished tenth.

Why did you decide to ride the MX2 East series when you were doing so well in MX1?

It was a global decision. I can’t say the team, because I’m not on a team officially, but the Yamaha guys wanted me to give it a try so … I tried it. After today, we were going to look at the whole thing and decide what to do.

How are you feeling about that decision?

I don’t know. Now that I’ve done the hardest weekend of the whole thing—this was the hardest one for sure—I don’t want to stop. Once I start something I hate not finishing it. It’s tough. I don’t really like this feeling—when you are going into every weekend and wondering what you should do. It’s too many questions for nothing. I just don’t know. The MX2 championship is going to move so much and if I stay consistent then maybe I can win it. In the back of my mind, I think if I win it, it will be over and nobody will talk to me about it anymore.

So maybe it’s worth it to give it one last try?

Maybe but if I finish the series and I get second I will be so disappointed. It will be a waste of time—well, not a waste of time, you don’t do anything for nothing—but I will be so disappointed. If I am doing it, it’s going to be over for good.

There has been a lot of talk on the podium about JSR acting as a mentor to you. What’s that all about?

Honestly, I don’t get it. I’ve just been agreeing on the podium. I’m like ‘yeah he helps me so much he better pull over when he sees me coming.” [Laughs] We trained once together, last week, that’s it this year. He does come by and say you should do this or do that. Before we were riding more together but he wasn’t giving me advice. Now I’m getting advice from the best. But I don’t know why everyone is saying we are training together. But if he can do anything to help me, he does.

What did you think of the Gopher Dunes track?

It was rough but I liked it. The start pissed me off. On the 125, I had a good jump every time but my 30 to 40 pounds extra on everyone out there was just too much.

How well do you know the rest of the tracks on the circuit?

I rode twice at Joliette. I wanted to go practicing there but I ran out of time. My dad and I worked a lot on the 125. I think I’ve raced only once there at the National. Ste. Julie, I’ve ridden more and then Moncton, like everyone, just at the Nationals.

Are you riding the East/West Shootout? That's probably not the best question right now eh?

No, that wasn’t a good question. [Laughs]

Are you happy with the way your year is going so far?

It’s been a good year. The only thing I am disappointed in today is that I crashed with two laps to go; I was a solid fifth for sure. I was coasting. I had a big gap in front and a big gap behind, and I saw that just coasting, I was catching Treadwell. With like three laps to go, he was only five seconds ahead and I decided, 'Okay, I’m going to get you.' I changed lines and I shouldn’t have. I wasn’t tired or anything, that just wasn’t like me. So that was the only thing that disappointed me.

Well congratulations on your weekend and good luck with your decision.

Thank you very much.