Joe LaFalce Interview

Joe LaFalce has been racing for many years, and with this being one of his first few attempts at an outdoor national, I was very excited to see him make the program at Southwick! Congratulations to Joe and his family!

Questions By Shelley Walker

DZP: Joe, you made the program at Southwick, which I personally think is GREAT, so how do you feel about that?

Joe: Yeah it feels really good to have something you’ve worked really hard at for a long time happen.

DZP:  Give us the rundown on your day at Southwick.

Joe: Well the normal day is Friday tech inspection and sound check at 3 p.m, but it ended up with me missing all of that and arriving at the track at 7 p.m.  I was stuck in traffic in New York and Connecticut, so I walked up to tech inspection and they were closed and I had to ask the A.M.A if they even had room at that point and luckily they had some spots left after everyone was signed up.

Saturday I was first practice.  It was a brisk 50 degrees and raining so that didn’t make for the greatest of riding conditions, I just went out early in practice got away from a lot of the guys who ride around during the practice and just set a good lap time, and it seemed to stick after practice was all said and done I was 36th fastest which is great because I didn’t have to ride the LCQ.

First moto was at 1 p.m so I go up and try and find a decent gate and I am way outside.  Ended up with a bad start and crashed in the 3rd corner, got up went from 30th to 23rd in 2 laps then I high sided off an uphill and crashed and proceeded to DNF that moto ended up with 36th. 2nd moto was at 3p.m got another outside gate, got a better jump this moto and hit a bunch of down riders in the 1st turn.  Got around them and passed a few guys and about a lap later I was in a outside line that came into the inside one and hit Christophe Pourcel, and ended up going down and getting stuck under the bike.  I got up and realized my visor was broke so I rode to the mechanics area and had my friend push it way up so it didn’t bounce around, so at this point I was a lap down, and then I just decided to go out and finish the moto and try and salvage my day without another DNF.

DZP: Who was your competition at Southwick?

Joe: Myself really, just trying to stay calm and realize it was just another race.

DZP: You have been racing a long time, how did you get involved in riding dirt bikes?

Joe: Well I’ve been racing since I was 9 years old and my passion for dirtbikes came when I was about 6, when I went to a few races with the Coutures and the Tampa Sx in 1996 that’s really how it all started.

DZP: Explain a little bit about your training program.

Joe: I have a really great program with Zach Ische at Fitness For Life, we work out 3 days a week and we work on a lot of cardio cycling, running,sprints and we also do strength training too those days are usually the worst he really pushes me.

DZP: Who were you lined up next to at the gate for the first Moto?

Joe: I was outside next to Hibbert and Picone.

DZP: Who is your mechanic?

Joe: Brook Thorpe, he does a hell of a job keeping my bikes together, if it wasn’t for him I am pretty sure my bikes would just be in pieces in my garage.

DZP: Did you do anything special to your bike to prepare for this race?

Joe: I just put on some gnarly sand tires, my bike is really great already didn’t want to change something that works and mess it up

DZP:  What’s your ride?

Joe: I ride a 2008 Honda CRF250 and 2007 Honda CRF 450.

DZP: You have always been able to do well in the mud/sand, what tips do you have for other riders?

Joe: I think the most important thing is to keep up your momentum and try and find the smoothest lines that take less energy and help you last the whole moto so you can finish strong.

DZP: I like to ask this question. I would like to know what was going through your mind just before the gate dropped in the first moto?

Joe: I am not going to lie, I was super nervous and I just wanted to get a decent start and ride to the best of my abilities.

DZP: What are your plans for upcoming races, what is your schedule?

Joe: I will probably do some South Florida Series races and Gold Cups to just get on the gate.  I will end up doing a few East Coast Supercross rounds, I feel like I ride it good so I guess we will see in March how it goes

DZP: What do you spend time doing when you are not racing or training?

Joe: I am a pretty boring kid actually, I go to the movies and just hang out with my friends nothing to special.

DZP: I think I know this, but, what is your favorite place to eat?

Joe: Moes!  (I was right!)

DZP: Where can people keep tabs on you during your racing?

Joe: Facebook and Myspace

DZP:  Favorite Moto Website?

Joe: DZP of course, and VitalMX a close 2nd. (thanks Joe!)

DZP:  Sponsors?

Joe: My Mom and Dad are my biggest sponsors,  AXO, Impulse Graphx, Fitness for Life, O.N.S Suspension, Active 8 Racing, and Pirelli.

DZP:  Who would you like to give special thanks to?

Joe: My Mom and Dad, Brook Thorpe, and Zach Ische.  Words can’t do much for how much I appreciate all the wonderful things they have done to help me in my life and in my racing.

Thanks Joe, see you at the races!

Meet Brinsley Dyess – Loretta Qualifier 2009

Meet Brinsley!

I have known this young lady since she could barely walk!  Way back when, she played in mud puddles, held her own, and was usually covered in DIRT from head to toe.  I don’t think I ever remember her having shoes on at the track, lol.  She is definitely a girl who knows what she wants, and is a hard working serious racer.  I have been to Thundercross several times since they have re-opened and there she is, beating the boys at the races, puts in some serious laps on practice days, then gets out of her gear and works the concession stand.  When we say motocross is a family sport, it has never been more true than the Dyess Family.  Good luck at Loretta’s Brinsley!

DZP

Interview questions by Erica Walker:

Erica:   What got you interested in racing?

Brinsley: “It’s just in my blood – starting with my grandpa, my dad and then me and my brother. I am the third generation of it, and you know what they say – third time’s a charm!”

Erica:  Do you remember your first race?

Brinsley: “All I remember is that I was five, riding a JR50 at Thundercross MX Park. Let’s just say I fell a lot!”

Erica:  What is your favorite part about being at the track on the weekend?

Brinsley: “Friends, family and winning races!”

Erica:  Do you feel like you have to prove yourself a bit more because (1) you’re a female racer; and (2) you’ve grown in up a family that has been pretty well associated with MX?

Brinsley: “I definitely feel that I have to prove myself because of my family’s background. About the girl thing, I don’t see myself any different as anyone else on the track.”

Erica:  What’s your training regimen?

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Brinsley: “Jogging, spin biking and doing motos three days of the week. Oh! No drinking carbonated drinks.”

Erica:  Are you home schooled or do you go to public school?

Brinsley: “I went to public school til 2nd grade. Then I realized that this is what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. So then I got home schooled like my brother.”

Erica:  What is the hardest part about racing?

Brinsley: “The training, pressure and mostly the competition.”

Erica:  What music gets you pumped for a race?

Brinsley: “Recently I’ve been getting pumped up on some punk rock 3oh3!”

Erica:  What was it like growing up and having pretty much all-around access to Thundercross?

Brinsley: “It has been very nice to have. I don’t ride it as much as I should, but I like having people to ride with all the time. My dad also runs the FLMX Series so I get to do all those tracks, as well.”

Erica:  Who would you like to thank?

Brinsley: “First I would like to thank the Lord Jesus Christ for making this all possible! Motosport Fox, Scott, Fly, FMF, Vortex, Bicycle Sports, Quality Turf, DyessMX.com, Thundercross MX Park,Florida Motocross Series, RoadandDirt.com, Pixley family, DZP, family & friends.”

Erica:  Thank you Brinsley!