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Stefan Everts interview - Racing in Farleigh Castle

Stefan Everts - Redeye image

Interview Thursday 01st September 2011 By Geoff Meyer

Stefan Everts is a fan of Motocross and he was a fan of Motocross long before he became a World Motocross Champion. That is the main reason why Everts wants to race the Veterans Motocross des Nations, set for the Farleigh Castle circuit in England on the 24th and 25th of September.

Along with Everts will be an American team led by former Team USA riders Jeff Stanton, Chuck Sun and Jim Gibson. Everts isn’t really going to the race to win, but enjoy the excitement of an event that has caught the imagination of the old school Motocross fanatics.

We caught up with Stefan and asked him about his return to racing Motocross in England, actually his first race in England since that special day in 2006 when he slayed James Stewart at the Matterley Basin held MXoN.

MXlarge: Stefan, what makes you want to race in England?

Everts: Why, because I still like racing and it’s something different. You see a lot of old bikes and also I started doing something like that in my race. For me it’s so cool to see those old bikes out on the track and to see those guys dressed up in the old school style, it brings back a lot of memories for me from when I was a little kid and my dad would go racing. We would go every Sunday to the races in Belgium and there were so many races back then and the smell of the bikes and I promised Dave King that I would ride it one day and this year my schedule worked out good and I agreed to go.

MXLarge: You have raced a KTM at your charity races, but this time it’s not going to be one of your own designed machines, but one of the old school KTM’s. Do you know what you will race?

Everts: I rode KTM machines in my charity race and I am working for KTM so I can’t race anything but a KTM and it would be stupid to do so. I think they are working on a 490 from 1980 or something like that, twin shock of course.

MXlarge: And you get to also race in the Belgian colors again in the teams event. How exciting is that?

Everts: Actually you are allowed to have one ride who is under 40 and I am the guy under 40. It’s different, I am a bit excited, it is the Belgian team and I have been on the Belgian team at the Motocross of Nations many times. This is of course a little different, I will go there and try and have a nice weekend with the family, and go and ride a little.

MXlarge: Any chance of you trying to battle with Stanton again?

Everts: Once you get on the bike you want to go for it, but I know my limit and I see what I can do and do that, if I feel I can’t go with the top guys then I pull out. That is what I did in my own race, in the first laps of the race against the Grand Prix riders I didn’t feel comfortable, but once I warmed up I felt good and wanted to race with them and I could. It’s in there, once you have been a champion, or a winner it will be there until you die.

MXlarge: What is the most exciting thing for you attending this race?

Everts: To me what I look forward to most is to ride the older bike. I mean to find out how that is, I think the brakes will be softer and I will need the double distance to brake. But just to understand what those older guys went through on those bikes. I think like I said it brings back so many memories and that is why I like it so much, bringing back the old fans who went to the races back in the 70’s or whatever, or the old riders.

MXlarge: Do you have any idea what to expect racing on the older bikes? Any goals?

Everts: I don’t know what to expect with  the racing, I just want to go for my best, I will go for the win if I think I can, but if I can’t then I will adjust myself to the bike and see how I go. I don’t want to get hurt, that is the last thing I want.

MXlarge: Changing the subject, your last Motocross race in England was of course that day in 2006 when you won the MX1 overall and totally dominated James Stewart. How was it to be back at Matterley Basin?

Everts: I didn’t have any expectation, but when I arrived and I saw the track it looks so good. I mean at the des nations the ruts got deeper and with the rain I thought it would get deeper, but with the sun out it was awesome. I wish I could have ridden at that race.

MXlarge: Did you walk the track and get any emotional feelings when you got to that corner you easily passed Stewart?

Everts: I walked the track with my son (Liam), and I told him that is where I passed Stewart when we got to that corner, then when we came back to the paddock he was telling people, hey, my dad won here and that corner over there is where he passed Stewart.

www.farleighcastle.co.uk

 

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