American racer Austin Root might not be a name many of the European motocross fans know, but the young American is working hard to change all that.

Despite having ridden in International events in Italy, the UK based Arenacross series and even a couple of rounds of the MXGP championship, Root has been a little unnoticed by the euro fans.

A victory at the Milan Show in Italy and things starts happening for Root as he was signed by Dave Thorpe for the Buildbase Honda team, to race the Arenacross in England. Unfortunately, it was a tough experience, but that didn’t stop Root from continuing to work on his European experience, and he found a ride with the KMP-Honda-Racing team for the German championships.

Again, bad luck continued to follow the American as he battled at the back of the pack, or on some occasions he didn’t even get to race due to mechanical problems, or crashes.

The passion for racing was evident last weekend at the Grand Prix of Lombardia, where Root turned up in his little van, rode his own bike, and paid for his whole weekend, from entry fee, fuel cost and bike maintenance. This at the toughest motocross series in the Word. You have to respect that type of commitment.

MXlarge: I know you have been to Europe a few times, but when was your first trip to Europe?

Roots: I raced the Master Kids thing when I was 12 or 13. I can’t remember who we raced, but guys like Austin Forkner did it, Kyle Peters did it. I had a lot of fast kids who did it, we did it for the US.

MXlarge: How was that as a young kid racing in Europe?

Roots: Oh, it was really hard. I didn’t come with my parents, because the tickets were so expensive. Most of the other riders’ families came. I only went for a week.

MXlarge: How was your amateur career?

Roots: I had a really bad injury as an amateur and my amateur career was a bit shaky. My last year I got a third at Loretta Lynn, that was in the A class. That was my best year and then I turned pro. I was training hard but had some health issues. My first year was a learning experience. I did that in 2016 and I was riding Kawasaki, and I knew the Kawasaki was not good that year. Even Pro-circuit was having trouble with them. I put the old motor in the new bike. I had different parts and it was just a Frankenstein bike. I had blow up the new motor three times. Mitch Payton told me he would have a motor for me at Washougal, and it was a long drive, and I wasn’t really planning on going. When I got there, I called Mitch and he said there isn’t a motor, I should just turn around and drive home. I told him I was already there. Not the news I wanted. I went out and bought a Husqvarna and rode it one day and finished with 17-17 for 17^th overall. I was pretty happy with that as a privateer. The second season I went down and trained with Ken Roczen, Adam Cianciarulo and Chad Sexton down in Florida. I thought if I am going to do this, I need to do it correctly.

MXLarge: Was that with Aldon Baker, or after Ken had already left Baker?

Roots: It was with Jason Baker, at the The Moto Sandbox. I was down there for over a year, learning from those guys. At first, I struggled, because I was used to the training and when I got to the races I was burnt out. I was top privateer at a lot of the races. Millville, I finished 17^th overall. I was scoring national points at each round. After my last year I was going to get ready for supercross, but the deal I had wasn’t that good. There are a lot of teams in America that seem good from the outside, but on the inside, they are not that good. I was talking to the teams and it wasn’t what I expected. I knew I couldn’t do it and keep going with my parents forking out all this money.

MXlarge: I remember you did a race in Italy around that time or not?

Roots: Yes, I was invited to do a race at the Milan show in Italy. I went out and won it, I was the super champion. My intention was to go home and ride supercross as a privateer. Then I got a call from David Thorpe, and he wanted me to do the Arenacross in England. I didn’t have a bike or anything in Italy and I wasn’t riding at the time. It was hard, because they expected me to do well. It was a three-race format and there was some good money in it. My second round my shoulder popped out when I was leading and that was a bummer.

MXlarge: You raced in the MX2 class in Italy last year. How did that go?

Roots: Yes, I rode for Bader Manneh, the former GP racer from America. He has a KTM team. It was just a stock bike, and I did good in qualification, finished 15^th on a stock bike, but the times were really close. My first race, I almost made the start, but I had an old moose in the tyre and the front wheel just folded on me. I mechanic washed the bike for the second moto and my bike wouldn’t start for the second moto, so that was how my first MX in Europe went.

MXLarge: I can imagine going from the one-day format in America to two days in MXGP must have been an eye opener?

Roots: Oh yes, a big difference from America. I think that is why it is so hard for Americans over here. We are used to flying in Friday night, doing two practices in the morning and two motos in the afternoon and then getting the heck out of there. You get it done and leave. MXGP you are there Friday for test, Saturday for two practice and a moto, then you race on Sunday. For me I am so used to go, go, go I am sort of over it by Sunday night.

MXlarge: I can imagine with the go, go, go style or racing, it must be hard to keep your concentration on a GP weekend, because it lasts so long?

Roots: Yes, it is so much riding and it isn’t easy. I feel like going to sleep sometimes, because you are so used to the fast pace. MXGP they love it, just waiting around and a slow pace. I am still not used to that.

MXLarge: You raced the GP in Mantova last weekend. How did that go.

Roots: Well, I race for a team in Germany, the KMP-Honda-Racing team and they don’t really have any interest in racing the GPs. I live in Italy with my girlfriends and I have a bike I ride, but this past weekend it was really difficult. I went by myself in the van.

MXLarge: So, you turn up in a van, you have to pay your own entry and you are in a van with your bike from Italy?

Roots: Yep. I had to pay for my own entry and that was 1000 dollars. It probably cost me 3000 for the whole weekend. I did that myself because that is where I want to be. It was tough and it is still tough. I have been in Italy for six months and I haven’t seen my parents and family. I just wasn’t there mentally last weekend and probably shouldn’t have raced. There is a lot going on back home, my sister just graduated, and we are close, and I missed that. My grandfather just passed away, and I wasn’t there for that. A lot of stuff that is challenging as a person. I am with my girlfriend’s family just under Milan. We are close to a lot of good tracks, but I don’t know anybody. I bought a van so I can go to the tracks. I am riding every day and back on my program.

MXlarge: Turning up to MXGP in a small van, that really sound crazy, because MXGP is so big. What were your expectations?

Roots: I thought if I had ridden at my best, I could have scored points. That was my goal to score points and that was my main goal. I didn’t get to show that, but a lot of people don’t know what I am going through. Being so far from home and it is very challenging. I am used to going racing with my family. My Dad wouldn’t miss a race for the World and that is why I got into the sport, with my family and I love the sport because it is such a family sport. I was at MXGP this weekend and you see all the top riders there, and they all have their family there. When I see that, and I am there on my own. I love my girlfriends’ family to death, but they speak another language, they have another culture. They don’t speak English and they try and help me as much as possible. I still feel alone.

MXlarge: Obviously Mitchell Harrison and Darian Sanayei are racing in the GPs. Did you get to talk to those guys at all?

Roots: No, I never talked to those guys. I would love to ride with those guys and hang out. I am sure they feel the same way I do. It is a totally different racing, different tracks. It would be better to talk to somebody and understand where we are coming from.

MXlarge: The change of culture is a massive thing. It is like when Ken Roczen went to America as this wonder kid and he took a while to get used to it.

Roots: Completely different. He went so young and now its like home for him. He sees America as home now. It doesn’t happen overnight.

MXlarge: I think if you race somewhere else, you need to accept the culture and become part of it.

Roots: Yes, you need to do that, but it takes time. You have to have the right people around you. Because if you don’t, it isn’t easy. I am not with the team; I am so far away from the team. It is a good team, and they give me what I need, but it isn’t a high budget team. I just wanted to try and race over here and show I can ride around the World and be good. I want to learn.

MXlarge: Have you already had some German races with the team?

Roots: Yes, we had our first one and it didn’t go so well. I don’t know why, but I am on this rut of bad luck. My first race some guy just rode into me. I don’t know if they like American’s or not, but it was a total take out move. He put a hole in my case and oil is pouring out everywhere. I ran to get my second bike, but they told me that isn’t allowed, you need to ride the bike you start with. Second moto there was a massive pile-up and they red-flagged it then my bike was jacked up. We have the second round coming up soon.

Images RacerX and Buildbase Honda