NZ fans will see a different Simmonds on track, as the 17 year old has put his junior years and Pro Lites (250cc) racing behind him to concentrates on the premier Pro Open class riding the KTM 450 SX-F with Motorex KTM Racing Team.
Commenting on his entry Simmonds said, ‰ÛÏI currently sit fourth in the Pro Open Championship of Super X, which I‰Ûªm really happy about considering I‰Ûªm the youngest factory backed rider competing in the premier class. I‰Ûªm competing against world class riders like Chad Reed, Jeremy McGrath, Daniel Reardon and Jay Marmont, so the pressure has been on from the start with a line up like this.
‰ÛÏMy best result so far has been a third place podium, and I‰Ûªm hoping that the fan base I have pulled over in NZ from competing so much over there will help get behind me for another podium. Crowd support is a real confidence booster - it takes away the anxiety at the start gate when all that is going through my head is race nerves due to the more experienced riders lined up beside me.
‰ÛÏMy highlight for the Super X series so far has been two races. One at Geelong for round three, and one at Parramatta for round five, where I holeshot and led to the final stages of the race only to be pipped across the finish line by World Champ, Chad Reed. At Geelong Reed got me by half a bike length, but at Parramatta it was only .2 seconds, so the gap is closing, and I‰Ûªm improving. Racing Reed lights a fire under me to want more, and I‰Ûªve been striving to get more at each round.
‰ÛÏI‰Ûªve had some killer holeshots in many races, and I‰Ûªve led many times up to the final stages of a race, but a combination of lack of bike fitness, and less experience than riders like Reed has seen me miss a few race wins. I‰Ûªm not as bike fit as I usually am, because I tore my ACL at the start of the series, and I can‰Ûªt go as hard as I usually would in training sessions.
‰ÛÏI have some great fans, and friends in NZ, and I‰Ûªm coming over early to meet them at a Motorex KTM Race Team visit to Boyd Motorcycles at Hamilton on Friday 20 November between 6pm and 7pm. There will also be great give-aways, so hopefully locals come on down and say hi.‰Û
