The date was April 1st, 2006, and Mike Brown was in the main event in Houston, Texas, on a Suzuki RM250 2-stroke. That was the last time a 2-stroke was in a 450 main event, until this past weekend. April 15th, 2023 will be the new date for when the last time that feat was done. 6,224 Days, but i’m so stoked to say, WE DID IT!
The day started off early, really early, and with the weather the day before, the track was going to be a little slick to start the day, but the sun came out so I knew it was going to shape up great for the rest of the day. We had freshly serviced @enzoracingkyb suspension leading into the week, so we were breaking that in, so suspension adjustments were happening all day, until Yoshi came and got us dialed in for the rest of the day. The bike was night and day, and after that, I felt super comfortable with the bike and track.
The heat race I got a terrible start, dead last into the first turn. I worked my way up thru the pack, got into 11th, and was going for 10th, and went for a ride in the first set of whoops. Got up quick and only lost 1 position, finished P12.
The LCQ, I got a slightly better start, but still buried in the pack, around 14th coming across the line. I got in a groove, and put my head down and started putting in some quick laps. Was working thru the pack, made a pass for 5th and the crowd started to notice and cheering. Made the pass for 4th in the whoops, and had 1 lap to go, just had to bring it home. Rode a clean, safe lap, and I could hear the crowd going nuts when I took the last turn, so I had to put a little extra on the finish celebration, so I had to pull the heel clicker out. That was for the fans.
The feeling was unreal. In front of my home crowd, on a 2-stroke, doing what hasn’t been done in 17+ years. Hearing the cheers and congrats all the way back to our pit, fellow riders congratulating me, it was surreal.
I was smoked after that, so the main was just another 20 minutes of track time, and it was about survival. Finished the main in P20, but that’s not the focus, WE MADE A MAIN ON A 2-STROKE!
