Interview: Jeremy Lusk Looks Forward to AST Dew Tour
June 18, 2008 – 12:39 am PT by GregTags: AST, Jeremy Lusk, Metal Mulisha, Panasonic Open —
When the AST Dew Tour kicks off tomorrow in Baltimore with the Panasonic Open the FMX prelims will close out the day alongside the Skate Vert prelims. Nate Adams has been the man to beat in FMX for the last two years on the tour but one rider, now in his third year on the tour, is looking to change that.
Jeremy Lusk broke on the scene in 2006 after breezing through the Open qualifiers. He impressed many riders with his big jumps and by 2007, he was part of the Metal Mulisha and training with some of the top riders in the sport.
He finished off the 2007 tour with a few strong performances including a third place showing at the Toyota Challenge and two fourth place, including one at the X Games after a fall.
Lusk now looks forward to 2008 with anticipation and has already had three podium appearances. The AST is the next step.
“Going into this year, I told myself I want to be top three in everything,” Lusk tells Lat34.com. “The X-Fighters I got third and the San Diego X-Games I got bronze. I kind of feel like I’m on a roll.”
For the San Diego-born Lusk, taking third-place at the inaugural Namy Moto X Championships earlier this year was exciting.
“That was probably the biggest highlight of my career so far.” he admits. “I’m originally from San Diego so even there weren’t that many people there it was still because it was my hometown. All my family got to see it.”
But after the Moto X event and two X-Fighters events, now it’s time for the AST.
“I’m actually really looking forward to this year at Dew Tour just because there are some new elements I’m just learning to do. I can’t wait to see what I can do. So I’m pretty excited.”
Unfortunately for Lusk, and all other FMX athletes, the AST Dew Tour has cut back the number of full competitions from five to three this season with the goal to hold a Best Trick comp in the smaller venues of Cleveland and Portland. Lusk understands, but doesn’t agree with the decision.
“This year should be good, believe it or not. It kind of sucks that there’s not Cleveland and Portland, but at the same time we don’t have to worry about people getting bummed out because we can’t ride.”
In 2007 the high winds in Cleveland forced the finals to be canceled and results were based on the prelim results. Baltimore also had wind, but the finals were able to be held.
“Sometimes we try and ride in the wind on purpose at home because it seems like everywhere we go we have to ride in the wind so you might as well stop being afraid of it,” Lusk says.
But what about Portland — an indoors venue where wind wouldn’t be an issue?
“I think I speak for most of the riders when I say that choice was sort of iffy,” he says. “Portland I know is small – only three or four ramps – but at the same time it’s indoors and guaranteed show. Rain or shine it’s indoors we can ride.”
“I never got why they didn’t put that one on TV. I know they say the course is boring but people still want to see gnarly tricks on dirt bikes. The people at home aren’t going to care… They just want to see big tricks.”
Lusk says he doesn’t plan at the moment to attend Cleveland and Portland since there isn’t any real prize purse or an impact on the seasonal standings. But who does he think will be his major competition in the other three stops?
“It’s hard to say. It can be anyone’s game,” he says. “Every course is different and some people have hard times with certain things. I just feel that I’m consistent on every course so I’m pretty excited.”
Specifically, Lusk sees Adams, Jeremy “Twtich” Stenberg, Todd Potter and Takayuki Higashino as his top competition, though Aussie Blake “Bilko” Williams might be part of that group. Bilko was injured at last year’s Panasonic Open and missed the rest of the 2007 season.
“Bilko could definitely be a factor if he could just clean it up a little,” he says. “He’s got really big tricks so if he could put them all together and make a smooth run out of it he could be in the top three, too.”
Lusk’s already well-known for his big backflips, but he does have a new trick he’s looking forward to trying out this season: Double-grab back flips.
“I’ve tried some into the foam pit,” he explains. So where will viewers be able to see him pull it off?
“Definitely at Summer X. Maybe at one of the Dew Tours.”
It may be a little early to look forward, but with riders like Travis Pastrana and Kenny Bartram leaving to race rally cars and fellow Mulisha-mate Brian Deegan racing CORD trucks, what’s his plan for the future?
“I’ve always been an adrenaline junkie and I always will be,” he says. “If there was a back up plan, I’d like to race CORD trucks… I’m definitely going to try it in the next year or two.”
Check out some footage of Lusk and his fellow Mulisha teammates practicing at Brian Deegan’s place in Temecula last week.
