by Jim Kimball
Privateer Profile: Matt Lemoine
Thursday, March 17, 2011 | 9:05 AM
SHOEI combines state-of-the-art manufacturing technology and the most advanced materials known with over 50 years of experience to deliver the finest handcrafted motorcycle helmets available. Recognizing that the privateer is the heart and soul of motocross, SHOEI is proud to present to you the Privateer Profile.
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Matt Lemoine joined the Star RacingYamaha team back when he made is pro debut in 2007 and quickly grabbed some impressive finishes. But over the years, injuries and inconsistency have slowed his fast track to stardom. He moved to the Suzuki City team in 2010, with mediocre results at best. But now as a privateer with support from Moto Extreme Kawasaki things are looking up. While the 21-year-old Texan had impressed many with his rides in the 2011 East Coast SX Lites class, it was his fifth place at Indianapolis this past weekend that really raised some eyebrows. This is where we were able to catch up with Matt who now sits seventh in points.
Racer X: Matt, congrats on your fifth in Indy. That’s been your best finish so far this year, right?
Matt Lemoine: Yeah, the fifth at Indy was my best so far. I have felt like I’ve had the speed and endurance since the beginning of the series, but it’s just been little things that have happened to me. At Indy I didn’t feel that I rode my best. I had some little complications along the way, but will keep on focusing forward trying to better my finishes. I almost had it at Daytona but made a small mistake that really cost me.
What happened in Daytona?
I felt great in Florida. I got a pretty good start and made some passes and was running fifth for much of the race, but then I stalled my motorcycle. That stall cost me four positions and put me back to ninth. It was near the end of the race, and by that point there just wasn’t enough time to pass anyone, everyone was too spaced out. It’s a bummer because I had fifth locked up and was pressing forward. Stalling my bike was just a rookie mistake. Everyone there thought that I crashed or just got tired, but it definitely wasn’t that. I was pretty disappointed, though.
Lemoine had his best finish of the season at Indy.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
I missed the first two rounds of the East Coast Lites series, so how did those go for you?
Well in Houston I got tangled up in the first lap and started from last place. I just put my laps in after that and kept on focusing forward, eventually ending up in ninth there too. In Atlanta I did about the same exact thing. A first-turn crash coupled with trying to move forward. I got into eighth but had a slight fall and ended the race in tenth. So I was pretty consistent in the early races, but I definitely would be a lot happier if I was regularly in the top five. So, that’s my goal—be consistently top five.
You’ve went from Yamaha to Suzuki to Kawasaki in the past three seasons. How have you adjusted to the KX250F?
Well, beginning with Yamaha and the guys at Star Racing, they were all awesome. Bobby Regan and the whole clan over there have a solid program going. Last year I went to Suzuki City and tried something new, but unfortunately it just didn’t work out for me. It wasn’t any one particular thing, it just didn’t suit me and I got a bunch of bad results and other stuff that I didn’t need. This year I am doing my own Kawasaki deal, and the bike is awesome. I feel so comfortable on it. It’s pretty awesome to be able to still race doing my own deal, with friends and family backing you, especially with the way the economy has been. I’m just trying to get some good results and not be in this spot next year. There is always something that is bigger and better, and I’m just trying my hardest to put in some good rides for myself and the people that help me. Who knows, maybe in a few years we can expand this team and have some other people riding for us.
Are you more focused on where you finish in the championship, or are you just taking it race by race?
It’s both, really. I want to go for it and finish each race the best that I can, but also I want to be consistent and finish well for the long run in the championship. I look at it as if you strive for the best finish in each race, then the points will come and you’ll be up there in the championship. For me it’s just trying to keep my confidence and motivation up week in and week out. Taking a fifth now helps that a lot.
Ideally, where would you like to see yourself when the checkers wave in Las Vegas?
Top five in points would be very nice. I’m not that far out of there right now, so if I could get some more finishes like here in Indy it would help me a lot. Of course a podium or two would really be awesome and help me in the championship, but being happy with myself and racing like I can actually means the most to me. I feel that I practice very well, so now I just need to race like that. I know that I have the fitness, the speed, and the desire, I just need to put it all together.
Can Lemoine get on the podium before seasons end?
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
Describe what it’s like going from being a factory rider to a privateer.
For me the privateer lifestyle has definitely been more demanding. I’ve been driving to all the races and staying here and there along the way. It’s tough trying to make it all work, and then having much less riding time than what I really need. But what’s good about it is that by driving across country and staying at all the different places, you get to ride at a lot of different tracks. Obviously the real negative is money; or really the lack of it. With more funding you could put more into the bikes. We only have a couple people helping us out, like Terry at Moto Extreme and my dad, who has been helping me to get to all the races. My bike may not be the best one out there, but with what we can afford it fits me very well.
In closing, who do you want to thank, Matt?
Terry Derr at Moto Extreme Kawasaki, my mechanic Jim Vezina, Novik Gloves, Skull Candy, Shoei helmets, FMF, Moose, Parts Unlimited, Dunlop, Speed Graphics, Matrix, DVS, Smith, Mandingo Pickles, JM Racing, Hansen and Associates, Whynatte Latte, and Alpinestars. The list of people helping us is almost endless, and I am so grateful for everyone’s help. Now I just want to do my best on the track and reward them the best way that I can.
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I really like Lemoine, dude has character. Turned down a factory Kawi ride because he didn't want to turn his back on the people helping him out this season. Amazing!
I was very impressed with Matt at Daytona. Sans the stall, he had Wharton easy. I believe those two will have role reversals next year. Matt will have a factory backed ride and Wharton will be the privateer. Good luck in JAX Matt!
The guy is fast, I think he could get a win, if he got a holeshot... Seems like he was going for wins on the star racing yamaha team..
U can get up there... U just need some better starts forsure.. Cant wait to see ya on the box soon man Goood Luck
One thing I dont understand about this sport: Every week there are filled stadiums all over America, and yet only the top 5 guys really make a good pay?
Matt Lemoine needs help from family and friends, I cant believe it. He should be rich!
Well, I am living in Denmark, and probably have no idea what is going on. But here is my guess to the budget of an event:
Income -
Tickets: 50 dollars? Times 40.000 people = 2.000.000 dollars.
Sponsors? Well, I guess the same = 2+2 = 4.000.000 dollars.
Does track-design and building, Asterisk-med, electricity, security and so on really cost 4 million dollars? Maybe the riders should see a little of the revenue?
Maybe it is because the sponsors of the teams are not really that big, and cant afford big sponsorships.
Can somebody explain it to me, why these guys are not getting rich? :)
I know Matt and he is a great person with a great family. From what I see this year is that he truly wants to win and is putting in his best every week. Plus he has always been fast on a Kawi. Good job Matt and keep up the good work we are all pulling for you here in North Texas.
It pisses me off so much that these guys get paid shit money...and u see little tweens on the tv with mediocre acting skills getting paid 3 times as much. the kid from 2 and a half men gets paid 250,000 + just for ONE episode. its freaking ridiculous. anyways lemoine is doing really great this season and i wouldn't be surprised to see him get a solid top 5 every week
Amen to you guys saying that the riders - particularly the privateers - should get PAID MORE. They are literally risking their lives out there - witness the # of riders who've been crippled or killed in the past several years - and I think some rich promoters are only getting richer. And all the best to Matt Lemoine, who I think is a good guy who deserves to do better. Get 'em in Jacksonville.
Matt deserves to be on a factory team,not saying that he doesn't have a good thing going or bad equipment! He has what it takes to battle week in a week out for podiums and wins!!! Matt just needs a good start,put in a solid 15 laps and will have awesome results. He has the speed to run up front and he's doing it on a bike that isn't factory can you imagine how much more confidence he would have with the best of the best! I mean he turned down factory Kawi! Mitch should give him a ride with Pro Circuit so Matt can win his first championship! All your family and friends back in Louisiana are cheering for you good luck luck in JAX!!!
Hey Matt! What about RIDE ENGINEERING? Thanks Adrian, sweet triple clamps!
Thomas L.. hey there.. I live in the Netherlands.. But the answer is pretty simple. The race promoters, where the venue (In this case the stadium) want to recoup their investment. There goes the sales tickets.
Feldmotorsport... The TV stations come in next. Their agreements enable them as well to get the biggest share.. And sales tickets and TV revenues goes to them.
As for the sponsors... Take Nascar (Just for comparison sake)... They have a multitude of sponsors, which enables riders and teams alike to make a more then decent living... Thanks to the race earnings.
SX has never achieved the same level of success as Nascar... Even though in terms of numbers in the past and to a certain extent today.. Seems to be a growing sport within the mechnized sporting industry. And other factors can be included.. The motorcross industry is not as big as the car industry.. So this does not attract the same number of sponsors.
However... Changes and a breath of fresh air seems underway.. Teams such as JGR racing... Hart & Huntington... With serious backing of car maufacturers or sponsors, I believe is the way to make the sport more mainstream and exploit it to the max.
But this has been going on as long as I can remember, where the real hero, the privateer.. Is appreciated by the race fans.. But not compensated accordingly for his contribution to the sport
Didierlotsyeng, thank you very much for your in-depht answer. I can appreciate your point of views, and I see alot of sense in it.
I just wish the motocross-racers would earn more. But again, as you said it comes down to how main-stream the sport is. I still wonder, tennis-players, golfers and so on make so much money. I could believe that the amount of golfers in America is the same as motocrossers.
Well, here in Denmark, I have ridden with some of the best riders, and they are all amateurs. We only have one racer, Nikolaj Larsen, which is riding the World Championships.
Do you think the complexity of the sport could have something to do with it? Or the coverage? Do you follow the american series? :)
The reason the privateers get paid so little is pretty simple. The promoters and networks are greedy and will pay peanuts as long as they can get away with it. The little guys have no leverage to bargain with. They don't have an agent (lawyer) to bargain for them. They don't band together to demand better pay. Yes, the ticket sales and sponsor money is plenty to pay them well. The pot of gold is there but the greedy are in control of it. My ticket to this years SX is as much as my ticket to a pro football game. Yet 3rd string football players that never leave the bench get paid $1mil. TV money has a lot to do with it. Until we educate the ignorant TV execs, SX will have to fight for airtime. But still, promoters need to start taking care of the privateers. I used to ride out of the back of my van and I am OK with that, but some hotel, food and gas money would be nice. Would be cool to pay mechanic a little something too.