Insight: Cole Seely
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 | 12:50 PM
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Lucas Oil Troy Lee Designs Honda rider Cole Seely has been in the eye of the storm this week after a controversial Lites West final in Las Vegas. Eli Tomac was running ahead of title rival Broc Tickle during the race, until he caught up to Seely and Kyle Cunningham, struggled to get by them, and then ended up getting passed by Tickle. Since Seely is a training partner of Tickle, many suspect Seely purposely held up Tomac to help his friend. We called Seely to get his take on the race.
Racer X Online: Take me through the race, Cole.
Cole Seely: I had a pretty good start and I was up there early, then Roczen fell and I got the lead. I was feeling pretty good and just trying not to make any mistakes, but I cased a jump and went over the bars. I took a pretty good hit there. I got up and my bike was pretty bent and I was hurting a little bit. Roczen got away from me, and it took me awhile to get the front wheel go straight, I had to turn the bars and stuff. The bike was bent up pretty bad. So then that let Tomac and Cunningham and all of those guys catch up to me, and it was hard to ride the bike that way. I don’t know, I don’t really think I was blocking Tomac or anything, I’m not really sure what that was all about. I was just racing for position and trying to stay on the podium. I did the same thing with Cunningham and Tickle, I didn’t let Cunningham by, and we went back and forth for a lap. When Tickle passed me I actually hit him, and that kind of messed me up and let Tomac pass me. There wasn’t any of whatever everyone thinks is going on.
Seely was out front early, but a crash would take him out of the running for the win.
Photo: Simon Cudby
And being a Honda guy, you weren’t given any orders to help Tomac, either?
No, I was just told don’t race too aggressively with him. I actually let him by, but he messed up and couldn’t do the triple, and I went wide and I had the run for it. I would have had to really slow down and block the whole triple, or just not jump it, and if I did that I probably wouldn’t have gotten landed on.
So you feel you had no choice but to jump the triple and get back ahead of Tomac?
Yeah. And actually the next lap, I thought he was behind me again, and I was just struggling because my bike was so messed up from the crash. I was just going to let Tomac go, but it was actually Cunningham who was behind me by then, and it was the same spot where Tomac had passed me before. I just let him cruise down the inside like Tomac had done, and then I cut back underneath Cunningham and passed him back, too. I raced Cunningham the same way. We went back and forth, it was really a fun race with all that was going on. It just got crazy with what everyone has said after it.
After the race you congratulated Tickle. I know you guys are friends. So were you happy because your plan worked, or were you just congratulating him?
No, I was just congratulating him. I don’t race any racers any differently. The race was over and he was champ. We train together three days a week, so we’ve become pretty good friends over the last year. I was just congratulating him.
Seely congratulating Tickle after he wrapped up the 2011 Lites West title.
Photo: Simon Cudby
So during the week, did you plan any of this?
[Laughs] No! I don’t know what that’s all about, the conspiracy theories everyone has right now. That’s pretty crazy.
Did anyone say anything to you after the race? Anyone from Honda, like Erik Kehoe, or anyone from the GEICO team?
Um, no. The only thing I have heard was the stuff people are writing on the internet.
Okay then. How did the shootout go? I’m sure you wanted to win that one.
Yeah I did, but Sipes rode a pretty mistake-free race. It was pretty fun, and I’m glad I could get back out there and prove my speed again, without my bike being all bent up.
Hey what about this format, with a 15-lap main and then a 10-lap main? Did you feel more fatigued than usual?
Um, I definitely did feel more tired, especially because not only was it more laps, but they were longer laps. The lap times were longer than normal. And especially in the first one, having to ride with my bike all messed up, I definitely rode tighter and got more pumped up than usual, so that made me even more tired.
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Seeley is lying about Honda, but I believe everything else he says here.
Seely, you are horrible, good luck outdoors, Tomac and Barcia gonna dominate
Great read for a good laugh. I dont think that he purposely blocked Tomac, i will watch the race again tonight and see what i can find.
But if he says honda didn't say anything to him after the race...then why should we worry so much?
It made for some really good racing!
Quit your crying, its not like he has pulled any of the BS that Hansen has pulled in the last few races. He was just racing for position. Seely is a good, fair rider and hope he has a good outdoor season. Go #36!
BS
hey cole i believe what you said 100% and i think that everyone was just rooting for tomac and to see him lose they needed someone to blame. the race was awesome and hope to see you do good in the outdoors! good luck!!!!
That's because Honda has nothing to say to him anymore. Same with fans of the sport who might have become Seely fans.
They train together 3 days a week but he races him the same as he raced Tomac?? Not so sure myself. If you are that close to somebody, you couldnt hardly not race him clean, and do a little bit to help. If he was so innocent, then why defend himself so hard. He didnt do anything real dirty, but to see him so happy seconds after the race, just makes you wonder thats all.
O yeah, now you have it figured out, Cole is going to lie on the internet about Honda. As if Kehoe is not going to read this and see that his next Trey Canard is a lier. Give me a break! And he did say Honda talk to him "dont ride Tomac aggressive". Pay attention
a guy with a french face is obligatorily a liar, and you cole « tickle b...ch” » seely you have a french face
Everyone who has commented about a conspiracy is a moron! Seely did nothing wrong and raced his own race. Everyone at Geico Honda and Tomac are just upset because Tomac did not win the championship. Clearly Broc Tickle was the better rider that night and Tomac lost the title on his own! Quit whining Tomac fans your boy cracked under the pressure bottom line!
2012 West Coast Lites Supercross Champ CS36!
I like the Seely explained the race. It sounded like no one has a TV, you forgot the part where you keep looking back to make sure you got in Tomacs way. Not a Tomac fan, I'm a Tickle fan. My opinion, you should have got the hell out of the way and let them race. Hope you lose your ride, you suck.
Who cares..., really. OUTDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORS!
Agreed; Tomac and Barcia will vie for the championship title.
Hanny, Seely & Cunningham will battle for 3rd spot on the podium..., weekly.
F idiot, Tomac was faster than Tickle, and the only one who cracked under the pressure is Tickle after Tomac passed him and pull away, do you see the race moron? Tomac cleary beat Tickle before his girlfriend Seely play is b…ch.
To all you fanboy turds... that's racing! Go faster if you want to win. No one should expect a handout during a race. Period.
I blame TLD they get support from Honda they should have told Seely to back off, you can't tell me the PC guys weren't doing their job to keep Tomac in the back. Championships mean alot to the factories and Honda would have like to get both of them. Cunningham had nothing to do but try to get Yamaha a podium finish. C'mon people it is about pleasing the people who take care of you. Honda takes care of TLD they should have returned the favor and let the championship be given to Honda. That is the politics of racing, sorry.
That race was way to crazy for any of that to be planned. There were just too many guys bunched up going all over the place back and forth for him to just worry about tomac. Unbelievable race. These all seem like great guys and I think the sport is in good hands with these young guns coming up.
NOPE- i am not just a tomac fan or hater- i just watched the tv and this fool Seely just doped out- feel bad for Tomac
who the fuq cares. tomac had a great year and learned alot hope he does good outdoors and maybe get some wins. great kid. Seely and everyone out there are racing for point's so no favors to anyone. cunningham on the other hand is a whole other story.
It's all just racing. Sounds like most people wanted to see a heads up "match" race. That can't be done with 20 racers on the starting gate.......
Bent bike hero Seely will DOMINATE Honda, by blocking Trey and slamming Winham into the nearest metal pole. Bent bike hero is awesome for Honda, and he should always screw up other Honda riders even after he faceplants himself. He's just THAT AWESOME !!
seely is french, get that but sucker out of U.S.A.
It is well known within the Honda race teams that they are not happy with Seely's actions.
To all you conspiracy theorists -- nobody cares! You might as well go out and yell at your dog ... it will have the exact same impact. Makes you wonder how people get to be so angry. Was your life really affected by this? Is it really that empty? I'll bet the ones who are name-calling and denigrating these dedicated athletes are the same people out there committing road rage! Nice.
Yea, Seely had it completely planned out, I'm sure he cased that triple on purpose, lose the lead and the race just so he could help his best friend win the title... you people blaming him are idiots. I wanted Tomac to win but maybe if he wasn't in the back in the first place it wouldn't have been a problem. He should still hold his head up high at the fact that he finished 2nd in points in his ROOKIE season, plenty of time to win a title.
It's funny that everyone thinks they know what is being said at Honda, or what went down. Where is all of this info that Honda is really pissed coming from, if even Matthes, who reports anything, hasn't even said it. You watched the race on TV and now you all of a sudden know exactly what Honda has said and that Seely is a liar. Again, motocross fans are morons.
Watched this race in person then at home on sunday, the tv version did no justice for how bad they were jacking with Tomac
I think I have and would race my buddy harder than someone else. SOme of the hardest races I have races were with friends. Nobody wants to loose to a friend.
what does this prove? did somebody actually think Seely would just admit to it? this is all BS. Seely said he trains with Tickle 3 days a week.......hmmmmm... u do the math. thats no way to end a title fight, Sleepy and Cantingham should have just got out of the way and let ET & BT battle it out. ET is the real champ this year, and next year he will get the #1 plate to go with it!!
oui..oui..cole ..now that we figured out you and tickle me elmo are boyfriend and girlfriend..""training together"??is that what they call it these days?? any real honda guy knows you dont turn your back on another honda rider..and you two were practically making out at the finish line..i heard you two were dancing together at the awards banquet and your monster energy pocketbook matched your heels perfectly..musta been a present from broc "pickle sniffer" tickle..lol
@1baddude you are right. The PC guys were doing what they needed to do to help Tickle and the bottom line is: Should of Seely helped out Honda? Not just Tomac. Seely went over the limit to block Tomac and he said he was told not to be to aggressive. with him.. You don't know how much Honda supports TLD team. If they give them support then they are all on the same team, bottom line...... Honda wants to win no doubt about that.. Honda should be taking this up with the TLD management, Whats done is done, but there should be a underline rule there and everyone knows it.. Factories look at this as a business advertisement and that lost cost Honda some good advertisement...........
I think Cunningham's riding was more chicken**** than Seely's.
dont forged Musquin125 he is there for the win
@joe dirtbag: you are so right! Those training buddies are a bit too close! Tickle, Seeley, Baker, Vallee, etc...those boys walk on the side of the tracks. Must be that bizarro christian thing they have going on!!! lmao!
What do these guys get paid to do????? They get paid to RACE,,,, for THEIR team. They don't get paid to 'throw' what they're trained and paid for. So for all you whiners, get a life. You sound like a bunch of women.....and I AM a women and you're an embarrassment to my gender. You try and strap on a helmet and ride as fast as these guys around the tracks and see what you're made of. pfffff
just watched again, after not beleeving what I was seeing Sat nite, which was so obvious Sleezy seely was holding up Tomac, and after letting Tickle past, he eases over for Tomac. He must be awesome to ride on such a bent up bike. BS if you ask me, and good luck to him and his brokeback buddies
We need to get some broc tickle fans opinions here. I am a 100% broc tickle fan here. I do think that tickle deserves this championship. He rode fast and smart in vegas but i dont like how seely and cunningham were ganging up on tomac. I wanted to see a broc versus tomac battle for the title and im sorry to say that tomac that title was yours until tickles buddies got involved. Its just kind of a bummer way to see a #1 plate be handed over.
ABSOLUTELY ENUFF OF THIS B.S. I HAVE WORKED AS BOTH A RACER AND A MECHANIC ON THE NATIONAL SUPERCROSS CIRCUIT...UNLIKE MOST OF YOU COMPUTER HACK/BENCH RACERS. I'M HERE AND FOR TWO REASON. THE FIRST AS YOU MIGHT NOTICE IS RE-NAMING JS7...TO J-WAD7...AND THE SECOND WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED BETWEEN MX ATV REFLEX TO THE CURRENT MX VS. ATV ALIVE...REALLY. THE NEW GAME IS EQUAL TO THAT OF J-WAD7'S SUPERCROSS SEASON. JUST A PURE WASTE OF LAPS.
P.S. BK HAS A PATENT ON J-WAD7...SO DONT TRY TO STEAL IT BIT$#'S
ALSO LIKE TO GIVE A SHOT OUT TO MY BOY FRANKIE WRENCHIE ON
#29 KTM OF SHORT DOG. YOU HEARD IT HEAR FIRST FOLKS THIS IS
J-WAD7 AND I'M OUTTA HERE...!
SQWEELY CAN SAY WHATEVER, BUT YOU BRING HOME CHAMPIONSHIPS TO YOUR BRAND, WHAT YOU SAW IS HIM SETTING UP A P.C. RIDE IN THE FUTURE. VIA PIT-BOARD HE KNEW DAMN WELL WHO WAS BEHIND HIM, AND HE SHOULD HAVE MOVED OVER...I KNOW HONDA SPOKE WITH HIM, AND TO SAY THEY DIDN'T IS A LIE STRAIGHT UP...
TOMAC IS THE BETTER RIDER, BUT I BET YOU THIS THE KID WILL NEVER MISS THE TRIPLE AGAIN FOR 1 LAP, LET ALONE 2...
- J-WAD7
Come on people. The writing is on the wall. There are good reasons why there is so much doubt and controversy. Do you really think they never had a conversation about it before the race. It is expected out there on the track in that kind of situation. It is just that nobody can really just come out and say it. Seely didn't slap Tickle on the back, he gave him a big hug. That is more than simply training partner friend. He is CRAZYYYYYYYYY to not give ET some room out there. Losing one position in the last race of a championship he is not even in for future praise from Honda? Fighting for what position? I can see if he stayed out front, who would want to give that up. What a lost opportunity and poor judgement.
There is no conspiracy. Seeley and Cunningham put themselves ahead of the sport and the race everyone wanted to see. He should have pulled over for both of them so they could have duked it out. Not hold them up like he did. So, no conspiracy, just a couple of idiots. Honda didn't say anything to you Seeley because it is so f**king obvious you screwed up. Not a fan of Tomac or Tickle. I just wanted to see the championship contenders race to the finish. Not both trying not to to be taken out or slowed down by you two. DUMD. Seeley and Cunningham are the new Chisholm.
Who really wants a title because some guy or guys pulled over for you? Get over it. Take care of business out on the track yourself. Then when you win a title it's that much more rewarding and no one can say shit...Nuff said.
I'll bet Seely and Cunningham would like to do that race all over again.
I believe most of you guys are just complete idiots---I think if Tomac was faster,he could have passed Seely and Cunningham and gotten away. Come'on guys--its the last race of the season-what would you do(if you all even race at all)! In the race I watched I saw 3-4 guys going for that "last win of the season" and it was a great race!! Are there a new way of racing now??? Was they supposed to sit at the gate and let Tomac and Tickle get a 4 lap headstart??? Tickle came frome behind and passed Tomac and it just so happend that a couple of other guys was in front of them that wanted to win too!! I guess they should have just pulled over when Tomac and Tickle got close!!! Racin aint what it used to for sure!! Hats off to Seely and Cunningham for making it exciting!!!!!! Great race!!!
@whatever you are stupid! Tomac had him the whole race.. Besides Tomac had more wins than him anyways... No one is doubting that Tickle made a clean pass, what we are saying is Tickle had help from Hansen and Ratray to try to slow Eli down and Eli should have had some help from the Honda rider Seely to not jack with him and slow him down so Tickle could catch up.... Bottom line, end of story, say what you want, but that is what teams expect from one another....HONDA IS MAD AT SEELY.... END OF STORY!!!!!
Simply put...........Seely + Cunningham= Douche Bags! You are both faggots!
KG- I think Dean Wilson will be in that top group too..
I just know I would I have been way happier, and far more entertained if the four guys had just played follow the leader- spaced six bike lengths apart, for the whole main. Yeah sure- Right.
Keep lying Cole please you didn't let tomac by you lier sorry you lost lots of respect for people .. I can't wait to see tomac destroy you in outdoors o and Honda giving you orders is a load of bs to be easy on tomac u s
@J-WAD7
Hey Mr. RACER AND A MECHANIC ON THE NATIONAL SUPERCROSS CIRCUIT...
Easy on the 'Caps' button, dude.
We hear you; no need to SCREAM at everyone here...
. . .
@WFO_WFO
Absolutely on DW15.
Should have included him w/ Barcia & Tomac. My bad.
Wilson is the best of the PC Kawie guys and will also contend for P1.
Tickle will be a top 10 finisher each week; occasionally in the top 5 too...,
provided he can get some help from his buddies...
Thanks Cole for being part of one of the most exciting races of the year! Thanks again Cole for not letting anyone by that didn't earn it!! And finally Thanks Cole for not letting all the Checker playing computer keyboard bad ass nerds bother You.
Whatever wrote:
"Who really wants a title because some guy or guys pulled over for you? Get over it. Take care of business out on the track yourself. Then when you win a title it's that much more rewarding and no one can say shit...Nuff said."
! ! ! ! B I N G O ! ! ! !
So again, to all you whiners.....S T F U already. Tomac couldn't get it done or else he would have been sprayin himself with the bubbly.
Keep it comin' cole. You're on a legit team and a great rider, don't need to pull over for anyone. All the best for outdoors, hope to see you up front!
Have you all forgotten how many times Tomac messed up in that race? He did not do the triple like 3 laps in a row, thats why he could'nt get passed Seely.
It doesn't matter if Tomac screwed or not. Silly..opppsss...Seely had the obligation to let Tomac by. I bet Honda isn't happy with it. I know I am not.
"Seely had the obligation to let Tomac by." WHAT? Bob Hannah was ORDERED to let another Broc by many years ago, and if you ask him he'd probably tell you it was one of the worst moments of his career. No rider wants to do that. If you're a lapper it's another story ... but battling for the podium? A lot of dead brain cells out here.
It doesn't matter what people say, it's what they do. We all have seen the race but more important so did the Honda Team and they are the ones that put you on those factory rides.
Bottom line is TOMAC sucks and looks like a troll from Harry Potter! Nice bowl cut from Super clips Tomac, go back to Colorado and keep practicing your cow tipping skills, you redneck! And everyone who says HONDA is mad you are RETARDED! Kehoe is not mad and the bottom line if TOMAC was fast enough he would have won the championship. All you Seely and Cunningham haters are losers, I guarantee none of you could keep up with either of those guys on the track. Great job Tickle!!!
Lets not forget what a loser Tomac is for slamming Seely and taking him out last year at one of the nationals, that kid is dirty and someone needs to help with his image kinda gross looking at his bowl cut haircut and acne covered face. Geez go to a dermatologist and fix that sh1t. Tomac is a hick from Colorado hahaha
And he was Crying after he lost the race! What a little bitc$
I'm not buying his story............
The overwhelming majority of the posters on this thread feel the same.
While I do not think he made "the right choice", I'm not going to berate the guy.
To the poster who slammed E.T. for his "image" and saying he's dirty, If RXI put up a poll of "dirtiest riders" , E.T. wouldn't crack top 20 while your boy Seely would have quite an different ranking. Popular opinion has an interesting quality, people use their eyes and reasoning to come to a conclusion........I suggest you try it.
Sef 154 DEAD BRAIN CELLS- Bob Hannah the most outspoken rider ever. Could you ask him why he slowed down for his teammate bailey at millville after you said it was the worst thing he ever did after the event occurred with glover. Did he change his mind, NO he's riding for a team that pays him (Smart Man). Advertising, team, sponsors, money. Run team, hire teammates, sell product. I think that's how it works!!!!
Looks like one of Seely's boyfriends (CRF007rider) his hoping to get a little extra hole time by attacking Seely's competitors hair style. Or is his just a little nervous because the results of his AIDS tests are late.
Seely doesn't ride on the same team as Tomac. He was racing for a podium. podiums don't come easy in Supercross and it is the last supercross of the year. you don't just move over and let guys go by. so what if they both ride a honda. And why would Kyle be obligated to move over? he wasn't a lap down, he was in the race and going for that podium so why should he not push to the end? He is on a yamaha. I think Tomac is a good kid and he is riding great, but he has to deall with the conditions in front of him to win the championship. I have heard people dog out Broc as well and I don't get that at all cause broc is a really good kid and really works hard. He kept his head and didn't fall apart when Tomac went by, eased back up to the battle and worked his butt off to go thru. It's silly to think that in a 4 way battle like that that Seely could single out Tomac and make it hard for him but stay in the battle and keep racing against kyle and broc. Supercross is checkers not chess. They both ended up in the same battle and both had to work so hard. Tomac made some mistakes with the triple a couple of times and that cost him greatly. I would have been happy for Tomac had he pulled it off, but i was happy for Broc too because he earned it. It was a great race and everybody should be happy to have seen it. and you all know Seely aint a Dbag, or Kyle. Maybe you don't know but I'll tell you they are not and they are all good kids that work hard to be good racers. everybody can't win.
Sounds like a bunch of Eli Tomac C*&k suckers are upset because their boy failed to win. Seely didn't race him aggressive, he just didn't pull over and let him by like some of you snot nosed punk kids think he should have. Guess what, he was going for the race win like he should have!
Bob Hannah rode off into a field by himself after that race, and cried. It was the worst moment of his career.
AND,,, Ken had already ate dirt once so who was to say he wouldn't have thrown it away?? holding onto 2nd could have turned into 1st real fast, so Seely and Kyle had to fight for their position cause that could have been a win and a few more bucks in the pocket. In my mind, and nothing against any of those guys and this is just my way of looking at it... who is Eli Tomac? who is anybody else on that start line? if you are racing and that is your profession, then you damn welll better race and not let somebody by. I have heard of "team" tactics but not "brand" tactics. He did nothing dirty or out of line, In fact it was very clean racing for the situation and Eli had a couple of chances to get by but was not able to capitalize on it.
CRF007rider wrote: about 4 hours ago
Bottom line is TOMAC sucks and looks like a troll from Harry Potter! Nice bowl cut from Super clips Tomac, go back to Colorado and keep practicing your cow tipping skills, you redneck! And everyone who says HONDA is mad you are RETARDED! Kehoe is not mad and the bottom line if TOMAC was fast enough he would have won the championship. All you Seely and Cunningham haters are losers, I guarantee none of you could keep up with either of those guys on the track. Great job Tickle!!!
YOUR ARE F***ING IDIOT! STFU... Don't talk about Tomacs haircut and looks, last I check Seely was sportin a cut from the dollar store and isn't registering high on looks scale! You must be gay to check out haircuts and lookc... Get a life dude and one that doesn't compare haircuts and looks to speed on the motocross track.. That is just wrong in many ways... STALKER
And who actually cares. Everyone was smoked.....SMOKED !!! by a Euro. They dont even ride sx. Yeah......about that haircut E....
Wow! Shouldn't we be made at all 9 of the people who beat Tomac at A1? After all he was going for a championship. Championships are won and not given! ET will be smarter in the future and he will ride more aggresive when he needs to. This whole year we have seen and heard of the GIFTS. Nobody wants a win on a silver platter and he will only get stronger in the lites next year.
Let's look at this at a different angle. At work, an employee has come up with a way to make you about 500k, now right before it is finalized the pos sells his idea to brand x for peanuts. Now do you tell him "hey that's alright, it's just business?" Or do you fire him on the spot for not being a team player? This title cost Tomac prolly near 500k and Honda some serious money too. I seriously would let Seely finish out the year on an old 90 step-through trail bike. And make TLD bleed for this icompetent, out of control, egotistical, embisol riders actions. To those of you who think it was alright, or maybe just racing, what if Tomac never gets this close again? When you're this close, you need everyone one of these championships. Tickle didn't have shit for him, that was evident in the race...nuff said
you guys are forgetting that tomac and seely hate each other after tomac took seely off the track in outdoors last year.