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Other Moto Racing
AMA AREANCROSS: Interview - Daniel Blair
Airide KTM’s Daniel Blair has experienced up and down season in 2012, but last weekend he posted his best effort of the championship.
(Photo: Kawasaki Racing)
Only three rounds remain in the 2012 AMA Arenacross Series, and this weekend the championship hits the west coast for the first of two rounds in the Pacific time zone. Fresno’s Save Mart Center will host the 10th stop of the season and one rider is eagerly awaiting his opportunity to return to his native state and race in front of the hometown crowd.
Airide KTM’s Daniel Blair has experienced up and down season in 2012, but last weekend he posted his best effort of the championship, finishing second in the Arenacross Lites Class Main Event. Blair has had the speed all season long, but for the first time the pieces all came together.
As a native of Lodi, Calif., Blair is a Central California resident, meaning the chance to compete is Fresno is a welcome one. He’ll look to take that next step on the podium on Saturday night and potentially grab his first AMA Arenacross Series victory.
Arenacross: Daniel, you’re coming off your best finish of the year last weekend. Talk about what it feels like to finally get onto the box after this much of the season.
Daniel Blair: It felt good. This season has been really hard for me. I came in pretty unprepared. I got my bike the week of Round 1 and my endurance wasn’t up to par coming into the season because of my injuries last year. So, it’s been an uphill battle all year. I’ve had a few potential podium rides, but just never seemed to put it together. Whatever nights I feel good, I get bad starts, and whatever nights I don’t feel good, I get good starts. It’s been kind of a pain.
I finally put it all together and got a good start and I felt good on the track. My conditioning is coming around. I’m glad I was finally able to get on the podium.
Arenacross: You’ve been fast enough, but the series is very deep in talent this season and things just didn’t pan out for you. Has it been just a matter of missing a few pieces of the puzzle?
DB: That’s it exactly. I’ve actually been the fastest qualifier in the Lites Class probably like four or five times this year. I’ve just never been able to put it together in the main event. Two of the weeks where I was the fastest guy, I ended up messing up in my heat race and had to start in the back row, and that pretty much takes you out of the running. It was just a combination of everything.
In Kentucky, I was the fastest qualifier. I had a good heat race, so I got a good front row spot. I got a good start in the main and ended up second. The only guy out there I didn’t beat was Kevin Johnson, who is riding awesome right now. Speed wise I think we’re the same, but his overall package is a little better than mine right now – his conditioning and his starts. I’m getting there, and I hope to get there this weekend in Fresno because it’s kind of my hometown race. I feel like it’d be a good opportunity to get my first win in the Lites Class this year.
Arenacross: This is a good time to get the momentum going heading into your hometown race. What does it mean to have everything sort of falling into place?
DB: Everything is coming together right at the right time, when I have two weeks at home. It definitely would mean a lot to me to get a win. I have a lot family and friends coming out, and like I said, it’s just perfect timing. Everything is starting to finally click. It’s been a tough year for me, but I hope to end it on a high note because I hope to do arenacross next year. If I could end this season on a high note and take the momentum into the offseason, it’ll just be a confidence booster for next year. Hopefully I can end with a win in Fresno and hopefully a couple wins in Reno.
Airide KTM’s Daniel Blair has experienced up and down season in 2012, but last weekend he posted his best effort of the championship, finishing second in the Arenacross Lites Class Main Event. Blair has had the speed all season long, but for the first time the pieces all came together.
As a native of Lodi, Calif., Blair is a Central California resident, meaning the chance to compete is Fresno is a welcome one. He’ll look to take that next step on the podium on Saturday night and potentially grab his first AMA Arenacross Series victory.
Arenacross: Daniel, you’re coming off your best finish of the year last weekend. Talk about what it feels like to finally get onto the box after this much of the season.
Daniel Blair: It felt good. This season has been really hard for me. I came in pretty unprepared. I got my bike the week of Round 1 and my endurance wasn’t up to par coming into the season because of my injuries last year. So, it’s been an uphill battle all year. I’ve had a few potential podium rides, but just never seemed to put it together. Whatever nights I feel good, I get bad starts, and whatever nights I don’t feel good, I get good starts. It’s been kind of a pain.
I finally put it all together and got a good start and I felt good on the track. My conditioning is coming around. I’m glad I was finally able to get on the podium.
Arenacross: You’ve been fast enough, but the series is very deep in talent this season and things just didn’t pan out for you. Has it been just a matter of missing a few pieces of the puzzle?
DB: That’s it exactly. I’ve actually been the fastest qualifier in the Lites Class probably like four or five times this year. I’ve just never been able to put it together in the main event. Two of the weeks where I was the fastest guy, I ended up messing up in my heat race and had to start in the back row, and that pretty much takes you out of the running. It was just a combination of everything.
In Kentucky, I was the fastest qualifier. I had a good heat race, so I got a good front row spot. I got a good start in the main and ended up second. The only guy out there I didn’t beat was Kevin Johnson, who is riding awesome right now. Speed wise I think we’re the same, but his overall package is a little better than mine right now – his conditioning and his starts. I’m getting there, and I hope to get there this weekend in Fresno because it’s kind of my hometown race. I feel like it’d be a good opportunity to get my first win in the Lites Class this year.
Arenacross: This is a good time to get the momentum going heading into your hometown race. What does it mean to have everything sort of falling into place?
DB: Everything is coming together right at the right time, when I have two weeks at home. It definitely would mean a lot to me to get a win. I have a lot family and friends coming out, and like I said, it’s just perfect timing. Everything is starting to finally click. It’s been a tough year for me, but I hope to end it on a high note because I hope to do arenacross next year. If I could end this season on a high note and take the momentum into the offseason, it’ll just be a confidence booster for next year. Hopefully I can end with a win in Fresno and hopefully a couple wins in Reno.
Photos
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