Larry Pegram, who says “I’ll race anything on two or four wheels,” is taking another crack at AMA Supermoto racing this weekend at the series finale in Tucson, Arizona. Although most of Pegram’s focus is on family these days, the not-quite-retired racer hasn’t kicked the racing bug quite yet.
“I’ve never really stopped,” Pegram said. “My wife tells me, ‘You’re never going to quit.’ I’ll never quit racing.”
Not that he’s not serious about racing, but the nice thing about being semi-retired is that it’s more about fun and what really matters. “I’m spending a lot more time with my kids,” he said. “They’re playing soccer and golf. I’m having fun.”
Pegram is mostly racing trucks these days, in the off-road TORC Series, but he hasn’t completely given up two wheels. Pegram also returned to his Superbike racing roots in April, filling in for injured rider/team owner Chris Ulrich on the M4 medAge Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike at round three of the MotoAmerica Championship, at New Jersey Motorsports Park, crossing the finish line on the third Superbike in both races. Pegram also went back to his dirt track roots and raced the X Games Harley-Davidson Flat Track event in June. So now, in the fall, he decided to race Supermoto again.
“I think it was 2005, 2004… I really can’t remember,” Pegram said about his last time racing Supermoto. “I know I did in 2003, and in 2004 I rode for KTM when Mitch (Hanson) had his team, but I don’t think I’ve rode (Supermoto) since then. So it’s been a while. But I got a lot of practice the last couple days. It seems all right. It feels sketchy on the dirt a little bit, but I feel good on the pavement.”
If you had to pick any race for a return to Supermoto racing, the prime, purpose-built-kart track of Musselman Honda Circuit had to be an easy choice for the longtime road racer.
“I really like the track,” Pegram said. “The dirt is slippery, but it doesn’t matter, when you have slicks on the dirt it feels sketchy. So I’m just not comfortable there yet, but the track is pretty awesome. It’s a really good, high-speed track, so for me being a road race guy, I really like it.
It also didn’t hurt to get a ride on the top team in the Pro Open class–RSR KTM. The team is rich with talent, starting with back-to-back Pro Open Champion (and 2015 MotoAmerica KTM RC390 Cup Champion) Gage McAllister, Dustin Hoffman, and Eric Stump. They have swept the season so far. Needless to say, Pegram has joined good company. And Pegram, at age 43, is old enough that his teammates this weekend could be his kids! To be fair, he pointed that out.
“The three kids could be my kids,” Pegram said. “One of them is Stumpy’s [Scott Stump] kid. I grew up racing with Scott, and Scott’s definitely older than me, by several years, but I did grow up racing with him and now I’m racing with [his son] Eric. I was already over there and talking to everyone. ‘Try this, and do this, and work your way.’ The one kid [Gage McAllister] is obviously unbelievably fast. I haven’t gone to a race yet but I know he wins pretty much everything he rides. I watched him and he looked really good.”
Pegram’s realistic about the fact that he’s had very little time on a motorcycle, even though he’s training on a bicycle. At this point it’s more about fun, but nothing’s more fun than winning. Make no mistake that Pegram hasn’t lost his competitive edge, but it’s also about finding that middle ground, when it’s supposed to be about having fun.
“I’m just open,” he said. “Same thing I did when I went to X Games and New Jersey–just don’t embarrass myself and go have some fun.”
More, from a press release issued by USAProSupermoto:
AMA Supermoto To Crown Champions In Tucson
All three AMA Supermoto National Championship Series titles to be decided this Saturday at Musselman Honda Circuit
San Diego, Calif. –This weekend the AMA Supermoto National Championship Series will crown three champions as all-three titles are still on the line going into the season finale at Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson, Arizona on Saturday October 22. The purpose built kart track is a favorite for many of the riders, including the two-time Pro Open Champion Gage McAllister who capped off his season last year with a win at the Arizona circuit.
This year McAllister still has some unfinished business left going into the finale as he was four points shy of clinching his third-straight title in the premier class at the penultimate round in Denver, Colorado. His RSR KTM teammates Dustin Hoffman and Eric Stump stole his thunder at the previous round, the first time McAllister has been winless this season. So make no mistake about the fact that the champ is fired up to defend his crown and add some more wins to his season at the finale.
Trailing 46 points behind McAllister, Hoffman would also like to add another win to his season and carry that winning momentum into 2017. Another 14 points behind Hoffman is fellow RSR KTM rider Stump, who would gladly take the number two spot in the championship as well as more wins. Fourth in the standings is Australian Josh McLean on the Lean Six Sigma Racing Husqvarna followed by Tyler O’Hara on the Intents Racing Yamaha.
Meanwhile in the Pro Lites class, the race for the title got even closer as reigning Pro Lites Champion Nicky Reimer threw his hat into the mix by taking advantage of misfortune from his rivals – Josh Jackson on the Lean Six Sigma Racing Husqvarna and Cameron Welsh on the Welsh Racing Yamaha. Jackson held onto his lead in the championship, but Reimer is breathing down his neck, sitting just three points behind Jackson and Welsh another six points back. In fourth is HB Racing’s Brady Tauson followed by Fat Boy Racing’s Dallas Daniels.
The National Amateur Championship with Monarch Honda’s Malcolm Barker sitting five points ahead of 53-year-old Lee Schmidt. Barker retook the points-lead in Denver on a challenging Speedway track with a tough dirt section. Now that they are heading to a prime asphalt kart track, will it play into the Loudon specialist’s hands for Schmidt to pull off the upset? Another 12-points adrift in third is RSR KTM’s Joe Agley. Completing the top five is James Jones and Dean Frey.
Below is the schedule for the weekend.
Tucson Supermoto Schedule
Friday October 21
Noon- Team move in
2:00- 5:00 p.m. Registration
4:00- 8:00 p.m. Practice
9:00 p.m. Pre-Race Party at Chuey’s
Saturday October 22
1:00 p.m. Warm-up
2:00 p.m. Qualifying
3:00 p.m. Drift Demo Warm-Up
3:15 p.m. Opening Ceremonies
3:25 p.m. Pro Open Main #1
3:45 p.m. Drift Demo #1
3:55 p.m. Amateur National Main
4:15 p.m. Pro Lites Main
4:35 p.m. Drift Demo #2
4:45 p.m. Pro Open Main #2
5:30 p.m. Moto Go Kart Race Qualifying
5:50 p.m. Moto Go Kart Race LCQ
6:00 p.m. Moto Go Kart Main
*Schedule is subject to change
The weekend will be nonstop Supermoto action as the AMA Supermoto West Coast Championship will follow the National Championship Series on Sunday, October 23. Spectator passes start at $10 and kids 10 and under are free, click here to purchase tickets (http://mhcircuit.com/2016-ama-supermoto-championship/). The AMA Supermoto National Championship Series Season Finale will be televised on MavTV at a later date. For more information on the event see www.amanationalsupermoto.com
Follow AMA Supermoto on Facebook /usasupermoto, Twitter @AMA_Supermoto
and Instagram @amasupermoto
About USA Pro Supermoto
USA Pro Supermoto was founded in 2012 and has been the promoter for the AMA Supermoto National Championship Series since 2014. The series crowns both professional and amateur champions. The professional series features two classes: the Open class and the Pro Lites class. For more information about the AMA Supermoto National Championship Series, click here.
About Supermoto
Supermoto originated in the U.S. in the late 70s as a made-for-TV “Superbikers” show. Supermoto is a cross-discipline event in which road racers, dirt-trackers and motocrossers compete on a unique track that combines pavement and dirt, resulting in a very competitive race track. The races feature jumps, high speeds and back-it-in sliding. Tracks can range from football stadiums to closed-course streets to parking lots and more.