With the strongest MX2 line-up we’ve ever seen, the 250F boys are going to be knocking lumps out of each other all season – and one rider who’s guaranteed to be able to give it as well as take it is Scottish scrapper Bryan MacKenzie.
The 28-year-old from West Lothian heads into the opening round at Landrake next month fighting fit with his Pendrich Kawasaki dialled in. The RBPN team caught up with him for a quick Q n’ A…
Q: How the hell are you Bry?
BM: “I’m fan-bloody-tastic. Things are good right now and I’m very much happy with my life and most of the sh*t in it.” AX: How’s your off-season training and testing been and have you gone anywhere exotic to prepare for the 2013 season? BM: “Training wise it’s been awesome! I’ve done a lot of things that I’ve done in the past before the turn of the year with my strength stuff and since 2013 kicked in I started working with this really bad dude, Steven – my boss’ brother-in-law. He’s completely hardcore and I have a lot of respect for the guy for his ability and attitude towards each session so I’m always trying hard to chase or impress him. It’s good for me but more importantly I actually really enjoy it. On the bike it’s been okay too. I went to California over the New Year but had a bit of a disaster after a while when I injured my foot and had to come home. That kept me off the bike for a few weeks but since recovering I’ve been getting a lot done in Scotland and BC [Bry’s mechanic and sidekick Bryan Connolly] has built me an awesome bike as per usual. Dude, I love my bike. So it’s sweet! I’m in a good position.”
Q: The MX2 field for the Red Bull Pro Nationals is pretty stacked this year – how do you fancy your chances and who do you think your main rivals will be?
BM: “When isn’t it stacked? The UK scene in general is stacked now so it’s always tough. You know, I don’t even look at the start lists any more because you just know every week there’s gonna be about six or seven guys that are gonna line up and want to get some. I’m one of them guys and I’m pretty confident with my preparation, my bike and my team – so let’s just wait and see.”
Q: How important is it to you to do well in the Red Bull Pro Nationals?
BM: “Very! For us guys that only focus on racing in the UK we get signed up to do a job in a couple of championships and the RBPN is one of them. So not only for myself, but for the team and sponsors we have, they want us to do well at your events.”
Q: How do you feel about lining up against the big four-fifties on your wee 250F – are you getting BC to chuck gravel in your face as part of your prep?
BM: “I don’t mind it. It’s what we’ve come to expect from your format so it’s what I’m prepared for when I go to the RBPNs. Sometimes mixing in with the 450s helps in a situation, sometimes it’s a pain in the ass but in general I don’t mind it. Yeah, BC was smashing me in the face with sand and rocks one day in some military style training routine while the boys took pictures of it. It’s just another part of training that I think people overlook, the ability to take a stone to the face or a rock to the gut and keep your focus and concentration.”
Q: Are there some tracks where a 250F could be an advantage over a 450F?
BM: “There’s always some places on every track where a 250F works better but we’re always gonna be at a disadvantage off the start. I think a 250F could win on any track though if any one of us are in just the right flow on just the right day. It’s definitely something I have on my ‘to do’ list…”
