COMMITMENT:
MYLES GILMORE
Myles Gilmore had a strong season last year in the Supermini and Mini Sr. classes as he consistently grabbed finishes towards the front of the pack at practically every race he contested. The Australian native had multiple moto podiums and top ten overall finishes at the JS7 Freestone Spring Championship, picking up some solid momentum heading towards Loretta’s in August. He pushed through a tough and challenging week at the Ranch and put himself in position to secure a couple of top-five moto finishes, earning an eventual 5th place overall in the Mini Sr. 1 class. Gilmore kept up the same impressive form moving into The Motoplayground Race at Ponca City, clinching a 4th place overall in the Supermini 1 class. The pattern of positive performances throughout the year earned him a spot on the EBR Performance Altus Motorsports Yamaha team for the 2020 season as he decided to make the move up to the 125cc classes, although he did take a title at Supercross Futures in Tampa on a supermini. Gilmore snagged a couple of 6th place overall finishes on the 125 at both the Daytona RCSX and Spring A Ding Ding to start the year, exemplifying speed and determination each time he hit the track. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Gilmore decided to head back to his home country of Australia so we reached out to him to see what his plan is for the rest of the year.
What did you do when the coronavirus pandemic hit and racing was canceled and postponed back in March?
So, we were at Freestone like most other people when racing was canceled. We headed back to MTF and my parents decided it would be best to head home to Australia. When we got home we had to quarantine for two weeks in our house without leaving. It was pretty boring for those two weeks!
Did you take some time off of the bike for a while at that point?
Once our quarantine was over, we did some riding, though it wasn’t much. Just enough to stay in shape a bit!
What was your riding situation like the last couple of months during the quarantine?
So, we rode in my home town of Kalgoorlie, which is on the edge of the desert really. There is not a lot of water or rain out there so it was pretty dusty to say the least. We mostly rode some ‘bush tracks’ which are just tracks guys have made out in the outback! It wasn’t ideal but we made it work.
What has it been like for you mixing up your seat time with the 250F a little bit?
I enjoy riding the 250f which is my brothers (Brady). It has a lot more power and you have to respect it but it was a lot of fun. I think it's good to switch around as the extra power of the 250 makes the 125 feel easy to ride.
What do you like to do for fun and entertainment outside of motocross?
I love to play video games. At the moment I’m playing Call Of Duty Modern Warfare and NBA 2K20!
How did things come about with the EBR Performance Altus Motorsports Yamaha team for this season?
So, I believe Josh Rogers from EBR rang Colleen and asked if she thought I would be a good fit for the 125. She said that I would and things just went from there. So far unfortunately we have had little time with the team as everything got shut down just after our first event, but I am looking forward to getting back to work with them to test and tune the 125!
How has the transition to the 125cc classes been for you so far?
Pretty good so far, as I really like the 125 more than the supermini. The competition is definitely a little tougher as the other riders are older and really want to win badly!
What was the experience of racing Supercross Futures like for you at the beginning of the year and how did that go?
Futures was great, we did Tampa and had a lot of fun. It’s a lot of fun as we get to ride the same track as the pros the day after and get a good feel of riding in a stadium. I had a pretty good day there, I shared wins with Evan Ferry in the Supermini class and I got 3rd in Schoolboy 1 on the supermini, it was definitely a fun day.
How did Spring A Ding Ding go from your perspective?
It was pretty good for my first race on a 125 as I improved a lot through the week as I got more time on the bike. Overall I was pretty good but I’m always wanting to be up at the front so it just motivated me to work harder!
What do you think of the track layout at Underground MX?
I think it was awesome! It has some of the biggest jumps around and it had a good flow also. The dirt is really good as well as it gets really rough and deep ruts and makes for really good racing.
We noticed on your Instagram that you’re back in Australia, have you decided to skip Loretta’s this year or are you coming back for a Regional?
Well, actually I just finished a Regional at WW Ranch and managed to get both my tickets so I’ll definitely be there ready to go again! I really think I can battle for a podium this year if things go my way a bit!
Do you have any plans in place for the remainder of the season at this point?
Just training hard at MTF until Loretta’s and to stay healthy and fit now until Loretta’s. I was going to do a couple of the 125 Dream Races at the Nationals but they have been canceled so that’s unfortunate.
Have you thought about what classes you’ll be contesting at the end of this season heading into 2021?
Not really sure yet. We’ll see how Loretta’s goes and take it from there. We may do one more year on a 125, or we may go 250. I’m not sure yet. I may go home after Loretta’s to contest the Australian Junior Motocross Championship as it’s my last year of juniors down there, so if I do that I’ll ride a 250 and a 125.