AC Hangs'em Up at the End of Supercross

ADAM CIANCIARULO INTERVIEW: “STARTS ARE LIKE A GOLF SWING; SOMETIMES YOU JUST SHOW UP AND FEEL GOOD”

ADAM CIANCIARULO INTERVIEW: “STARTS ARE LIKE A GOLF SWING; SOMETIMES YOU JUST SHOW UP AND FEEL GOOD”

Make no mistake about this; Adam Ciancurulo is happy to be racing Supercross. but he is still not pumped about his fourteenth place in the Supercross standings. Now 27 years old, the Floridian has had a very promising career, however, injury after injury has slowed his progression. Only time, and maybe technology will determine his future. But Adam is living his best motocross life.

BY JIM KIMBALL

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ADAM, LETS BEGIN WITH YOUR CRASH IN MOTO ONE AT THE ST. LOUIS TRIPLE CROWN. It was unfortunate that Mitchell Oldenburg’s bike came into my line, and I crashed into it. I felt I was riding well during qualifying. Initially, I thought I had a big problem with my lower leg or ankle, but I now believe it’s more of a sprain. Having the next weekend off comes at a good time! My plan is to be back at the next round. It’s dirt bike racing, but I had hoped to put in a good ride for my mechanic Justin Shantie who is moving on to a job in the auto side. So, that part was disappointing.

Unfortunately, after his collision with Mitchell Oldenburg, Adam Cianciarulo was unable to keep racing in St. Louis.

PREVIOUS TO YOUR NIGHT ENDING EARLY IN ST. LOUIS, WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR APPROACH TO RACING RIGHT NOW. YOU’VE HAD SOME PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT ARE NOT ALLOWING YOU TO RACE AT YOUR BEST. It is not my fitness, and I am in great shape.  It is not a matter of me getting tired or not being strong enough, or anything like that. But a lot of my issue is that things would get worse as the race went on. Nerves are funny. It is an evolving thing that simply morphed into something different, where it is hard for me to have that sprint pace. If you watch me at the end of the race, my lap times are still how they were in the beginning. If anything, sometimes my heart rate this year has been maxing in the low 170s, like where I could normally get it to 190 or so. That shows you that I just can’t push really that hard. My main priority is just trying to get the absolute most out of it. I have a job to do for Kawasaki and that bike deserves to be up front. The guys work hard, and I still have this opportunity in front of me. So, it is one of those things where I must control what I can control, and that is what I am doing. I’m trying to be as positive as possible and think my way around the track a little bit. Hopefully, I can start working on getting the bike towards the front.

After struggling last year, Adam is feeling a lot more confident on the new 2024 Kawasaki KX450 model.

SPEAKING OF YOUR NEW KAWASAKI 450, I HEAR GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT. I love the bike.  It was a great step from last year. Overall, last year we were struggling with some turning, and the first thing I said when I got on the 2024 was just how much feel there is, like the center of gravity. It feels like a balanced, and plush motorcycle. At the same time, in saying that, it has also kept the Kawasaki KX a stable bike as well. Probably the best thing about our bike is its stability, and it kept that.  No complaints about the bike; the bike can win, absolutely.  There are a lot of talented guys out there. Of course, every team is working hard, and it takes a rider too.

WE HAVE NOW HAD A COUPLE OF TRIPLE CROWNS, DOES THAT SUIT YOU? DO YOU LIKE IT OR DISLIKE IT? It suits me because my game plan right now is just to do consistent laps and stay out of trouble. And I finally feel confident in my starts again. Starts are like a golf swing; sometimes you just show up and feel good. Other times you lose it a little bit. I got the confidence back on a couple of good starts in Alabama and figured out some things at the track recently. At the shorter races, I think it will help me to start up front. I am always down for whatever the fans are excited about. The Triple Crown from a rider’s point of view, is that it is a little risky because any time you are going four wide off a triple, it is risky right? The starts are hectic and that’s where you can make or break your race. It is a little riskier from that point of view, but I think it is great for the fans.  

Constantly running into bad luck Adam is one of the most positive guys at the track and is loved by many.

RETURNING TO YOUR NERVE ISSUE, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO?   I have had over ten or twelve surgeries, trying to figure out what it is. The most conclusive thing we have come up with so far is that I dislocated my shoulders so many times around the time I turned pro. I also grew like seven inches in six months during that time. I probably just rushed things a little bit. There are the nerve endings that sit on the top of your shoulders, called the brachial plexus and those nerves have been stretched out so many times from the shoulder dislocating. It is one of those things where nerves require rest. Sometimes they can heal and come back but our sport is high impact. A lot is going on, and it just has not really been able to have that rest that’s needed. I am still hopeful, and I still always trying different techniques to keep my mind open about it. I am in a great place mentally and just in a very accepting place where I can only do my best. I believe there are some people out there who think I just woke up and forgot how to go fast on a dirt bike suddenly. But that is fine, I am still having fun out there.

RACING IS SO CONSTANT.  IT HAS TO BE DIFFICULT TO REALLY TAKE THE TIME REQUIRED OFF. It is hard to take time off. Especially in this sport, the level is only elevated. Everybody is getting faster. You have Jett coming in now and Chase. Those guys have raised the pace so much, and I love to see it from a fan point of view. These guys are extremely talented, and it is great to be out there on the track with them. But yes, it is going to require some rest and, it is what it is.  

Adam has been riding for Kawasaki since his 85’cc days and has been dedicated to the brand to this day.

IT’S INTERESTING TO ME THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WITH KAWASAKI YOUR ENTIRE PRO CAREER TO DATE; YOU MUST HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP. Of course, I have always valued loyalty, and Kawasaki has been great to me. Of course, there have been a lot of times in amateurs and getting close to the pro ranks where there were different offers. But you both must be loyal to each other, right? I could not have asked for a better situation. If you had told me when I signed with Kawasaki in 2004 that I would still be riding for them in 2024, twenty years later, having gone through the team green program to Mitch’s program and now to the factory 450 level, it has really been a dream come true. This does not happen often; it is just a testament to those guys. The way Kawasaki runs their program, with the people they have in-house is amazing. We all have great relationships; they stuck by me and always supported and encouraged me. We have a great relationship, so it is really something that I do not take for granted.  

Unfortunately, Adam has found himself on the ground more than a few times this year but is always determined to get back out and improve his results.

LET’S FINISH UP WITH THIS; WHAT IS YOUR MINDSET GOING INTO THE REMAINING ROUNDS? With my results this year, if you watch me ride, I think it could be easy to jump to the conclusion that I am just content with what I am doing. I think it is hard to understand my results. I say how much fun I am having, and that I am in good head space, but that does not mean I am stoked to get twelfth place. I grew up winning my whole life and I have always had at least the speed to win.  There have been some missing ingredients in there that at times, I have not put it all together, but as a racer, I am always going to go out there and do the best I can for myself and for the people who support me.  I owe that to myself, and I owe that to them.  Until I race my last lap, I will always give it everything I can within reason, the smartest way I know how to. My mindset is that I have dropped my expectations.  Now I feel like I just try to get the most out of myself and not attach it to an end goal.  Just focus on the process and do what I can and whatever it will be, will be.