Five minutes with AX star Jack Brunell
Londoner Jack Brunell (28) has been in the European Supercross scene for a while. The Kawasaki rider is also no stranger to the Low Countries! He was twice on the highest scaffold in Goes. Over the past year, Jack has become a regular in the Arenacross series and this year he finished sixth, 24 points behind champion Thomas Ramette. Although Brunell still has a regular job besides cross-country, he holds his own among the pros!
The name Jack Brunell probably sounds familiar. For several years he competed for the Belgian MC Mikkola and later also for Rabbit Racing Kawasaki. Brunell already showed his technical qualities, yet he achieved his best results indoors. Together with Adam Chadfield he is now competing with the British Team Green Holeshot Kawasaki in the Pro class.
Your team has changed a bit this year. How is the collaboration with Adam Chadfield going?
Jack Brunell: “Very well, I get along well with him. We call him the Red Ninja! We always train together anyway, so riding together will also push us. I'm going to feel even better on the bike this year because we had more time to prepare. Last year it was all a bit rushed, so I'm really looking forward to it this year.”
At the beginning of this year, things went very well in the previous championship. Now, with better preparation, are you aiming for some more? What have you done in terms of preparation?
Brunell: “I reached the final every round last year. Not once did I have to be fished out with a wildcard or something, I was really happy with that. Once I was on stage and I was a little disappointed. I had set my sights on winning a few times. On the other hand, I worked through the entire season and I was very regular. The last lap at Wembley wasn't that great, I got hit and crashed. Overall though, it was a good championship and I enjoyed it. This year I'm just trying to be as fit as possible at the start. I did a little bit of motocross this year and ended up hurting my thumb which put me out for a few months. When I came back I rode the European Supercross Championship in Poland where I finished fifth. That was okay. After that I just kept training and took part in a race here and there to get the bike set up properly.”
You mentioned motocross and it's clear that it's a way to stay active even for an SX specialist, if only because there aren't supercross tracks everywhere. How do you feel about motocross compared to indoors and how does one help the other?
Brunell: “When I did Arenacross I felt really good. But motocross is something else. I know a guy, Lee from ACIS Stellingbouw here in England and he had a team. His rider retired, so I said he would fill in for the MX season. I wish I had never said it! I absolutely hated it. The first round was in Culham and I had just come from Arenacross. All nice and clean and come to Culham for training, the mud was up to my ears! First race in the mud… Last race also in the mud. I hated it, so I didn't really enjoy the motocross. I probably won't go back to motocross anytime soon. I would rather just focus on Arenacross! That's what I like to do and what I'm really good at. Of course I still have a full-time job as an air conditioning technician. However, my spot is Arenacross. I enjoy doing it, for motocross you have to train hard and you need a lot of time on the bike.”
That's why you're looking forward to the start of the Arenacross season even more?
Brunell: “Yes, it can't start soon enough. The guys who ride the French SXs are really lucky, but I just can't do that because I can't take that much time off from work.
About the races themselves, you mentioned the last stop at Wembley earlier this year. Things got intense there. In principle, motocross is a non-contact sport, but sometimes things turn out differently in Arenacross!
Brunell: “There will always be contact. It was the last lap and it happened very stupidly. The rider who rode me out was really crazy. It didn't really have to happen, but it did. I mean, you just have to try to keep it safe. Last year it went well until the end of the championship while I was still pushing. I felt really good when that incident happened on the last lap. Otherwise I would have finished higher than sixth place in the final standings
What do you think of the Arenacross World Tour stop in Hasselt?
Brunell: “That's really cool! I think it's great that the championship is now going outside England. As you know, I rode a lot in Belgium and the Netherlands in the past. I have a lot of friends here and I think it will be really cool to ride in the Ethias Arena. Anyone who comes to an Arenacross for the first time is always impressed by the whole show. I think the Belgian and Dutch fans will have a great time in Hasselt!”
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