Star Racing Yamaha rider and AMA 250 motocross champion, Haiden Deegan is exactly what you want from a racer. He tells a story and also walks the walk on the track. There is no bullshitting with the flashy American and when he drops his rivals, either with a sharp block pass, or mentally with his confidence, you just have to love it. It is a little like a young Jeffrey Herlings and we all loved Herlings spikey comments, where his rivals knew they had their work cut out for them.

Now, after three rounds of the AMA West Coast 250 supercross championship, he finally has a main event win and has closed right up on series leader and main rival, Julien Beaumer. Having dropped the fellow American with a block pass in their heat race, the fever from the fans is rising and we all want to see a big battle between these two in Glendal, next weekend.

“I mean, I always love a rivalry,” Deegan told the World media in the press conference. “Honestly, I don’t know how to say that word. Oh, damn. But yeah, I was just seeing this on the internet, you know, people in their, like, click-bait their podcasts. I’m like, who knows if he said that? Because I don’t only watch your videos, but honestly, if he did, then cool, because now I’m mad and I want to win. So, I’m going to figure out how to do that. But who knows? Yeah, I kind of use, use that stuff as a little motivation to get me fired up for the next weeks. And Juju is riding good though. He’s been consistent. So, we got to get our stride back and, you know, keep chopping at that points lead.”

Deegan wants is and while Beaumer is a quiet, respectful young man, you do get the feeling, if he gets the chance, he will be paying Deegan back big time, and a block pass might be handed out in Glendale.

“It is just straight war mode. I’m like, dude, I’m blocking out everything, I need to win. And that’s like what it came down to. Me and Christian [Craig], we put in way too much work for me to be third place. So that’s not happening. It was just about being war ready. I mean, he’s got the red plate now. So, I’m going to ride him like he’s got the red plate. But obviously, it’s good racing. It’s all, I mean, it’s supercross. You’re going to get into it. And honestly, the pass I did on him was clean. He just kind of got a little stuck on the berm. But it’s supercross. We’re having some fun. And I’m sure JuJu’s having fun, too. I mean, the main event, he kind of ran in a little as well and looked over on each other on the double, it’s fun. I enjoy that. But obviously, I want to be first at the end of the race.”

So, with Deegan just a handful of points off the red plate, you can expect him to once again, come out firing and put some serious heat on his rivals. He either walks the walk next weekend, or somebody puts him in his place and its hard to see anyone being able to do that with the momentum he has from A2.

Also a cool video interview with Deegan right here from Swapmoto.