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by Chris Martin

Over the last four races, Carlson has scored three podiums, a pole position, and a race win despite the best efforts of the bevy of heavy hitters.

Brian J. Nelson photo

While the hype of the inaugural season of the AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championship has (justifiably) centered around huge name participants such as Jeremy McGrath, Kevin Schwantz, Jeff Ward and Mike Metzger, the series has already witnessed the emergence of a number of breakthrough talents to get excited about.

Heading that list is Wisconsin-native Ben Carlson. Despite getting off to a slow start in the season opener at Laguna Seca, the 18-year-old Carlson is currently ranked fifth in the Supermoto Championship and second behind fellow Red Bull KTM HMC teenager Chris Fillmore in the Supermoto Unlimited standings.

Over the last four races, he's scored three podiums, a pole position, and a race win despite the best efforts of the bevy of heavy hitters the world was already well aware of.

Just a few months ago, Ben was a relatively anonymous teenager from the Midwest, spending most of his free time hunting and fishing whenever he wasn't on two wheels. Now he's on the verge of becoming a household name to motorcycle racing enthusiasts across the nation.

I think it's safe to say you've taken a lot of people by surprise this year. Can you talk a little about your racing background prior to moving into supermoto racing?

Ben Carlson: Sure. I just did a little bit of motocross racing as an amateur, and then a year of amateur dirt track. After that I got my pro license and did the national dirt track series, but just singles, you know? That was it.

And how old were you when you first got into racing?

About 13.

So just when was your introduction into the whole supermoto world?

I think it was three years ago. I did one supermoto up at Elkhart Lake. I did the first one of the year and that was it. I actually worked with a guy (Glenn Curtiss) that was all into supermoto, and he is the guy that runs the Superbikers2 Series (regional supermoto series). So, he kind of got me into it.

After trying it that first time, did you think right off the bat that this might be something that really suits you?

No, actually I didn't. I did it that first time and was like, 'Oh, that was kinda cool,' and then I didn't do it again for the rest of the season. The next year Glenn offered me a bike, and we went racing. I was still doing the dirt track deal so I was really hooked on the dirt track thing then, and I didn't really consider this to be anything major. Plus, it wasn't really big at the time, you know?

Fast-forward a couple of years; do you now consider yourself as a supermoto racer, first and foremost?

Yeah, for sure.

How did get noticed on a national level and wind up on a factory KTM in the new AMA series?

Hmmm. Last year they ran this race called the 'Orange Rotor' up at Elkhart Lake, and I rode one of Mitch Hansen's bikes up there -- a Husqvarna. I beat Scott Russell, Mike Smith, and all of those guys.

And Mitch lives pretty close by -- like an hour away and his dealership is 15 minutes from my house, so we kind of knew each other. He always said, 'If I can ever help you out, I will,' and then the whole KTM deal came up this year and he said, 'Let's test.' I did pretty well at the test, and he hired me.

"I'd say my strengths are definitely on the asphalt. For some reason, I can really go fast on the asphalt. I think I have a really good feel for the tires and stuff."

Ray Gundy photo

How would you describe your riding style; what areas do you consider to be your strengths and where do you feel you still need to improve the most?

I'd say my strengths are definitely on the asphalt. For some reason, I can really go fast on the asphalt. I think I have a really good feel for the tires and stuff. I'd say I'm okay in the dirt, but you can't really compare yourself to (Jeremy) McGrath and those guys, cause they are so fast in the dirt.

As far as my riding style, I'd say it's like most others, except I don't really slide much. A lot of guys like Casey Yarrow slide a ton and I really don't do that. I kind of 'two-wheel' it, you know?

Before you actually got out there and saw just where you stood, would you have expected to be so strong in the pavement?

Well, I knew I wouldn't be a real rocketship on the dirt compared to those guys, but I rode a lot of asphalt in my time coming up in supermoto racing. Like at Elkhart Lake, that's all asphalt and no dirt. So I kind of knew how I'd do, but I wasn't sure exactly how fast I'd be compared to everyone else.

You mentioned how quick some of those former motocrossers are in the dirt; when you're hooked up with a guy, even if you don't know who he is, can you guess what his background is, for example, if he came from road racing or motocross racing, etc. by his style and where he's quickest?

Yeah, you kind of can. But, sometimes it's hard to say. Everybody has to ride fairly similar riding styles -- obviously other than guys like Mike Smith who drag their knees, and you can tell they're road racers.

Outside of (Jeff) Ward. I was surprised to see him putting his knee down.

Yeah, me too. I don't know -- he just kind of started doing that I guess.

Your teammate Doug Chandler has really taken you under his wing and been a mentor to you this year, hasn't he?

For sure. Before the year, I didn't know him personally, but I remembered meeting him in the pits as a kid -- as a fan -- and I always liked Doug. And right from the first test session, we kind of hit it off. I was asking him questions on this and that, and from there we kind of developed a relationship with him being like a teacher for me; not only with how to ride, but with how to handle people, and the right things to do. He's helped me a lot with making decisions and how to ride different ways and figure stuff out.

When we're at the race track, we're like best friends. We're always hanging out and talking.

That had to make the incident in Columbus all the more painful (note: Ben and Doug were involved in a first corner tangle in the Supermoto Unlimited final that resulted in a broken leg for Chandler).

Yeah, I'm still bummed about that. It really stunk, and you kind of blame yourself right away. I felt bad, but there's nothing you can do about it, you know?

There are a number of big name racers with long resumes out there. Considering the caliber of the competition, did you expect to be running up front so quickly?

It's hard to say. That first round at Laguna I had a bunch of bad luck, and I started to doubt myself after that. We ran good at South Boston, and I kind of got my confidence back up. I knew I could do well after that race, but I still didn't feel that I had really proven anything because a lot of the fast guys like McGrath had gone home after the race got pushed back to Monday. And then Columbus for some reason, I just came to liking that track and it was a little crazy. I have to admit I didn't expect to be going that good, setting pole and everything.

"I don't know -- they just go fast (laughs). We go into the corners and look the same, but we're just not as fast. I'm not sure what it is, honestly," says Carlson of the European competition.

Ray Gundy photo

I know just returned home from racing in Belgium last weekend -- how did you fare?

Pretty good. I did the Guidon d'Or at Bercy, and we got fifth and 12th. I was the fastest American, so that was cool. It was a great experience because you get out with a lot of guys that are way faster than where we're at in America at this point, and it really makes you pick up your pace and learn a lot in a hurry. It definitely makes you faster, and it was also cool to hang out with all those world guys.

After getting a chance to run with those guys who have been professional, world championship-level supermoto racers for years, what would you say they are doing that makes them so fast that maybe we're not seeing over here quite yet?

I don't know -- they just go fast (laughs). We go into the corners and look the same, but we're just not as fast. I'm not sure what it is, honestly. It must be in the middle of the corner and coming out where they're way faster than we are. I'd say that's the main difference. I think we come in just as hard, but don't get into the middle of the corner nearly as well. They're also really, really smooth.

Was this your first time racing overseas?

No, actually last year I went over and did that same race. I didn't do nearly as well though. Last year I didn't even qualify, and this year I qualified 10th, which was pretty good. It was great to see so much improvement.

We're going to try to do some more races overseas. KTM really likes that -- to bring guys over and help make them faster. I think we might do another one yet this year.

How great is it to see the sport picking up momentum and growing so quickly in America?

I think it's really cool. It's great because I'm definitely a player in the whole deal, and I'm enjoying being part of a really good team. It took a while to get it rolling, but it's cool to see it all coming together, the teams all getting into it, and all the stars taking part. It's great.