MXstore Privateer Spotlight with Joel Evans

 

 

In this edition of the MXstore Privateer Spotlight we catch up with MX2 athlete from Kingaroy Queensland Joel Evans.

Read the interview below & watch the short film to learn more about Joel as he reflects on his injury that happened last year which left him paralysed for a short while and how he is preparing to take on the Motul MX Nationals in 2016.

 

MXstore: Tell us a bit about who you are and what your goals are for the coming season.

Joel: I’m Joel Evans from Kingaroy Queensland. I don’t really have too many expectations, my goal is to get back out racing at the moment and just have fun with it. I’d love to do well but at this point i just want to build myself and keep progressing each round. I’d love to be a top 5 guy eventually but for now the expectations are to go out and finish each race. 

Joel: It feels awesome now to be back at Murray Bridge one year after my crash here in the 2015 MX Nationals. It has been a long road to get to where I am now. In the crash I broke my neck (C5, C6 and shattered the intervertebral disc in-between) which ended with me in an endured coma and paralysed head down for a small while. I had to build myself up slowly from moving my toes and fingers till eventually I could learn to walk again and do everyday things. I had a lot of good people around to help me do all these things, including the Racesafe guys at the MX Nationals who helped out a lot immediately after the incident. Through all the physio and constant working over that last 12 months I’m just stoked to be at this point now where I can comeback and race the MX Nationals again.

 

MXstore: What does your weekly routine involve?

Joel: During the week I work full time servicing fire extinguishers with my old man. We’ve got it worked out pretty well now so that when I am racing we can take a few days off to go ride and train where the quick guys are and improve myself that way. It’s not a set routine it all just depends on what we have on the weekend coming up.

 

MXstore: What do you hope to get out of racing the nationals?

Joel: I’m just hoping to build myself back up at the moment, but I’d love to see myself on a factory ride and that’s been the goal since i was a little kid. There has been a fair few guys who I’ve grown up with who are getting rides and I would love for the opportunity to be on a big team getting paid to race. BBR Yamaha has given me this opportunity to come back and race now, so I’d like to thank Ben, Baden and the guys for this chance to come and prove myself.

 

MXstore: Is there anyone you would like to thank?

Joel: I’d like to give a big thank you to Ben & Baden Blanchette from BBR Yamaha and the sponsors associated with the team. It’s been a big effort from those guys to get me here in such a short time, since unfortunately Aaron Tanti got hurt which opened a spot for me to come on. Also, all my family and friends for the support which has helped me get back racing and doing what i love. The general public has given me an overwhelming amount of support on making my return to racing so thanks a lot.