My Year End Review...

I am going for a complete brain dump here of everything I can think off from the last 7 months I spent in the UK. My experiences, my ups and downs, my explorations and everything else in between. To say this has not only been an opportunity of a lifetime, but an experience of a lifetime would be an understatement. The big part of this post will be Jay Dexter and his family. Let me get to this part first and then we can hit all the other items. 

Being away from home and my family for 7 months which is the main experience this year that I have overcome. It definitely wasn’t easy for anyone this year and I have to thank Jay and the whole Dexter family for treating me like one of theirs and it made me feel much better knowing that I am staying with a loving family. I had so many fun times with them and it was always a competition with Jay which made it that much more enjoyable. Jay is an absolute bad a$$. I learned so much from not only being in the office, but knowledge from tracks, riding knowledge and just plain people. There is a reason Jay is everywhere and that is cause of how awesome he is. Jay is the main component to my opportunity here in the BTC and UK and I will forever be grateful and fortunate to call you my friend!

Elle was definitely my UK mom. From making sure I was taken cared of at home or at the track she was always attentive with whatever I needed to make sure I was getting the fullest out of the trip. She would push me just has hard and I can't thank you enough Elle. Leo and Riley are super lucky to have you in their lives. Riley and I became more like brothers. We did a ton of things together and I could always rely on Riley to not sugar coat anything...lol. We played, worked out together, did snack runs together and just had fun! Riley is amazing in my eyes and I can't wait to be back on a track with him riding and smiling. Then there was Leo. Baby Leo is so cool. We had our own connection and he was super fun to have around. Be prepared UK...Leo is coming FAST!

Away from the track though I really enjoyed being around Jay and the Dexter family because it was always a fun and adventurous time. We had so many amazing experiences together that I will always remember and I can’t thank them enough for everything this year.

I also got to meet some incredible people at rounds throughout the year. I got the chance to watch WSBK at Donington park and even got to meet Toprak and some other amazing riders during the weekend.

At the Motogp weekend at Silverstone I think I met about the entire paddock which was so cool and even got the chance to watch the MotoGP race from the service road thanks to the British talent cup. The highlight for sure was meeting one of my favorite racers that I have chatted with over social media. Having him come to my pit to hang out, chat about the races and finally meeting him in person was so freaking cool. Thank you Xavi for coming by bro. Hope to train with you soon!

I even got to see Sean and Gabby after about 7 months without seeing them and being able to share the same track  was definitely something special. Having my dad there as well just made the whole weekend above and beyond. 

My favorite experiences out of the entire year would be rolling into parc ferme. Especially my only podium this year which came early. I had a couple other opportunities after some front row qualifiers. Also, getting to chat for interviews after these successful events was particularly fun as well. I enjoy the camera and talking on the mic.

I really disliked my crash from this year as it hindered me for quite a bit and I had never had a accident quite like that until then so it was something new for me but I was also able to learn from this miscalculation. I had a tough time coming to terms with feeling that sensation of being completely out of control. I didn't want to talk about it and it kept me from my potential from the remainder of the year. Once I did finally open up about it, Mike Torres helped me understand what had actually happened. I am glad that is over with and I am much more prepared for the next one now thanks to that experience. 

Back to the fun experiences...having fans come up to me and asking me to signt their swag or posters of me was surreal. I could not grasp why they wanted my autograph but it was super cool. It made me feel very happy and blessed. Super humbling experience for me and something I will remember forever. 

The Microlise Cresswell team are true professionals. Josh Watson was assigned as my mechanic with helper Rhys Williams. We built a very strong bond over the season and I knew I could trust the machinery underneath me. It was never a thought that crossed my mind. I knew I could always just hope on the bike and GO! Thank you Josh for giving me that peace of mind and always providing the best. Extremely talented and experienced mechanic. Look forward to working with you again in the future!

Another fantastic member of the Microlise team is Alan Roberts. Alan and I not only spent countless hours together reviewing data and track maps, he also provided me his time and knowledge while I was training in the States to make sure I was as prepared as possible. Alan you are probably the smartest guy in the paddock, yet the most humble and willing to share than most. I know I could of gotten so much more out of our conversations and that is something I will work towards for next year. Thank you for always being there and willing to help me in any way shape or form. 

Sandy and Jay M are also big parts of the season. I didn't get pictures with them cause they are mainly running around working with all of us simultaneously. Big thanks to them as they make sure the team is fully ready and prepped for each session. 

Last but not least...the Team Boss John Cresswell. John enjoys being in the mix of things just as much as the next guy. So much knowledge about the bikes and racing. I am truly fortunate to have landed a seat on this team and big thank you to him for accepting me. I know we both wanted more out of this season and I promise to work harder over the off season; along with not being so nervous to chat with you and open up more! Thank you John

Whether I am ever able to make it back to Europe or just race locally. My 2022 season wouldn't of been possible without the sacrifices and backing from my family. Not having them in the paddock with me for every round was very hard. My mom and little brother make it super fun while my dad makes sure we are focused and ready. I had to learn to do that on my own this year and I must admit, still some work to do on it. Behind the scenes I know how hard they have worked to get me here this year. They tell me all the time they are proud of me and I know they will always be. 

Could the season have gone better if that crash didn't happen? Could I have opened up more about sooner to make a change? Could I have communicated better with my team and family for the help? Could I have continued on the podium path and finished higher in the championship? Maybe...but I can be honest with myself and say I left it all on those tracks. The max I could give I gave it. I wasn't happy with the results because I feel I can do better, I just didn't know how to ask for the help. Now I do! These experiences and this year have taught me so much about being prepared for the unknown, and when the unknown happens how to brush it off and keep pushing forward. Big thanks to Mike Torres for that one!

I end this blog with a picture of me stuffing my face as that is one of the main activities I did in the UK. I even beat Jay in a 40 count chicken nugget challenge...Lol. Thank you again to everyone involved in my 2022 campaign. Being the only American to podium in the British Talent Cup is something I can add to the accomplishment lists and so many of you are involved...thank you!

My post season training has already begun in preparation for what 2023 has coming. Not quite sure yet what we are doing...but I do promise you this...I will HAVE FUN and make the most of it!