FMX Insider No.27: Lance Russell

Welcome to our weekly web-exclusive column, Transmoto‘s FMX Insider. Penned each week by South Australian rider, Ben Heidrich, the FMX Insider will present the story-behind-the-stories of the Aussie and international freestyle motocross scenes. 

Most people know Lance Russell and his brother, Lachlan, as the producers behind Russell Brothers Films. The 24-year-old FMX rider from Sydney is a bit of a self-proclaimed space geek and loves a good chat about any kind of space facts. As a rider, he is known for his unique tricks and one who throws the occasional big whip, which has grabbed some attention online. I recently caught up with Lance for a casual chat.

Ben: First of all, we noticed that you are in the new “MX vs ATV: Supercross” video game. Is that a dream come true?

Lance: Absolutely! The PC game “Motocross Madness 2” from Rainbow Studios is what sparked my interest in motocross altogether, especially freestyle. Once the games started developing over the years, I made sure I owned every single copy of the series and I must have spent hundreds of hours as a kid playing them. I think that’s why it means so much to me, being a playable character in the game. We all have to support this new release if we want motocross to grow, not only in the gaming world but in the real world, too, because lets face it, the next Ricky Carmichael could be a young kid wondering what video game to play next. The guys at MX vs ATV are working really hard and they told me there is some epic downloadable content coming soon for the game.

How long have you ridden freestyle motocross professionally?

After racing for eight years, I got straight into FMX with the old school guys like Joel Rayner and the RFDmx crew. A year after jumping ramps I got stuck into Backflips pretty quickly (a little too quick), which resulted in some stupid injuries. Everything started getting busier in 2009 when I started doing my first shows and comps and I haven’t looked back since! I think I got my head screwed on a bit better now, though, as I’m a safe, reliable rider these days.

Where do you usually ride and who do you ride with? I always see photos popping up at your home compound. It seems like a pretty cool place!

I’m lucky enough that one of my best mates, Jason Tranter, lives on the adjacent street. He has an awesome compound right next to the road! Jason was an upcoming FMX rider who took me under his wing and got me where I am today. The Tranter family now let me ride there daily and give me a huge amount of freedom on the property. Not only that, Paul Tranter (Jason’s father) even goes to the effort of installing irrigation to water the jumps and always lends a hand with ramp repairs.

Luke McNeill is my regular riding buddy. We feed off each other, always trying to learn the same new tricks and out whip each other. Morgan Gilks was also a daily regular before he moved to the Gold Coast. Jackson Strong invites me down to his place for rides which is so much fun. Jacko is one of the most generous guys in FMX and I bet a lot of people don’t know that. For example, my van broke down while I was there and I couldn’t drive it home. Jackson paid for a truck to drop it off to my house six hours away, and drove me home himself.

You recently scored a deal with Kawasaki. Tell me a little bit about how that came about and how it is all going.

I’m still so excited about this. I’ve been working closely with Kawasaki for the last year alongside magazines. After huge support from the magazines and that deal finishing up, the opportunity recently came up to have their support directly and I couldn’t be more proud! Having the best bike under me, the 2015 KX450F, is the biggest confidence boost. My riding is improving more than it ever has. The Kawasakis handle amazingly too, so I’ve been pushing out bigger whips than usual. Other cool perks with having their support are things like the new Kawasaki backpack, being released in collaboration with LKI Clothing. It is a perfect fit for us all having matching partnerships throughout the industry! M2R Helmets are also a direct sponsor of the Kawasaki race team, so obviously it’s great to have everyone working so closely together. The guys at Kawasaki are very supportive on and off the bike and I’ve made personal friendships with them that will last a lifetime!

I see you’ve ridden shows lately. How did you go at the Australian Supercross Championships?

Yeah! The Australian Supercross Championships was so much fun! I loved the atmosphere there because you are around people who know who you are what you do and they value your time. I think I gave away all my posters, DVDs, about ten sets of gloves and my spare set of handle bars! So many young up-and-comers were pumped on FMX and it was awesome to see that. I’m really glad Yarrive Konsky still values FMX to be a key part of the SX. It was actually pretty nerve racking riding there, having the best riders in Australia watching you (the racers/race teams) – they can pick every mistake you make! So I was glad I got it done smoothly.

How is everything going with your film company, Russell Brothers Films? Jacko’s Headstrong movie seems like a pretty big project. Can you tell me a bit about the film?

Russell Brothers Films is going strong! We have slowed down with event coverage, like we once did with the MX Nationals and the SX, although we are in full swing for movie production. Jackson Strong’s movie ‘Headstrong’ has been a huge project! To say the least, Jacko is one epic rider. The movie is exclusive, so much unseen footage. There are huge accidents, accomplishments and downright cool footage. This isn’t a typical Metal Mulisha style movie because we have taken a more cinematic and alternative approach. Having scenes featuring his crazy line of jumps that go as far as the eye can see (nicknamed “The 14 Pack”) or his huge Step-On-Step-Off made from super kicker ramps and stacked shipping containers – it’s something you would want to check out.

What else has RBF been up to? Any other cool video projects floating around?

Actually, we have been working really close with Dragon Alliance. We just spent a weekend filming the new NFXs – Boost Transitions Goggle. These goggles are crazy, having an adaptable lens that changes when the light does! Very cool stuff! We worked hard on the video, you can check it out below!

You and your brother were close to Tyrone Gilks and the rest of the Gilks family. What sort of relationship do you hold with them?

Tyrone and I got along really well as we clicked straight off the bat and naturally he got along just as well with Lachlan. We always looked after him where we could and the Gilks family looks after us really well, too. We have gotten pretty close with them over the last few years. One thing that not many people would know is we owe all our recent achievements to them. They invested hugely to get us where we are today (and where we are yet to be in the future). We both can’t thank the Gilks family enough for their constant support.

Tell me about your involvement with LKI Clothing. I hear you have your own shirt now?

Yes! Another absolutely awesome thing that’s happening! I have been with LKI Clothing for so many years. I remember sending my first email to them, wanting to be involved and a part of the team. They have become not just a sponsor, but family. The entire LKI team is a smart, motivated and loyal group. People behind-the-scenes like Scott Brown, who is an extremely creative graphic designer, along with the stylish Ruby Lunn, who invests a huge amount of time into the LKI Girls range, gives you confidence in the brand because they are actually young and really cool people. Once you know who is behind a brand, it makes you love it that much more. I’m so pumped that they released this shirt!

I think of shirts as a direct reflection of who you are. The ‘LETS RIDE’ shirt metaphorically has motocross written all over it. It’s almost the unspoken law between riders wearing motocross related clothes, that you will give the slight nod of the head to each other in public (laughs). Actually, if I see anyone wearing the ‘LETS RIDE’ shirt in public I will literally walk up and give them a high-five. Last but not least, LKI’s Tees are light material, too, so it’s really comfortable, especially for summer!

I see there is a new girl in your life. Tell me about your new riding buddy?

Haha, yep! Katie Lucas is the new chick on the block. She has been jumping ramps with us lately and I managed to teach her Heel Clickers, too! But she has been killing it lately with photography, getting awesome shots where ever she goes. Literally 99% of my photos are hers and you will see them in LKI Clothing catalogues or in magazine ads. She’s also been reppin’ LKI Girls, Dragon Alliance and F45 Gym. It’s different hanging with a chick who wants to just ride dirt bikes everyday. You can grab her on Instagram at @katielucas689.

Anything you would like to add? 

I’d just like to say thanks to anyone who checked out this interview! Big thanks to Transmoto for stopping in and having a quick catch up!