There is an awesome new interview with Vuillemin up on
www.racerxill.com - you guys might wanna check it out. It's pretty long, though... but I just want to highlight a few of the questions that were asked in regards to the crowd booing him and not getting the respect. A few of you mentioned that maybe DV wants/likes the boos... I don't think thats the case. Here is a few bits from the interview:
A lot of us thought that the booing that’s been going on this winter would stop upon the series’ moving east. The fans at Indianapolis proved that is not the case. You were booed during opening ceremonies. Did that bother you at all?
"I think that it doesn’t matter too much. However, I do wish that I had more fans or that the people who come to the races respected me more. I’ve done nothing bad. I just want to win races. America should be grateful that riders from all over the world come here. There are Australian riders here and French riders here. They come here because this is the best championship in the world. I get booed every weekend. I don’t mind, but like I said, I wish I was respected more. I wish people respected me for how I ride. I race for the championship and never take anybody out. I try to do my best and I wish people realized that."
When you were younger and living in France, did you hear the stories about Jean-Michel Bayle being booed here?
"Yes, I heard a lot about it. But I also heard that Bayle did not do a lot to help himself. In other words, he did not try to communicate with the crowd. I try to do that. I always try to do something special during opening ceremonies so that I can communicate with the crowd. I guess it’s kind of tough to be a French rider after JMB was here."
On a brighter note, after you won the race on Saturday night you received a huge ovation.
"Yeah, it was the first time in my American racing career that the crowd was very enthusiastic about me winning a race. Maybe it had something to with the fact that I beat RC, who was being booed so bad. He was booed so badly that we could hear it during the race. The crowd there seemed very rude, and I don’t know why. I guess the crowd didn’t like some the things that happened on the track, but that’s motocross. There are a lot of people trying to pass one another. I don’t like this booing side of it. People come out to see a nice event and a nice show and nice racing. The best man should win. I wish the crowd could be more passionate about what happens out on the track. They should respect the riders more. The sport is getting very important, and there is a lot of pressure on our shoulders. I wish the fans could understand that."
Do you think it’s strange that Carmichael is getting booed so badly?
"Yeah, I do. Everybody loved him last year. Maybe it has something to do with moving to Honda. I don’t know why people are booing him. He’s a great rider who, like Jeremy McGrath, has done so much for the sport. He’s a lot like Jeremy, in that he has won so many races and championships. For RC to get booed, I just don’t understand it. It’s a sport in which everybody tries their best. I guess it seems like Ricky is not liked a lot now. Travis [Pastrana] is the one the crowd wants to win."
You live in Corona most of the year, you have an American fiancée, and you really seem to be comfortable in America. With the exception of a few boos here and there, do you like it here?
"I moved here because I like it. I like racing here, and it’s great to be able to race at the front of the pack for the championship. The sport is here in America. The sport is not so great in Europe now. I like the way that America is so into motocross. I live here in California every month of the year now. I’m not in France anymore. I’m engaged to Erica, an American girl. In fact, during the opening ceremonies, I kept being announced as "David Vuillemin from France." I went to Todd Jendro of Clear Channel and said, "Please have it changed to where the announcer says that I am David Vuillemin from Corona." They changed it at Indy and I thanked them for it. France is just a vacation country for me now. I live life in America now."
Anything you want to throw out there into cyberspace to get the Minneapolis fans on your side?
"Like I said before, I love the sport and racing here. I’m not a bad guy, and I have not done anything wrong. I just want to be respected. I’ll sign autographs and I’ll try and communicate with the crowd. I want to be more liked by them. I have a lot of work to do to get them on my side, but I’m going to try my hardest. I’d also like to thank all my sponsors - Yamaha and all the team sponsors - my fiancée, my trainer, my parents and everyone else around me and supporting me in my big challenge to win the championship."