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Amsoil Swapmoto Race Series Profile | Alex Soto

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Amsoil Swapmoto Race Series Profile | Alex Soto

Age: 28

Hometown: Chino, CA

Classes Raced: 25 Novice, Novice Open

Sponsors: Epoxy It SoCal, Glen Helen, Magik Graphics, Eks Brand Goggles, Fox, My Wife and Son

Alex Soto is a regular at the Swapmoto Race Series, and he is part of the Epoxy It SoCal crew that always makes a day at the races so fun. Recently, he sold his four-stroke and got ahold of a sweet RM250, then found some era-appropriate gear to match!

What do you like the most about your two-stroke and can you tell me why you chose it?

I have a 2003 RM 250 two stroke Suzuki and it is just so much fun to ride. I was riding a 450 for a while and just got tired of hugging that thing just for it to slam me to the ground, because I was not able to manhandle it. So a two-stroke is just so much more fun!

You have the retro No Fear kit and everything!

I got the Suzuki and I looked at Travis Pastrana and Kevin Windam around the same year that they had that bike. I just started looking for retro gear and I found it online and it happened to be my same exact size! The pants fit me a little bit big, but the zip tie fixes that. I kinda look like them back in the day, maybe a little bit.

What does racing moto mean to you as a vet?

It is just so much fun. I’ve been riding since I was three years old and the memories I have from just riding in a field with one bump where I would commentate in my head like I was racing. Just to be able to come out and do it every other weekend or whenever I can is just so fun.

We understand you work at a really cool job during the week…

Yeah, I’m a truck driver! I like being on the road and just listening to podcasts all day, I don’t have enough moto podcasts to get through the week, but it works out! I always have Saturdays and Sundays off.

How did you get involved in moto?

When I was three-years-old, I got a hand-me-down 1987 Suzuki JR50 and ever since then I just fell in love with it!

Do you train and take racing seriously or is it more for fun?

I did train for a little bit when I was 16 and 17, but then I had a tib/fib fracture and then I kind of just did it for fun after that. I take it somewhat seriously. I’ve got to stay in shape or you know, my wife starts looking at me funny! I think I take it semi-seriously. I’ll starve myself during the week to make sure I fit my pants a little bit better, but that’s about it. Haha!

Who helps you with your program?

My wife, and my son especially. He is two years old so I have to chase him around after a long day of work, so he keeps me fit. Then my buddy Chad, I’m on his diet program.

From your Instagram name, we imagine your favorite rider is Ryan Villopoto…

@villosoto633 I’m a big Villopoto fan and some people talk and joke around that he is my boyfriend. So when someone came up with the name Villosoto, it just stuck. I had the RV Oakley goggles, the kit, the Kawi bike. Everything was green! My son’s strider is green, his Powerwheels is Kawasaki green, my bike was a Kawasaki, for Christmas I got my wife, my son, and I big ol’ pit Kawi jackets. I was a big Kawi guy and then Villopoto went to Yamaha and I bought a Yamaha. Then I was over the 450 and grabbed a two stroke. But yeah, I’m a big RV fan.

Has it been cool to see RV out at our races like the TransAm now that he’s retired?

Oh yeah, it is cool to see him let loose a little bit because you only really got to see his personality on PulpMX or around people he was comfortable with, but people didn’t get to see his personality around the races. So it is cool to see him let loose and hang out with everybody.

Have you introduced yourself to him?

Yeah, I went to the PulpMX live show. Then this past year at Anaheim 1 I got to have a beer with him. Prior to that when made his introduction to Yamaha, I was in Monster Energy Kawasaki polo, I was in the Monster Energy Kawasaki hat, I just went up to him and was like, “dude, I’m so disappointed right now.” Haha! He just looked at me and was like, “I can tell!” Haha!

What do you think of the Swapmoto Race Series?

It’s fun. I remember back when I was a teenager and just going to the races all the time. Then they kind of died down during the recession and it’s cool to have it again around all of the local tracks and be able to go hang out.

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Megan Maeda

Megan Maeda is a junior at California State University, Long Beach. She has been the Swapmoto Race Series onside reporter for four years now and is the editor of our weekly newsletter.

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