Moto Moms Ep7 | Ft. Lisa DiFrancesco

Behind each of the professional Supercross racers we watch weekly is a story. We've heard many of these stories from their mouths. After going to a local race and seeing a moto mom helping her daughter at the gate and working on the bike, I had the idea for this feature. Moms play a huge role in our lives growing up, but we don't normally think of them as playing a huge role in our racing. They do. Whether it's emotional support, making food for the track, going to the track, holding a stopwatch, or putting fuel in the bike, moms play their role. For this seventh edition, I talked to Lisa DiFrancesco, mother of Rockstar GasGas' Ryder DiFrancesco.

For the full interview, check out the Vital MX podcast right here. If you're interested in the condensed written version, scroll down just a bit further.

Jamie Guida – Vital MX: Where did you grow up?

Lisa DiFrancesco: I was born in central California in San Luis Obispo. Then we moved to Bakersfield, California, and I've been there ever since.

Vital MX: Did you know anything about motorcycle racing before meeting your husband, Randy' The Rocket' DiFrancesco? (Randy is an accomplished speedway racer) Was that a part of your life at all?

Lisa: It wasn't. My father was into football, baseball, hockey, and basketball. He liked the Los Angeles Rams and Dodgers. There were no motorsports at all. I was a gymnast from a young age. I made that my profession by coaching high-level gymnastics until Ryder was about nine. Then the traveling got super busy, so I traveled with him. 

Vital MX: What did you think of motorcycle racing once you saw it with Randy?

Lisa: I loved every sport growing up and was a very competitive child, so this was another sport I grew to love. 

Vital MX: Once Ryder started racing, were you nervous? Or were you fairly comfortable since you grew up as an athlete?

Lisa: Anytime your child is involved in a dangerous sport, you are going to be nervous, but when the races started, my competitiveness took over. I wanted to see him win as much as he did. At the same time, I knew he was just a little guy, and he was learning. It wasn't the end of the world if he didn't win or take a top five.

Vital MX: How competitive was Ryder when he was little?

Lisa: He was very competitive. He had two older brothers and an older sister. The two older boys and sister were competitive and into sports and loved to ride dirt bikes. If they wanted to ride dirt bikes, he wanted to. You wouldn't have thought he was competitive because he was such a shy kid in his younger years, but he was. He was almost an introvert. 

Vital MX: I would not have thought that. I met him in 2017 at Freestone, and he was running around and had a big personality.

Lisa: I would say he started to come out of his shell around 2014 or 2015, and I believe it was because of the sport of motocross. They are up there on the podium speaking into a microphone, and I think those things helped.

Vital MX: When did you realize, "He has some talent, and it's starting to get serious?"

Lisa: I'd say when he was four. He was always one of the youngest in the group from Bakersfield who he practiced with, and he was keeping up with them. When he started beating the older children he practiced with, we thought, "Oh boy!" Then we went to Loretta's (2010) on a Cobra for fun because my husband always wanted to go. It rained the third moto, and we went home. We knew we weren't there to compete with the top racers, but we needed Ryder to see what it was all about. I think that year when he started beating the older kids, we knew he had something.

Vital MX: Ryder was one of the most successful amateurs ever. What were your roles when he was at the track?

Lisa: For the first few years, I was just a mother. I would ensure he would get lots of rest, stay out of the sun, especially at Loretta's, and drink lots of water. I ensured he ate good meals and left the rest up to Randy. As time passed, we lived in Northern California and I would take him to the Southern California tracks. I would drive to the races with our mechanic, and Randy would fly in. I didn't do bike work. I know a lot of moto moms do bike work, but I was the mother and driver. I ensured he was minding his P's and Q's, which was important to me. I didn't want him to get into trouble.

My mom has always been by my side with road trips and now airline trips. I grew up with my dad working and my mom taking me to the track every single day. The amount of hours we put in together traveling across the country is insane. Without my mom I wouldn’t be where I am today. - Ryder D

Vital MX: When the pressures from his amateur success started to build, how did you help him cope with that?

Lisa: I let him do his own thing. In the amateur scene, he was good with pressure. As long as he was having fun, he was good. Don't get me wrong, it was hard work, but racing was fun for Ryder. He raced at a high level since he was four years old, and I think the pressure got to Randy and me more.

Vital MX: Ryder made his pro debut at RedBud in 2022 and finished 13th. Did you discuss as a family how he is used to winning and how that will take some time as a pro?

Lisa: We never sat down and had that conversation. We let him go out and do the best he could. It's been a tough couple of years because the expectations were so high. Kids he raced with have gone pro and maybe had a few better results, and people start asking, "What's going on with Ryder D?" Ryder grew up with Team Green, and he doesn't have that anymore. That was huge and unexpected for him. Then he went to GasGas, which was amazing, and we're grateful he still has that factory ride. Now, there's been another change. I know it's coming for Ryder. It was a bummer because we love Team Green, but we're thankful to GasGas. 

Vital MX: People may not realize this is only his second year as a pro because he's been doing Futures since 2022. So, it almost feels like he's been around for a few years. 

Lisa: This is his second year as a pro, and he has great people behind him. He's more experienced and knows what to expect, and I think this year will be good.

Vital MX: Do you ever feel like Ryder missed out on things' regular' kids get to do, such as prom or other activities?

Lisa: We discussed that when we decided to home-school Ryder. I had second thoughts because many of my gymnasts were home-schooled, and they didn't get to see the outside world because they were always in the gym. With motocross, they are around all these different kids, traveling and with their parents. If we'd asked him if he wanted to go to prom or a race, he'd pick a race. I don't think he's missed out on anything. Look at what he's seen and who he's met. He's experienced a lot that the kids who go to regular school don't. 

Vital MX: What is your best memory with Ryder? It doesn't have to be race-related.

Lisa: For Christmas, we took a trip to New York City with the whole family, and that stands out. We were hardly ever all together, so that sticks out.

Vital MX: What are you most proud of with Ryder?

Lisa: The great kid he has become, especially over the last two years. He has gone through so much, and he keeps trucking. He knows there will be light at the end of the hard tunnel and has a great attitude when things are hard. He's grateful, and I'm most proud of those things. The racing and winning don't matter. It's just that he's a great kid.