Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/103448
VOL. 48 ISSUE 44 DECEMBER 13, 2011 Jake's storage barn is filled with toys. making it. I'm not getting rich, but I'm doing what I like to do and fulfilling dreams I've had since I was a kid. How do you look at the leadership in the sport these days and how it's being run? Putting the bad economy to the side - I think the DMG is doing a great job. Some people complain that we don't have a schedule yet, but I understand. It's hard to get people to commit to put up that much money to do a race. That part is tough. Sacramento was a big hit this year. Bob Bellino is a great promoter as is the IMDA. We need strong promoters like them who will commit to running races. The tracks have 134-139 JJohnson Interview.indd 139 been good; the schedule pretty much runs smoothly and on time. Money's tight and you're not going to make everyone happy, but you put yourself in their shoes and it's no easy task with what they're doing. You're used to racing against the current GNC riders, but when you look down in the Pro Singles class and see the kind of aggressiveness those guys have, does it worry you that you'll have to race some of those guys? No. I think there's a lot of respect among the guys in the Expert class. With Pro Singles you just have a lot of young riders, 16 or 17 years old, racing in P139 front of big crowds maybe for the first time and they want to win. I think when they move up to the Expert class it's quite a bit different. A lot of those guys have no experience on a Mile. I can't even watch the Pro Singles class at the Springfield Mile. I watched it once and didn't want to see any more of that. You used to be known as a groove-track rider, but it seems you're getting better on all types of surfaces now. Do you see your overall ability on grooves and cushion tracks as your strength now? I think grooved clay tracks are always going to be my strength, but I've gotten a little bit better on the cushion tracks and on the miles. Springfield is a fairly easy track to go fast on, but it's hard to win. You can be in that lead pack, but it's tough to work your way through that. I'm still learning every time I go. The cushion tracks like Lima I'm getting better. Pomona wasn't 100 percent cushion like we've seen in the past, but it was still loose dirt. I'm starting to get the knowledge. That's what is making me more consistent. I think experience is what is bringing everything together. You don't seem to do a lot of racing in the off-season like some of the riders. Why is that? Most of it's because of where I live there isn't a lot of winter racing. Also, I like to take the time to get away from racing for a while. When the racing season comes along I'm not burned out, I'm eager to get going again. CN 12/12/11 1:46 PM