Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

I like to see good racing. And the Belgium Federation has never offered for me to help them with the des Nations team, so why win. should I feel bad about it? How would you compare working Are you surprised that the Belwith McGrath to working with Rick gians chose basically a hardJohnson, David Bailey, or Johnny pack track instead of the sand, D'Mara? Does the entourage that Jerewhere they would have had a my brings along make it harder, or serious advantage? does him having his own little deal It was really a dumb choice. make it easier as a manager? I'm not surprised, in a way, Jeremy is a very easy person to work because most of the Belgium with, He's not a complainer, he's not a Federawhiner, and I think tion is Jeremy knows the very political. The weak points and the president of the Fedstrong poin ts of his bike. He does as much "...Mike (LaRocco) has eration happens to be the president of the as he can during the week, and he knows had more specialty parts club that is organizing the des Nations race, we're doing as much as made for him than bu t he has po this we can to sa tisfy him. own agenda We haven't satisfied McGrath and Albertyn interests aheaci of and him '100 percent on trying to win the race for everything; I'm not sat· com bmed... " his coun try. Tha t' s isfied 100 percent with bad, and I have said , everything. That never so in the German happens in racing, but, press; it's bad that he 1'm working hard to try puts his own agenda to make it closer to satin front of frying to win the race and tryisfying everybody. A good racer is never 100 percent satisfied, and if you were, ing to help his team. you'd never make progress. I think JereDo you still keep an eye on the GP cirmy has the most positive attitude of any cuit over there? Are you keeping an rider I've ever worked with. eye on Sebastien Tortelli and Stefan Everts and those guys? Last year, you worked with Ezra Lusk. Of course. Throughout his career at Suzuki he didn't have very good results, but now What do you think of Sebastien Tortelhe is getting those results. Do you li? think it's because of his changing He's a real professional and he has teams, or because of his changing suras isted very well; he's on a good team, roundings, especially with his father a team that's well-organized and that taking a step back and not being there doesn't waste time on the unimportant all the time? things. He understands he's there to do He made the changes that I begged him a job, and he does it well. to make while he was at Suzuki. It's difHow do you think Sebastien would do ficult for a rider when you have to take' over here in America? Does he have that step yourself, to separate from your the potential to do what Jean-Michel father. Making the team change made Bayle did? things easier for him to make his perIt would be more difficult for him in sonal changes, and allowed him to pass supercross, but then again, with the way the responsibility to the team instead of tracks are getting these days, it's easier himself. When Ezra was at Suzuki, for outsiders to come and adapt; they're tJ:1ings didn't work that way for a long not as technical or as dJfficult as they time, from minibikes on. He started to used to be, and already he's not a bad make those changes last year when he supercross rider. I think if he comes here was still with Suzuki. If you look at last and sets his goals, and he has a strong year's supercross results, he didn't win Once you make a commitment and you sign a contract, you should convince yourself tha t you're on a bike tha t can races, but he did finish third in the .championship and he finished the year strong, so it was not like his results were so drastically different; he finished third last year and he did it again this y~ar. Let's talk about the sport in general just a little bit What did you think of all the great crowds this year? Do you .see Supercross back on the right track? think there are definitely improvements. The program has been made to look better. I think the promoters are trying harder to present a good picture. They have made efforts to improve the relationships between them and the riders and the teams; there's definitely an improvement there. I don't think we're all the way where we should be, but there are definitely improvements. When the ou tdoor Nationals are over, ,will you be working with Team USA again? Yes. Are there any mixed feelings because it's back in Belgium? Not really. Of course, if somebody other than my team is going to win, I want it to be Belgium. But I like to see good racing, and I am not so stuck by the nationality of anybody. Wherever you're from, "I think if Mike (LaRocco) can focus and not spend his time wishing that he were on another team, he can do really well." work ethic, he can do what it takes to succeed in America. In fact, he's been coming to the States for several years to train for the world championships. He saw the progress of it getting ready for the GPs. What about Ricky' Cannichael? He's been quite the rage here in America. He crashes a lot, but he wins a lot, too. What do you think of that kid? He's a real racer. You can see that this kid wants to win. He doesn't feel right until he's in the lead, and he crashes a few times along the way, but that's normal at his age. He is very impressive. Do you think a bidding war will erupt hoi tng"i. 4ck? The land-use probover him, or do you think his blood lems, the way the events are presented runs green from here on out? by the promoters, the small prize I think he's reached an agreement with money? . Kawasaki for two or three years, so It would be hard to choose one thing; there's no question of a bidding war there are a lot of little things combined. now, but when he's free, then there will We still need to be more professional be a big one. with a lot of things; we need to make the tracks look better - the What is the best way they appear to thing about American the public, the loose motocross right now? tires (for track markWhat's the most posiers) and so forth. We tive part of the sport? "They (supercross need to find things Is it the television covpromoters) have made that are more permaerage, the branching nent and look cleaner, out of individual efforts to improve the and try to find a way teams, the amateur to make things more programs ht America? relationships between comfortable for the (Pause). I would say that the biggest advanthem and the riders and public. tage tha t America has You've been at this a on the world is the the teams; there's very long time. Do involvement of the facyou ever get tired of tories. That's a benefit definitely an improvement what you do, of the that no other part of the sounds of motorcythere. " world has. The race cles? Is this exactly teams, the contingency what you want to be programs, that's the doing with your life single biggest reason right now? for the success, because I still feel lucky that I a lot of the other things depend on that. can make a good living from my hobby. I don't think the television coverage Sometimes I'm dragging a little bit, but would be there if there weren't such an then I think, hey, it's something tha t I involvement by the factories. love to do and I make a living at it. I feel very lucky about how my life has What do you think is the worst thing turned out. a about the sport right now? What's 27

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