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/229152
INTERVIEW P114 AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPION JOSH HERRIN when you go to the track it's a different story. Josh would always text me after I had a good weekend and tell me it was good to see the progress I was making. So, yeah, we had a good relationship off the track. At the track it was business and I respect that." is himself a former GP and World Supersport racer who most recently was team manager of the Moto3 team that fielded racer Luis Salom and finished second in the Moto3 Championship. Mark Woodage is Herrin's crew chief. Woodage was lead techni- THE NEW TEAM Caterham Racing is Herrin's new team. The company is heavily involved in auto racing, including Formula One, and is making its first foray into motorcycle road racing. Herrin is teaming with Frenchman Johann Zarco, a fiveyear veteran of GP racing. Zarco has won a GP (in the 125cc class) and scored a couple of podiums in Moto2, so in spite of being the AMA Superbike Champion, Herrin finds himself the less experienced rider on his new team. Caterham Moto2 is new, but the crew assembled has a great deal of experience and Herrin is excited to have the opportunity to work with them. Johan Stigefelt, Caterham's team manager, Herrin started winning races and championships as a kid on minibikes. Here he celebrates with the local Hooters girls after winning a club title. cian for Ducati's British Superbike effort and has also worked with Aprilia and Honda. Herrin's mechanics Robin and Ben both have ample experience working in World Supersport and Moto3. "I could just tell watching how the team works together during testing that they know their stuff and it made me comfortable knowing we have so much experience," Herrin said. "The other great thing was how we got to know each other so quickly and before you knew it we were laughing, joking and working to- gether like we'd been a team together for years. So I definitely have a great group of guys to help me along." Herrin is fortunate in that he is getting paid to race for Caterham in a time when a lot of riders in the class are either not getting paid or are even bringing their own money to race for a team. Herrin credits his manager Bob Moore, of Wasserman Media Group, for helping him get such a solid ride in Moto2. According to Herrin, the Suter Moto2 chassis feels completely different to anything he's raced before. "A lot of people say, 'You are so good on a 600, you should feel right at home.' But this bike is totally different from any SuperSport or Daytona SportBike I've ridden. You can get insane lean angles with the tire and chassis combo we have." Herrin points to a worn elbow pad to illustrate the point. An obstacle Herrin faces is not knowing the tracks he'll be racing on next season. He hasn't even raced the two American tracks in the series – Indy and Circuit of The Americas. Herrin expects to face challenges being on a new bike, with a new team on new tracks, but he thinks given the time he will be competitive in the championship. "I know I've got the ability to be a competitive Moto2 racer," Herrin said. "Racing in the GPs has been a life-long dream of mine and I want to try to make the most of it." CN