2023 Superbike Interviews

Motopod proudly supported by Road Skin a UK label specializing in protective outerwear for Motorcyclists modern biker clothing that you can wear all day long and engineered to save your skin for the road for life visit road skin dot co dot UK Hey motor potters, it's Jim with Jake Gagne here at pit race Jake. Thanks for taking some time. Talk to me Yeah, no worries end of the day. So we don't got much to do now Yeah, so their season so far has been much different than last year's season a lot more consistency this year six wins But not off the box at all Is that just because the competition level has been raised so much this year? Yeah, no doubt Everybody stepped it up.

There's a lot more bikes in the mix a lot more guys in the mix a lot more guys I can win a race every weekend, you know, so for me coming off the last couple years and getting a lot of wins and Honestly like I'm stoked to see the racing so good, you know I have a lot of people come up to you every weekend say, you know, I know you like I know you want to win them all I know you like to win like last couple years But the racing is good and for me as a racer and as a fan of the series and as the guy that just wants the series To do well It's good to see you know, and I'm happy to see other teams up there in the next getting wins other guys getting wins And yeah making it making a show out of it. It's been good to have a Bobie a back in the States that seemed to have really upped I think everybody's game including yours, right? Totally. I mean Cameron's the guy in America. I mean five-time I think superbike champ and Me and him have raced man art since we were teenage together, you know So and he's a good guy, you know We all of us guys in the superbike class like we all get along really well off the track, you know And on the track we want to we want to get down to business and beat each other But it was good to have him come back Like I said a good good to see more teams have race winning bikes and So that so yeah, I missed this weekend.

It's the year's kind of flown on by but it's really tight this weekend It just seems to keep getting tighter. So it's good to see so you have a 68 point lead You have the races here at Pitt you go Dakota and then you have New Jersey left How do you how do you win the championship? Do you just keep doing what you're doing? Do you change anything? I Think we just got to keep doing we're doing I mean obviously to me it's it's wild to have Have a points lead like that, you know, because it has been so tight and I haven't won that many races But like you said earlier, I mean consistency has been the name of the game this year and of course I got handed a couple favors with some DNFs from the other guys and I think we had one DNF at Road America Other than that, we've been consistent.

So You know, we can't change the game plan too much You just got a I got to go out there and try to win races try to keep it on the podium Try to but at the same time, you know not take any unnecessary risks and Yeah, once we get through this triple header There's only two more rounds left. So it's crazy to think about but yeah name of the game seems like this consistency Seasons flume by that's for sure this morning here at the race first lap right out of the pits and the bike Has a mechanical let's just put it that way, right? Yeah. Yeah There's a little wild you don't see that very often no no these guys But luckily it was just something minor. Okay, they had a red flag because I leaked a little bit on the track but we got the bike back and we We got in we got like five laps in at the end.

So it wasn't a complete complete wash and They gotta keep these guys on their toes, you know They were hustling to try to get us out before before the end of the session so You know not the way you want to start a weekend but hats off to the guys because they got they got it done we got back out there and Still in it. So it wasn't a motor change or anything like that. It was just a simple. Yes. Yeah.

Well the quintessential Three-dollar part. Yeah, probably That's crazy. So a couple things up. What does this track rank as far as favorites for you? This is one of just as far as pure enjoyment.

This is one of the best tracks for me all year Okay, it's just fun the whole especially the whole for it The one part that's a little funky is that really slow chicane because the rest of the track is so flowy lots of elevation Really nice asphalt So this has always been what I like I said if I just to come to come ride at one of these tracks for fun This is like one of the most where it would be That's good. So I always do these kind of questions for everybody that I talk to you So if you could ride any bike on any track, what would you pick and where would you go? And it's a good question Well, I'm biased I guess but this I mean this our ones the most amazing motorcycles ever written, you know It feels like mine now And where you know, where would I take it? That's a good question And it's weird skies on that yeah, I know sorry yeah, I mean I guess Somewhere in maybe even like Philip Island or something like that Yeah, that place I mean obviously I did a couple I did a lot of those tracks are rolled through like years ago Yeah on a different machine But that track is just like no other super unique and super fast and obviously a beautiful place So that's one of those that's one of those ones. You always remember.

Yeah, I get that. Yep. So those that's there What what got you actually into racing? Like how did you actually start? So my dad I remember being little guy probably like four or five or whatever My dad was kind of a motocross guy dirt bike guy So he kind of I obviously convinced him at five to get me a dirt bike started riding around in friends back to our backyards and stuff and Fortunately, there was a cool track called Barona motocross track near me so right right away was soon as I started riding I started racing motocross like you know as much as possible and just kind of fell in love with it and And Yeah, so motocross only until I was 13 or 14 and I didn't know a thing about road racing like even at the time I don't even know if I knew Rossi was I didn't know what motor GP was like I was pure my dream was motocross supercross Okay And then I was riding for KTM like on 85 65 and stuff and they had heard through my local shop about the Red Bull Rikis Cup deal they did here so my dad kind of signed me up on a whim and One day he said hey, we're gonna go out you go to Alabama and ride some street bikes, and I'm like yeah sure I'm a kid.

I don't care. I'll try anything and but again. I had no idea About this world at all but fortunately went through the pretty we were able to find some letters and a helmet and put it all together and Got picked for the Rikis Cup right here in the States and for sure was one or if not the slowest guy starting out You know a lot of the kids had at least touched asphalt before and I never had before the tryouts So I dragged my knee like one time at the tryouts, so somehow they picked me. I don't know why But then throughout that year you know as a kid you pick up things fast So it got better and better and towards the end of the year We won a couple races and then from there went did two years in the European Rikis Cup right so and then in my At that point I was kind of like man. I guess I guess I'm a road racer now.

You know which I'm happy I'm happy. I did take this route. It's given me a lot of opportunities And I've had like I said I've had a lot of great opportunities to kind of give me where I'm at today And so it's kind of a dream come true so when you went to Europe everybody talks about it being like a big change How hard was as a kid to go to Europe you know I guess at that time I was quite 1415 maybe 16 And we didn't in Rikis Cup We only race with the European races And I never really stayed over there that long a couple weeks at a time And I was always with like my dad or a family friend Danny Walker somebody like that so it was kind of just in and out you know and It was cool as a shock for sure. I was never a big fan of Europe, okay? What why?

Just I don't know I guess I was never too comfortable there and the food and the language and the scenery I mean there's beautiful parts over there for sure And you know when you're going over there to race motorcycles It's not like I'm Johnny tourists running around and getting to like really enjoy my like you know we're there to race motorcycles So it's a job. It's a job. Yeah, and so at that at that time and even when I was over there doing a little sir Mike it's kind of hard to you It's important to step back and you know say like I'm in a cool place I'm in a route driving around the world and to try to enjoy it, but at the same time. It's like racetrack hotel Airplane is it repeat was it just the grind you think I? Think so I mean like I said I didn't really experience that heavy grind until after I left Rikis Cup there was times Where I'd stay over in Spain I did a little Spanish championship stuff Actually Matthew Schultz was my teammate back then and at that time we stayed over a year for weeks and months and Spain I just especially Spain.

I wasn't a big fan of the place. I guess the food and yeah And I don't speak the language. You know even as a kid everybody's telling me you got to learn Spanish you got to learn Spanish but 15 16 I'm like oh I don't care. Yeah, I mean I'm high side. I wish I would have but Yeah, just a different world and I I'm really in a I love racing here in the States obviously I'm comfortable I get to go home I get to work with people that I've known my almost my whole career in road racing So it's cool, and it's great to see the Moto America series getting stronger stronger every year and I'm happy to just be a part of it and be a part of the Yama family especially So it's a good gig all right switch gears and one question Do you follow much of the MotoGP scene or the World Superbike scene?

Yeah, yeah, I Watch it when I can I don't watch it all I'm not like a super fan I just curious if being a professional racer by yourself you sort of look to look there Yeah, it's kind of a fun little look here and there there was a couple years where I didn't really watch GP It got it. I mean you know there's good and bad years, but lately like the sprint races have been pretty epic and obviously they Good field is so tight. It's always good racing now and So I like this year I've seen probably most of them I always loved watching moto 2 when cambo be it was over there because I was always getting to root him on it's Nice to have an American in there obviously with Joe still and an SDK You know I always try to root those guys on and but I'm still I'm still motocross supercross guy All right, I'll really really yeah. Yeah, so we think what jets doing is incredible Yeah, that guy's on another level. Yeah, I mean just as riding is kind of It's unreal.

I mean he makes it look so easy especially when he stepped on the 450 it was just a smooth transition and I'm always I'm a big Tomac fan as always so I hope I see him go on supercross and get more run for his money But seeing him what he's done in outdoors this year. It's it's hard to imagine anybody could stop him Yeah, and he could be a perfect look so easy. Yeah, no doubt. Yeah, great Like the RC and steward days, you know, yeah that it is. All right, Jake.

I appreciate your time. Yeah So I'm with Steve Rogers boss of McCann's Yamaha Steve welcome to the show I don't think we've interviewed you before so we're grabbing our chance once we can mix feelings It's what an ultimate round for the team. Yeah, how you feeling? Yeah. No, we're good No, no, you know, it's yeah, it's gonna be a bit sad at runs Yeah, I think time's right for us is there a particular reason behind the withdrawal I mean, I probably could have read about it somewhere, but I'm gonna ask you directly You've had so much success.

It's time to do something different. Yeah Well, it's just I mean to be honest with the older sponsors everybody what to carry on It's just I didn't want to really so just what a bit of time do other things and you know, obviously We still be involved with a lot of the deal Yamaha dealership Which was still supply parts and race bikes into the panel and stuff So, yeah, yeah, but just yeah just needed a bit of time back really Yeah I mean the team's been so successful hasn't it over the years in this championship and I mean you've been an absolute backbone For the championship for so long. What is can you pick out a highlight a couple of highlights? I mean 21 winning the championship the town's yeah, obviously. Yeah, I mean both riders did a mega job all year You know, we won 22 with the 33 races comes on the podium in pretty much every other race And so yeah, that's gonna be that 21 absolute pinnacle of the season really wouldn't it?

Oh You know when previous to that obviously we've been super sport and you know finished second in the championship four times I mean you almost were thinking are we ever gonna win a championship? obviously, it's 21 was the one and Last question is almost like you get a busy old day for you in the team But obviously since Tim dropped out of the team for his own personal reasons, you've had a quite a few different people on the bike So how's that worked? Have you sort of been able to go out and kind of pick people that you wanted to have a quick chance to work with or A little bit more kind of structured than that I mean the only thing that was really structured was obviously Nico on the bike for the last two which obviously Yamaha wanted Right see with Nico being the test rider and stuff. I think they wanted him to ride the BSP bike and then in between really We just sort of you know, we gave Luke a chance obviously Tito did three rounds as well. Yeah Yeah, just to get two bikes out there really You want as much coverage as you can the sponsors and stuff.

So yeah I've got to ask you was there a little cheeky call that went into town to say you're coming back for a half a season I did ask yeah But he sees me he's committed to the world job. So, you know and he needs to stick with that Right, so there's somebody lining up to get your autograph So I'm gonna let you go but to better that for the weekend and thanks for everything you've done for the championship I mean, we'll deep down we're all bike racing fans and it's sad to see you go. Thank you. Cheers. Cheers.

Thanks So it's Rich from motopod again here and I'm delighted to say I'm actually sat with a couple of the young guns In the British Superbike paddock, so we've got Luca Allen and Carl Harris. So where should we start Luca? Let's start with you. So Luca you run in British Super Sport in the GP2 class So tell people because the motopod listeners might not know who you are So just have a little bit of background as to where you've come from So I raised I started out on motocross when I was I think six. Yeah, I've been seven So we started out on that and use a lot of it We just set local track and then as I went up to We've done 65 but stayed like quite local went to 80s and 85 big wheels stuff like that Just done a few rounds at like the AMCA National and stuff like that and then we've got we found about this British mini bikes and Then we got into that spent a year on mini bikes Then jumped straight to a ninja 300 in the Benzie team green cup and we jumped out Now had a year in there and then decided to make a move to BSP Junior Super Sport in 2020 okay, and then that was just be learning year really because obviously the boys in junior Super Sport a lot quicker than the team green lot so then we made move to the R3 for 2021 and I was supposed to do stock six last year on a R6 but I had a Injury out in Texas flat-tracking.

Mm-hmm where I'd done my ACL MCL lateral and meniscus Sounds bloody painful. Yeah, it was yeah, it's way worse than breaking a bone ligaments and then so I have a year right I had surgeries on that and And had to wait for the recovery period and which time I got to know Sarah and everyone a bit more and Fraser and then they got because that Tool wasn't officially off sale and they managed to buy that off of the Ryan Saxe will be around it previously Now we're on pretty super sport GP tip So I mean the super sport category is a ferociously competitive high-level category So you I mean you've come up through the ranks very quickly haven't you I think there's Aspects of like we was very quick to push me on through classes quite quickly because we're looking at kids my age what else They were doing because obviously we were new to it or when I was in the team green we saw like Ash Barnes and Lewis Jones and that we saw them move into BSP. So we thought that's what we've got to do Yeah, and I think there's very much a lot of that when you first start out and then it's kind of like snowballs really Yeah. All right. So Carl people are gonna know your name a little bit Carl Harris So obviously you had the famous dad who everybody will will know and remember very well So I suppose your progression into the sport was kind of almost destined to happen in a way, wouldn't it?

Yeah, tell us a little bit about your backstory so a couple of years ago I started off motocross in in club level in 125 and we decided to move up to the British Championship and Last year 2022 we had a shot at that and we were Consistently in the top 10 and I think I got tenth in the championship in that so it's a solid year and then my uncle somehow he got in a conversation with Steve Brogan and We asked him if he'd give us a shot on his stock 600 bikes what he yes So he agreed with him got it all planned out and sorted to get out in Spain and just will do six days on track out there and see how it all goes and From there, I've loved it ever since so we made some plans got some sponsors in board and Yeah, now we're in the BSP straight up first year just a learning year just see how far I can get off I've got one point at the moment. So I'm happy about that. But Every tracks a new new track to me. I've never ridden to any of them So it's just it's always a learning curve, but I want to get to the front as quick as possible Yeah, of course. So Luca, how old are you?

17 you have to think about that And Carl your 17 you both so you both 17 years So I'm always fascinated with you youngsters and I can say that's on 51 me how much pressure you're under to You know, because there's obviously a lot of pressure around sponsorship and you know keeping the boat afloat financially And I guess you maybe not get so involved in that But I suppose that's always part and parcel of in the background in there and then you've got the pressure to perform Plus at your age, obviously been going through education and stuff as well I'll hopefully you've been concentrate on my not a little bit So just tell us a little bit what it's like Luca you said you started off at six or seven years old Carl I'm guessing you were sort of out across in a similar sort of age as well So have you juggled all this sort of stuff? And is it very pressurized or do you kind of just let that go to the side a little bit and just concentrate on the riding? You see obviously parents people around you working really hard to keep you and what you're doing and what you love and what you want to try and make something out of You see them working really hard all the time and then you've got to try and juggle that with then seeing Sponsors obviously put putting money in coming to rounds and you're thinking ah, right. They're coming to this round now Which is almost although it shouldn't really be it's almost bit of an added pressure. Yeah, because it's time to be yeah Yeah, you want to perform You just gotta juggle it around and you find ways to get through school and well I still work now doing motocross engines and so I'm loving that at the moment It's really good because it helps with the bike set up.

I know what's going on underneath and it's good But you juggle your way around things and it's got happen. Hasn't it? Yeah, we'll make it happen. Yeah Yeah, I mean hopefully by talking to both of you There's a couple of other riders We've talked to I've talked to in the paddock over the last year and stuff and that generated a bit of interest with the motopod Listeners in terms of lending a bit of help and support here and there So hopefully that might be something that comes out of this as well Lucas oh your parents are they sort of always bike fans? I mean what you named after Luca Cadillac or something?

I was what's the what's the connection? I don't really know to be fair. I think they kind of missed must have opened an Italian book or baby name But they must pick it up in Italy something I don't really know where that came from to be fair I mean my nephew's have all got we'll hear the wonderful names as well. You've got Lorenzo Ramon and Kiel, right? So kind of Not very British name.

No, it's quite Not about From never really asked if it was after Obviously you are part of the Fraser Rogers 89 team Yeah, so do your parents have any involvement in your race now? They here or I mean, hey work out because you're still quite young Obviously, yeah. Yeah, they were here Today they weren't here yesterday I mean, this is like the big benefit of obviously running with these guys big benefit is obviously people got around me the knowledge Around me but another big benefit is the fact that obviously I work for my dad and with his business and I Work for him Monday Tuesday Wednesday, so I can't do Thursday and Friday Yeah, I'm always at a track so I help with them Sarah as a race school at the minibikes in Hull Ableton Yeah, yeah, which is just at the road. Yeah, and at fab racing and still at the minibike racing across the UK So I'll go and help with that as well. Okay, so on a Thursday on Friday Which then means me running with these guys That can still go to work on a Thursday and a Friday and you can still do that Which is I think there's definitely been really beneficial for dad.

He always like really sure was have time off work Mmm, so she's like she businesses you baby whatever say it's hard to have the time mocks if he's not there Yeah, it's happening. It's stationery nothing's happening because I'm always fascinated in this aspect of I wouldn't call this pad at the grassroots Because clearly it's much much higher than that But you know that everybody's putting a lot on the line aren't they to make this kind of happen and to make this work And so I think it's good for the listeners to hear from the lights of you two You know because obviously we talked to a few of the BSP riders from time to time and obviously that's the top top level And they're in that stage. They're getting paid to ride a lot of them Rose it's much much harder when you're in the junior formula in there. Yeah, so tell me about how your years going so far either Interesting starts a year round one at Silverstone our We still don't really know what I've done wrong Well, they don't really scream anything massive. I've come into Turn one and you flip left for the kink left.

Yeah turn two I just lost from coming out crashed at 120 something mile an hour I think they said so yeah fast enough. Yeah, and I managed to cut across The grass I managed to cut across that go through the air fencing at that point I was like relatively relatively I was alright, and they landed the other side the track and someone ran shit over me ankle obviously Right, obviously not intentional But then that put my ankle into into two bits so I had to miss Alton Park I come back for here but earlier in the year and But it was still I still really shouldn't have properly right not it was affecting on the bike But if I'd gone down it probably wouldn't have been very pretty mm-hmm and then for the rest of the year It's literally just been building confidence back up on it because it's so stiff. It's so hard to ride that Cal X It's yeah, but yeah, yeah, yeah, of course because it's the GP2 bike so yeah type chassis So yeah, you have to put a lot of force through your feet. Yeah, I guess the steer the thing Yeah, it can be a bit of a struggle at times, but we're getting there with it And what's your best result been this year? I mean I'm guessing you've had a bit of an up-and-down year because of the injury Yeah, I think my best overall result I think was 15th in class my best was a third Oh, wow, okay, knock hill.

So um, yeah, not too like displeased with the seasons We've got a lot of valuable data. Yeah and stuff like that but now it's it was it was expected it was gonna be a tough year after the year out and Now more plungers. And do you know what you're doing next year? Yeah, or is it too early to be sort of asking that question? Yeah, it's quite often bit anti-maripous paddock in terms of deals we get and done late and then what you're doing But no got any sort of future.

We're very happy within the setup and team. I mean, obviously I said earlier I've got a lot of knowledge around me a lot of big support and stuff like that So we're definitely staying with these guys for next year. Cool. We're done. We're sorted We're almost admin GP to is staying for next year.

So we're pretty set in stone for next year And cult so you said that you've this is your first year obviously So it's a massive massive learning exercise and you've got a you've got points We've had a 15th as well somewhere down the line. Wait, where did that come? Was in the way nice. I won't say I'm the best I'm done good because of the motorcross and She ain't keep chipping away every check we get to keep getting closer to the front So how do you feel like every time you're out on the bike you are learning genuinely learning something new? Definitely all the time.

So you just grow your confidence more you get on the bike and you learn new things bike settle trust in the tires Everything every little bit. It's just like it's overwhelming But you get used to presumably you're that stage where would you say that the bike is more capable than you are still? So you're still finding the limit of the bike or you already starting to get into that area where there's certain things you want the Bike to do for you. Yeah, that's what we're just trying to get to at the minute It's just finding the limit. So the good thing now is I'm not crashing all the time I'm staying on the bike but learning and growing my speed so it's coming but we just need to find that limit where we're good and Just increasing the time all the time and are you gonna be on the same bike next year?

No, no category you think oh well this Stock six they've got rid of that class next year Yeah Got rid of stock six so I'm playing on definitely doing the super teams 400 class and We're having a few chats with people and hopefully we're gonna run the bike I've got the stock 600 now in the Super Sport Cup class. So Should be a good year next year. Yeah, okay. So social media. Where can people find you?

I'm sure you must have so I'm assuming you got accounts and stuff where people can look you up. Come on There's a bit of advertising well, I've got Facebook and Instagram that's why I use the most unlike team reports and stuff I think it's it's Carl Harris with a C dot nine Yeah Memories aren't always the best Pretty sure is it Carl Harris dot nine by Ben it's by dot nine. Yeah Yeah, okay. How about you? Luca I use Instagram Facebook more as well on Instagram I'm Luca Allen all one word no capitals, but on the Allen it's with two ones It's my number incorporated and then Facebook.

Yeah, it's just blue crowd. Yeah. Yeah, just without the numbers this time Yeah, well, it chaps is it's great pleasure to meet you and say it's a little bit serendipitous I bumped into Sarah in the country store in caution So I'm glad to hear that you know, you're learning you're doing alright and enjoying it and that you'll be in the paddock next year So maybe we can catch up a little bit next year I'm trying to get along to more more BSP if I can but I've got a job too So it's a little bit hard to juggle everything but we'll keep in touch with you if we can And yeah, we'll see how you're getting on and as I say if any of the listeners want to check you out They know where you are now in terms of your social media Yeah, and let's see if we can generate a little bit of extra support for you Cheers guys. Cheers. Cheers All right.

I'm just catching up with that should Durham again ashes It was Fulton Park, which was round two wasn't it? I think when we spoke for the show last time so you've had a bit of a storm in you I'm you after missing the first round because I think it was a sponsorship thing that you get in going So you've had a bit the kick-ass year. Yes Yeah, since then we've had Quite a few podiums a win on the way and we're currently line third in the championship 22 points off with three races to go We've got qualifying in about an hour and a half or so maybe a little bit less I mean a not so sunny. Yeah, Dunnington Park. It's chilly and a bit drizzly.

Yeah Talent Cup boys have just been out and it was dry for their race, but the rain's coming at the minute Superbikes have got their race won now So see what the weather does but hopefully we can get a good qualifying today Good race tomorrow and see where we lie for the last round at Brands Hatch. What's your feeling? Well, I mean do you like riding in the wet is it you sort of feel like you excel in the wet or is it a hindrance? It's not a hindrance. I mean riding a bike trying to bike, you know It's part of it.

I'd prefer it to be dry. I think most people prefer it to be dry There's just a lot less risk. Yeah, same time same for everybody. I'm still competitive in the wet And I think that's the most important thing. So Yeah ready for whatever comes and are you confident for this weekend?

I mean, where does Donnington rank on your sort of list of favorite tracks? This was my first run of podiums earlier on in the year So I was battling for the win just missed out for second But you know, we wouldn't only if the old lap record last time we were here And that was only my second or third time the second time on the bike. I believe yeah second time on my bike I was old and park then we came straight to Dunnington. I was on the podium. So right hopefully Yeah, hopefully we have another good run Championship.

I mean what's your feeling 22 points is not so far behind and it's obviously I said to you earlier on my river chatting Yeah, watching the 600 races. Yeah, if you haven't missed the first round, you'd obviously be a lot closer probably. Yeah Oh, yeah And if they're more 25 points to win and I'm 22 points off and I'd like to think I'd be a fair thereabouts and taking points off at round one For the people so we'd either be a cool points off the leader or in the lead You don't know but it's just one of them we've got what we've got still can win it So yeah, it'll be pretty cool if we did win it after missing my arm I mean, we must just as I said to you earlier on we must just put a little shout out to Jeremy Burnish Yeah, yeah, no massive thank you to him we've got our own chocolate out So I don't know you say it chip a latte Yeah, no, no, no, no chocolate is pretty kick-ass Yes, blend them pretty much everything. It's not your average chocolate, but it's a cool thing Okay, love we've got with them. Yeah, it's nice to see you You know know that there's most of pod listeners or some of them are able to sort of chip in and help out a little bit It'll help at the end of the day 100% every every little blast that helps Yeah, I'll scan on track and help us stay fast Yeah, and obviously, you know support and money well spent in terms of your championship Yeah, line of solid third as you say instill him with a shout I'm so we wish you the best of luck for the rest of this season.

Thank you tomorrow. Yeah, appreciate it. Thank you So we're a very very wet and miserable Donington, but I'm happy to say I'm walking along with Ben Kerry Ben 2023 British Super Sport Champion as of today. Congratulations. How does it feel?

Yeah, it feels amazing to be honest It's been a long time coming as people have been saying and been grinding away trying to get the results for many years now and it's all come together after a really tricky time in my career and Yeah, all come together at a perfect time to bounce back after one of my hardest seasons You know ever and to wrap up the championship with still three races left is a dream really awesome And you've had a perfect season in the sense you started off steady and it's just got better and better There's years going on How much is that is down to you the team the bike or just obviously combination of all of it clicking I suppose as the years gone on. Yeah Development's been incredible with myself and the team really, you know I've had to change my riding style and the teams had to learn the best way with the v2 Obviously, they've run the super bike for so long. It's it's a new, you know, it's uncharted territory for him. So Amazing progression is shown with I think I've just recorded nine Consecutive podiums five of them wins in the last nine. I've got 13 podiums for the whole season combined Yeah, and after the win today, we still got three more that we can try and win.

So super cool What's the record in the season? Do you know in terms of wins in terms of wins? I'd say Jack Kennedy at that he dominated one of the years where he won pretty much every race apart from a few So not quite there yet, but we'll have a go I remember listening to you talking is probably one of the chats with Dave actually Dave Neal Where you sort of mentioned the fact that you've kind of really turned yourself around in terms of the sort of the getting your head Back into the season and it's just completely turned around. Yeah. I mean last year this time last year I was a completely different person.

I was so unwell Coming back from major injuries and getting beaten around in World Super Sport on a very uncompetitive package With a crew that really didn't you know support me in any way? So it was a tough tough time and To you know to step into a team like this and then back it up with the championship is just unbelievable Yeah, and well, we don't know precisely what you'll be doing next year I guess right now and you'll need to announce a slightly later stage But hopefully we'll see you back defending the one plate or perhaps even getting onto the bigger plate Whatever it will be it'd be brilliant Look, you know defending the number one plate has always been a dream of mine to do run a number one So who knows we'll see what the future's got. Well again Congratulations for me and everybody at motopod and yeah well deserved and we look forward to seeing you next year Cheers Ben. Nice one mate. Thanks mate.

Cheers Okay, last interview of the day. I'm very pleased to be joined today or this evening by Chas Davis Chas Welcome back onto the show. I'm pretty sure you have been on in the past, but it's probably some years ago Yeah, long enough ago that I definitely don't remember it. Yeah Although in an average year you guys would have done probably I don't know what hundreds and hundreds of interviews in any given competitive year Yeah Generally do remember that means this a long time ago if it's escaping the memory Yeah, I'm sure you have been I'll get back to you in terms of when that might have been but anyway, I mean obviously fairly recently Retired. Yeah from full competitive Action.

I mean just as a little side note you did the 24-hour race didn't you? Yeah in France. It was yes I did actually did starting from last year. I did the starting in Spa So long story short Chavy Forres Obviously just racing it to the World Superbike. He called me last year and was like, can you join us for Le Mans?

And so I supposed to join them for Le Mans. I got sick and then he said, oh, can you come to Spa? So it's just went to Spa last year had my first taste of endurance because I still like even though I'm retired from World Superbike I sort of made it clear at the time that I did want to dabble in whatever's available. I'm not desperate But at the same time I love riding motorbikes. So it needs to be scratched.

Yeah Pretty much and endurance thing has appealed quite a bit I like the idea of getting through a 24-hour and just experiencing it like and that's also part of the reason behind retirement is that Life's pretty surprised all different things that you can get involved in and just doing the same thing year on year on year Is to me I like a bit of variety So just just dabbling in endurance was is you know something that was on the radar as it happened Chavy Forres called me. Can you join? So I did join them in Spa last year and then I went to Bordeaux and then we did Le Mans at the beginning of this year That was the first one that we finished because we've had some not crazy technical issues or anything Just more like teething problems lack of understanding sometimes. So endurance racing is pretty brutal on man and machines I mean how many stints would you have done in that 24 hour period? Eight stints yeah, it was eight hours eight hours on the bike It was stimpers 58 minutes, but then you go through all conditions as well.

Honestly, it was April So the morning stint was really morning. It was three degrees. Yeah The model wasn't too bad because quite well lit so it wasn't too bad there but in Spa last year That was that's why because obviously spa is spa and it's like Right in the woods and it is pitch black It's yeah, you have different humidity patches that you're riding through both both on the track and in the air You can you know, you literally feel it all and it was a weird one Spark very very demanding like in terms of concentration really really tough, but hell of an experience I mean spars famous for having potentially three weather systems at any given point in time at some point around the track Yeah, it's perfectly true Now just a couple of sort of career stats just I mean, I'm sure everybody knows this but World Super Sport champion Yeah, yeah Yeah, okay Daytona 200 winner in the second attempt I think it was yeah And how many World Superbike wins did you rack up in the end? 32 right, okay So I mean the men's career to look back on which we're not gonna go into too much of that now But yeah, your role now is as a rider coach for the Aruba IT racing field Ducati team is it more fun coaching the World Superbike guys or do you sort of get a bit more of a kick out of? Working with the younger guys like Nico Gruniger for example in Super Sport this year.

Yeah question It's it's very different It is definitely different I think it doesn't really matter who as long as you if you feel like you're able to add to something Constructive during the weekend whether it's working with the rider in terms of what they're doing or whether it's bringing something on the engineer side So showing them video going through something and maybe we can pick about the bones of the data and get someone out of it That's the fulfilling part for me. It's right, you know making a difference. Yeah, that's trying to try to add to Or use the experience that I've got just to try and add detail like I sort of said when Signed up for this job is that it's definitely no silver bullet I can I never had anybody do it to the level that I'm doing it now But I did have people that helped me with their eyes and the rear trackside, you know Nowadays, I think it's so important if you can gain half a tenth of a second a lap. That's what you need That's it. Yeah, exactly even half, you know 500th of a second they all add up and it's like not only that but also on the strategy side and like Looking for where we might be strong where could be a passing opportunity during the race how to manage the race Where another particular rider might be strong?

So it's just to calm the riders there in my garage to be like don't worry in the first laps You know, he's going to be strong there but wait for the tire to drop and there's a full multifaceted job, but it's yes It's rewarding. Yeah, so I mean you've kind of answered a little bit what my next question was So I was gonna ask you are you full on into set up data and trackside observation stuff Or is it I've kind of written on my question here it's almost like an experienced psychologist in terms of being able to look into the eyes of the rider and Know what it is They're thinking and sort of be that link man to the engineering team and the crew chief and whatnot to translate that into Something that will help them. Yeah a little bit of everything. Yes on both sides not him not Psychologists by any stretch but but knowing how a rider thinks and also the timing of any conversation like I'm not gonna Overload the rider at the wrong time of day, you know I try not to do that anyway My approach to this job is kind of less is more because I know how a rider ticks and it's like you just want a bit Of their time to show them maybe where they can But it might be losing a bit of time, but you want to share it in the most fight-size format Can and let them crack on whether it's going for a massage you're going to get lunch or whatever Like I know how it is to be a rider you like even if the guys for working for the same goal and working for the rock the riders interests, but It's still like just you know respecting their their time day. They might want to switch off and Approaching it all in the right way.

So it's also interesting from my point of view you know having been in that seat and now dealing with somebody in that seat and Yeah, like And also with the engineers just trying to tie it tie everything together And like I said using the experience especially with this bike. I think it was a different I think the added value here is that I know this bike very well Yeah, the electronics package is something that's developed over the last 10 years since I've been riding the Ducati So it's I know intricately I know it really really well So and that gives me a head start in terms of being able to help them And last year that was A few times and it gives us more information for the position that we're in today It's possibly a little bit unrealistic to ask you to pinpoint a specific example, but you alluded to a minute ago I mean Had you had somebody like yourself in the pits when you were you know competitively riding in World Superbike? Can you see an example where that would have really helped you in a certain situation or just as a general thing? Yeah, definitely like I said, it's not it's no silver bullet There are some weekends where things just flow and you you need minimal inputs and things are just going there are other weekends We're the opposite of that and that's when you need somebody to get into the detail Because it's quite a can be a lonely place being a struggling rider Like you're just pulling your hair out and you're trying to go through setup stuff and you're thinking about your riding What can you do different and why you struggling? It's a okay struggling in sector four Why am I struggling sector fours four corners?

Which one of them are losing time? You can try to follow somebody but you get like that single opportunity to sort of figure it out behind somebody else They might not want you to follow them. So I Think have an eyes. It's just part of the game like in Sports in general everybody's got a coach and in motorcycle racing. It's relatively new last 10 years.

I would say yeah But it's it's an essential part of the game Definitely there are I can think of a few places like Baltimore last corner For example where I always struggled and I would be great until sector for like You know red sector red sector red sector and then all of a sudden, you know six tenths off So what I'm doing now, especially with the video side of things I would love would have loved to have had that Yeah, so you actually do like video analysis of all the different bikes presumably for any given section of track Interesting. Okay video and overlay like PlayStation overlay stuff. So like Basically no stone left unturned Like all motorsport these days. I try and keep it simple but at the same time when we need to go into detail You know, I'm there for it. Yes, that's that's getting to it I mean to draw people's memories It must be remembered that you were sort of plowing a fairly singular the furrow in the sense that you were very tall For a world superbike rider.

I mean, I've been talking to Loris today Yeah, I didn't get to Scott but I don't chat with Danilo as well And you know clearly sizes are hindrance when you know, the bikes are getting smaller year on year as well It looks like they are to me. I mean they're tiny like six hundreds from a few years ago. Yeah Luckily and especially the factory team, you know, you're able to Have everything at your disposal to make the bike a bit bigger to have slightly different Shapes and sizes to really customize it to yourself. So it's not the be all end all I think that the bike in terms of like an ergonomic side I think you could make it fit most people can even somebody tall like Loris But obviously then on the on the weight side the penalty that you pay in terms of tire life and everything like that I normally it evens it evens out your laws get your strengths and weaknesses And yeah, you know even really light riders have their struggles as well Like Alvaro can't cannot change direction like Johnny can or like Danilo can even. I've had this chat with people today a fair bit Yeah Basically saying that you know the end of the day If you look through the annals of history and whether it be two wheel or four wheel you always tend to get a dominant combination of team bike ride and manufacturer whatever and it's just for everybody else to catch up and do a better job at the end Of the day, so I mean, I'm sure that's will be your view given that you're in the same team set up as Alvaro Yeah, as well, you know, I see firsthand and in detail what he does as a rider and the difference he makes where he makes it There's a lot of Ducatis out there.

There are other light riders on those Making that difference that he is Give away trade secrets, but I mean, can you see where he I mean, obviously he's a bloody good rider I mean look at his pedigree where he's coming from Championships and so on but is there anything in particular? He's just so much better. Is it on brakes? He's strong on the brakes he can get it go so especially this year I think he's taken a step forward with his confidence just you know, but the demons of 2019 to bed sort of thing But he you know, his throttle control is pretty exceptional. He's also Basically, he just builds momentum from so early in the corner So he doesn't he doesn't overly rush the entry but he's very early to the throttle and he just just one percent two percent three percent He doesn't you know grab handfuls Of throttle and upset the bike or anything like that But he's always flirting with that little little bit of spin without going crazy And it's just the momentum that he carries everywhere like it's he really does flow around the track and he is like he's there At the quintessential 250 rider and that's kind of how this bike how he has this bike You know, he has doesn't have crazy engine brake on it.

He runs it quite stiff There's a lot of parallels with with an older Priora 250 which he was an exceptional No brilliant two-stroke rider. So that's how it works for him Yes, you know, he's light but he really gets he gets everything out of the bike coming out the corner So when you when you see a guy doing that that does weigh 50, whatever kilos, of course, it's gonna be fast like When you've got that perfect combination of engine a guy that can utilize Will suck everything out of the package and his skill set it's pretty hard to be talking about that Esky fourth sector at Portimao I have to say this year in the race It was so evident how much quicker through that turn he was coming out that final bend Portimao onto that long straight. Yeah, a lot of people were sort of saying Maybe understandably, but you know, he was passing easily on the straight But as you say the other few Cathy riders weren't getting off that final turn anything like this quick So it's clearly some of that he's doing is making him that much better another thing as well like when I Don't think a lot credit or it's not really spoken about a lot but the electronics on the Ducati you know, you've had a fantastic electronics package and If you look at Mo GP, it's kind of no holds barred racing You know what you there's a lot of scope for development in that Okay, and there's certain freezes going on but really good manufacturers. I'm a lot of Development power and who's on top there where it's kind of no holds barred racing You know throw everything you've got it it to catch you still coming out top so it just shows that they're out of Technologically superior level where it is up to the others to catch up because you a lot of people can pin it on Oh, you know the before our is Costs whatever and the Yamaha cost this yeah, okay I best make that argument but okay, but what else would be the hundred million budget in Moto GP? their result is no different, so it's I think the They're just getting things doing things better at the minutes as simple as that Are you carrying out any testing duties on the current road superbike?

Would you get a chance to ride the latest iteration of the machine at least I rode it in the middle of last year I'm not actively testing it This year I did motor development last year and I'm right I wrote the the superbike actually rode out Rose bike last year with his just to fully get a picture of how he's running it in terms of Geometry and any rate all his electronic setup. We I just jumped on his bike and what was your understand What was your kind of overarching feeling having? Really about about it being sort of a bit of a glorified fancy 250 right? Yes. Yeah, it gave me that feel you know I had my Quotes that I would you know with this with Ducati what I would use in terms of engine break and whatnot.

I'll break is is different to that It's still you know, of course is rideable for me, but I can see how He's able to do what he does with his skill set and the way that he sets up his bike It's it all sort of made sense a little bit more to me It's different challenge when you're riding somebody else's setup completely he runs it quite stiff So you'd think you know as a smaller guy he would that the bike would be way too soft for me He actually runs his bike pretty stiff So of course you yourself are one of the great unfulfilled talents on a two-stroke 250 in particular I mean you must kind of like that setup that you had I guess it yeah I don't know I think I was probably a lot better 250 rider than I ever was I had a little bit of you know The old result was which was just okay, but I think I grew a lot as a rider in the years I don't think I'm the same Rider then is what I am now improved a lot sort of blossomed a bit later than yeah Well leaving on nicely to you wrote for just about every manufacturer that there is I think Didn't you say yeah, can you can point what it is about you Cathy though, but it's so kind of Synonymous with bike racing. I mean a bit like Ferrari I suppose to use the four-wheel comparison aren't they? You can put your finger on the Ducati that makes me as good as they are Everything yeah, you really get it when you whenever race in Italy and you're a factory You got your rider it really you get it at that point What it is like to be a rider for the factory and you do have all the might of the Tifosi behind you both The Ducati steam which is which is great But also another thing which I think is completely different with your Ducati is that it's a very cool The company's pretty small on it. It's not a huge company Manic Ali is obviously CEO, but he is fun for the way at any point Racing is really in the club Success has been built on on the success of their racing then You can't I don't think any other manufacturer Rider for another manufacturer can state the same claim. It's more like Oh Okay, you're running for HRC HRC's an excellent part of Honda But really you're part massive beast Where they do everything it's so much bigger than you can't you don't have that It's not it's not all that they do.

They do they do lawnmowers Jet skis and whatever it's the same for Yamaha It's the same for Kawasaki and it's the same for BMW even though it is just passed But it's still like Ducati is Ducati and that's that is that makes a difference and it's Yeah, I think that the passion thing sounds a bit cheesy, but it is it is Yeah, but I mean if it's true, it's true at the end of the day and it's obviously something You know nuance or whatever you want to call it. Yeah, it does distinguish them Yeah, this was a little bit impromptu this chat So I'm not gonna go on too much Without wishing to sound like a completely hopeless romantic except in what a weapon Panigale before is is a little bit of you that misses that sort of sonic boom of the V-twin. Yeah I've actually got a Got a super Ligerra Final edition and the other month I had to do some stuff with them When you're aced it you don't really think twice about you know how it sounds or anything like that you get used to it But when I fired them up the other month just to get through this MOT, I was like, yeah I've got one with Krapovich which was the final edition and then another one just was standing so then so that final edition when I fired out I was like, yeah, that's proper. That's yeah, like you can sort of see why they're like you say they're nostalgic I'll be that guy when I'm 60 The twins where that mother's four cylinder rubbish or whatever we're on to by the time There was something special about that V-twin I've got the FAT from 2018. So I got that my last super so my last Twin, but I've not fired it up.

Yeah, the day I do get it out of good water or something like that The happily reacquainted with that really well, yeah, well things are yeah, it's cool. Okay, two little quick ones Silly ones to finish off then I know the answer to this but I tend to ask riders, you know They've been retired for a little while two stroke or four stroke In terms of riding it and getting everything out of it and riding it hard for sure Because you've got all the mom comes and you can't take those liberties with the two stroke and there's something nice about that You can you know, you could really ride the for one of a better word ride the shit out of a four stroke and At two stroke you've got to give that little bit of respect but I would say if I had to have any bike in my collection would be like End-of-the-line 250 Aprilia two stroke because it's such a pure bike I obviously have a bit of history, but it's not about what I've done with that bike. It's like I just love that bike It's such a power to weight on that but also the engineering behind it and everything it's part of I was really quite I mean Almost nostalgic like I grew up just loving the how 250 Aprilia 125 Aprilia sounded Everything about it. It was kind of the engineering Yeah, I know I always wanted to ride a factory one. So I think the last one it has a little bit of like very Basic traction control and but there's some cool stuff on that.

Yeah, that'd be nice and Well, I suppose I thought one thing I meant to ask and I didn't perhaps I'll just quickly drop this in as well Tell us what it was like jumping on the MotoGP bike at Laguna Secure with what an hours notice or something or whatever Notice it was very very little. I mean not enough Hoffman crashed the bike Was it Friday or yeah, so you got taken out at FP one on top of the pork screw Yeah, so I'm getting totally punted in broke his hand And then they were so the Pramak team was running around like headless chicken They're just trying to find a replacement and it went to various people before it came to me like Ben Bostrom's and Miguel Duhamel and Hodgson and I think there was a lot of you know names in AMA that they were like Can you ride the bike for us? But everyone's under contract? So it wasn't that easy. Whereas I was writing for a private Yamaha team run by an Irish guy.

I had a contract with him, but it was like nothing too serious We weren't really affiliated with manufacturing So I basically it came to me. I looked at him like Barry and can I do it? Fucking right He's like basically pushing pushing me out the door put trying to put the suit on me, but you know, absolutely brilliant guy and Anyway, yeah next thing I knew I was sat in the garage Hoffman's letters on and We're wheeling out for FP to and I missed FP one. I hadn't I've never rode Laguna to that point so first taste was a Guna on a MotoGP bike Bridgestones or first time traction control all this stuff. So Yeah, it was proper deep end.

Yeah, and you had a good weekend. I was good. Yeah so the back end of that back end of that race although on if you just downloaded the results and going to have a look at it You see I think I was a few laps down because we had a sprocket break But then when I got back on I didn't go out with new tires or anything But my late race pace was good. It was really quite competitive It was sort of like I think it was on top of my head round like lap times are comparable with top eight So Rossi was doing like a 23 He's a 23 six 23 Five and I did I was doing like 23 eight And actually I did I was talking to somebody about this the other day and I went back and just checked the times She's to see if this is what I'm like 16 years ago Yeah, to see if my memory serves me correctly and I did have a faster sector one So there's my claim to fame I did have time to get to know I would say that particular day the grip level was insane with We had the bridge stones and that was beyond comprehension for me really because it was you know I was putting full faith in traction control and I was told you know, this thing's Basically can't high side it which I found out wasn't actually true. I did have a few high sides on it later than the line but No, it was a pretty raw beast at 800 that it wasn't that nice to ride like what Casey did on it was It was fast, but he you know performance and miracles on it, which obviously People then as the years went on To like towards 2014 even seven years after his title it was people were still, you know, you're giving him Still sort of I don't know if it was really understood at that time what he did up Yeah, I think you know, he just just rung the neck of it.

But he Yeah, that bike was it was pretty raw if you jump on there even just a bog standard before Before s-road going it'd be a far nicer tool than that. So Yeah, definitely not No race bikes are that nice to ride like they're really not they're not they're designed for going fast on and that's about it Yeah, they're not comfortable. They're just you know, it's not comfortable riding at the limit. It's it's aggro really 98% is great But yeah 100% just just our work So my last signature question and which may or may not be a good question to ask I haven't just said what you said there was any bike any track If you could choose any bike in history and combine it with any track from history It could be current stuff or it could be ancient stuff. You could have like 10 laps on the dream scenario Does anything spring to mind?

I'm guessing there might be an Aprilia 250 involved in this perhaps but yeah One of the great long lost tracks of the past. Yeah, I know it's a tricky one to answer. Yeah Trying to think now I'm just trying to think of some classic tracks and thinking like well super like a sugo always look really cool. Yeah The old Hockenheim is a popular one Yeah, I actually rode Hockenheim last year But yeah bike any track, I don't know probably like a bike wise I would love to ride The latest NSR 500 for cylinder proper doing Big fat number one on the front. Yeah, just to experience one of them.

I think would be incredible and on a track Probably just want to be an airfield or something with that bike Pin it up and down in a straight line. I don't think I want any corners of that bike but now I'm Don't know Probably one that I've already rode that and like a know hereth or something like that. It's a super. Yeah 2001 to The last year there was a three year. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I've done a few years that yeah, great Great track doesn't meet modern safety standards. But yeah, no, it's great.

So by the way side after Well, yeah, that's been very illuminating I really enjoyed that I hope that for the listeners will have enjoyed that as well So trans savers, thank you very much today