SuperBikePlanet.com Interview: Jake Holden
by dean adams and susan haas
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Jake Holden Supermoto interview

Jake Holden has been around a racetrack a few times. That’s less a testament to his age, and more about his experience.

Holden has pretty much seen it all–from the seat-of-your-pants existence of a privateer, to the now-this-is-a-bit-more-like-it world of a factory-supported team, and from supersport and superstock bikes to full-on Superbikes, he’s raced in pretty much every class and every team configuration.

So, as we approach the opening round of U.S. motorcycle racing at Daytona, we thought it was a great time to talk with Jake Holden–who will ride a Ducshop Ducati 848 in the Daytona 200–and see what he’s up to for this season.

Q First, tell me about your 2009 season. You had some really good and hard rides.

A Going into 2009, I didn’t think that I was even going to be able to ride, so it was kind of scary, because I’ve raced every year since 1986 or 7. I had raced motorcycles every year, and I didn’t think I was going to be able to, until I got the phone call from Ron Heben and the Corona guys, having me fill in for Neil at Fontana. It worked out pretty well. I did okay there. I kind of struggled, because that was my first time on a real Superbike. I purchased a CBR1000 and had to kind of do my own program out of the back of the Corona rig. The Honda guys kind of helped me out.

Q That was after Neil (Hodgson) came back? Or how did that work, timing-wise?

A Actually, I had purchased the bike before Daytona. We did show up to Daytona, but the bike was completely stock. As you know, Daytona’s a horsepower track. I just wanted to show up and show everybody that I was going to plan on racing the series in 2009, so maybe I’d get some help, and yeah, some people did help me out. Ammar Bazzaz, and Carry Andrew, and Vortex, and a bunch of guys just helped me out. Traxxion Dynamics. So I was able to piece together a bike. The Honda guys kind of helped me out with some parts here and there. But basically, I funded myself for all of 2009.

It was kind of a tough season, because I really didn’t want to throw my bike away, because if I was to crash it, I was going to have to pay for the stuff, and I really didn’t have any money in my pocket. So it was just kind of a race-to-race deal. I could make $4,000 and I would spend $4,000 a weekend, so I would basically break even if I finished, which most of the time I did. But there was a couple times that I didn’t. So it was a little hard on my pocketbook. But I got to race motorcycles and stay out there, and I had a couple good finishes.

I probably opened some eyes. Yeah, you say it’s practice, but I was quickest in practice at Laguna.

Q And you were fastest at Kansas, was it?

A Yeah, Topeka. In one of the qualifiers I was quicker. Which I think that lap holds as the record there. I don’t think we’re going back in 2010. So it’s kind of cool. I got a couple good moments of excitement.

And even the last race at Jersey. Everybody got to test there except for me. Going into Friday, we get the hour-long practice session. Well, of course, my bike doesn’t work the whole hour that I was supposed to learn New Jersey’s track. So it was a rough weekend. But the last race. I pulled it together. Neil beat me, but I think I was only like seven seconds from the leaders. So it wasn’t too bad of a race.

Q I remember talking to you at, I believe it was Topeka, and it was incredible how production-spec your bike was.

A Oh, yeah. I mean, basically all there was, was a motor and the HRC electronics on it. Other than that, it was basically a Superstock bike. I’ve ridden with magnesium wheels and Brembo brakes, and it makes a huge difference. But I’m used to riding a Superstock bike. I’ve been doing it most of my career. When I get the Superbike stuff, I get kind of spoiled. I like being the underdog, on the lesser of equipment, going out there and beating the Superbike guys.

Q It must have taken a perfect lap to do that, to make that stuff work against the factory Suzukis and Yamahas.

A Yeah. I ended up fourth at Topeka. I struggled a little bit with grip issues, and there was some hard braking points that I had issues with my brakes overheating, but yeah. It’s basically, it’s fresh tires, fresh brakes, everything is good, I’m pretty good at throwing down a good lap or two. That’s what it came down to, and I just couldn’t pull around in Superpole, but it was still a decent race.

I hope that 2010’s going to be better than 2009, even though it doesn’t look like it. But for me, I’m planning on racing as much as I can. I still have my Superbike from last year, so I’m going to do some club racing - well, hopefully Honda comes out with their contingency program and it’s decent, so I can be able to make some money. But yeah, I plan on racing and having fun.

Q Is the Corona effort done? What’s your understanding?

A As far as I know, yeah, Corona’s done. I think I heard that Tim Saunders is trying to put something together, but I haven’t heard from him.

Q I saw some photos of you on a Supermoto bike. Are those real photos? Those are incredible photos. Where, when, what were you riding?

A I’ve been riding Supermoto for, oh, man, for years. But basically, I got the knee-down concept when I saw Nicky do it a long time ago. I just kind of got into it, and I’ve just been getting better and better at it. I do the Seattle 100 fundraiser put on by 2Fast Trackdays. They had a crowd of people out there, and of course I love attention, so I’m out there trying to slide around. I was getting pretty dang low on the Supermoto bike. Every track I go to, I kind of showboat a little bit. Obviously it’s not the fast way, but not a lot of people slide like that, so it’s kind of cool.

Q Also, I saw some video footage of you racing at Phillip Island last year. What was the story there?

A It was weird. It was Brent George, who used to ride for Corona, called up Tim Saunders, the owner of Corona, and asked who would be good to ride the 1000 over there. They wanted someone to come over from the United States. Somehow my name came up, and I was the lucky one to go over there. Man, it was a blast. The first laps around that track were just amazing. It was fifth gear, sliding sideways so fast, seagulls everywhere. It was a pretty cool experience, and I actually learned the track pretty well. I was trying to pass the No. 1 plate guy on the outside of a couple of corners. It was Glenn Allerton. But it was a fun race.

Q That was one of the support races for the MotoGP event?

A It was the Australian Superbike series.

Q And it was run on the same weekend as the Phillip Island MotoGP event, right?

A Yeah.

Q You had never seen Phillip Island?

A No, other than the video game. I’d never been there. I was on a privateer Honda 1000, and the guys that beat me were on factory equipment, which was pretty tough to beat, because it was a horsepower track. My bike was down a little bit, but it was still good racing, man. Those guys are pretty quick there.

Q Yeah, but you certainly opened some eyes, with as well as you did for no track knowledge, on a slow bike.

A I hope that I did. It hasn’t gotten me anywhere yet. But it would be fun to go take another trip back over there, if they want me to come back.

I just want to thank all the people that helped me out last year. Myself, mainly. [Laughing] No, there was a lot of people that did help me out.

Q You were on the list when Eric Bostrom and DiSalvo were leaving Yamaha. Your name’s been on the short list a couple of other times. It just hasn’t clicked yet. How is it from your end?

A I try to stay positive. I think everything happens for a reason. The Jordan team let me go in 2007, and I had to move to Corona in 2008. Just keeping a positive attitude and working hard. I’ve got a couple of wins under my belt in 2008 on Corona, so I think … I’m looking forward to 2010. I think something good is going to happen for me. Whether or not I have fun or make a lot of money, I want to push my career. I want a championship, that’s what I want more than anything. I’m going to keep working until I can get that.

Q You were at Jordan for two years, wasn’t it?

A Yes.

Q What was that experience like?

A It was a huge learning curve for me, because I felt a lot of pressure when I was on that team. Just by myself - I put it on myself. I’ve learned now that I’ve got to leave it up to myself to relax and ride my own race and do as well as I can do. I think I rode over the limit a couple of times, but it’s just - it was a great experience with the Jordan team. They had a lot of great people working there.

I still talk to my old crew, who was a part of that team. They had actually split their ways and worked with Chris Clark last year. We were trying to get something together, but the economy’s so bad that it’s hard to find any money out there for motorcycle racing.

Q What were your interactions like with Michael Jordan?

A I wasn’t too close to him. I didn’t want to - I didn’t want to (suck up to him). If he wanted to talk, then he would come over and we would BS or whatever. He would text me “Good race.” I’ve seen him a couple of times since then. There are just so many people pulling him different ways, it’s hard to get a conversation going with him.

Q The two brief moments that I’ve seen Jordan around Nicky Hayden, he has said to Nicky something along the lines of, “Are you going to impress me today? Are you going to do something for me today? I want to see something.” I find those comments to be somewhat interesting. I’m not sure how much more motivated a rider at your level, or the level of Nicky Hayden, can be, to do well. Pep talks might work in ball and stick sports, but at 190mph … “go faster” are just words.

A Yeah, he’s said that. His guys, his buddies come to the track, and go, “We’ve got our money on you, Jake!” It’s kind of cool. Gives me a little confidence. I don’t think that plays in a factor when I get out on the track. A lot of things come into terms. I had a lot of bad luck in 2007. Crashed out of a couple of podium finishes. But it’s just a part of the game. Crashing’s a part of the game. You’ve got to have some luck on your side, for sure.

Q My point is, I’m not sure how much more motivated a top-level rider, like yourself or Nicky Hayden, is going to get from comments like that from anybody, really.

A Yeah. We have it well (in hand) before we even get to the track. We already see the track, see the race, on the flight to the racetrack, we’re already thinking about the start and Turn One.

ENDS