Latest / Rusty's Garage / Simon Crafar (Part 2)

Transcript

Simon Crafar (Part 2) · Rusty's Garage

0:02
A listener production.
0:20
G'day, it's Rusty here, all set to continue the ride with former 500cc Grand Prix winner Simon Craver.
0:26
He's arrived here at Phillip Island fresh from a visit home to New Zealand to see family for the first time in years because of the pandemic.
0:35
He also helped induct another legendary Kiwi, Hugh Anderson, into the MotoGP Hall of Fame while he was there.
0:42
Now, if you've arrived at this point and missed lap one or part one, head back to the Rusty's Garage Library and fire it up.
0:50
From an emotional moment of realisation of just how big the sacrifice was from family so Simon could go racing in his younger years, to some incredible life lessons that will benefit young racers who are listening.
1:03
We begin part two by talking about the business and politics of motorsport and Simon's own way of navigating that path.
1:12
I never had a manager.
1:13
I didn't know, I never felt that I could trust someone.
1:17
And I think that is a problem, that it genuinely is, that people get, especially before me, I'd heard so many bad stories that I just went, I'm gonna do it.
1:26
The negative is I probably didn't earn as much out of my career as I could have if I did have a manager, you know, on different levels.
1:33
But the positive is I learned to deal with people because I did it myself.
1:37
I learned what,
1:39
how to get it, get the deal done.
1:41
Does that make sense?
1:42
It does.
1:42
Not more money, but what I needed and get the job.
1:47
And so keep getting the right job that I wanted.
1:49
So, yeah, just to fast forward through world super bikes, basically roomy there where I got loaned to, the RC45 came out, they rang me up and said, let's go world championship racing, we've got a bike now, because the RC30 was too old.
2:03
They'd quit until a new bike came out.
2:06
And...
2:07
Iconic bike to get to ride, mate.
2:09
Yes, I did two years with them.
2:10
First year was, we got fifth in the championship.
2:14
So first non-factory bike and my first effort, you know, my first go at it.
2:19
I was really happy with that.
2:20
And that kind of helped.
2:22
I ended up still riding for Remy the second year, but with better machinery, helped by Honda and Neil Tuxworth.
2:29
And then I got a good one for you.
2:32
The end of the year.
2:34
How's this?
2:34
End of the year.
2:35
I'm hesitating talking about numbers, but I wanted to get paid a certain number because I've realised that all the guys that I'm racing against, the World Zoo bikes, are getting paid...
2:45
Handsomely.
2:47
Yeah, really well.
2:48
And I'm beating them, you know.
2:50
I know my country doesn't sell many motorbikes or helmets because it's small, but...
2:56
If I could have a third of what they've got, I would be really happy, you know?
3:01
A third of what kind of middle of the road of all the factory boys were.
3:05
And so I want that, you know, a third of that.
3:08
And so end of the year, I get a call.
3:11
I'm telling people that I want, let's make up a number.
3:15
Yeah, I want a third of that, okay?
3:17
And I told all the team managers that asked me if I want to ride, and I knew that was cheap.
3:21
It was a third of the other, like the Americans or the...
3:24
Aussies even... What they're out like.
3:26
Yeah, yeah.
3:27
So I get a call from Rob Muzzy, and he says, Simon, do you want to ride... We've got Anthony Gobert.
3:32
Do you want to be the other rider?
3:33
And I went, yeah.
3:35
And he says, how much do you want?
3:36
And I went, I almost did it.
3:38
A third of what the boy's getting, you know.
3:40
And I went, I was hoping you'd tell me, Rob.
3:43
And he goes, yeah, fair enough.
3:44
Give me 24 hours.
3:46
I'll ring you back.
3:47
And he rings back with not a third.
3:52
Um...
3:54
More than double that.
3:55
Fantastic.
3:55
Two and a half times what I wanted.
3:58
And, I mean, that was another lesson.
4:02
Bloody brilliant.
4:03
So that was my first ride, a factory ride, Kawasaki Factory.
4:06
I rode for them for two years, and it was very good memories, you know.
4:10
And then, yeah, I had a lot of bad luck that second year.
4:14
First year, Anthony and I, it was a brand-new bike.
4:17
The bike was not fast.
4:19
The chassis was good.
4:20
The engine was – they'd had no time to develop it.
4:22
It was –
4:23
Dog slow.
4:24
And Anthony and I, Anthony and I, Anthony did some amazing rides on it.
4:29
Amazing.
4:29
But in general, we both beat ourselves up trying to make it competitive because we felt committed to trying to get results, but it was too slow.
4:37
And we hurt ourselves trying, you know.
4:40
The second year, Anthony was gone, but Yanagawa came in.
4:43
Yeah.
4:44
And they'd had a winter to work on the engine, and it was good handling and fast now, you know.
4:49
So we had a great year that next year, meaning being competitive.
4:53
We're fighting for podium every weekend.
4:55
It was bloody good.
4:56
And that got me the job on – we had heaps of bad luck with stupid things.
5:00
I never thought – I always thought you made your own luck, you know, but you need some as well.
5:05
Because there was things like oil line breaking while I'm hunting down –
5:09
Aaron and Hockenheim, he was leading, and I'm leaving the group behind to catch him, you know, and the oil line breaks, and then foggy high sides in front of me and run his bike over and crash out, and the next one, then it rains.
5:22
There was so many, Kaczynski, I was leading in the last two races, remember?
5:27
The front tyre delaminates, and I've got like three seconds on the field, halfway through, and the front tyre flies to bits.
5:35
Then the next race, I'm like, I'm going to win this one.
5:38
I led it most of the way, and Kaczynski and I came together.
5:41
He was having a go to get me two corners from the chicken flag.
5:44
We both ended up crashing.
5:46
I'm like, jeez, you need some luck as well, you know.
5:49
But the main thing is...
5:51
when you're racing is that you're competitive.
5:53
That's more important than anything because you're better off crashing out of the lead than you are wobbling around at the back.
5:59
That's how you feel as a racer.
6:01
Sorry, yeah, politics.
6:03
I mean, I got the 500 ride and had a dream year, you know, that first year.
6:09
I had three podiums and a win, you know, including a win in my first year.
6:14
So teams kissing my butt, the sponsors flying me in their private jet to go to the...
6:21
to the opera.
6:22
I'm like, wow.
6:25
And then we changed to our brand, remember the second year, and I couldn't ride on them.
6:31
I'd spent the last three years on one brand, you know, on the Dunlops, and I went back to the Michelin and I'd changed me to get the most out of the
6:42
29 or 30 I couldn't change myself back which is why I understand what happened to Divizioso when they changed the tire and Petruc when you get to the late 20s and you're fixed in your way more you it's very hard to change you know you've had success that way and that's how you ride now really hard to change back so I was the second slower on the Michelins and that means you're not competitive and then
7:06
They're basically saying, do you want to ask Kawasaki if they want you?
7:09
You know, like in no time, I'm like, they, and then I'm like, not really.
7:15
I'd rather figure this out.
7:17
And then I'm sorry to say it, but making up things that I did.
7:23
to break my contract, like inventing things, to try, you know, and then lawyer letters, and it was pretty horrible.
7:30
That, I'll be honest, it might sound dramatic, but it broke my heart because you work all that way to get to that level, and then something changes to make you uncompetitive.
7:42
You cannot, I mean, I said, can we change back to Dunlop?
7:46
And they said, Peter Clifford's words were,
7:49
Simon, it's easier to change the rider than the tyres, you know, so that's the first, well, okay, but he's right, you know, now that I look back, but it really hurts, you know.
8:01
And so I'll be honest, I told my girlfriend, then became my wife up until that point, that don't come between me and my racing, you know.
8:14
I love you, but don't, because it won't work.
8:16
Meaning, I'm going to choose the racing, you know.
8:19
And you have to be like that to get there.
8:21
And she was so awesome.
8:25
And I feel bad for everything that she's gone through, like, knowing that.
8:28
But from that point on, it was no longer the most important thing in my life.
8:32
You know, I'd realised that, like I said, I'm not exaggerating when it kind of broke something in me.
8:37
It no longer was the most important thing in my life.
8:39
So it kind of was the beginning of the end.
8:41
A couple of things about this chapter.
8:43
Firstly, I...
8:44
I get hesitant to ask about it, but it is a brutal game, right, mate?
8:48
Is there a moment, is there an incident or a crash that you think about in that phase now that you still kind of live with?
8:56
Um, okay.
8:57
I remember the first, when you have the, when the bike was slow, you know, in the first year on the Kawasaki factory, you know, super bike, we came to Phillip Island and I, the hay shed, I almost high side around the hay shed there.
9:09
You know, this was one of the first practice sessions, uh, on the first day anyway.
9:13
I'm talking handstand on the handlebars.
9:16
And I realised I almost really hurt myself there.
9:19
I was going as fast as I could.
9:20
I pulled in the garage.
9:21
I know Brent Stevens really well.
9:23
I did my apprenticeship with him at that first shop.
9:26
Crazy.
9:27
Yeah.
9:27
I got him into racing, convinced him to come and be a mechanic.
9:30
And...
9:31
He went on to work with Valentino and spent a good chunk of his time in this very paddock.
9:34
Yeah, so Brenty, I know really well.
9:38
I was his flatmate as we were working on farm bikes.
9:41
I came in and I saw the look on his face.
9:42
Wolf said, I'm shit, I'm going crap.
9:46
So I looked at the screen.
9:47
I wasn't even a top 18, so on the first page.
9:49
And I just almost battered myself.
9:52
And that is when I thought, this is...
9:56
you know when you're getting paid to ride a motorcycle for a manufacturer where you have to it's not you're not doing it for fun you have to dig deep and get out of that hole so you put new ties on and get back out there and fix it when you've always almost smashed yourself up it's really a hard experience like because you have to go back out it's like being a
10:19
having your life flash in front of you, but you've got to turn around and go straight back in, you know?
10:23
It's like... Big lesson, like, that's compartmentalise it.
10:26
Park it, fix it, get on with it.
10:28
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
10:29
So that was one really big lesson once you take on the responsibility of being a factory rider.
10:34
You know, you can't go shit like I was, you know?
10:37
You've got to find a way out of that hole.
10:40
Can we bounce through some...
10:41
I want to get to that conclusion and the ultimate decision to stop there.
10:46
Let's go a couple of key things.
10:47
Firstly, some people, right?
10:49
Listeners to the podcast, we've got a strong footprint in Australia and New Zealand.
10:55
People would have spiked a little bit in interest when you said Anthony Gobert, right?
11:00
It is very sad to think of where life has taken him now.
11:04
At that phase when you were riding, he was an immense talent, mate.
11:08
Oh, I said out loud in front of, we were on the beers, but it was in front of Darryl Beattie and McDewan that he's the most natural ability I've ever seen.
11:19
And it didn't go down really well.
11:20
I mean, they're competitive boys and they're Aussies and, you know, but it's what I believe.
11:26
He's the most natural ability I've ever seen.
11:29
He was unbelievable.
11:30
Unreal.
11:30
Unreal.
11:31
If only he'd learnt that work ethic that I'd figured out, you know?
11:36
And it's a balance.
11:37
I think with all sports people, I firmly believe you've got to have some natural ability, a certain amount, and then it's a balance between that and your work ethic that is your level, you know?
11:50
And Mick is a perfect example.
11:52
I don't think Mick is the most natural ability rider I've ever seen.
11:56
No.
11:56
works down work damn hard he has the best work ethic i've ever seen you know so he's an awesome level talent and incredible work ethic so and yeah and also the most stubborn bastard i've ever met in my life i love him but oh my god yeah agreed you said joey dunlop can you share a little bit maybe a little yarn on your time with him too because um you know etched in the history books an icon of the of the game
12:23
Yeah.
12:24
I didn't get to know Joey well.
12:26
He did the roads, him and Philip McCullum, and I did the short circuits, myself and Alan Carter.
12:33
He did 250s, I did 2 bikes.
12:34
So we only met up at a few events and a few things, but I think we got together that evening, end of the year, because Joey and I were both there alone.
12:45
We'd travelled for the event alone, and I think we're the only ones to do that, and we found ourselves sitting in the corner sharing a pint
12:53
because we were alone.
12:55
And then, obviously, racers are interested in the coolest bikes you've ridden, the coolest tracks, and that's what we spoke about.
13:01
We got blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
13:02
And he was genuinely nice.
13:06
My memory of him was really nice, really quiet, and we just sat there.
13:11
I was quite shy because it was a big flash event and everyone had nice clothes on.
13:16
And I think, yeah, we both gravitated, you know, ended up talking about
13:21
mechanical side and bikes and tracks and yeah really really nice fella can we go there a little bit just in the world superbike chapter and then we'll get to gp in a second the bike the track that you think back on and you go that was that was a cracking day that's you know banked in my memory as a as a special ride on a special machine
13:41
Well, I've already explained the, so I don't want to bore you, but that was Phillip Island on the 500.
13:47
Yeah, for sure.
13:47
Because it is so, so difficult to become the boss of.
13:55
I'll explain.
13:58
If, like, a lot of people like riding smaller bikes because it doesn't matter if it's motocross or road racing or whatever, because if you're the boss of it, your confidence grows and you ride better.
14:11
You keep going better and better and better.
14:12
If you ride something too big, you know, like 1,000 when you should be on a 600, you won't grow because the bike's the boss of you.
14:21
Mm-hmm.
14:22
But can you imagine a 500 at Phillip Island is really hard to be the boss of?
14:29
And to manage that, that's why it feels so good.
14:34
Because basically the 500, I imagine it's the same riding now in different ways, that they weren't hard to ride.
14:44
they were hard to ride fast.
14:46
And if the setting was right, they actually, they worked really well, like it was that day.
14:51
But if the setting was wrong, the 500 literally felt like it wanted to kill you, you know, like you're going, man, if I push any harder, this thing's gonna spit me.
15:01
you know, into the moon, you know.
15:03
And so it was very difficult.
15:05
So to get back to riding that second, you know, and I got fastest lap of the race, second position to Mick, catching him a little bit at the end, and to do that, okay, he'd won it, so who knows, he might have rolled off a bit.
15:18
But to do that is the coolest thing.
15:21
I'm just genuinely excited, I'm not showing off.
15:24
It's so, it's such a, it feels like such an achievement.
15:36
From the boss of the bike, to the pinnacle in Europe.
15:39
It is time to.
15:40
Show me the money.
15:42
And a note for our listeners.
15:43
Enjoy the passion in this man's voice.
15:46
It is powerful.
15:47
Get him going rusty.
15:50
Take me to Donington and to win, right?
15:53
To, you know, pinnacle of, you know, two-wheel competition, to win a GP at an iconic track like that.
16:02
For the bloke that had come from New Zealand, been in trouble with the law on a couple of occasions and so on, and, mate, here you are on top of the world.
16:09
That is an amazing shift, isn't it?
16:13
Yeah, what happened was the weekend, I think it was Harama, I realised I know how to ride this, I figured it out.
16:21
And Harama, people remember that because Mick, remember, was really mad with me.
16:27
He's my training partner and friend and then next minute I pull in.
16:32
What happened was off the start, there was a collision between Max Biagi, who rode into the side of Mick.
16:38
Mick stood up because Max had hit him on the right side.
16:42
He stood up.
16:43
I was coming past with a little bit more speed because he was no one in front of me.
16:47
Mick had someone in front of him, so he was braking.
16:49
I had a little bit more speed on the outside.
16:51
We're going into a right-hander.
16:53
Mick's bike stands up because he's been hit by Max on the right.
16:56
And Mick's handlebar gets me in the forearm, just above the throttle wrist, you know.
17:02
And it's so hard.
17:04
It left a massive bit of scar tissue that's meaning massive welt on my arm.
17:08
It snapped.
17:09
It snapped.
17:10
his clip on off, it broke it.
17:12
So it must have been close to breaking my arm, you know.
17:15
And as I came past, and he stayed on, he only just, he got wobbled all over the place.
17:21
But he ran off the track and then couldn't stay on in the gravel.
17:26
But I ran off the track as well because we'd been hooked up.
17:29
He's going straight ahead, I'm going straight ahead.
17:30
We end up in the gravel.
17:32
I ride back, he's...
17:34
doing all sorts of hand gestures at me, blaming me.
17:36
I did them back.
17:37
I did the self-pleasuring sign back to me.
17:42
And because I was just like, it wasn't my fault.
17:47
He'll get back to the TV and there's my team and he'll find out.
17:50
You know, it wasn't my fault.
17:51
So I didn't feel bad, you know, it wasn't my fault.
17:54
I got back on the track after the pace car, you know, a medical car, whatever it is.
17:59
So I had to pass the car.
18:01
And then on so far last, I came through to eighth.
18:04
But the team were like super happy.
18:07
Kirst going like, look at the times.
18:08
You're the same as Cheka who won it.
18:10
You're the same lap times.
18:11
Bang, bang, bang, bang.
18:12
So you can do this.
18:13
And I was like, right, I've got it.
18:15
So then we move on.
18:17
By the way, Mick still thought it was my fault.
18:21
Was that awkward in training and things like that?
18:23
Mick, Mick, it wasn't my fault.
18:26
Anyway, anyway.
18:27
So then we move on to... No, no, Assen.
18:33
And I got third at Assen.
18:35
I remember we had that awesome qualifying there.
18:37
Mick did something amazing.
18:39
Went out and went faster in the last two minutes.
18:41
Remember it was a red flag?
18:42
That was impressive.
18:44
I had to go and shake his hand, that was super cool, because he dug so deep.
18:48
Actually, here's a story for you.
18:51
I told my crew chief, there's a video of me talking, I said,
18:56
I was swearing going, wow, this is impressive.
18:58
He's on track to go faster.
19:01
I said, if he can go faster, I've got to go shake his hand because that's wild.
19:04
And that cold temperature on the Michelin tyres, which are a little bit too go faster than what I'd done.
19:11
I wasn't out there because I'd used all my tyres.
19:13
I thought I'd done it perfectly.
19:14
Two minutes to go, last tyre, time's in there, no yellow flag, you know, or, you know, red flag, or bang, I've got pole.
19:22
And he goes out in two minutes and goes faster.
19:25
Yeah.
19:25
Beats me.
19:25
And I'm like, wow.
19:27
So I'd said that to my crew chief, Hamish Jamison.
19:30
I'd said I'd go and shake his hand.
19:31
He goes, go and shake his hand.
19:33
So I marched down there.
19:34
We had to go to the front row press conference anyway.
19:36
So I walked past him and shook his hand.
19:38
I went, fuck, that was awesome, Mick.
19:40
He looked at me.
19:41
He still had his helmet on.
19:42
He looked at me like he hated me.
19:44
And I was like, I wonder what that was about.
19:47
So years later, I asked Mick.
19:50
And he said, you made me risk my body.
19:55
Like, that's how determined Mick is.
19:57
He was so determined.
19:59
I respect him.
19:59
I hope that's coming across that.
20:01
I don't dislike Mick at all.
20:03
Not at all.
20:04
But then we go out in the race, and midway I managed to lead it.
20:08
I think around 10 laps in, I managed to lead the race.
20:10
It was Mick, Max, and me got away from Alex Barris behind.
20:15
And...
20:17
With the last couple of laps, Mick and Max just pinned it.
20:21
You know what I mean?
20:22
They went where they used the last bit of their tyres that they were looking after, you know.
20:27
They were going for it.
20:28
And instead of going with them, I went, I said to myself, if I crash now, I still haven't had a podium, if I crash, everyone's going to call me a, I'll use that word again, self-pleasurer.
20:40
And, you know, that's how people are, you know.
20:42
They're going to say, hey, yeah.
20:43
Human nature, man.
20:44
Yeah, yeah.
20:45
So I thought, best I just stay on.
20:47
I've got a safe to get the podium, you know.
20:49
So I let them squabble around at the front and rolled off the last lap, meaning not rolled off, but didn't go with them.
20:54
I just went, I'll just get this podium.
20:56
Then the next weekend was double, you know, like back to back.
21:01
I just went, now I've got it.
21:03
I can go for it.
21:04
I wouldn't risk it.
21:06
So when that race started, I got pole at Donington, and I
21:11
I ran for it from the start of the race.
21:14
I had to get past Mick first on the first corner, first two corners, then a lap or so later, I think it was, or within a lap or so.
21:23
And then I just ran for it.
21:25
I ran, just ran for my life thinking Mick's going to come back.
21:28
He always does.
21:30
So I tried to put as much ground as possible on Mick so it was hard for him to come back.
21:35
But I thought he would.
21:36
I thought it would be a scrap in the last laps.
21:38
But he didn't come back.
21:39
I just, everything was, I mean, people say tyres, you know, was my advantage that day.
21:46
Dunlop did an awesome job and no way to win it without them, meaning they did the job that day as well.
21:53
But...
21:54
There's some of many parts, though, right?
21:55
Yes, exactly.
21:57
And I'm not saying that to...
21:58
But people don't say, for example, the next Dunlop finisher was miles back.
22:04
So it's not like everyone on Dunlop's...
22:06
If you say, sorry to bring this up, but Troy Bayliss's win at Valencia, Bridgestones were first and second and gone.
22:15
His teammate got second on the Bridgestones.
22:17
So you could argue that was...
22:20
more affected by tyres than mine.
22:22
But that day, everything came together.
22:25
I mean, I think we got the bike set up right.
22:28
Yamaha, I always said, was good enough to win.
22:30
It was up to me to make it happen.
22:33
And that's what I firmly believed.
22:35
And...
22:36
Yes, it was slower than the Honda, but I think Yamaha had some handling things that were better than the Honda that I could see.
22:41
So I knew it was good enough to win.
22:43
And basically everything came together, you know.
22:46
And I think I ran that hard thinking that Mick was coming that I put a load of really good laps together.
22:53
That, you know, lab record, fastest lap of the race, running from Mick, you know, because he's so scary.
22:59
And then he didn't come back, which I'm so proud of.
23:02
An amazing track to do it at.
23:04
You'd had a great chapter of life in England and knew lots of people there to do that, mate.
23:08
Massive.
23:09
Oh, yeah.
23:10
You're right.
23:11
I'd raced in England, so I had lots of supporters there, which was really, really cool.
23:16
But sad thing is I didn't really get to celebrate it because we were on the...
23:19
I mean, I'm talking an hour and a half after the press conference thing.
23:23
We were on a helicopter to Heathrow.
23:25
I joined in with all the Honda boys going to Suzuki 8-hour.
23:29
So I was on the plane that night, and it was kind of a little bit of an anticlimax, if that's, you know, but it's not what's important.
23:36
I'll tell you what happened.
23:37
It was funny.
23:39
I got in the shower in my motorhome, and all I care about is the result.
23:43
But then I realized I've just won a race.
23:45
I've won 100 grand bonuses.
23:48
And I started screaming in the shower, and my wife comes running in going, what, what?
23:52
We won 100 grand.
23:55
What an amazing feeling.
23:57
Amazing feeling, mate.
23:58
So wrap it all up for me because you went to the point of absolute adulation success there.
24:06
But you've talked before as well about the heartbreaking moment where things change for you.
24:10
When was the decision to stop and how difficult was that?
24:14
I mean, I look bad.
24:15
I don't really like thinking of all the things in there, but I really think the key moment was it's not the most important thing in my life anymore.
24:26
I was already thinking about what's next because I'd done everything I realized I can now.
24:32
I'm not going to get a ride back in there.
24:35
And it did break my heart in the end, you know, it took me a while to get over that.
24:40
I think the next important thing is how hard it is to give up, is to stop racing when it's the most important thing in life and all of a sudden it's gone.
24:47
How do you cope with it?
24:48
I think that I was depressed.
24:51
I didn't even know what – I'm a happy fella, you know.
24:53
I didn't know what depressed was, but a really good mate of mine who became – was a teammate –
24:58
He used to come regularly because he loved barbecues and dirt bikes in Andorra.
25:02
So he used to come stay.
25:04
And he said to me, Si, what's wrong?
25:06
And I went, what?
25:07
He goes, every time I come, you're angrier.
25:11
And it was him.
25:13
It wouldn't have mattered if my wife told me.
25:15
I know that's unfair, but I just think that was squabbling, you know, where this –
25:20
Different set of eyes.
25:21
Yeah.
25:22
I could only trust him that he was right.
25:25
So it really made me look at me and I realized, yeah, I'm not happy.
25:28
You know, there's no real goal in that.
25:32
You've got to have a goal, don't you?
25:35
Did you lose love for bikes?
25:36
Did that ever, did you sort of, I'm not going to ride for a while?
25:39
Did that ever happen at all?
25:40
Um, I, I really got lost in that.
25:43
I just went dirt biking and back to dirt bikes.
25:45
I did Red Bull Romaniacs, won the second class down.
25:49
But all I was doing really is getting sidetracked because I wasn't happy.
25:56
I was looking for something else.
25:57
Um,
25:58
And I've got to tell you, this next bit is super important, is I raced enduro for a couple of years, like just casually, riding for fun, but doing Red Bull Remaniacs every year.
26:11
And then after two years racing it and winning that second, then the...
26:17
The organiser, Martin, the owner of Red Bull Romaniacs, he said to me over some beers one night, he goes, hey, you won the, what's the second silver or whatever, you're going to race pro or gold next year, you know?
26:28
And I said, Martin, I've already done that, you know, racing.
26:32
To race against, there's about eight guys in there I can't beat.
26:34
They're awesome.
26:35
Ex-trials riders and stuff.
26:37
And I'd have to have a mechanic new tyres every day.
26:39
I'd rather ride in the mountains and work for you, you know, get paid for riding and doing.
26:43
So I worked for him for the next two years as track manager, building the track for Red Bull Romaniacs.
26:48
Again, just all it was was a distraction, you know.
26:52
And...
26:53
I hit a car.
26:55
First year went really good.
26:56
We did an awesome job, got voted best day.
26:59
Whatever I do, I try and put my heart into it.
27:01
And then the second year, halfway through, trying to do this again, I hit a car head on on a big...
27:09
what do you call it, hydro dam service road, and it was on my side of the road.
27:12
I head on and broke my back and ended up with, like I was paralysed at the scene.
27:19
And I'm not exaggerating.
27:21
I had an operation that night, put two rods over four, five vertebra, eight screws, six mil by 50.
27:32
So I've got the whole centre, five vertebra, my back fixed because the middle one, T12, was like...
27:38
You know, nothing left of it.
27:40
And so I lay on the road going, I thought I was pinned on the road, you know.
27:44
I couldn't get up.
27:45
I thought, what the hell?
27:46
And realized I've broken my back.
27:48
I've got no feeling.
27:49
And I grab my private parts, my legs, there's nothing.
27:52
And I – it took – after the operation, it took two weeks for my – to wriggle a toe, you know.
28:00
And crazy nerve pain.
28:02
I don't want to –
28:03
take too much time, but it felt like someone had got a bucket of boiling water and thrown them on my legs.
28:07
You know, the first pain I started getting, first feeling I got back was crazy pain.
28:12
It was, people are that experts, I'll know what that is, but it was not good.
28:15
A fly had landed on my leg and I'd be yelling like, you know, it was crazy.
28:19
And then, then...
28:21
I got some feeling back bit by bit by bit, and it took me 11 months to get walking.
28:27
But the first visit from my wife and kids was profound, I think is the right word, because I looked at them and I realized I'm never going to make love to my wife again.
28:39
I'm never going to run around and play with my kids again.
28:42
All I was doing was looking the other way.
28:45
Mm-hmm.
28:45
for something else.
28:47
And I hated myself.
28:49
Honestly, I thought I'm paralyzed.
28:51
I fucking hate myself.
28:52
I'm sorry for swearing, but it's really how I felt.
28:55
And then when things started coming back, I realized I got a second chance and I'm never going to do that again.
29:02
And it made me a better father, better husband, you know?
29:06
And I feel sad that boys have to have something like that to wake up.
29:12
You know, what is important?
29:14
Like, I wish I figured it out before that moment.
29:18
But the good bit is my life is so much better from that point on.
29:22
You know, as bad as that experience was, 11 months to get walking, I burnt all my spare cash.
29:27
You know, like, you know, I own my house, but I burnt everything.
29:32
to come back from that rehab bills, running the family, because Andorra is great.
29:37
You don't pay lots of tax, but you don't get a benefit either.
29:41
So I had to run that family for 11 months.
29:43
I had nothing.
29:44
I was in the red.
29:45
So that motivated me to make Motavutu, you know, because I'm lying in hospital going, what am I going to do next?
29:50
I'm going to do something positive.
29:52
I'm proud of my race career.
29:54
I'm ashamed of my race career until I was paralysed.
29:58
But now I'm going to do something I'm proud of again, which is motor voodoo, you know, the instruction.
30:02
I'm so pleased you've gone there, mate.
30:04
But to tell me about how that kind of came about, that's a massive moment for you, eye-opening moment.
30:11
You have done and are continuing to do some amazing things there.
30:14
So were you literally lying in bed going, right, if I get out of this, I can share my knowledge.
30:20
I can share my passion for bikes.
30:21
I can help people learn and get better.
30:25
What did you decide?
30:26
I think there's a few things.
30:28
I'll be honest.
30:28
The motivation was to make a successful business to...
30:32
fund my family and me, you know, and get out of this hole.
30:36
So financial was the first motivation.
30:38
So I thought, what can I do?
30:41
And really the only thing I'm exceptional at, you know, being honest with myself, I'm not trying to big that up, is my knowledge from racing.
30:51
So I thought I have to do something with that.
30:53
And the only thing I think of is make a school.
30:55
And there was, I was already teaching roughly on track, but for someone else.
31:00
And I really disagreed with the instruction manual that was out there.
31:05
And I won't name it, but I really disagreed because I thought that's from another generation, and it's not what's happening now.
31:13
And I want to do one that's modern now that I wish I knew.
31:17
So I went and wrote Motivuru.
31:19
Then we decided to make it into video because people watch videos, don't read.
31:23
And then it cost a lot of money.
31:25
I had to loan against my house to do that.
31:28
And it worked.
31:29
And I tried to be the – my aim was to be the best in the world at that.
31:33
And I think for a short time we managed that.
31:35
It might get down.
31:37
And the one other thing, I think the important thing about teaching is ego.
31:44
Get rid of it.
31:45
The only way – that's why I don't believe racers can be the best instructors because they're too invested in – I mean, you go out on the track as a racer.
31:55
I've done it.
31:57
You go, what the fuck is wrong with that guy?
31:59
He can't even follow me, I'm going slow.
32:02
But as an instructor, if you're trying to be good at that, you have to get yourself in their head, imagining what they're feeling.
32:10
Literally, you get good at feeling what they're feeling and try to get them over it and step by step get them better.
32:17
And the only way to do that is get rid of your ego completely.
32:21
And you end up, it's really bad practice for you.
32:25
You get slower and slower or further and further away from the edge feeling of what's going on.
32:30
But you get better and better at...
32:33
getting the most out of your clients because you try to put yourself in their shoes.
32:36
That's the right word.
32:37
And the only way you can do that is get rid of your ego, which is pretty big as a racer.
32:42
But it brought together the stuff you'd learn about people in racing.
32:47
All human beings are different, how you communicate with human beings and get through to them.
32:51
That obviously is another asset that you brought to the table here.
32:55
Yeah, I think, yeah, you did write life experience.
33:00
But I think now I feel like I'm at the end of that period.
33:05
I feel burned out from 15 years of teaching, you know, and I'm really enjoying the commentary stuff.
33:11
And I'm putting my heart into that, trying to figure out how to get better at it.
33:14
So that's one of my final things to wrap this up.
33:17
Amazing opportunity.
33:18
How did that come about?
33:19
You and I are talking literally in a commentary box above Phillip Island.
33:22
Sadly, it's raining madly here at the moment.
33:24
It's the eve of the Australian Grand Prix, a paddock that you know well.
33:29
You now spend your time on GP weekends up and down the pit lane, talking to riders, team managers and so on.
33:35
How did that come about?
33:37
Are you enjoying it?
33:38
And a few years on, there's been some learnings, hasn't there?
33:40
How it came about was I went to a race in Silverstone and they asked me, Donna emailed me and said, while you're there, can you come and do an interview?
33:55
We're doing some historic videos.
33:57
And that was the one of Mick and I talking about the...
34:02
the lap he did in qualifying was amazing.
34:04
And another video about my win at Donington.
34:07
So they made those two videos.
34:08
And apparently my now boss was just overseeing that and noticed that I nailed it in one go and was easy to work with.
34:18
So he wrote me on a list.
34:19
that his goal was, rather than have three journalists doing the commentary, have a racer and two journalists.
34:25
So he was looking for a racer from a high level that would be interested in learning to be a journalist, you know.
34:31
I hate that word.
34:32
I'm sorry.
34:33
No, that's okay.
34:34
But you're bringing something different to the offering, aren't you?
34:37
You're bringing racer insight, connection and rapport with people in the paddock, and that's what this is about, isn't it?
34:42
Yeah, that's exactly, and it's worked, hats off to his idea.
34:46
So they put me on their list and contacted me, you know, and you know what, crazy, they emailed me and said, can you have a meeting with us next race you come to?
34:54
I went to another race and I didn't even contact them, I forgot.
34:56
Oh.
34:57
I thought, ah, they just want another video.
34:59
You know?
35:00
How funny is that?
35:01
And then that was Aragon.
35:02
And then Valencia last race, they emailed again and say, are you going to come to another race?
35:06
So I went, yeah, yeah.
35:07
And I came and met them and then they hit me with this.
35:09
I was like, wow.
35:11
And I did the Olin's technician in 2001.
35:15
You know, after I quit from racing, I became an Olin's technician, which also helps me today actually with the commentary because I know what they're doing, what's happening.
35:24
But,
35:25
I loved that job and I loved the Olin's boys, they were awesome.
35:27
Matt Larsen, the boss there, race department, is an awesome guy.
35:32
I love him, you know.
35:34
But I, second year, same thing happened, you know, I'm about to sign.
35:38
They gave me the money I wanted because first year I was an apprentice, you know, learning.
35:43
Second year I'd proven I could do it, so the money was right.
35:46
I'm about to sign it and I realised with my wife and brand new boy at home, he was born in 2001 that year.
35:53
there's a good chance I'll end up divorced.
35:55
So I didn't sign it, and I quit from the paddock for like 20 years.
35:59
And I was out of the paddock because of family growing up, and I never thought of coming back, but it was this.
36:05
And then I contacted my family straight away.
36:08
I walked out of the office and I said, can I ask them?
36:10
I went and called them and told them.
36:11
They were all at home, luckily, weekend.
36:13
And they said, you know, my kids are big now.
36:16
I talked to them on WhatsApp, and they've got their own cars, you know.
36:20
Because they love Botherwe, don't they?
36:22
Yeah, they love their cars.
36:24
And so I called them.
36:25
They were all sitting on speakerphone there, and they were like, you've got to do it, Dad.
36:28
Man, what an opportunity, you know?
36:30
So they're behind it this time, you know, instead of – my wife was an Andorra with no family, none of her childhood friends or life, you know, real friends with a brand-new baby, and I'm going to all the races.
36:45
That's why I had to quit.
36:46
But now it's totally different, you know?
36:48
So, yeah, really enjoying it.
36:52
the extra responsibility this year of the time in the commentary box with Matt.
36:56
Excellent.
36:57
Excellent.
36:57
I'm pleased it's gone even to another step for you because it's, you know, your style and your insights brought a new dimension to it, mate, something fresh, which is good.
37:07
So I'm glad you feel like you're progressing there and continuing to do so.
37:10
Can we end with... By the way, I know I was really bad in the beginning, really bad.
37:15
But like anything you learn, right?
37:17
And what happened there?
37:18
Did you, was that a, like a racer?
37:21
Self-analyse, how do I get better, blah, blah, blah.
37:23
Yeah, just stubborn, really, because that's the trait that you need to have as a race.
37:28
Be stubborn, don't give up.
37:29
And that's all it was.
37:30
I was terrible in the beginning because I had no training.
37:32
I had no journalist knowledge.
37:34
Often it is sink or swim in these environments, we do need to point out, isn't it?
37:37
There are good people around you, but often it's up to you to grab it, sort it out, and run with it.
37:42
Well, the only instruction I got was what time to turn up, you know.
37:46
And I got given the overline, which is the aerial and the microphone, by a guy.
37:52
And then I was all nervous about to go to the pit lane first time.
37:54
And he said, you know, there you go.
37:56
And I asked him, you got any advice for me?
37:58
And he went, I'm the sound man.
38:01
That was it.
38:01
And then get in the pit lane.
38:02
And so I was pretty bad.
38:04
I know that.
38:04
And the more mistakes I made, the more nervous I got.
38:06
I was just spiraling out of control.
38:09
But then once you've made all mistakes, like any job, basically it was like doing my bike apprenticeship in the first year, but with everyone watching.
38:17
You make all the mistakes.
38:18
That's the hard part.
38:19
Yeah.
38:19
So anyway, yeah.
38:20
Final one for you.
38:22
The bike.
38:23
Have you still got a couple in the garage?
38:25
What have you got?
38:26
And is there, what's the one, maybe it's the one you talked about here at Phillip Island that evokes the most special memory for you?
38:32
Oh, there's going to be a lot of people that don't agree with me here, but I have no real affinity for...
38:40
the bikes I rode, how crazy is that?
38:42
But because I'm so interested in the new stuff, which is what keeps me so interested in the pit lane, or the new things, I mean, when I rode that new Ducati.
38:51
Tell me about that, that was my company.
38:52
God, it was amazing, amazing.
38:55
And I have no interest in riding a bike that I race because it's old and slow now, and probably unreliable, and probably all the magnesium will probably snap on it.
39:04
I got offered to ride my old bike, one and the same,
39:09
And they said, how excited would you be?
39:11
And I said, I'd rather ride that because R1s had just come out.
39:14
I'd rather ride that R1.
39:15
It's going to be better.
39:17
So I love the new stuff, and I'm sorry.
39:20
It could be offensive, but it's how I'm built.
39:23
And the Ducati, when I got to ride it, was truly amazing.
39:28
To be fair to KTM, when I got to ride the KTM and I got to ride the Aprilia, the difference, the important ingredients was that –
39:37
Paolo Giubatti and Davarita Dozi had spoken to Michelin, so Piero Taramasso, who knows I'm an ex-racer, they all do, and went, can he have the real tyres?
39:47
Just Simon, you're not allowed normally.
39:49
And just Simon, for Simon, can you give us the real tyres?
39:51
They gave me a medium front, soft rear, the real things, which means the technicians can give me the real electronics.
39:59
Contestive.
40:00
which meant it was the real experience.
40:03
And it was, my hair standing up thinking about it now, it was truly amazing because from leaving the garage, the clutch was the nicest clutch I've ever felt, leaving the garage, you know, and then you feel that engine configuration, how it fires and how the connection is like, wow, it's beautiful.
40:21
And then you take off and it's,
40:23
fast as hell the gearbox is the most beautiful thing you've ever used then you have the brakes they're obviously amazing but they're kind of like what i used but i after i got three laps in behind pero and you know the test rider and three laps in front and the first lap in front or second i managed to the only thing i think i pushed to close to the limit breaking in a straight line i got the back off the ground but instead of like the production bikes i was riding 10 minutes before
40:53
the only bike I've ever ridden that had stayed dead straight.
40:55
I don't know how they do that.
40:57
But it came off the ground in a straight line, came back on the ground, matched in all the engine brake and the clutch and without me doing anything.
41:04
And then when I turn in, it turned in so light, it turned.
41:09
I was like, this thing is the first motorcycle I've ever ridden that I didn't want to change anything.
41:15
Everything was better than me.
41:18
amazing i love the insights mate um it's been great to shoot the breeze with you for uh for an hour and a half i think it was you're a you're a beautiful soul with a great family congrats on what you've done and the fact that you're still in the paddock all these years later talking about stuff you grew up around and and loved in new zealand i reckon's immense mate well done thank you rusty lots and i hope i'm bored everyone too much not at all great thank you mate
41:47
Rusty's Garage is written and presented by me, Greg Rust.
41:51
Series editor and producer is Ed Gooden.
41:54
Audio production by Link Kelly.
41:57
If you've got a guest suggestion, get in touch with me via social media.
42:01
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