Full Transcript for Craig Dack - Part 2

differently now. 54 00:04:48.180 --> 00:04:49.240 Social media is a thing. 55 00:04:49.280 --> 00:04:58.723 It wasn't a thing for you in the 90s there and so on, learning to connect with them so that... 56 00:04:59.803 --> 00:05:04.567 I'm assuming you probably often hear dads go, oh, I told him the same thing or I told her the same thing. 57 00:05:04.607 --> 00:05:06.369 They wouldn't listen to me, but they'll listen to you. 58 00:05:07.109 --> 00:05:10.692 But there is a – overcoming that generational gap is a thing, mate, isn't it? 59 00:05:10.913 --> 00:05:11.153 Mm-hmm. 60 00:05:12.033 --> 00:05:20.297 Well, in fact, when a rider starts with my team, I always sit down with their mum and dad on the side and ask them all about the character of their son. 61 00:05:20.837 --> 00:05:21.317 Let me know. 62 00:05:21.657 --> 00:05:22.718 Yeah, who is this kid? 63 00:05:22.758 --> 00:05:23.618 What's he all about? 64 00:05:23.678 --> 00:05:24.839 What do I have to look out for? 65 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:27.160 What do I have to work with? 66 00:05:27.640 --> 00:05:28.660 What's his good points? 67 00:05:28.681 --> 00:05:30.341 What's his bad points? 68 00:05:30.461 --> 00:05:33.903 And straight away you make a connection with the family by doing that because – 69 00:05:35.685 --> 00:05:37.226 I get the easy bit. 70 00:05:37.526 --> 00:05:41.887 You know, I get the kid when he's, I don't know, 20, 21, 22 years of age. 71 00:05:42.447 --> 00:05:43.907 Mum and dad spend all the money. 72 00:05:44.107 --> 00:05:47.308 They've done all the hard work and then they hand them over to me. 73 00:05:47.568 --> 00:05:49.388 I get the easy part. 74 00:05:50.188 --> 00:05:57.430 So I try and make, I try and encourage the parents to be part of the team, which they do. 75 00:05:58.290 --> 00:06:03.272 And that way, to me, it shortcuts your learning curve on what you're dealing with. 76 00:06:03.332 --> 00:06:09.873 Because if you ask the parents, they'll open up and tell you all about it because they just want the best for their son. 77 00:06:09.933 --> 00:06:11.954 So that seems to be one. 78 00:06:11.994 --> 00:06:14.335 And once I get that bit, then I can work the rest out. 79 00:06:15.295 --> 00:06:34.460 Usually the struggles you have, not struggles is not the right word, the difficulties is just those one percenters, trying to get those one percenters right because a lot of the times, well, most of the time the athlete has the key to that door but they just have to be prepared to put the key in and unlock it and sometimes they just don't do that. 80 00:06:35.020 --> 00:06:38.281 Yeah, or find the right way to go about doing that. 81 00:06:38.521 --> 00:06:41.022 As you and I sit and talk with one another now, I mean, you've got, 82 00:06:41.877 --> 00:06:43.758 a team top on there. 83 00:06:43.798 --> 00:06:47.860 There are sponsors there from, from Yamaha Fox and others. 84 00:06:48.640 --> 00:06:51.661 What is the secret to the longevity with you? 85 00:06:51.721 --> 00:06:56.684 Because in society now, you know, not everyone has a job that goes for 30 plus years. 86 00:06:56.704 --> 00:07:06.708 And when we talked before about Yamaha, the connection really goes back to 88 for you with them, not just the, the, the, you celebrated last year, 30 years from a team ownership perspective. 87 00:07:06.968 --> 00:07:07.989 What's the secret? 88 00:07:08.029 --> 00:07:10.490 What's the secret to maintaining that, to keeping that? 89 00:07:11.891 --> 00:07:12.371 I don't know. 90 00:07:13.892 --> 00:07:15.993 I don't know how to answer that. 91 00:07:16.193 --> 00:07:29.820 It's ongoing because a lot of people say your relationship with Yamaha or your relationship with Monster or your relationship with Fox, well, it's actually not with the company. 92 00:07:29.860 --> 00:07:32.961 It's with the individuals in those companies. 93 00:07:33.562 --> 00:07:34.722 And they change. 94 00:07:34.782 --> 00:07:39.325 Yamaha, for instance, since I started working with them, I probably had – 95 00:07:40.329 --> 00:07:42.490 four different people that I've had to deal with. 96 00:07:42.610 --> 00:07:47.571 So maintaining those relationships are important. 97 00:07:47.751 --> 00:07:52.253 Making sure they're 100% part of what you're doing. 98 00:07:52.893 --> 00:07:53.673 No secrets. 99 00:07:53.973 --> 00:07:54.473 Honesty. 100 00:07:54.733 --> 00:07:57.694 Have everything on the table is really important. 101 00:07:57.714 --> 00:07:58.534 Transparency. 102 00:07:59.455 --> 00:08:00.795 I have that with Yamaha now. 103 00:08:00.835 --> 00:08:05.416 Yamaha are our major sponsor, but I have an open book policy with them. 104 00:08:05.696 --> 00:08:07.317 So although they're not... 105 00:08:07.697 --> 00:08:08.818 They don't own me. 106 00:08:08.838 --> 00:08:10.538 They're a contractor to my company. 107 00:08:11.179 --> 00:08:16.801 In our contracts, they're entitled and I'm obliged to open my books if they need to see it. 108 00:08:17.482 --> 00:08:23.925 So I think just having that transparency and honesty is probably why it's still strong. 109 00:08:25.325 --> 00:08:27.947 The relationships too aren't just Australia. 110 00:08:27.967 --> 00:08:30.788 While Australia might be a focal point for you, there are 111 00:08:31.469 --> 00:08:39.584 deep connections, I would imagine, from Japan to America and others that you maintain to this day with regular phone calls and things like that. 112 00:08:39.785 --> 00:08:41.348 That stuff is important too, isn't it? 113 00:08:41.708 --> 00:08:43.129 Yes, yes, certainly. 114 00:08:43.209 --> 00:08:48.231 So we have a strong relationship with the factory, with Yamaha in Japan. 115 00:08:49.331 --> 00:08:59.435 In the past, you know, when this whole four-stroke era come about 20 years ago, we were part of the development of those bikes in Japan. 116 00:08:59.455 --> 00:09:02.076 So very, very deep in with the factory at that point. 117 00:09:02.876 --> 00:09:08.799 Over time,

it hasn't been as deep as that, but we still have a connection. 118 00:09:08.839 --> 00:09:13.322 We buy our suspension from Yamaha Japan, a new car. 119 00:09:13.402 --> 00:09:16.924 There's only three teams in the world that can do that, a Yamaha-supported team. 120 00:09:16.944 --> 00:09:19.926 That's the US team, the world championship team, and us. 121 00:09:20.526 --> 00:09:23.408 So that in itself shows the connection that we have. 122 00:09:24.949 --> 00:09:29.574 So we just keep Yamaha Japan informed technically on what we do. 123 00:09:30.295 --> 00:09:37.984 So having those – and those relationships aren't something you can just click your fingers and buy and expect. 124 00:09:38.004 --> 00:09:41.007 You have to earn those relationships, especially in the Japanese world. 125 00:09:41.928 --> 00:09:57.462 Um, and it's funny, some of those engineers that I talk to now are now, well, some of those engineers that I used to work with when they were kids and I was a kid doing the testing, we're only in their twenties, they are now in upper management position. 126 00:09:57.862 --> 00:10:02.747 So, you know, so our connection has been there for 30 or 40 years, but now at a different level. 127 00:10:03.007 --> 00:10:09.052 It also means that you give opportunity to mechanics and others that come through your organization. 128 00:10:09.573 --> 00:10:11.134 Alex Briggs has been on the podcast. 129 00:10:11.154 --> 00:10:11.955 I'm trying to remember, mate. 130 00:10:11.975 --> 00:10:13.436 He worked for you for a time, am I right? 131 00:10:13.456 --> 00:10:14.156 Yeah, yeah. 132 00:10:14.236 --> 00:10:16.158 He went from me to McDoan. 133 00:10:16.518 --> 00:10:16.799 Doan. 134 00:10:19.147 --> 00:10:20.809 He made a better choice there, that's for sure. 135 00:10:21.309 --> 00:10:27.095 Oh, no, but I think he speaks very fondly about that period with you. 136 00:10:27.555 --> 00:10:28.116 Yeah. 137 00:10:28.136 --> 00:10:31.599 Yeah, no, we did have a very strong relationship. 138 00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:39.006 And, in fact, the last bike I rode, he actually worked for me my very last year that I raced. 139 00:10:39.046 --> 00:10:39.406 Yeah. 140 00:10:39.426 --> 00:10:39.747 Did he? 141 00:10:40.507 --> 00:10:50.774 And the bike that I've got now, which is my Peter Jackson bike, which is kind of a special bike, him and the Yamaha guys built that up as a present for me and gave it to me as my retirement package. 142 00:10:50.814 --> 00:10:54.336 So Alex, he's a good friend. 143 00:10:54.356 --> 00:10:55.277 He's a good fellow. 144 00:10:55.317 --> 00:10:57.698 I'm pleased that you've – people quite like that in the podcast. 145 00:10:57.738 --> 00:11:05.103 I'm pleased between your first – an example of your first bike and then now that bike, you've kept a couple of special ones that are important to you, haven't you? 146 00:11:05.123 --> 00:11:05.223 Yeah. 147 00:11:05.263 --> 00:11:20.411 Yeah, I got my first bike and I got my last bike and

they sit in my gym and every morning I'm doing – I sit up, I'm doing my weights or whatever, I have a look at the first bike and the last bike and just keeps it in perspective from where I've started or where I've come to. 148 00:11:20.791 --> 00:11:21.291 Tremendous. 149 00:11:21.511 --> 00:11:22.112 That's cool. 150 00:11:22.532 --> 00:11:23.212 Where were you? 151 00:11:23.292 --> 00:11:26.594 Can you remember the first time you laid eyes on Chad Reed? 152 00:11:26.614 --> 00:11:28.815 Where were you and what impact did that leave you with? 153 00:11:31.716 --> 00:11:39.719 I think he was riding for Suzuki and he just sort of popped his head up very, very quickly in my eyes. 154 00:11:39.779 --> 00:11:43.680 But I can remember he was sort of not there one minute and there the next. 155 00:11:43.961 --> 00:11:44.241 Next. 156 00:11:44.341 --> 00:11:45.861 We're probably talking turn of the century here. 157 00:11:45.881 --> 00:11:47.562 What do you reckon we're talking time-wise? 158 00:11:47.642 --> 00:11:52.323 Yeah, it would have been very late 90s for sure. 159 00:11:52.343 --> 00:11:52.724 90s. 160 00:11:52.804 --> 00:11:57.025 Yeah, early 2000s because we then went on to work with each other. 161 00:11:57.105 --> 00:11:59.706 He rode for me here for a year and then – 162 00:12:00.267 --> 00:12:04.155 Then he took off and went to Europe, rode for Factory Kawasaki for a year. 163 00:12:04.696 --> 00:12:07.443 Then he ended up in America and I ended up in America. 164 00:12:07.463 --> 00:12:09.768 We ended up working together, which is a story in itself. 165 00:12:10.134 --> 00:12:11.515 Yep, Yamaha of Troy, wasn't it? 166 00:12:11.535 --> 00:12:13.135 It was Yamaha of Troy, that's right. 167 00:12:13.215 --> 00:12:13.476 Yeah. 168 00:12:13.696 --> 00:12:29.783 So tell us, I mean, firstly, working with him in that early phase when he's growing as a racer, clearly with talent and so on, was it the kind of thing that you thought, wow, this kid has the potential to go to America and you perhaps encouraged that or to go to the international scene? 169 00:12:30.165 --> 00:12:32.126 Well, yeah, it's a good story. 170 00:12:32.166 --> 00:12:35.307 When he rode for me, he wanted to go from me to America. 171 00:12:35.347 --> 00:12:37.707 That was always his dream, to go to America. 172 00:12:37.927 --> 00:12:41.288 And I think his inspiration was Jerry McGrath because that was it. 173 00:12:41.308 --> 00:12:41.768 McGrath, yeah. 174 00:12:41.888 --> 00:12:45.209 McGrath, that was the era that influenced him. 175 00:12:46.010 --> 00:12:50.071 So he had a tentative deal to go to America with a... 176 00:12:50.731 --> 00:12:52.412 a third-tier team. 177 00:12:52.492 --> 00:12:53.773 I can't remember what it was. 178 00:12:54.493 --> 00:12:55.974 And he was going to take that deal. 179 00:12:56.074 --> 00:13:00.677 But he also had an option to go to factory Kawasaki in Europe and do the world championship. 180 00:13:00.737 --> 00:13:02.598 Championship,

yeah. 181 00:13:02.678 --> 00:13:07.681 And my advice to him said, Chad, if you get a factory ride with factory Kawasaki... 182 00:13:08.321 --> 00:13:15.145 I would go to the factory ride because if you do well with the factory ride, the hardest thing in any industry is getting in. 183 00:13:15.525 --> 00:13:19.027 Once you're in, unless you do something stupid, you're in. 184 00:13:19.107 --> 00:13:22.029 You're part of the clan. 185 00:13:22.969 --> 00:13:31.314 So he went to the factory Kawasaki team in Europe and as it went, he ended up runner-up in the world championship in the 250 class that year. 186 00:13:31.334 --> 00:13:35.496 He used that to then leapfrog into America to Yamaha Troyn. 187 00:13:36.565 --> 00:13:45.232 And that – so he already had been contracted to do Yamaha Troy, I think it was 2000, 2001, something like that. 188 00:13:46.529 --> 00:13:51.552 And the team manager for Yamaha Troy at the time, he got poached and went to Honda. 189 00:13:51.592 --> 00:13:53.753 So Yamaha Troy needed a manager. 190 00:13:54.753 --> 00:13:57.575 And Yamaha America rang me and said, would you be interested? 191 00:13:57.735 --> 00:13:58.915 And I said, yeah, why not? 192 00:13:58.935 --> 00:13:59.716 Let's give it a go. 193 00:13:59.776 --> 00:14:03.678 So I went over there and did that, still kept my team running here. 194 00:14:03.718 --> 00:14:07.820 So I was running CDR in Australia and doing the Yamaha Troy team in the States. 195 00:14:08.780 --> 00:14:15.367 and working with Chad, and we won a championship together over there, East Coast Supercross Championship. 196 00:14:15.627 --> 00:14:16.108 Unreal. 197 00:14:16.128 --> 00:14:22.935 Just for people that are listening that mightn't, and Daka, please, if I don't articulate this right, you better correct it for me. 198 00:14:24.316 --> 00:14:29.502 But the Yamaha of Troy arrangement, is it right to say it's a bit like a satellite team kind of deal? 199 00:14:29.522 --> 00:14:31.183 Like it had a level of... 200 00:14:32.204 --> 00:14:33.785 connection and good support. 201 00:14:33.825 --> 00:14:35.686 I mean, it was a good opportunity. 202 00:14:35.906 --> 00:14:38.968 It was Yamaha's official factory 250 program. 203 00:14:39.008 --> 00:14:39.268 Team. 204 00:14:39.448 --> 00:14:44.571 Yeah, so the 450 team that was in-house at Yamaha. 205 00:14:44.611 --> 00:14:44.771 Yep. 206 00:14:44.931 --> 00:14:47.412 And then they would contract out their 250 team. 207 00:14:47.953 --> 00:14:48.313 Thank you. 208 00:14:48.333 --> 00:14:49.934 Sorry, I didn't describe it well. 209 00:14:49.994 --> 00:14:54.696 Yeah, that's right, as a satellite team, but it was Yamaha's official 250 program. 210 00:14:56.607 --> 00:15:02.231 And because of my long-term relationship with Yamaha, that's why the opportunity come up. 211 00:15:02.351 --> 00:15:06.313 Well, they asked me to come and do it because they trusted me, I guess. 212 00:15:06.994 --> 00:15:13.018 Pretty cool to win a crown with him early on before he would go on to even greater success there in the United States. 213 00:15:13.038 --> 00:15:15.139 What was he like as a racer in that period? 214 00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:17.320 You're both away from home effectively. 215 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:19.902 He's kind of setting himself up in the States. 216 00:15:19.922 --> 00:15:24.565 You're trying to juggle stuff at home as well as help that program. 217 00:15:24.585 --> 00:15:24.685 Yeah. 218 00:15:24.993 --> 00:15:28.737 It was a tough period for me for doing all that. 219 00:15:28.997 --> 00:15:30.699 I lasted two years there doing that. 220 00:15:30.719 --> 00:15:37.105 Then I had to sort of make a decision whether I made that my full-time career, staying there or come home. 221 00:15:37.606 --> 00:15:41.389 And I decided to come home and, you know, happily made that decision. 222 00:15:42.185 --> 00:15:54.050 But working with Chad was really, really interesting because he's a really determined young man and you couldn't really sort of influence him too much. 223 00:15:54.671 --> 00:15:56.852 Well, I did it in positive ways, I guess. 224 00:15:57.652 --> 00:16:05.994 But he was, and at the same time, he was a new kid on the block, so he had all these vultures coming at him at the same time. 225 00:16:06.594 --> 00:16:14.696 So there was, I was riding in the hype of it all, but, you know, him and I now can sit down over a coffee or a dinner and have some fond memories. 226 00:16:14.776 --> 00:16:17.196 Our relationship is nice and strong now. 227 00:16:17.616 --> 00:16:24.858 It was tough at the time because he was tough to manage, but most high-level athletes are at the time, yeah. 228 00:16:34.825 --> 00:16:37.748 It's crazy to think Chad Reed's kids now enjoy racing. 229 00:16:37.989 --> 00:16:50.723 Dakar can vividly remember the talented young racer, who made the number 22 famous, wowing Aussie crowds before he took the big step to head to the United States and ultimately earn a special place in the Supercross record books. 230 00:16:51.591 --> 00:16:57.656 I can't get out of life what I want from motorcycle racing in Australia. 231 00:16:58.396 --> 00:17:06.843 I don't want to live in Europe, so then if I'm going to live and race and do this motorcycle thing, you know, America is where it's at. 232 00:17:08.423 --> 00:17:13.644 Enjoy Chad's straight-talking convo just by searching for his two-part episode in the Garage Library. 233 00:17:13.864 --> 00:17:19.606 They recorded at the Aussie Supercross with Chad in his riding gear, and you'll hear the odd dirt bike in the background. 234 00:17:19.826 --> 00:17:22.187 Daka was there too, running his race team. 235 00:17:22.427 --> 00:17:24.527 Let's continue his pod now with Rusty. 236 00:17:27.648 --> 00:17:34.930 There's been others that have been on the books for CDR, I mean, and you haven't, you know, well, you're proudly Australian and you've always... 237 00:17:35.834 --> 00:17:40.996 more or less had that ethos of trying

to promote Aussies as they've come through. 238 00:17:41.176 --> 00:17:45.959 You've also given like Josh Coppens and others rides and the Kiwis have come through, haven't they too? 239 00:17:46.239 --> 00:17:55.203 There was a period there, mate, where we had a sort of a bunch or a few Kiwis that were doing really well in the world championships. 240 00:17:55.223 --> 00:17:59.125 You had Coppens and you had the King brothers, Shane and Daryl King. 241 00:18:00.726 --> 00:18:05.153 So they were finishing up their careers in Europe and wanting to come home. 242 00:18:05.794 --> 00:18:13.165 So we just got the last puff out of the cigar from them, you know. 243 00:18:13.526 --> 00:18:15.809 They were done it, you know, the cigar was perfect. 244 00:18:16.289 --> 00:18:20.333 90% smoking in Europe, there were still a couple of puffs in Australia. 245 00:18:20.353 --> 00:18:22.235 So we got a couple of years out of them. 246 00:18:22.255 --> 00:18:31.583 We won a couple of championships with Josh Coppens and we won a few with Daryl King as well who retired from Europe and came back here. 247 00:18:31.823 --> 00:18:34.145 So that worked really good for us for several years. 248 00:18:35.259 --> 00:18:41.722 I hate bringing up the pandemic because I want to keep that bloody thing in the rear view mirror now and just be eyes forward. 249 00:18:41.982 --> 00:18:45.343 You did a great job of, I think, navigating that at the time. 250 00:18:45.363 --> 00:18:47.864 Was that tough for the guys on the books? 251 00:18:47.884 --> 00:18:52.506 I think you might have even said that to Racer X, just around Luke Clout and Aaron Tante. 252 00:18:52.526 --> 00:18:54.827 I mean, it was probably at a time in their careers where – 253 00:18:57.448 --> 00:19:04.270 You know, I feel for some people with the timing of that bloody thing, if that's what I – The athletes – yeah, the poor athletes. 254 00:19:04.310 --> 00:19:10.091 They lost, you know, at that age, in their mid-20s, and those guys lost nearly two years, wasn't it? 255 00:19:10.111 --> 00:19:11.091 It's hard to remember now. 256 00:19:11.191 --> 00:19:13.412 Two years of their early capacity. 257 00:19:14.872 --> 00:19:19.413 They fell behind compared to the rest of the world because the Yanks kept going. 258 00:19:19.593 --> 00:19:21.914 They made programs where they could keep racing. 259 00:19:22.434 --> 00:19:26.535 We nearly had – I think we did something like five races in the two years there. 260 00:19:27.175 --> 00:19:34.181 So the riders, as far as their development, their growth as an athlete, I felt sorry for them with that. 261 00:19:35.022 --> 00:19:47.011 However, this is something I'm very proud of and very happy to share, that our major partners, like our big partners are Yamaha, Monster and Fox, they kept paying us in full. 262 00:19:47.411 --> 00:19:50.994 We had to duck the gap that the government paid us. 263 00:19:51.034 --> 00:19:53.056 I thought the government did a great job supporting

us. 264 00:19:53.576 --> 00:20:00.321 But the monetary side of CDR with the government support and our sponsors still paying us never changed. 265 00:20:00.761 --> 00:20:07.126 So we were able to keep paying our riders who were contractors, not employees, so we could have stopped paying them at any time. 266 00:20:07.706 --> 00:20:15.312 We paid them in full and we paid all our staff and employees at full wages in that time as well. 267 00:20:15.332 --> 00:20:17.053 So that's the bit I'm really proud of. 268 00:20:18.034 --> 00:20:22.597 But that gets back to having that strong relationship with partners that can go on that journey with you. 269 00:20:23.255 --> 00:20:25.558 Respect to you and to them, mate, for that sort of support. 270 00:20:25.578 --> 00:20:26.700 I reckon that's unreal. 271 00:20:27.100 --> 00:20:39.418 People would think it remiss of me if I didn't ask you about the Lawrence brothers, what they're doing in the United States right now, that kind of next wave, Hunter, Jet, and the impact that that might have potentially on our scene back down under. 272 00:20:40.060 --> 00:20:42.741 Yeah, well, they're kind of doing the new Chad Reid thing, yeah? 273 00:20:42.821 --> 00:20:45.902 They've got, you know, we're just amazing Australians. 274 00:20:46.223 --> 00:20:48.384 You know, we just always punch above our weight. 275 00:20:48.664 --> 00:20:49.184 Why is that? 276 00:20:49.304 --> 00:20:50.244 Why is that, do you reckon? 277 00:20:50.264 --> 00:20:52.085 I mean, is it the framework, you know? 278 00:20:52.105 --> 00:20:52.645 I don't know. 279 00:20:52.885 --> 00:21:02.750 It just seems that, you know, you go through these periods, you know, at the moment a couple of people have said to me in our domestic sport, oh, I can't see anybody popping their head up. 280 00:21:02.810 --> 00:21:03.650 Who's coming through? 281 00:21:04.110 --> 00:21:06.051 And I always say, don't worry, just wait. 282 00:21:06.231 --> 00:21:07.752 Someone will pop their head up. 283 00:21:08.472 --> 00:21:12.357 And that's in our domestic thing and more so in the Australian thing. 284 00:21:12.397 --> 00:21:22.729 You look back over the years, you know, in all of our whatever motorsport you do, the Australian and even technical people, they're riddled around the world, you know. 285 00:21:22.789 --> 00:21:24.431 They're Kiwis and Australians. 286 00:21:24.471 --> 00:21:26.273 They're always punching above their weight. 287 00:21:27.026 --> 00:21:34.269 But so the Lawrence has got the light, you know, brightly shining on Australia at the moment for sure. 288 00:21:34.429 --> 00:21:35.449 And they're so young. 289 00:21:36.090 --> 00:21:38.771 We're going to see this go on for the next sort of 10 years. 290 00:21:38.791 --> 00:21:39.311 Awesome. 291 00:21:39.491 --> 00:21:40.571 Awesome. 292 00:21:41.412 --> 00:21:44.513 Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame induction. 293 00:21:44.673 --> 00:21:47.274 I got to be there and to see that happen for you. 294 00:21:47.294 --> 00:21:52.336 It happened alongside recognition of the late legendary Jack O'Hearn as well. 295 00:21:52.756 --> 00:21:59.600 What did that – I mean, there's lots of great achievements for you when you look at your CV, your list of wins and so on. 296 00:21:59.820 --> 00:22:00.701 What did that one mean to you? 297 00:22:01.301 --> 00:22:03.662 Yeah, it's a good question, that one, because when I – 298 00:22:04.725 --> 00:22:05.685 was awarded it by you. 299 00:22:05.705 --> 00:22:07.526 It was nice to see you again after all these years. 300 00:22:07.566 --> 00:22:10.787 But I went there and said, oh, yeah, this is nice. 301 00:22:10.807 --> 00:22:12.348 But it was actually the drive home. 302 00:22:12.408 --> 00:22:27.873 A mate of mine came with me and it was on the way home and once I got home and I reflected on it, it's sort of what it meant to me, you know, thinking of that kid that started the minibike club at Blacktown and, you know, everywhere I've been through that journey. 303 00:22:28.533 --> 00:22:32.195 But it was more about, to me, the recognition was that, 304 00:22:32.955 --> 00:22:50.312 It was like, well done, you haven't screwed it up because after 30 or 40 years in any one industry, to me it means that you've actually played the game with a straight bat because the industries, if you're in the same industry, you get spat out if you've been doing the wrong thing. 305 00:22:50.332 --> 00:22:53.515 If you've been a naughty boy or a bad boy, I've been a naughty boy sometimes, but... 306 00:22:54.676 --> 00:22:56.758 By and large, it irons it out, mate, doesn't it? 307 00:22:56.778 --> 00:22:57.899 It levels itself. 308 00:22:58.019 --> 00:23:03.804 I mean, to get that award means you kind of made it to the pinnacle of your sport and you've done the right thing generally. 309 00:23:04.865 --> 00:23:06.326 Richly, richly deserved. 310 00:23:06.826 --> 00:23:10.530 Rider, team owner, I'm going to say because you won't, legend. 311 00:23:11.050 --> 00:23:19.377 What sort of wish list things, now that you've chalked up 30 years as a team owner, what kind of wish list things for the sport have you got? 312 00:23:20.058 --> 00:23:23.542 For the next 10, what would you like to – and it doesn't have to be just for CDR. 313 00:23:23.562 --> 00:23:27.786 It can be more broadly, right, like from a growth and a success thing. 314 00:23:27.846 --> 00:23:29.788 And obviously the market is interesting at the moment. 315 00:23:29.808 --> 00:23:34.773 We've gone four-stroke in the last decade after a real passion for two-stroke. 316 00:23:34.793 --> 00:23:36.675 There are electric bikes floating around and so on. 317 00:23:36.695 --> 00:23:38.517 What do you reckon the future looks like? 318 00:23:38.657 --> 00:23:39.818 Yeah, who knows? 319 00:23:40.758 --> 00:23:41.859 It's getting tougher. 320 00:23:41.919 --> 00:23:47.442 The motocross market has declined over the years. 321 00:23:47.462 --> 00:23:53.665 When I say declined in

sales of motorcycles, but the popularity of the sport seems to be strong. 322 00:23:53.725 --> 00:24:01.709 Our motocross series at the moment, we're getting full entries, five or 600 entries at any one race, which is a lot. 323 00:24:03.230 --> 00:24:08.335 Um, the grids are full, um, up until about five or six years ago, only getting half grid. 324 00:24:08.355 --> 00:24:09.736 So the grids are full again. 325 00:24:10.877 --> 00:24:13.359 Um, Supercross is, it's in good hands. 326 00:24:13.420 --> 00:24:18.965 We've got some good Supercross promoters, sort of young people, um, doing the contemporary thing with it. 327 00:24:19.405 --> 00:24:21.066 Um, they, they, the modern way. 328 00:24:21.086 --> 00:24:21.146 Um. 329 00:24:21.987 --> 00:24:24.608 So the sport feels like it's in a good position. 330 00:24:25.089 --> 00:24:29.851 What turns me on these days or what gets me going is a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff. 331 00:24:29.891 --> 00:24:37.194 I'm doing a school with a few other people in a couple of months trying to help raise money for the Motocross donations team. 332 00:24:37.214 --> 00:24:39.175 So I do stuff like that in the background. 333 00:24:39.215 --> 00:24:41.036 I don't make too much noise about that. 334 00:24:42.197 --> 00:24:54.345 We formed a group called AMG, Australian Motocross Group, which is a group that sits beside Motorcycling Australia, our governing body, and we talk with them about the sport. 335 00:24:54.385 --> 00:24:59.068 It's a passive group and try and help them on how to make things better. 336 00:24:59.088 --> 00:25:07.513 So there's a lot of things behind the scenes, Rusty, I like to do these days that I don't want any recognition for, but I just like doing it. 337 00:25:08.253 --> 00:25:19.538 But mostly I still want to keep the focus on my race team because I love getting young guys and I've had the same age boy or young man over 30 years come through my team. 338 00:25:19.678 --> 00:25:27.682 So if anybody wants to know what's changed in young males about 24, 25 years or age in 30 years, come and see me and tell you exactly. 339 00:25:30.684 --> 00:25:43.280 But just helping those young men make the best out of the job that they're choosing and get the best out and put that smile on their face and see them achieve what their parents probably are and what they want to achieve. 340 00:25:43.647 --> 00:25:46.928 There is lots of success stories in there. 341 00:25:46.948 --> 00:25:51.189 I would imagine there's probably been some tough moments for you too in dealing with that. 342 00:25:51.229 --> 00:25:55.830 I mean, you know, 30 years in business, you can't not have challenges. 343 00:25:56.170 --> 00:26:01.771 Either, you know, you've got longevity from the partners, which is terrific. 344 00:26:01.811 --> 00:26:04.132 But, I mean, there's economic challenges along the way. 345 00:26:04.172 --> 00:26:10.893 There's some riders who perhaps come in with what seems like a bucket load of talent but don't quite make it or injury stops them. 346 00:26:10.933 --> 00:26:13.354 I mean, things like that can't be easy to navigate. 347 00:26:13.834 --> 00:26:22.359 No, there's, you know, characters, you know, dealing with, you know, when I was a red-hot-blooded, you know, bloke, I'm settled down a bit now. 348 00:26:22.399 --> 00:26:26.341 The edges are getting a bit more rounder as you get older, which is nice. 349 00:26:26.861 --> 00:26:31.624 But still for 10 years after I raced, I was still pretty sharp around the edges and stuff. 350 00:26:31.644 --> 00:26:36.947 So we had a lot of clashes with riders and athletes, which that's just personality things that didn't work. 351 00:26:37.627 --> 00:26:41.350 But you still have to manage your way through them or manage your way out of them somehow. 352 00:26:41.370 --> 00:26:41.830 Yeah. 353 00:26:42.170 --> 00:26:45.532 I remember when was the financial crisis we had, I think 2009, 2010. 354 00:26:45.652 --> 00:26:46.853 Yeah, yeah. 355 00:26:47.914 --> 00:26:50.895 At the 11th down, that all sort of happened in October, November. 356 00:26:51.056 --> 00:26:53.777 I was cut 30% of my budget from Yamaha. 357 00:26:53.977 --> 00:26:55.919 30% is a lot. 358 00:26:56.759 --> 00:26:59.381 Then we lost a major sponsor at the same time. 359 00:26:59.781 --> 00:27:05.324 So all of a sudden I had a huge deficit there and somehow I managed the way through that. 360 00:27:05.444 --> 00:27:05.905 That took – 361 00:27:06.405 --> 00:27:08.367 sort of five years to get back on top of. 362 00:27:08.407 --> 00:27:11.489 So it seems to be just like in normal life, mate. 363 00:27:11.509 --> 00:27:17.715 And it seems like just as things start to feel smooth and going, whack, whack, you get one across the back of the head again. 364 00:27:17.835 --> 00:27:19.997 So... Yeah, that bloody GFC, hey? 365 00:27:20.037 --> 00:27:20.357 Yeah. 366 00:27:20.377 --> 00:27:20.957 Bloody GFC. 367 00:27:20.977 --> 00:27:21.498 Yeah, yeah. 368 00:27:22.118 --> 00:27:26.282 To finish, to finish, you've talked about a couple of special bikes in your career. 369 00:27:26.762 --> 00:27:27.283 What about... 370 00:27:28.292 --> 00:27:45.982 the race, the place where you just felt sublime that you, and it could have been internationally, could have been locally, wherever, just one of the races in your mind, in your riding career where you went, that one there is one I'll cherish. 371 00:27:46.122 --> 00:27:50.625 1986 was my standout year where it all started to happen for me when I was riding Honda. 372 00:27:51.743 --> 00:27:53.705 And I won everything that year. 373 00:27:53.906 --> 00:28:05.337 And then at the end of the year, September, we had the Motocross Donations, which the Motocross Donations is a race that's in a different country each year that each country sends its best three riders to. 374 00:28:05.397 --> 00:28:08.280 It's sort of like the Olympics of motocross, but it's every year. 375 00:28:09.041 --> 00:28:11.523 And

this was at a place called Majora in Italy. 376 00:28:12.303 --> 00:28:19.628 And basically in the race, I, so the, you know, 500s and 250s went together. 377 00:28:19.648 --> 00:28:21.249 So that's the two-stroke era. 378 00:28:21.269 --> 00:28:22.289 So I was on a 250. 379 00:28:24.013 --> 00:28:26.474 and basically I rode the race of my life. 380 00:28:26.555 --> 00:28:39.701 I almost won my class, so I end up fourth outright in the race and second in my class, and the guy that won was a guy by the name of David Bailey on a 500, Ricky Johnson on a 250. 381 00:28:39.761 --> 00:28:40.502 Ricky Johnson. 382 00:28:40.882 --> 00:28:47.846 David Thorpe, who was just the world champion on a 500, and I finished right behind him, and I was coming towards him. 383 00:28:47.866 --> 00:28:52.188 So another couple of laps, and I may have won it, so it stands out pretty strong. 384 00:28:52.993 --> 00:28:56.516 Even to this day, you can tell the way that you're talking about it. 385 00:28:56.877 --> 00:28:58.818 Is it the PJ bike that you've kept? 386 00:28:58.978 --> 00:29:02.101 Is that the one that is kind of the bike? 387 00:29:02.281 --> 00:29:03.462 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 388 00:29:03.802 --> 00:29:04.843 That and my first bike. 389 00:29:05.364 --> 00:29:13.190 But my current bike that I like to ride is a little Yamaha X-Max 300cc scooter that I ride down to the beach with my board shorts and my thongs. 390 00:29:13.210 --> 00:29:13.651 Yeah. 391 00:29:14.772 --> 00:29:16.373 You are a talkie local. 392 00:29:16.413 --> 00:29:31.964 That kind of naturally brings us to just, it is a business for you now, but clearly the love of that pure love of motorcycles today is the same as that kid that we spoke about at the beginning of this podcast, just in a different way as a team owner. 393 00:29:31.984 --> 00:29:32.985 Now, you still love them. 394 00:29:33.745 --> 00:29:35.446 It is in a different way, yeah. 395 00:29:35.626 --> 00:29:40.149 And to get on a motocross bike now gives me the heebie-jeebies to even think about. 396 00:29:40.449 --> 00:29:40.970 Does it? 397 00:29:40.990 --> 00:29:41.170 Yeah. 398 00:29:41.510 --> 00:29:43.031 It's the last thing I would want to do. 399 00:29:43.211 --> 00:29:47.614 I still have people come up and say, why don't you get back on and make a comeback? 400 00:29:47.634 --> 00:29:49.035 Mate, that was 30 years ago. 401 00:29:49.875 --> 00:29:50.436 It's a blur. 402 00:29:52.157 --> 00:29:59.202 But, yeah, but I do get my genuine passion is pulling it together every year, all the commercial side of things. 403 00:29:59.222 --> 00:30:00.063 Side of it. 404 00:30:00.243 --> 00:30:09.110 And not only the riders but the mechanics that work on the team, their guys are just, they've got the, to them, they've got the best job in the world. 405 00:30:09.170 --> 00:30:13.173 They're not working on dirty old quad bikes off a farm at a dealership. 406 00:30:13.294 --> 00:30:16.956 They're working on the pristine top of the level, top of the, 407 00:30:17.777 --> 00:30:19.181 bunch motocross bikes. 408 00:30:19.843 --> 00:30:25.358 So you're putting a lot of smiles on a lot of people's faces and that's what I get off on these days. 409 00:30:26.033 --> 00:30:26.413 Terrific. 410 00:30:26.453 --> 00:30:31.095 I'm pleased you brought up donations before too, because representing a country I know is something you're immensely proud of. 411 00:30:31.455 --> 00:30:33.095 I want to finish with a little funny story. 412 00:30:33.615 --> 00:30:37.716 I have been reliably informed. 413 00:30:37.797 --> 00:30:42.078 My source may or may not be your good mate, David Tapp, who's been a colleague of mine over the years. 414 00:30:42.238 --> 00:30:43.558 Here we go. 415 00:30:43.578 --> 00:30:46.839 There was a good catch up with some friends. 416 00:30:47.259 --> 00:30:47.719 You're in a cab. 417 00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:48.700 You're in a cab. 418 00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:49.480 You're 419 00:30:49.640 --> 00:30:50.721 from Barcelona. 420 00:30:51.881 --> 00:30:57.905 It's late at night, but the backstory is your luggage had been mucked around by British Airways. 421 00:30:58.065 --> 00:30:58.745 Is this correct? 422 00:30:58.765 --> 00:31:01.627 You were in – and you hadn't – you had no clothes. 423 00:31:02.007 --> 00:31:02.327 Had no clothes? 424 00:31:02.347 --> 00:31:02.928 You had no clothes. 425 00:31:02.948 --> 00:31:04.308 No, that went on for a week, yeah. 426 00:31:04.569 --> 00:31:05.649 It went on for a week. 427 00:31:05.829 --> 00:31:07.610 You weren't happy about it either, were you? 428 00:31:07.710 --> 00:31:10.412 I was dark as 10 men, mate. 429 00:31:10.772 --> 00:31:14.114 But you were in – I think, if I'm right, you borrowed his jeans. 430 00:31:14.254 --> 00:31:14.855 Is this true? 431 00:31:19.297 --> 00:31:21.379 The cab driver, naturally, is Spanish. 432 00:31:21.779 --> 00:31:23.001 He can't understand English. 433 00:31:23.461 --> 00:31:31.549 You desperately, after a fun night out with some blokes, need to stop by the roadside and drain a bit of fluid. 434 00:31:31.589 --> 00:31:37.574 Mate, it was the closest I've ever come to not making it, I can tell you. 435 00:31:37.674 --> 00:31:39.876 I almost grabbed the taxi driver by the back of the neck. 436 00:31:41.498 --> 00:31:42.799 And we just made it, I tell you. 437 00:31:42.859 --> 00:31:44.661 It was the hardest 10 seconds of my life. 438 00:31:45.085 --> 00:31:46.807 And a nervous David Tep with his jeans. 439 00:31:46.827 --> 00:31:48.669 I think that's very funny. 440 00:31:48.829 --> 00:31:50.591 That's a ripper way to finish. 441 00:31:50.772 --> 00:31:56.718 We haven't covered all the stories because I know there's even more that should rightly be reserved for a book. 442 00:31:56.758 --> 00:31:58.741 It has been wonderful to shoot the breeze with you, mate. 443 00:31:58.781 --> 00:32:01.864 Congratulations on all the titles you won as a writer. 444 00:32:02.565 --> 00:32:05.828 the titles that you've continued to win as a team owner. 445 00:32:05.948 --> 00:32:09.811 I was chuffed to see you inducted into the Hall of Fame. 446 00:32:09.831 --> 00:32:22.341 You've represented Australia and you're continuing to mentor, to foster young talent, be it in a mechanic sense, all those riders that continue to come through the CDR framework, mate. 447 00:32:22.381 --> 00:32:22.861 Well done. 448 00:32:23.382 --> 00:32:23.862 Thanks, mate. 449 00:32:23.882 --> 00:32:27.565 It's good to see you, Rusty, and it's a pleasure to hear that from you. 450 00:32:27.605 --> 00:32:28.286 Thank you very much. 451 00:32:35.974 --> 00:32:39.497 Rusty's Garage is written and presented by me, Greg Rust. 452 00:32:39.917 --> 00:32:42.859 Series editor and producer is Thomas Dullard. 453 00:32:43.179 --> 00:32:45.261 Audio production by Link Kelly. 454 00:32:45.681 --> 00:32:49.544 If you've got a guest suggestion, get in touch with me via social media. 455 00:32:50.224 --> 00:32:55.528 The Garage, that's where a journey begins with a tank full of passion-fuelled stories.