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Johnny Lewis reflects on first two
supermoto races Eighteen year-old organizes and manages new race team; Team updates name to EVOLVE[moto] to reflect its vision
Coatesville, Penn. (April 25, 2008) – At the beginning of this year, promising supermoto racer and decorated amateur dirt track rider Johnny Lewis didn’t know if he would be able to compete in the entire AMA Supermoto series. He was left without a ride. Within six weeks, 18 year-old Lewis organized a private team, hired a new mechanic, secured a publicity agent, and headed to California on March 15 to set-up his bikes, ride, test, and compete in two events.
Lewis reflected on this experience after returning home recently from southern California. Q: How did your 2007 racing program go during the AMA Supermoto Championship? A: Last year was my second full season racing the AMA Supermoto Championship, although I rode a few of the AMA Lites races after turned 16 years-old in 2005. Mitch Hansen at HMC/KTM picked me up at age 16 straight from the AMA Sports Dirt Track amateur series. Until this season, I only raced for Mitch and his team. Last year was an up and down year. After winning my first professional AMA Supermoto race at the end of 2006 I felt the AMA Supermoto Unlimited Championship wasn't an impossible task. A few small mistakes in a short 10-race series hurt my chances. I didn’t even break the top three in the championship. All and all 2007 was a good year for me, I learned a lot and it made me look above and beyond a factory team.
For a rider at my age or any age it’s hard going to a race and having a different person putting on your wheels, tightening your brakes, and making adjustments. For me the trust wasn’t there with the bikes since I didn’t have the same mechanic all year. Even though everyone I worked with last year I liked every much and know they gave 120% effort. But at our level of racing you have to be one with your bikes and have a consistent, trusting relationship with your mechanic to be in the championship hunt.
Q: How has the experience been building a new team from the ground up? A: The experience of building my own team is something I have only dreamt about, which started to become reality in January. I had notebooks filled with ideas from what bikes to who would be part of the team. When I began this whole deal in February I thought it was impossible. I knew the sponsorship season was long over and companies already had their budgets tied up. Once I started to tell people about my program, the team’s goals, and the direction we see the team heading, companies saw that we weren’t just looking for product or cash. They saw that we understood the importance of branding our sponsors, our team, and growing supermoto.
Q: Why did you decide to head out to California in March? A: It was about one month after I met Bryan Peckinpaugh with MotoPR at the Indy Dealer Show [when we agreed to work together] that I decided to head to California. I only had two 2008 Yamaha YZ250Fs in the back of the race truck. One of the bikes was just a frame with the suspension sent out to RG3 and the motor at Dubach Racing Development. My whole idea behind leaving was that I needed to ride since the last time I rode supermoto was at the Morongo Casino in November [the final 2007 AMA round]. Plus, almost everything I needed was in California. When we got there, Brandon Currie [of the Graves Yamaha team] offered to hang out at his house and use his garage to build the bikes. Without the support of him and his family, we would have been building my race bikes out of the back of the truck parked in some lot.
Q: What did you and your new mechanic Jason Isennock do before the first race? A: Leading up to the first race, I still hadn’t ridden much supermoto due to not having all the bike parts. With the change of the Moto X World Championships not being an AMA round we were rushing to figure out what to race since my YZ250F would have been down on power compared to the 450s. So I mentioned this to Doug Dubach [of Dubach Racing Development] that I was going to race my 250 in San Diego, and he willingly offered one of his own personal Yamaha YZ450Fs. So for 24 hours Jason and I rushed to get everything for the 450 that we needed and swapped out our supermoto wheels and suspension from the 250. It was a struggle, but everything came together and we got it ready. We even got the slipper clutch from Joey at STM about one hour before the first practice at Stateline!
Q: How was the Stateline Supermoto Challenge weekend? A: It was my first time racing at Stateline. Last year I missed it due to a broken wrist. It was exciting to see the amount of riders at an event, from pros to amateurs to ATV, and even the side-by-sides (which was won by Brandon Currie’s neighbor and Joey from STM). It was a first for a lot of things that weekend. First time on a Yamaha, first time on a 450cc bike in a long time, first time working with Jason my mechanic, and first time I got to show Bryan [Peckinpaugh] how I rode. We had a few ups and downs that weekend for a normal rider, but for me it was always up. I led Brandon Currie and Kurt Nicoll in the first heat race until making a mistake in the dirt section late in the race and losing a few spots. I got faster each and every time on the bike from heat to heat and final to final. I was more and more comfortable with Jason and my bike. Even though my results weren’t the best, I knew what we had to do to improve for the first AMA Supermoto round.
Q: What did you do the week leading up to ESPN Navy Moto X World Championships? A: The time in between Stateline and Moto X flew. We arrived in San Diego Monday night and in no time it was Friday when we were practicing and qualifying for the SuperMoto race. I didn’t go ride supermoto or motocross like many other riders. Decided it would be best to sit down with Bryan to go over things [for the team and our marketing plans]. Wednesday we met with a possible sponsor. Thursday I met with Brett Nunn from NSS Footwear, who has really stepped in to support our program. The same day we parked the truck at Qualcomm Stadium. After we got set-up, I was asked to test the track with Mark Burkhart and Brandon Currie. It was great to ride some of the track early and get more exposure for the team. Friday the Moto X qualifying began!
Q: How did the Navy Moto X World Championships turn out? A: When I left my house on March 15, I was planning on racing the AMA Supermoto Lites class at this event. On the way to California I heard that it wasn’t going to include an AMA Supermoto round. With the time that we had to get the YZ450F together I am really pleased with how the race weekend went. I wasn’t planning on racing Jeff Ward, Mark Burkhart, and Troy Herfoss. I thought my biggest competition was going to be Brandon Currie on the factory Graves Yamaha. I left the weekend with a 13th place check, one place out of the 12-rider main event. We as a team received a lot of attention and also had some good TV time in the LCQ. I feel like the event for us as a team, and our sponsors, was very successful. We know what we need to do by July 13!
Q: What are your plans for the next two months before the opening round of the XBux/AMA Supermoto Championships on July 13 in Seattle? A: From the trip out West I managed to get a really good idea on what I have to accomplish before July, as a rider and team manager. Since my return home the weather has been great in Pennsylvania. The first two days back, I got in some motocross riding, ran eight miles, and started ordering parts and figuring out the details of the team. At the first round we will have new bike graphics, race truck graphics, a cool pit area set up with fan giveaways, and much more. We are going to stand out with our program and I am very excited for round one to show everyone what our team is about, on and off the track!
Q: What is your goal for the XBux/AMA Supermoto Lites Championship? A: I am excited about this season more than ever. I finally don’t have the pressure like in the past. I actually have more goals this year than ever have. I feel that with the people behind me and the support that I should be able to fight for the XBux/AMA Supermoto Lites Championship. And my goal as a team manager is to bring more attention to supermoto, get more people involved, bring outside companies into the series, and show everyone that Supermoto is the next best sport.
Q: Do you have anyone you would like to thank? A: There are thousands of people who helped me along the way, on and off the track. First my dad, and everyone else from when I started racing at six years-old. For this season I can’t thank the companies and people enough, Bryan Peckinpaugh, Doug Dubach, Terry Beal, Jason Isennock, AXO, NSS Footwear, Shoei, Ogio, RG3, ProTaper, Beringer Brake Systems, Silkolene, Pit Posse, Out Law Racing, Ride Engineering, East Coast Wheels, Kicker, Fluidyne PowerSports, ASV Inventions, Scott Power Sports, Victory Circle Graphix, Regina Chains, Pro Moto Billet/Fastway, K&N Filters, Universal Engineering, Supermoto Pro, V.I.O., Access Media Lab, Park Tools USA, and Fitness Anywhere. Also like to thank Rob Smith, Schaeffer Harley Davidson, and every one of the people that support my dreams, especially family and friends.
Recently Lewis’ team has updated its name to EVOLVE[moto] to more closely reflect its vision. The word evolve means to result, unfold, emerge, develop, and grow; actions that are the team’s primary efforts. A web site is being built for www.evolvemoto.com which currently has an “under construction” message.
About Team EVOLVE[moto] Team EVOLVE[moto] is a motorcycle race team dedicated to building a championship-winning formula and setting new standards for independent teams with an extensive marketing program. Its team manager and lead rider, Johnny Lewis, will campaign the XBux/AMA Supermoto Championship in the Lites Class along with other select races. The team is made possible by Dubach Racing Development, AXO, NSS Footwear, Shoei, Ogio, RG3, ProTaper, Beringer Brake Systems, Silkolene, Pit Posse, Out Law Racing, Ride Engineering, East Coast Wheels, Kicker, Fluidyne PowerSports, ASV Inventions, Scott Power Sports, Victory Circle Graphix, Regina Chains, Pro Moto Billet/Fastway, K&N Filters, Universal Engineering, Supermoto Pro, V.I.O., Access Media Lab, Park Tools USA, and Fitness Anywhere. Visit www.evolvemoto.com.
About MotoPR Detroit, Michigan-based Moto Public Relations, LLC (MotoPR) is a public relations and marketing firm concentrating on the motorcycle arena of action sports. Its priority is to create great interest by the corporate and mass media sector in motorcycle racing while providing athletes, teams and other properties the tools to maximize appeal. To learn more about its services, visit www.motopr.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Bryan Peckinpaugh 313.575.1245
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