It has been a long road and an emotional rollercoaster for Jack to win the Arenacross championship. He had been chasing down that dream from the get-go at the very first AX back at the O2 in 2013 and had plenty of setbacks along the way, most notably the passing of his father Melvyn, who was always there at the races and every day between to support Jack. For most of us at Wembley, that night, seeing Jack win the championship will be a long-lasting memory, especially as it was also the first time an electric-powered motorcycle had won the pro championship.
It was an emotionally charged night at Wembley where you finally got it done. Now more time has passed, what are defining memories from that night?
Yeah, Wembley was a great night, one of the best of my life. It’s my local race and obviously I had a lot of family and friends come out to watch me finally get it done. I sought of knew that I was going to win the title coming into Wembley but with the double points at the final round there was a slim chance I wouldn’t. I just knew if I made into the final it was pretty much a done deal. It was more stressful in the daytime qualifying because I knew if I could get a good time and gate pick it would give more chance of staying out trouble. After the heat races and then hearing the news that my teammate Justin (Bogle) wasn’t going to go out in the final after picking up an injury the final was effectively my extended victory parade.
It was great that it panned out that way after all the years of trying because we had all the team from Stark Future Racing there to celebrate not only my first win but also theirs, which was of course a big deal for them. I wanted to do the best I could in the final and try and challenge or at least run with Soub (Cedric Soubeyras) and I was doing okay but I just kind of hit a wall with a few laps to go, I think just because of all the emotion and effort I put into to down the years and Jorge (Zaragoza) got by me, but I was okay with that because I knew getting on the podium was still a nice way to seal the deal in front of all the team and my friends and family.
You're now a factory supported rider with Stark Future Racing, what's that like? Everything you expected or more?
It’s more. Being around as long as I have in the sport I’ve seen from the outside looking in the resources available to factory riders but there’s more to it than that. The first time I went out to Spain to test it was just so well organised, from arriving at the airport to the when I got dropped off again. It’s the support network that comes with it and of course to have Seb (Tortelli) in your corner is awesome because he’s been there and got the tee shirt, more than once. I had such a good feeling on the bike as soon as I rode it so to get the chance to sign for them was a big deal for me, especially at my age. I didn’t really know where we were at with the bike going into the first round because we’d never raced it against petrol bikes and top-quality riders until then, so to come out and win the first round was the best race of the tour for me and the most emotional. I’d been trying my heart out for so long and trained so hard each year for AX to come around so to get my first win and for it to be Stark’s too was special.
AX comes round just a couple of months a year, so what's your program between each tour?
I still ride and train all year round. I like to try and stay sharp and fit. I enjoy training and do cross-fit at High Wycombe with a good group of people. I ride a CR500 for the S.Briggs team throughout the motocross season and then occasionally a more modern bike at selected meetings. I enjoy riding the evo races on the older bikes, mostly because it’s more chilled and the vibe is really good. I don’t have the same pressure I do at AX to win or get the results but I seem to do quite well on the big 500 and it definitely keeps me bike fit. In between that I still ride my Stark as much as I can on John Slade’s track which is now easier because I don’t have to worry about noise and can get out on the track in the summer evenings. We put a lot of effort into the track and lots of hours on it as we get nearer the Arenacross starting. Justin (Barclay) and Alfie (Smith) usually come in and freshen the track up so we can train and prepare properly for the series. Now I’m racing for Stark I also have the opportunity to jump on a plane and go and ride their track in Barcelona when the weather gets bad here and I’ll be doing a few races for Stark in Italy and France. Of course, in between all that I like to spend as much time as I can with my family, that’s the most important thing to me.
What's your favourite thing about AX?
Everyone comes together in a close little group. The riders, the mechanics, their families, the Arenacross crew, and everyone gets on…most of the time! There’s a nice vibe about Arenacross, and I almost look forward to that each year as much as I do racing it. It’s cool to go to all the different cities and all experience that together and know that thousands of people are making the effort to come out and watch us, and when you don’t have the best of nights, you’ve got good people all around you to lift you back up.
Do you think AX helps British riders and the industry in the UK?
Yeah I do. I think the biggest thing it helps with as a racer and athlete is the potential for more support either from the industry or outside it. It gives us a chance to earn more money and puts us in front of a load of people who maybe would be at a motocross race. You can bring your sponsors along to watch a genuine event that’s entertaining and easy to follow in the warm and dry with a good seat and nicer toilets!
What’s your thoughts on AX expanding and becoming a World Tour?
I’m excited about it. It’s hard not to be really because it’s taking it to the level. They’re big on motorsport in Abu Dhabi and I know how hard Matt (Bates) has been working on trying to expand Arenacross over the years, so I appreciate and applaud his efforts in finally making it happen. It’s a big deal for us British riders to go to the Middle East and hopefully other countries in the near future because if nothing else it’s just good life experience, but if we can also help put our sport more on the map on a global scale and get more investment coming in it will be cool to be part of that and the positivity. When I do step away from racing, I’d like to see it in a healthy place so the next generation like little John (Slade) can make a decent career out of it and riders are rewarded more for the effort it takes.
