Craig Dack Interview. July 08

Craig Dack's success on the motocross track has continued off the track as team principal for Craig Dack Racing (CDR). The premier team in motocross and supercross competition in Australia, CDR's success has been inextricably linked to Dack's passion for the team, the sport and its future in this country.

- Four time Mr Motocross champion.
- Two time 250 AND 500cc Australian Motocross champion.
- 250cc NZ Motocross champion.
- Three time Manjimup 500 winner.
- Six time Australian representative at the MX des Nations.

So where did that passion begin. . . . ?

JUST BIKES: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us today. For those readers not familiar with your beginnings in motocross, tell us where it all started for you.

CRAIG DACK: Well, basically it started with a little mini bike hire place, near where I lived in the Western Suburbs of Sydney. My Dad used to take me there every Saturday morning, and you used to be able pay - $5 a session, I think - and get an hour of riding around the circuit, so it started from there.

After about six months of going to that hire place, I convinced my Dad to buy me a bike. My parents said "Well, if you save up half the money for a bike, we'll pay the rest." So I ended up getting a paper run, and bits & pieces. It took me about 7 or 8 months to save up half the money I needed. . . .I surprised them actually. They didn't know I was saving, so I once got to half the amount, I walked out one day, threw the money on the table and said "Okay, let's go get a bike!"

JB: So that gave them a bit of an ultimatum!

CD: Yeah, well it did! (laughs) We'll see if he's true to his word, my old man - and he was!

JB: So what was that first bike?

CD: A Honda QA-50

JB: Your own success as a rider has already been well documented, so let's move on to CDR itself. A lot of people, both inside and outside the sport, would regard CDR as the premier team in motocross. Several teams have come and gone since you started back in 1993, so what do you think has made the team so enduring and successful?

CD: Although we've had a lean past couple of years with rider injuries, all in all, over the period of 15 years we've been running it, we've been the winningest team in the sport.

Insofar as being an asset to the team, I guess, being an ex-rider, I can communicate with the riders quite well and understand what they're going through. I probably have a natural eye for talent, just from being around (the sport) for so long.

But I also have a really good balance (of people), too. I've got Gary Benn, our chief technician. He and I have been together for over 20 years now.

Shawn Hodgetts and Daniel McFarlane (technicians) have both been really good staff members. Shawn's been with me for about 10 years. So I've been able to keep that 'continuity' going for the future of the team, thanks to some really good people.

I've always had a driving factor with CDR in that every year I try to do a little bit 'more', to try and improve the team. For the last couple of years, I've introduced the hospitality unit, which is what we've set up at the races, plus things like CDR Performance. . . . .

I'm also very lucky to be with Yamaha. I've been with Yamaha for 25 years now. So, it's been a 'loyalty' thing. . .I can remember when I was racing, people used to say to me all the time "loyalty, loyalty, loyalty to your sponsors". It's been that long now, and all the sponsors I have now are pretty much all the sponsors I had when I was racing, so I find now that all that loyalty I showed is coming back to me.

JB: On that association with Yamaha, in all the time that CDR has been in operation, has another manufacturer approached you with a view to switching camps?

CD: Yes, I did have someone approach me from a different manufacturer about 10 years ago. I had a couple of discussions, but weighing it all up, I decided to stay with Yamaha - because of that loyalty factor.

JB: Three rounds into this year's MX Nationals, with new rider Jay Marmont a possibility to be leading the championship after the next (Raymond Terrace, NSW) round, are you confident for what's coming up?

CD: I am confident. I'm 100% confident in our riders.

CD (continued): Cheyne Boyd has had a bit of shaky start to the championship (see picture from round 1. Ouch! - Ed.) He's recovering from a lot of injuries he had last year, but he's starting to get some momentum now.

JB: How about Jay Marmont?

CD: I had my eye on Jay for a couple of years, but circumstances didn't allow me to hire him. The biggest asset that Jay has is that he's a very, very determined person - he has a very big heart. I know he's putting 100% into it, and I know we are as well. It's very close this year - Craig Anderson (Honda), Daryl Hurley (Suzuki) and Jay seem to be the three up there. . . . I think the championship will come down to which one of those three guys. . . whoever makes the least amount of mistakes. That's what we're really focused on - keeping that consistency going and making sure nothing can go wrong.

JB: Looking at CDR, you started managing the team 15 years ago now. What's the biggest change you've seen in the sport between then and now?

CD: When we started this team, we were sort of the pioneers of a full-blown race team in motocross/supercross in Australia. All the other manufacturers had teams, but they were kind of 'token teams'. We were the first ones to get a big truck and hire some mechanics and get a formalised structure to the team. We were (exclusively) like that for about three or four years.

But the biggest thing I've seen in the past four or five years is that the motorcycle industry has gone through the roof in terms of motorcycle sales and accessory sales - the whole industry's boomed. That's been the biggest thing that I've seen. That's also made it a lot more competitive. The team structures that all the manufacturers have now are very strong - we don't stand out like we did in the early '90sand we're not head & shoulders above everybody in terms of infrastructure anymore. That's been the biggest thing I've seen.

JB: I can remember even a few years ago when it was a case of CDR - First, Daylight - Second & Third, but the challenge seems much greater now.

CD: Yeah, there was a period there, several years ago, when Yamaha brought out the new-generation four stroke, the first full-blown MX bike, so to speak. We were lucky to have a couple of years there with really, really good equipment, but that gap's closed up a bit. Yamaha are still, I believe, the strongest product out there, but the gap has closed.

With the industry booming, that means there's more money around, it means the manufacturers are selling more and more bikes, so it's important for manufacturers to support their teams to try and win races and sell bikes on Monday. There's a lot more emphasis on winning now than there ever was.

JB: Do you think that boom has been responsible for non-industry sponsors, like Nokia and ROCKSTAR, coming on board?

CD: I certainly think the 'light' has been turned on motocross for the corporate world now more than it ever has. I think Chad Reed, doing what he's done in the US, has given our sport a lot of good notoriety, too. But, in saying that, it doesn't matter how good your sport is, the sponsors don't come running, you've really got to work on them. That's what we've always focused on - trying to identify a corporation that can 'fit' our market & demographic - but you've got to chase them!

JB: Looking at the MX side of things, are you happy with the state of the sport at the moment?

CD: I think that WEM (Williams Event Management) and Kevin Williams have, in the last five or six years, really lifted the professionalism of motocross. The way he runs the MX Nationals events, and the way it's been going and gaining more and more notoriety each year has been very positive for the industry. We have a solid nine round motocross championship now, and hopefully this year we'll have a solid seven round supercross championship. As far as a race schedule for motocross & supercross, it's a pretty good schedule compared to anything in the world.

JB: The main change in the championship this year would have to be the addition of ROCKSTAR Energy Drink, who are on board in a big way, with yourself, the MX Nationals, and a lot of extreme sports. Tell us how the ROCKSTAR deal came about.

CD: Well, it goes back a couple of years. Initially, I was watching the energy drink market and I noticed a couple of years ago that ROCKSTAR, Monster Energy, Red Bull and all those energy drink companies were really targeting motocross and supercross in the US, so I just kept my focus on that and was waiting on when they would come here to Australia. That was the first step. The second is back when I got the Nokia deal (major team sponsor for CDR from 2005-2007), I helped Kevin Williams of WEM get naming rights with Nokia for the series as well. That helped a lot with the marketing. For a company to have naming rights for a championship as well as a team, it gave us different ways to leverage that.

After Nokia left, Kevin Williams actually had a contact with ROCKSTAR, and he gave me the heads up, so we linked up again. So, Kevin was the one who really helped me cement that deal.

JB: So, if ROCKSTAR didn't come on board as team sponsor, did you have any other options in the pipeline?

CD: No, we didn't. It started fairly early last year, so I actually got to the point where I was very confident that it was going to get across the line, so I didn't start looking (for options) any more. Then I just really focused on what ROCKSTAR wanted to achieve, and put a deal together that they were happy with.

JB: The 'CDR Performance' range of parts and engine kits is a new element to the team, which a lot of our readers probably haven't heard of. Tell us a bit about that.

CD: OK, up until about three years ago, we were getting a lot of special internal engine parts and other parts from the US and also Europe. The cost of those parts was getting astronomical, so I sat the team down and really wanted them to change their focus to bring all of our development 'in-house'. . . . and to help train our staff as well. Gary, Shawn and all the mechanics have always done their work on 2-stroke motorcycles. So, as the 4-stroke evolution came along, I felt like our guys didn't have enough information. I felt that, if we did our own development in-house, they'd have to learn and grow as mechanics. When we did that over the course of a couple of years, it got to the point where our bikes were performing better - at a cheaper cost - just through us doing our own development, so the results were very positive. As time went on, the discussion grew, and the idea of using these parts to develop kits (to suit YZ 4-strokes) came out of that. Part of my theory was "'if you're a Yamaha YZ owner, why look any further?" This is what we do every day of the week - developing YZ 450 & 250F engines. If you want a performance kit, these are the same as what we run in our race bikes. It's another thing that Yamaha owners can look at.

JB: So, if some of the other Yamaha riders in the MX Nationals want to use these parts, you don't have any objections?

CD: Not at all. We support the Yamaha national Under 19s team with their 250Fs. We're also helping Yamaha's Junior Development Teams around Australia with kit parts. And if any other Yamaha rider, or team wants to buy a CDR Performance kit, we would help them. So they'd have the same opportunities, in that respect, as we've got. We want it to be similar to the Stone Brothers in V8 Supercars. . . . . .we want to see ourselves being similar to that.

JB: With things like CDR Performance and the corporate hospitality initiatives, you seem to be on the cutting edge of innovation - thinking outside the square, if you will - when it comes to what a race team can do. Would you agree with that?

CD: I would like to think so. I don't think I'm such a world pioneer of it. . . . I keep my eye on a lot of things around the world and see what trends are happening. I like every facet of sport. I like cricket, football, motor racing. . .I just love sport. So, whenever I'm watching any sport, I'm sort of working out what those sports are 'doing', picking a little bit from each sport, and sometimes put a puzzle together, to bring it into our sport to go that next step. So I guess it's just being vigilant on what's going on around the world and what current trends are. The corporate hospitality thing you mentioned was, I think, a big thing for our team, and it's been a great success. This is the second year we've run it, and it just builds momentum every race - this weekend we've got 45 guests coming. And the unique thing about ours is that the suite . . . . unlike other sports, is part of our truck set-up, so the guests can eat and drink and be entertained while they watch the mechanics working on the bikes, literally right alongside them.
All the guests who come seem to have a really good time and they go away with a really good feeling about the team, and they spread that word about our sport and our team and we think that just helps us gain more fans and more notoriety.

JB: Is that sort of innovation something that comes easy, or is it hard work to come up with those new ideas and new ways to build your team and the sport.

CD: No, I find it quite easy . . . . I would never do anything I'm not passionate about. I think that, for anything you do in life, the passion is the most powerful driving force that you can have. For example, there was a period there in the early days with Yamaha where I was approached to maybe do something with the road race team. Although I love road racing, my passion wasn't in that, so at the end of the day I didn't take that on. Although the opportunities were there to do it, I just didn't feel like I had that driving passion to do it. In anything I do, I make sure it's accompanied with passion. and usually, when you've got that, you'll do OK.

JB: Looking at freestyle motocross (FMX), and guys like Cam Sinclair and Robbie Maddison, and even Robbie Marshall - who has a foot in both camps - do you think the growth of the FMX scene, and the money and lifestyle it offers, is pulling some potentially great racers away from the sport?

CD: (pause) Mmmm, no I don't. I think that. . . with a lot of the freestyle guys, it's at least giving riders some options now. Maybe, before the freestyle revolution came along, those guys may have thought "this is getting too expensive to go racing", and "I don't think I'm really going to make it" and they might leave the sport completely and go in a different direction. But now this (FMX) has allowed those that don't fit into a racing career to go "OK, well I don't think this was really for me - I might try the freestyle thing" and they go bang "that works for me". I think that freestyle has been a huge benefit for the whole industry. I think, in the early days, it may have had a little bit of a negative vibe about it, due to some of the behaviour, but now I like a lot of those guys, they're really professional, and they've brought a lot of outside-industry sponsors to the sport, and it's given our sport a whole other dimension.

JB: You were at the Crusty Demons Night of World Records back in March. What did you think of the whole spectacle and particularly the crowd (almost 30,00) that it pulled?

CD: That was the first time I'd really been to a full-on Crusty show . . and I loved it! I thought it was fantastic. I think you've always got to respect and admire something that you can't do, and I watch those guys now and can't even fathom how they could do that. Having been a professional racer, I've got so much respect for the skill of those guys and what they do. The crowd added a lot of atmosphere, too - they have some serious fans! So, yeah, I enjoyed it a lot.

JB: Getting back to racing, CDR haven't had a rider in the Pro Lites class of the MX Nationals for a few years now - is there any particular reason for that?

CD: Yeah, unfortunately, it wasn't something I wanted to happen. We found it to be a really good development program, fostering riders through up into the main 450 class. But Yamaha, a few years ago, assigned Serco as the Pro Lites team. I guess it was just a case of spreading their resources out, instead of feeding it all into one person. That has proven to be successful for Yamaha for a couple of years, but from my own point of view, it was a decision I was disappointed with, because the (Pro Lites) program we had in the past was very successful and we were always good doing it.

JB: Moving on to Supercross. With Chad Reed being the new face and financing of the Aussie SX series this year, what are thoughts on Chad getting involved, and is it something the team are looking forward to?

CD: We are looking forward to it. Supercross has been a bit of a problem in past years, and we certainly need to take on any opportunities to get supercross back on track. Rush Sports - the company that promote the Crusty Demons shows - have gone into a joint agreement with Chad Reed.

While he won't be a part of the day-to-day running of the series, Chad's whole purpose is to race here, and to give the series that "Chad Reed" factor, which means a lot of interest from the fans and media. Anybody who knows anything about dirt bikes will know who Chad Reed is! We get to see him on websites and television, but we don't get to see the world's best supercross rider live. And this will be an opportunity to do that. I think it's a very positive move for the sport, the fans, and everybody involved. I've had several meetings with the guys from Rush Sports, and they have a lot of interest in making it work. They're here for the long term, and I hope the industry gets behind it and supports them . . . because we need it.

JB: You must be glad to see Chad's wrapped up another AMA SX championship?

CD: Yeah, I spoke to him two days after he won the championship, and throughout the year, and I knew how hard a time he was having.

Generally, your readers wouldn't get to hear all the ins and outs of what goes on. From what they see, it all looks good and rosy, but underneath, he had a very, very difficult season. He had quite a few more injuries than people knew about. He had a wrist injury. . . I think his wrist was broken for the first part of the championship. And he had a lot of unfortunate crashes at the wrong time, so he said it was a really difficult year for him. It looked rosy when (James) Stewart pulled out at the beginning and (Ricky) Carmichael retired, but in the end it was a pretty tough championship.

JB: Do you think Reed would have been disappointed to not have the chance to face off against Carmichael and Stewart - and beat them fair and square?

CD: Absolutely. Knowing Chad as well as I do, he's up for any challenge, so I know Chad would rather have done it with those guys there. He wasn't that comfortable last year, but I know that this year he was really ready for it. He was really happy with the bike and his head was in a good spot, so I reckon if either of those guys were there this year, it would have been a really, really good championship.

JB: Still on Chad, he's without doubt the best Supercross rider this country's produced. If you could identify one thing that sets him apart from other Aussies who've tried to make it overseas, what would it be?

CD: It's always hard to point one thing out with someone, but what you've always got to look back at with any true champion is how they were brought up. I know Chad's parents - his Mum is a really nice-natured, gentle, easygoing person, and his Dad is a concreter. He's a hardworker. . . . a hard taskmaster. So he never 'gave' Chad the new bikes and new tyres that some of the other juniors had. He believes in hard work, and passed those ethics on to Chad. So, I see Chad now and see those same qualities - he's just a very focused and determined person.

I remember when I was working with him in the 'States, we'd go up into the stands - this is back when Chad was riding in the Supercross Lites class - and watch the the guys in the Supercross open class practice with him. I'd say to Chad "see how Carmichael goes through that corner and over those whoops" Chad would go "yeah", and I'd say "Well, that's the fastest line".

So, in his next practice, Chad would have the unique ability to go straight out there and emulate that line he watched earlier. He has a very 'analytical' brain in that respect - or what you could call 'unassumingly smart' - he has this sort of natural ability to see a problem, work it out and put the solution into action.

Accompanying that is a real determination. When he rode for us here, his focus was always on going to America. Basically, he went to Europe first, because he couldn't get a ride in the US initially, and had a factory ride with Kawasaki there, so, with that as his focus, he just packed up his bags, took his girlfriend and off he went - and made it happen.

JB: So that determination has been a big part of his success?

CD: I think that's been one of the biggest things. He's always had his sights on the big picture, not the smaller stuff. I mean, comparing me as a rider, I went over to Europe, I did a bit in America, but I never made the full commitment to go and do those things. I was happy to stay here in Australia with the comforts that home offered, whereas Chad had a mindset of "I don't want to deal with all this 'small time' - I'm going straight to the top".

JB: Seeing guys like Geoff Ballard still riding around in veteran classes, have you ever been tempted yourself to get out there and ride regularly in competition?

CD: Not really. I still love riding, and still go for a ride here and there every now and again. I prefer to trailride more these days. . . . . I'm 43 now, and my body's OK, but I don't want to take that risk with injuries anymore - I've had a fair few over my career!

And when you're a competitive professional motocross rider, you're riding the bloody bikes every day of the week. The reason why you give up in the end is because you get tired of it. So, I just like to pick and choose my rides now and keep it on a very casual basis.

JB: Coming back to this season, you've obviously been keeping an eye on the junior riders this year. Is there anyone who 's impressed in the qualifier rounds of the Yamaha Under 19s so far ?

CD: There's one rider that we've had an eye on, helping him with his bike a bit, and doing what we can with, and that's Ross Beaton.

He's a Tasmanian kid, and Tasmania's never had a superstar motocross rider come out of there. He's got some good qualities. He's had a very good, simple, family upbringing. So, yeah, he's someone we've got our eye on.

From year to year, or season to season, we keep our eye on some young guys, so when we see a bit of talent there, we help them along a bit, over the next couple of years or something like that, and watch for when we think the time is right to try and get them onto our team.

JB: Well, as an extension of that, what would be the best bit of advice you could give to a junior rider who's looking to move up into the national classes?

CD: It's a harsh sport, don't kid yourself otherwise. It's a difficult sport and it requires so much time and commitment from the family. It requires a hell of a lot of mental preparation and a hell of a lot of physical preparation.

It's an expensive sport, too - there can be some huge costs involved.

In saying all that, by identifying those factors, you know you're going to have to put in 100% to get there.

But it can be done, though - look at Chad Reed, he's a classic example of what you can achieve. He came from a background where there wasn't lots and lots of money to throw at it. He came from Kurri Kurri, out in the 'boondocks' of Newcastle, but just had that grit and determination. And I think that's what you need. . . that's a key factor - just keep trying, keep plugging away. You're going to get a lot more negatives for the first part of your career than positives. But that's where you need to be able to pick yourself, dust yourself off and keep going.

JB: OK, let's finish with a few rapid-fire questions. Pick your favourites from the following:

AFL or NRL? AFL

Holden or Ford? Holden

MOTOGP/World Superbikes?MOTOGP

Cinema or DVD? DVD - but I'll never see the whole thing because I can't stay awake!

Beach or Bush You've got me there. . . . . I'll say beach in Summer and bush in Winter!

Beer or Spirits? Beer

BBQ or restaurantBBQ at home

JB: Finally, if you could have a beer with anyone - living or dead - who would it be and why?

CD: (pause) Hmmm, probably Ayrton Senna would be a good one. He made a big impact on me in his racing career, and I just liked his style. He had a unique style to him. . . a great character.

JB: Thanks very much for your time, Craig and all the best for the team for the season ahead.

CD: Thanks mate, cheers.