EXCLUSIVE: Interview Jason Pridmore
by Dean Adams
Copyright ©1998

AMASuperbike.com spoke with Jason Pridmore recently about his tumultuous 1998 racing season and the way his Vance and Hines Ducati ride developed. Pridmore is on the provisional pole for tomorrow's race at PPIR.

Q. This ride actually isn't your first Ducati Superbike ride, is it, Jason?

A. Well, in 1995 I bought a Ducati Superbike intending to race it that season. I broke my leg in the off-season and actually never really rode the bike. It sat in my garage all season long.

Q. Acclimating to the power of a Superbike hasn't seemed to be much of a problem for you.

A. Well, the speed didn't bother me at all. I thought it would but it hasn't so much. The problem I have had with the Ducati is in transitions from right to left. That's been tough but the Vance and Hines team, these guys know their business and they've been helping me along. It been getting better.

Q. How about qualifying tires, has that been a tough acclimation? It can be for newbie Superbike riders.

A. Yes, you're right, that has been tough. I think I've only been on a qualifying tire probably twice in my life, and I crashed on one at Phoenix. It's hard to get used to the traction, and the short life span.

Q. You're season has been so turbulent. How'd you keep the faith?

A. Well, a lot of my friends and fans were keeping in touch with me during the whole HyperCycle deal and I want to state now that that made a real difference. I was getting Email from people on the Internet, phone calls and faxes from people just saying, you know, 'chin up'. Suzuki has been great in all of this, really. They've been so supportive. It all means a lot to me.

Not a lot of people know it but Mel Harris, the president of Suzuki, actually called me and asked me if I wanted to ride Terry Vance's Ducati.

Terry had called him. I guess Suzuki felt so bad about my 98 season so far they wanted to make amends. I think that just shows what great people they are and how far they'll go to help people.

Q. How did you view the whole HyperCycle deal? Did you think the AMA was at fault, or Carry Andrew or what?

A. I went through the whole gamut of emotions and opinions on that situation. One week I would think the AMA was screwed, the next I thought it was HyperCycle. I don't know what to say.

I do know that there is no way to describe what it means to ride your heart out in race and persevere, win, and then days later learn that the bike was illegal and you are disqualified. It is so disheartening. It just takes all the wind out of your sails.

And it also hurt my confidence for me to ask members of that team, 'Is the bike legal? You're sure?,' and have them lie right to your face. Look you in the eye and lie right to your face. Because the bike obviously wasn't legal. That sucked.

Q. We did an interview years ago, when you were beating Scott Russell in 750 Supersport, where you stated that it was your lifetime goal to become the first father/son Superbike champion (Jason's dad, Reggie, won the title in the mid-1970s). Is that still your goal?

A. Yes, absolutely, Dean. I think that'd really be something special. I have so many fond memories of my dad's racing career, you and I have talked about this before, that I think for me to follow in his footsteps in that way would be fantastic.

Q. What is your favorite memory of your dad's racing career?

A. Probably when I was real young, like seven, and hugging him on the podium at the Isle of Man. The crowd was going crazy and it was really just very special.

Q. I've heard that the HyperCycle turmoil has completely destroyed your golf game. Is that true? (Pridmore is an accomplished scratch golfer and is some you absolutely do not want to bet money with on a golf game.)

A. Yeah, you're right, my golf game is in the dumper right now. I just think the stress from the HyperCycle thing took its toll. Golf is something that I take pretty seriously, I expect to have some involvement in professional golfing after my racing career is over, and this isn't helping things.