Jack Miller interview
Factory Ducati MotoGP rider Jack Miller loaned his star power to the Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship over the weekend at The Bend and helped to make the season finale the biggest and best in memory, and that was, essentially, all down to him.
Wayne Maxwell may have won the day and championship in dominant fashion but the people’s champion was certainly Jack Miller, and Maxwell is fine with that. As are all of us that invest so much time, energy and yes, money, in getting behind ASBK and doing what we can to ensure its success.
It was also Jack Miller putting his own money behind his appearance here. Purchased his own bike to race, borrowed a spare, and crewed the weekend with his mates from Townsville. It was his decision to race, his decision to try and put something together to make that happen. The organisers didn’t pay him to be here, and while the likes of Red Bull and Ducati probably helped along the way, it was still largely his money and his reputation on the line. And he was just doing it for a bit of fun and to help build a little more excitement around ASBK.
His attitude across the weekend was so very humble and while he didn’t win the races, he won even more hearts and minds.
I have often written about how generous Jack is with sharing his house, time and toys with just about every young racer that has gone to Europe in recent years. Particularly young Billy van Eerde who Jack even helped spin some spanners for this weekend between his own sessions.
Billy raced the event on a seven-year-old borrowed bike so could certainly not put his best foot forward on home soil, but like Jack, he just got stuck in and added his own little bit to the event. As did Harrison Voight, again on a borrow motorcycle with limited set-up time.
Jack’s housemate in Andorra during the European season, and close friend, Josh Hook, 2018 FIM World Endurance Champion, raced a Penrite Honda on the weekend which also helped add a little more star power to the proceedings, even if some problems plagued him come race day.
I had largely left Jack Miller alone during the weekend, he was in hot demand, and I wanted to let him do his job and sort the various problems that cropped up for him over the course of the weekend without another interruption from me. He was certainly approachable enough and magnanimous to all that called upon him over the weekend, but I wanted to wait until after the racing had ended before having a chat with him and reflecting on the weekend that was.
Trevor Hedge: How did you enjoy the weekend?
Jack Miller: “It was a mega turn out, I mean unreal to see so many bike fans here, it’s amazing for Australia and for Aussie motorsport, they’ve had a lull in the last couple of years, with not too much racing during COVID. Even these guys haven’t been able to do too much stuff on the national series, so it’s amazing to see it back up and running and finish the year out like it did and to crown Wayno properly. And Broc Pearson take out Supersport, it was fantastic to see all that go down and be a part of it, and you know just to be able to drag in a few people who maybe wouldn’t have come otherwise.
“It was fantastic, you saw the stands Trev, you saw everything – I think it was fantastic for motorsport in Australia. I was happy to be out there with those boys, it was fun, and the whole idea of this weekend was meant to be fun. My boys have never seen a road race bike before up close in their life really, they’ve all been to MotoGP but just as my mates, never even thinking about touching the bike, but to see them thrown in the deep end this weekend, of course they all come from mechanical backgrounds, that’s what we do, and motocross and stuff like that. But to see them perform under pressure this weekend and be a decent team, it was pretty good, we had great guidance from Benny (DesmoSport Ducati’s Ben Henry) and TB (Troy Bayliss), so an unreal weekend and amazing way to finish off the year. Something I’d love to come back to do again.”
Trev: I think I can say thanks from all of us who are involved in ASBK, you’ve definitely made us all richer for the experience, thank you for everything you do for the young Aussie boys in Europe too, it’s a great testament to your character and generosity.
Miller: “Thank you, it makes me emotional (me too) when I talk about it because it is just so nice, I love being in the position to give back to the sport I love so much, so thank you.”
Trev: On to more important things, how did the fishing trip with Hookie go?
Miller: “Shithouse, didn’t catch a fecken thing… actually that’s a lie, I caught two fish, he caught one, but shit fish, can’t eat them, so back in the water. The new boat went well though.”
Trev: Cheers mate.
Miller: “Cheers Trev!”
