Hansen talks about UK expectations

This is exciting news for both the Arenacross Tour, as well as the UK off-road industry as a whole and, together with the other top-level teams already confirmed, will make for an exceptional series crammed full of racing talent like never before.

Josh Hansen (#100), the 31-year-old son of former Motocross and Supercross champ Donnie Hansen, is best known for his Supercross prowess, for being a three-time X-Games gold medallist and for not conforming to the rules. 

For 2016 he has turned his back on the early season AMA Supercross series, shocking many in the process, and he'll be rocking up to the Monster Energy Arenacross Tour when it roars into action at Manchester Arena on Saturday January 2. 

TMX caught up with Hanny, at the Arenacross Tour launch night at Motorcycle Live earlier this month, to find out a little more about him, why he appears to dip in and out of Supercross racing and why he's spurned AMA SX to head over here to good old Blighty.

 

TMX: When did you start racing?

Josh Hansen: I started racing at nine years old just for fun. I didn't start for real and try to take it professionally, though, until I was around 17. 

 

TMX: That was a little late wasn't it? 

JH: Yeah it was, but I was a kid who always got into trouble and never thought I was going to be a racer like my dad. Eventually it got to a certain point when my dad said, "You don't train, you don't do the right things, so basically you're done ...” 

My mechanic at the time said, "Let me take him to California for one year and see if he makes it.” So we headed over to the West Coast and, amazingly, I won virtually everything that year in Supercross and it put me right on the map from there on up.

 

TMX: Was it tough having Donnie as a dad, or inspirational?

JH:  Any kid who comes into this world wants to be like their dad. I was lucky to have a dad who raced and did well – he was the man I wanted to follow.

 

TMX: Why is that people get so heated about you? JH: Because riders like MikeAlessi, Davi Millsaps, Chad Reed and others started when they were little kids trying to do the best they could. 

So I think that it was kinda like they didn't expect me to do well because I hadn't followed the same line. Then it would trip them out when I would disappear for a while and come back and win.

 

TMX: You've had great race success, but have yet to win an AMA Supercross championship.

JH: I got real close twice when I tied for the title with Grant Langston in the 250 SX in 2005. We were going into the finals and I was 11 points behind. 

They were saying there was no way I could win, but I went out and won the next three races. It came down to the last race, and I won that, so they gave me my number one jersey. 

I did a parade lap and added a few more dollars to my deal. I was happy, my parents were crying, and then they said they'd messed up and Langston had one more win than me in the year so, "Sorry can, we have your jersey back?” Yeah right - I still have that #1 jersey sitting back at my parents' house.

Then in 2011 I pretty much had the title won, but lost by a few points when I ran off track.

 

TMX: You were out of the race scene for a few years. What happened?

JH: It was my one year on a 450 in 2013. I got done for rough riding at Anaheim and taking out Phil Nicoletti while battling for second place. 

It was an awesome move, though. I think politics got involved as I was kicked out and banned for eight rounds, so I just stopped racing and took off for the next couple of years. 

When I stopped everyone asked what I was going to do and I said I was going to compete in X-Games. They were like, "Why? These guys are all freestylers like Edgar Torronteras and they've been doing it their whole lives. How are you going to match up to them?” 

So I practised for a few weeks and I won. And then won three in a row, so that worked out well. It blew everyone away. 

 

TMX: You returned to AMA 250SX this year. How was it getting back?

JH: I formed my own team and there were quite a lot of bike issues. Our overall points weren't that good, but we had some great races and a lot of top fives. 

I like being my own boss, though, doing all my own stuff, my own rig, my own employees and so on. I don't answer to anyone.

 

TMX: So you've been in the UK, before?

JH: Yep, just 30 hours

 

TMX: What attracted you to the Arenacross Tour?

JH: Well, prior to the Monster Energy Arenacross Tour launch night at the NEC last week, everyone back home expected that I'd be lining up for the first Supercross at Anaheim in January. 

I wanted to do something a bit different, hang a right and do something cool. There was a bunch of stuff going on like they wanted me to race with a different number, one that reflected my points more, but I've always been #100. My whole business is around #100, so I reckon if they aren't going to support me in the right way, then I'm not going to support them. 

I wanted to come to the UK because I can see something that can grow from Arenacross into a Supercross series and I want to be a part of that. 

I see it as a two-year situation, getting to know it this year, and then helping to make it that much better in the second year. It's worked out pretty well though as once this series ends, I can go back to California and can still race.

To be here in England, start somewhere new to race, help build something that can grow and be big as well as globally expanding my name, really excites me.

 

TMX: What are your expectations?

JH: Really, I just love the prospect of coming over, having a great time and meeting new people. 

It's important to also give the fans what they want to see; some great racing, then the results should fall from there.

 

TMX: What do you know about the other riders?

JH: I don't know any of them except for Mike Brown, who was my first team-mate when I was riding Yamaha some ten years ago, and Edgar Torrenteras who I competed against in X-Games, and I understand is something of an Arenacross legend. Other than that, it's all new.

 

TMX: You'll be riding a 450 Kawasaki in Arenacross. How do you feel about that?

JH: Well, I thought I was riding a 250 and have only just found out that it is a 450 series, so I guess it will be a 450. I've set everything up for a 250 and so it'll be a steep learning curve, but I've got a couple of weeks to figure it all out ....

 

TMX: What else will you do whilst in Europe?

JH: Just riding and training really. I've been hurting these past few months and so I'm hoping this will help prepare me for going back into the last few Supercross rounds and do well. 

I'll try and hook up with Tommy Searle for some practising, too.

 

TMX: Who is your biggest rival? 

JH: Me! Josh Hansen. Just trying and get out of my own head. That's enough!

 

TMX: Final thoughts?

JH: Back in the States, Arenacross is a lot smaller than Supercross and they look down on it. A lot of people won't understand why I've come over here and they'll think I've downgraded. 

But this is the funniest thing - once I start doing this stuff, I guarantee you'll have so many American riders trying to do this next year; especially if it grows into a Supercross style format, that you'll be asking whether it's a British or American series.