Declaration of Independence
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
RACE WATCH
Four-time AMA Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath abandons Honda to form his own team
DAVEY COOMBS
ON THE AFTERNOON OF SEPTEMBER 22, 1996, Jeremy McGrath crossed the finish line, fists raised in victory, at the 50th Motocross des Nations held at Jerez, Spain. In doing so, McGrath and teammates Jeff Emig and Steve Lamson wrested the coveted world team title from the hands of the Europeans, who had held the Chamberlain Trophy for two years.
For McGrath, the win was the crowning achievement to a phenomenal career, and to many, an answer to the only question that has haunted him: Could he take the measure of the world's best on their own turf? After his MX des Nations victory, there was nothing left to prove.
Until recently, that is, when a surprising series of events sent shock waves through the sport, nearly knocking it oft' its very foundation.
In late December, word leaked out that McGrath and American Honda were at odds over contract negotiations. Honda was willing to pay McGrath's nearly SI million-per-year asking price, but attached restrictions that would keep the high-profile racer under lock-and-key off the track.
During the past six years, Honda and McGrath appeared to be a match made in heaven. From his regional championships as a member of the Honda-backed Peak/Pro Circuit team in '91 and '92, to his four consecutive titles as a factory rider from '93-'96, McGrath was nearly unstoppable, winning 43 AMA Supercross races. During the '96 campaign, he came within one victory of a perfect season-an amazing 14 wins in 15 starts.
With his charm, determination, amazing talent and rock-star popularity, McGrath was the darling of American Honda's corporate fiefdom. In fact, insiders say the 25-year-old former BMX racer from Canyon Lake, California, possessed a cult following within the company rivaling that of its big-time IndyCar drivers. All was well, or so it seemed. McGrath was winning championships and earning a handsome income, while Honda, through "Super Mac," was selling motorcycles and proudly beating its chest to the international racing world. The future seemed clear for both: Stay the course and make room in the trophy case for a few more crowns. The money and the equipment were right.
It was only a matter of the rider signing his name on the dotted line.
That's where the trouble began. McGrath is a free spirit. His off-track life includes wake-boarding, surfing, karting and sand-dune jumping, plus the occasional sortie to the Lake Havasu vacation scene. Not exactly Honda's idea of the perfect corporate image. As McGrath's contractual expiration date drew nearer, Honda added more restrictions to the deal.
Then, McGrath made a declaration of independence: Take me as I am or let me go. "For as long as I've been with Honda, I've always gotten the job done, and they should respect that," he says. "I've always gotten along well with the team and everyone in the racing department, as I think our results (together) show. But this is a question of politics and my personal happiness.
I will always be me, and I don't need that kind of pressure and rules. No one has to tell me to do this or do that. I know what it takes to win, and I do what it takes to win."
A rift between Honda and sponsor MCI's 1 -800-COLLECT also might have affected McGrath's decision. Despite a three-year relationship, the longdistance telephone service made it clear > that, due to differences over logo size and placement, the company was no longer interested in working with Honda. MCI was willing to sign McGrath to a personal-services contract, but Honda said no. Then, MCI told McGrath that it was willing to follow him to another team.
When contract negotia tions came to a standstill in mid-December, McGrath considered his options. Yamaha and Kawasaki both had full stables, leaving only Suzuki and the independent Honda of Troy team. At this point, Phil Alderton, manager of the Dayton, Ohio-based HoT team, told McGrath he would back him with any of the three brands he carried: Honda, Suzuki or Yamaha.
The pendulum swung in Suzuki's favor when American Suzuki offered its resources. Finally, just after Christmas, McGrath and his family, with the help of agent Dave Stephenson and No Fear's Jeff Surwall, orchestrated a unique plan: Nac Nac Enterprises
(named after Jeremy's patented jump) would hire McGrath and engage the services of American Suzuki for equipment, support and a consider able salary. Newly formed Suzuki of Troy and 1-800-COLLECT would
provide financial support, and Fox Racing would pledge a tidy sum as the clothing sponsor. Bell Helmets, Spy goggles, Alpinestars and Pro Cir cuit were also willing to support Mc Grath in his NASCAR-like endeavor.
At this point, the rumor mill was revving past redline. Theorists speculated that 1) McGrath disliked the alloy-framed '97 CR250R (possibly true); 2) Honda was willing to let McGrath ride his beloved '93 model (false); 3) McGrath wanted a guaranteed spot on Honda's IndyCar team when he retired (false); 4) Honda wanted to replace McGrath with Damon Bradshaw (false); 5) Honda had its sights set on rising French star Sebastien Tortelli and a '98 deal (possibly true); 6) McGrath was going to retire anyway (false); or 7) Honda was pulling out of MX racing (false). >
As the bench racing blossomed, contract negotiations came to a standstill. At the stroke of midnight on the last day of 1996, the McGrath-Honda relationship ended, and the King of Supercross became a free agent. With nowhere else to turn, the McGraths pushed the "Go" button on Nac Nac Enterprises, and potential sponsors were contacted.
At first, Suzuki team manager Roger DeCoster thought it was a bad joke. "I thought that it was one of those pranks set up by (Pro Circuit's) Mitch Payton or something," says DeCoster, who has given Suzuki five World MX Championships as a rider but no national titles as a manager.
"It's been crazy, just crazy. It's happened so fast and been such a big thing that I haven't really had time to sit back and think about it. I know that it really puts the pressure on us to win, and there are no excuses now if we don't."
As for similarities between the old Honda CR and the new Suzuki RM, DeCoster admits development went in that direction. "When I came to Suzuki (from Honda), I didn't take the specifications from the Honda and try to apply it to the Suzuki," he says. "But we made changes (to the bike) based on the riders' comments and my own feelings. What we came up with was a motorcycle with the same character as the motorcycle that Jeremy rode. But if you look at the dimensions of all the bikes out there now, they are all similar."
The Honda and the Suzuki are the most similar, however, and Pro Circuit has helped fine-tune the bike to meet McGrath's needs. "Jeremy likes to use
the word ‘free' to describe the way he likes the engine," says engine-builder Payton. "He wants something responsive and able to go all the way through the powerband, not something real heavy and tight that hits really hard on the bottom or revs to the moon. When the bike runs real easy he can think about his riding and his technique, not his equipment."
McGrath is confident in the Suzuki RM250. "I've had more fun riding this bike and getting ready for the season than I have in a long time," he says. "It's given me more motivation to get out there and prove myself again. Winning on this bike will leave no question in anyone's mind of my talent and my desire to be the best rider out there every time I go to the starting gate."
Alderton supports four riders, including former AMA 250cc Champion Mike Kiedrowski, under the Honda of Troy banner. "I haven't spoken to anybody from Honda about any of this," he said. "This deal with Jeremy is a way for us to get exposure for some of the other brands we sell-mainly Suzuki, of course. It is in no way a slap at Honda. We just capitalized on an opportunity."
For Honda, replacing McGrath won't be easy. "We're not making any additions at this time," said team boss Wess McCoy. "The direction is to move forward without McGrath. We have to respect his decision and move on. We wish him well in 1997. He was a great champion for us, but we plan
on going about the business of giving Steve Lamson all of the help and support he needs to keep the supercross title here at Honda."
McCoy does not, however, mask his frustration with Alderton. "There are some business concerns that will be addressed in the future," he states. "Alderton says, ‘It's purely business.' Well, how Honda handles it will be business, as well. There are some people here that consider what he did to be detrimental to our business."
In the end, though, McGrath anticipates he will have the last word. "There's no question in my mind that I will win on this bike," he says.
Only time will tell. □
Davey Coombs is the editor of Racer X magazine and an announcer on ESPN2 s supercross coverage. Eric Johnson contributed to this story.
