Photo by Simon Cudby
As many of you already know by now, the “Inside Story” series on MotoXAddicts is more than just a bunch of interviews. These profiles are in-depth journeys through the careers of professional SX and MX riders—covering everything from their first training wheels till today. When we called this week’s “Inside Story,” we had no idea how long his journey actually was until we ended our phone call two and a half hours later.
Pacific Northwest native, Josh Hill, has only been a professional racer for five years, but as you will soon find out, those years have been long and tough for the twenty-one year old racer. Josh has had his ups and downs, and is currently recovering from the biggest down of his career. This is what Josh had to tell us last week:
Photo by Brian Robinette.
Josh, first off, thanks for doing this. You’re a story I really think needs to be told.
No problem. I read your Brayton and Blose interviews, and it seemed like you’re trying to paint a picture of what each rider’s about and what they’ve accomplished. I think that’s cool. It’s kind of tough unless you’re top three or top five every weekend; you kind of get forgotten. It’s cool that you bring out their story. I think there’s a cool story out there about each rider. So yeah, no problem.
Thanks. I’m just a huge fan of the sport and the riders, and I know your story doesn’t begin when you go pro. Like you for example, you won the Horizon Award in 2006, but a ton happened before that day that got you there. That’s what tends to get forgotten.
Yeah, in 2006 I got the Horizon Award, but I was already on a factory team by then. I had been racing since I was three years old. My first race ever was at Woodland MX park in 1992, and I was born in ’89.
Woodland, I loved that track. The track’s built on the Mt. St. Helens eruption ash so they can only run in the winter. The people that ran that place were always awesome.
Yeah, I grew up racing there, Albany SX and Salem Arenacross. Back then, I didn’t even want to be fast; I didn’t care about it. I just loved riding dirt bikes. My dad was a pro BMX rider, pro dirt-biker, and I just wanted to ride. Funny thing is—and my parents still quote this—when I was a little kid my parents asked me, “do you want to be a pro when you grow up?” I said “no, I just want to be a junior that jumps everything.”
(Laughs) That’s good. We all see those guys out there every Sunday hucking 80-foot triples, and rolling the whoop sections.
(Laughs) Yeah, I just didn’t care. I just wanted to jump stuff and be good at jumping. I really didn’t even care about going fast until I was about nine years old. By that point I was winning amateur nationals. At that point, I started taking it seriously. The rest is kind of history.
Photo by Brian Robinette.
History that’s still being written, though. What was the first bike you ever were on?
My first bike was a Jr 50. My dad told me if I could ride a street bike without training wheels I could get a dirt bike.
(Laughs) That is universally used. I was told the same thing by my pops, and am currently using it on my 4 year-old daughter right now. Her bike is in the garage, with no training wheels waiting for her.
(Laughs) Yeah, it’s all hearsay because I was only like 2 years old, but I went and rode my bicycle without training wheels the next day, and they got me a dirt bike. My grandpa helped buy my first bike, and between my grandpa, my dad and my mom they have been by far my biggest supporters. There’s no way I would be where I’m at without them.
Where did you do most your riding or racing in the N.W.?
I lived in La Center so Woodland was my closest track, but they only ran in the winter, so we’d ride places like Clark County and 321 moto. The places I rode the most growing up were Salem Arenacross and Albany. Those were my favorite tracks. Honestly it was the people that worked there that gave it such a cool vibe. The Leaches! That family puts on really good races, and it’s just a cool family vibe.
When did your family start taking you to amateur nationals? How old were you?
I was five. We went to the World Mini in my grandpa’s work truck, and I got fifth. I was five in the 4-6 class, and it went pretty good. I think I almost won a heat race. It was pretty good! I was battling around with kids like Alessi, Colton Faciotti and Denis Jonon. Getting fifth in my very first one was cool.
Photo by Brian Robinette.
At this point, who were you looking up to in racing?
I always looked up to Jason McCormick and Ryan Huffman: Huffman because of his style and McCormick because of the work ethic. Huffman is one of the most naturally talented guys to ever ride a motorcycle, but all the pieces to the puzzle weren’t there for him. He’d go out and lead a main event but never fully put it all together. McCormick was almost the opposite of Huffman. McCormick was the guy trying so hard on the weekends to win, and Huffman was just good. Those were the two guys I grew up watching the most. Oh, and not too many people will remember this, but Mike Storm too. He was a really good jumper and, actually, I just wanted to wear his SMP gear. I thought that was cool. He was kind of the bad boy. He used to come ride at my track and was one of the only people I rode with.
Who was your main competition around the NW?
My main competition was Justin Keeney when I was real little, and from nine or ten years on, it was Villopoto.
What was your age difference with the late Brandon Layton #154? Did his death affect your racing at all?
(For the readers that don’t know who Brandon Layton was. Brandon was a Factory Yamaha minibike superstar from Washington State. He was as good as it gets, and used to straight-up beat guys like JS7 on minis for amateur titles. Unfortunately, Brandon was taken from us way too soon, and will always be remembered as a great kid and an icon in the NW motocross scene.)
Actually, it affects me more every time I think about it now. Brandon Layton would for sure be where I’m at now! There is no doubt in my mind he would have made it as a pro. He would have been the guy that Stewart had to worry about. He would have been that guy for sure! I look back, and it bums me out that a guy like that—at age twelve—was so committed and just got cheated. That bums me out. It’s a dangerous sport, and we know that’s the risk every time. I was so young back then, though, that it didn’t hit me that hard at the time.
Brandon Layton #154 “would have been the guy that Stewart had to worry about.”
Yeah, I loved watching Brandon, and he is definitely missed. He was an amazing amateur and won tons of titles. Where was your first amateur title?
Vegas, the World mini. Funny thing was I broke my femur the year before, and as soon as I came back I ruptured my spleen. This was right as I turned eight years old, and I almost quit. I just liked riding dirt bikes too much. I kind of got bored sitting at home in a full body cast, and as soon as I could, I started riding again. So I said lets go to Vegas and see how I do. I went there, and I won every single moto, and that was the beginning of “I wanna be a racer now.” I guess that’s kind of how it works.
Was that about the time you guys started getting help from sponsors? That’s usually how it works. (Laughs)
Yeah, they started coming after that. I think Pro Circuit was my first sponsor other than a bike shop, then Troy Lee Designs, and then—at ten years-old—Yamaha picked me up. I think at ten years-old I got my first free bike and just kept going up the ladder. I mean, it seems like such a big journey, but if you think about it like “I just have to beat the guys my age,” it’s not that big.
Well, you obviously beat guys your own age because you ended up winning the most prestigious amateur MX award, the Horizon Award. How did your first couple of pro races go?
My first race in Millville it was kind of a fluke that I did bad. In the first moto, I was in seventh, and Lawrence and I were having a battle, and my foot actually got caught in my rear wheel. I might have finished top-five in my first national ever. So Binghamton was about just coming back and redeeming myself! I got second in a moto, but I really didn’t think I rode that good. I mean, I got fifth the second moto. The week before that—at the practice tracks, no matter who was there—I was the fastest guy out there. It didn’t matter if it was Josh Grant or Villopoto; I was faster that day, so going out and getting second wasn’t really that cool. I mean, it was cool, but I wanted better.
Photo by Brian Robinette.
Did you feel like, after that day, there was a lot more pressure on you from Yamaha?
No, they signed me for a lot of money. The pressure is there the minute you sign the contract.
You end up earning the number fifty-eight in only four races in 2006, but 2007 is considered your rookie year. How was 2007 as a whole?
Oh, horrible! 2007 was my worst year. I should have been a title contender my first year, but honestly—and I have never said this in an interview—in 2007, my equipment just wasn’t up to par, and the thing blew up every weekend. My amateur bike a year later made more power when my dad rode it in the back yard than my factory race bike. The only reason I switched to the 450’s was because my 250f was unrideable. That bike wasn’t comparable to the other 250f’s on the track. It wasn’t comparable to the factory Suzuki’s, factory connections or even as good as a satellite team’s bikes.
So you went out and bought your own 450 with your own money late that year?
Yeah, I went out and bought a 2008 450. Actually, how it worked was, I was up in Oregon at my parent’s training facility, and I was fed up. The only race I did good on the 250f was Unadilla because that was a downhill start. I would have gotten third overall there, but my bike broke there too. That’s just where I was at, and I had to move up. I rode my amateur bikes from the year before because they were better, way faster! I was four seconds a lap faster on my year-old amateur 450 with blown fork seals and clapped out suspension. If I would have stayed on that factory Lites bike, I think nobody would be talking about me right now. Right about then, I moved down to California and trained my butt off.
Photo by Brian Robinette.
So factory Yamaha goes for the 450 deal, and you end ‘07 with a 9th and a 6th overall on the 450 outdoors. 2008, you’re now full-time in the 450 SX class, and you win the Minneapolis SX. That had to be an awesome experience for a teenager. What was that like?
It was cool! I was never really known for starts, and that was the only top-three start I got that year. After I got the start, I saw Dungey out front and knew it was his home race. I wasn’t even thinking about winning. I was just thinking there is no way I’m going to let Dungey win his home race when he’s a Lites guy. (Laughs) I just made sure I stuffed him and passed him, and then I won. Maybe I was being selfish, but I couldn’t just let Dungey just come in off the Lites bike and win his home race. (Laughs)
(Laughs) If people only knew what went through riders’ minds in the middle of a race.
Yeah, way more than what is on TV. Way more! (Laughs)
So overall, how was 2008 for you?
It was half of a good year. I had good outdoor finishes and good Supercross finishes, but I was inconsistent. I struggled with my starts, and that really messed me up. My whole life, I didn’t put enough importance on starts. In amateurs, I could get bad starts and win, so when I was getting bad starts in the pros, I would get fourth, fifth or sixth. I mean, that’s just how it is. In 2007, I didn’t get good starts, but in 2008 I wouldn’t put blame on anybody but myself. 2008 outdoors was just me, just not having my head on straight and just not being focused enough. It was summer time. I figured I put in a good year, and I should be able to coast a little, but then I had to get my butt back in gear.
I felt 2008 was the year everyone saw what you were capable of if you buckled down and charged. I mean, the list of big bike SX winners is not that long for a reason. Only the best of the best win in the class. 5th overall in the championship is awesome as well. But with showing your potential comes a ton of expectations which made 2009 look a lot worse than it probably was.
2009 started off with the U.S. open in October of ‘08, and I did really good. Then that next week, I was breaking in some motors with Yamaha out at Milestone, and I blew out my shoulder really bad. I tore my labrum fully from where it meets my back to where it meets my arm. Then, I came back, and I was feeling pretty good. The week before Anaheim I, I was doing this big triple-on, triple-off rhythm section, and my chain snapped when I was doing the triple-on, so when I tried to triple-off it just packed me into the third one. It was like starting over again. 2009 was basically a whole year of riding hurt. At the end of SX, I started to get good and had some good results. I got third at Toronto, and then a fourth in Jacksonville coming from way back.
Photo by Brian Robinette.
This is the stuff most people don’t know. I mean, you had a series of stuff in 2009. Didn’t something happen right before outdoors too?
Yeah, I was running in the hills with my trainer, jogging through trails, and I stepped on a rock and twisted my ankle upside down. That was the weekend of Seattle—which was the only race I missed—like two weekends before outdoors. Then, I got out of bed the morning of the Lakewood National and fell to the ground with a bunch of herniated discs. I tried to race through it ‘cause I didn’t have a ride for the next year. I tried, and I tried. That was 2009 for me.
What do you say to people that say J-Law was your problem during 2009?
That had nothing to do with it. 2008, yeah, me and Jason were tight. What’s funny is in 2008, Jason won his championship, and I won a Supercross. Nothing went bad, except in Freestone. All that happened was, I was watching a pit-bike race, and some dude started handing us beer. I was eighteen and shouldn’t have been drinking a beer, but I will say I only had one or two and wasn’t getting drunk. The funny part was the guy that busted us was a friend of the guy that gave me the beer, kind of a weird deal. The guy just came up to me and said “how old are you?” I said I was eighteen, and he said “come with me.” (Laughs) That’s how I got in trouble in Texas. It wasn’t like I was out being a tyrant. Jason—well, other than rolling the rental car—shouldn’t have gotten in any trouble there. He was having a beer, but he was twenty-one. He only got in trouble because he was with me and didn’t have ID. A lot of people take the Lawrence thing the wrong way. We’re just MX kids. That’s the only way I can put it. There’s nobody else that I race with that likes riding a motorcycle as much as me and Jason. That’s all we love. To answer the question, Jason hasn’t affected my racing in a negative light at all except the way the media says it.
Photo by Simon Cudby. Courtesy of RacerX Online.
The media has a way of picking battles where they can get away with it. I’m just a fan with a site. I’m a firm believer that if you’re going to sweep riders issues—like Stewart’s deal—under the rug, you need to protect the J-Laws too. That’s another Inside Story in itself, though. (Laughs) So, on to 2010.
2010 was amazing until I got hurt, five podiums in a row, tied for the championship points-lead. It was awesome! I finally got healthy. I worked pretty hard, trained a little during the week, but honestly, I just rode a bunch. Larry would go out to the track, tell me what to do, and I’d do it. I went to Stewart’s before the season started, and he was faster than me at his house. I went home and really started trying again, and when he came to the California test track before Anaheim, we were really close in speed. I felt like I was a title contender no matter who was there, and that’s how I went about it.
What was the big difference? Was it the bike? Larry? You?
I think I finally took myself seriously, and kind of thought of myself as a championship guy. For whatever reason, I never thought like that. I just never thought I was one of the best riders in the world. I may have thought I was one of the best riders, but I never thought I was one of the best racers, if that makes sense. I don’t know, I just never thought of myself as being the best. Last year though, I started getting fast, and started thinking “you know, I could be the best there is someday if I just keep this going.” The ball kept turning, and I wasn’t getting burned out because I was constantly getting better. I tried my hardest; I tried my butt off. Even after I got hurt, I still tried. But when you can’t breathe, you can’t breathe. It took a lot out of me when I broke my ribs in Atlanta. I raced and got sixth that night. Then, I crashed twice the next week and again the week leading up to Daytona. And then in Daytona, I landed on a hay bale right off the start and crashed head first into the concrete. I should have, at that point, thrown in the towel, but I’m thinking if I can get through this round I’m only fourteen back, and Dungey can’t win this championship, dude. Look how he’s been in other championships.
Photo by Brian Robinette.
What do you make out of Larry Brooks saying in interviews after the season ended that he thought you weren’t really all that injured?
That’s B.S.! That’s complete B.S.! Larry was there, and he saw everything. I think he just got discouraged, because he put everything into it to make me better. I was still riding and not getting better, and I think he was just go discouraged on me. Larry was racking his brain so hard trying to fix me, and get me back into the championship, but my body wouldn’t heal itself. No ones body would heal itself. Really, my body just never got a chance to heal, and he translated that in his own way to be me out partying. He never confronted me about it during the season. He just waited until after the season and told the media. That pissed me off, but other than that, I had no problem with Larry. He was a good guy. He helped me out a lot as far as getting mind set in the right direction, and he gave me a good team and a good bike when nobody else would.
In the end, five podiums is a great year—and despite the injury and not finishing well—you proved you can be that guy. How did that lead into time to do a back flip?
I healed up. I was having so much fun over the summer—riding, training and doing some freestyle stuff for fun. That’s just what I enjoy doing. Then, I kind of just got this back flip idea. I always thought it would be fun. I know I’m good enough to do one. I’ve seen some pretty squirrelly dudes pull back-flips. (Laughs) It seemed like jumping a jump, only safer because you could do it over and over into a foam pit. It would be like if there’s a big triple and you could jump it into a foam pit 500 times before you actually did it. That was my thinking.
So the consequences never really entered your thinking?
No, I didn’t think about the consequences or any of that. I was just like, “I’m gonna flip.” So I did it! I did like fifty of them into the foam pit, then the super-kicker at seventy-five feet. I was like “well, I’m ready to do it.” So I went out there thinking I had it dialed, and pulled the first 75-footer perfect. Well, other than it being an 85-foot flip, it was perfect. I over-jumped it, but it was perfect. There were some flat spots in the wheels, but I just wanted to keep doing it. Just like when you jump a dirt bike jump for the first time, you just keep doing it so you get good at it.
Photo by Simon Cudby. Courtesy of RacerX Online.
So you went right back to do it again, flat spots in the rims and all?
I just wanted to keep practicing. So I went directly back out to do it, and I think I was too antsy. I just came up to the ramp a little bit fast, and then right as I took off, I knew it. I just felt it! I’m too fast! I still look back on it, and feel like I was suppose to crash on that flip. I didn’t under-rotate a flip one time into the foam pit. I look back and I don’t know what happened. I can’t look back and say “oh, I did this or wrong.” It’s like my brain shut off on the face of the jump. I still look back and trip.
Do you remember the whole thing?
Yeah, I didn’t hit my head; I remember the whole thing. I just didn’t get the rotation directly off the ramp, and I knew it. I knew I was going too fast and there was a bunch of stuff wrong with it, so I wanted to get away from my bike, ’cause I didn’t think I was going to bring it around. As far as I ended up going, I might have been able to bring it around, but where I was at that point, looking at the landing, completely upside-down—I just jumped off the bike. It was kind of a natural reaction ‘cause I had done it in the foam pit a couple times before. The landing was a little bit harder than it was into the foam pit. (Laughs)
Yeah, Josh, I was one of the people that watched it and wished I didn’t. My advice is that people don’t watch it, but since you’re okay with it and describe it, I think it’s up to the readers if they want to watch it.
Yeah, I know. It’s not even that cool. It’s kind of a stupid crash, but my leg just snaps all crazy. That’s the only thing cool about it. (Laughs)
Note: the video below does not show footage of Josh’s actual crash. If you would like to see the crash footage, it can be found here on YouTube.
(Laughs) I can’t believe you just said that! So awesome! That’s why you’re you and make the big bucks to do what I dream about, and why I just type on a keyboard about it.
Well, I don’t think it’s cool, but I can see how other people would think it’s cool. If you were watching something like that on a YouTube video you’d be like, “Holy shit! Did you see that guys leg snap?!” It doesn’t bother me when people watch it. It’s just life. I’m still here and able to enjoy life.
Why was Swap from Transworld Motocross there that day to film? Did you tell him you were going to dirt with it?
Yeah, that’s what it was. I told him “I think today’s the day. Cruise out.” I told him even if I don’t do it, you’ll have some sort of video footage.
You didn’t have anything signed for 2011 yet either, did you?
No, I was pretty close on some deals, though. I was talking to a few people and had a pretty good deal lined up at the time. I don’t know how good, but I had some solid offers for sure. I was just deciding which color I was going to go with. I was just about to sign. JGR was also going to fly out to see and talk to me when I was in the hospital too. They were talking about doing something with me. I was just too mangled at the time and really didn’t want to talk to anyone at the time. Those guys were cool. They were trying to see me and stick by me even though I was in the hospital. I knew what they were wanting to do, but what I could do just wasn’t going to line up.
Photo by Brian Robinette.
Did not being able to do X-games get to you too—after all that work and, in the end, all that suffering?
Actually yeah, I was super bummed about not being able to do X-games. I felt I was going to do really good. I put so much work into it. I was riding Supercross all day and then freestyle every night for a while. Then, that happened. Now I’m here.
You’ve been on a hell of a journey, Josh. Two hours later we’re at now. (Laughs) How did the Dodge Motorsports/Hart and Huntington/Bel-Ray deal happen? And how long is the deal for?
Well, H&H happened because we were trying to get something worked out. Actually, I thought I’d be coming back a little bit earlier. The nerve thing has held me up a little bit longer than it should have, and I’m having a problem with my ankle. I haven’t been able to get out there on the bike. I wanted a team so that, maybe if I felt good before the end of SX, I might get out there—or maybe for Nationals, if I felt good, I could get out there. The deal with H&H is if I felt I could go out there right now and be competitive in the Nationals, I could probably be at a few of them, or all of them if I felt I could. They seemed really cool about letting me do the Nationals. They wanted to support me through this year so I can come back on their team and hopefully come back where I left off before the injury.
So it’s a two-year deal?
Yeah, they’re basically supporting me through 2012, if you have to kind of break it down. They want me to go to the races, sign autographs, be part of the team and try to help out. I don’t think they expect me to be back in full race condition until 2012. I don’t think. My whole problem with my body is nerve damage and nerve pain. I broke my femur, my pelvis and my arm really bad, but that stuffs fine. I could have raced Anaheim I on my leg. It’s just all the nerve damage. I got compartment syndrome, and what’s weird is that I broke my right leg, but it’s in my left ankle. I had to go through a lot with that. I can say, the good thing is the nerves are coming back.
Are you riding at all right now?
I was riding, but I haven’t been riding for the last month. I was doing so much on my foot that I actually got bed sores because my ankle was only bending halfway. So I was getting these pressure sores in my foot that opened up. I had to take some time off and let it heal, and that’s where I’m at now. It’s all in my ankle now. I have nerve damage and foot-drop. So, my ankles bent down and it’s really stiff. When I walk it’s either on my tippy-toes or the palms of my foot. In the last month, I’m getting a lot more feeling and movement. I’m babying it right now. They’re saying it should start speeding up soon. Long process, though.
Well, Josh that’s all I have for you. I just don’t know how I’m going to transcribe all of this, but I’ll do my best. I’ll let the fans know how you’re doing, and you get your ass healthy. I’ll tell you right now, you are missed; can’t wait to see you back.
Yeah, you asked questions that had long answers. (Laughs) No problem, though. It was fun! Call me anytime, and good luck with the site and everything. I hope this takes off!
Be sure to follow @dandunes818 for live race updates from Seattle this weekend.
Check out Josh with Team Dodge Motorsports/Hart & Huntington
