15 minute read
RACERS
WOMEN RIDERS ROCK
RACERS
Jody Perewitz
Custom painter, vintage racer, and the first female to top 200 mph on an American V-twin
It all started with a little Honda Z50 when Jody Perewitz was just a kid. “I was on it as soon as I could walk,” she told American Motorcyclist, “and I’ve been on two wheels ever since.”
After college, Jody started working for her father — Hall of Famer and renowned custom builder Dave Perewitz — who she calls her biggest supporter and inspiration, helping out at the shop. But everything changed when she gifted her father a trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats.
“He’d never been there” she said, “so I gave him the trip for Christmas that year. He said, ‘Well, we can’t go and not race,’ so I said I’d ride the bike. We had a bunch of good people and manufacturers behind us, built a bike, and got out there in 2011.”
“We don’t build race bikes,” she continued, “so this was a whole new ballgame for us. We were complete rookies to racing and the salt, but so many people helped us out. I still get goosebumps talking about it. The salt flats are like no other place, but on our first try we set records and got in the 200-mph Club. I was the first female to go over 200 mph on an American V-twin… such a humbling experience.”
After that successful initiation she continued doing land-speed events, and now holds 16 records. She’s also tested her chops in endurance riding, becoming one of three women to complete all the miles on the Cross Country Chase and competing in the Motorcycle Cannonball aboard a 1936 Harley-Davidson. “The Cannonball was on my radar for some time, and I like challenges. It was female versus machine, and I did it!”
She’s also taken her love for old bikes to the track, racing vintage bikes at Sons of Speed. “It’s is like boardtrack racing with no brakes and no gears,” she told us. “You’ve got to stay aware of the other racers and the bikes and banks and corners, and you’re on rickety 100-year-old motorcycles with no suspension going 70-75 mph.”
When she’s not setting records or taking off on cross-country endurance rides, she continues to work in her dad’s shop, helping with marketing but also doing her own paint work. “My dad’s been known for his paint, and I’ve started painting on my own,” Jody said. “My dad pushes me. He’s my biggest supporter, and I am his!” — Joy Burgess
When she’s not setting land-speed records or taking cross-country tips, Jody races vintage bikes in the Sons of Speed vintage series. Above, taking the checkers after a lap around the New Smyrna Speedway.
“You will never find a better feeling than racing a dirt bike,” Jordan told us.
Jordan Jarvis
Privateer motocross racer and 2018 AMA Female Rider of the Year
While Doreen Payne made it to an AMA National Motocross event back in 1983, that was at a time when Nationals were split into 125, 250 and 500cc classes, and timed qualifying didn’t exist. It would take 36 years for another female — Jordan Jarvis — to make the cut in an outdoor Pro Motocross event.
Arguably the most accomplished female motocrosser to-date, she’s won every 2019 and 2020 Supercross Futures Women’s race, is a nine-time AMA National Champion, and has raced her way to over 50 major event wins — including six AMA MX National Championships at Loretta Lynn’s — through her career.
The 2018 AMA Female Rider of the Year, who rides for the SGB Racing/ Maxxis/Babbitt’s Online Kawasaki team, didn’t spend her teens at a training facility like many young racers do. The privateer went to a regular school, which meant she spent most of her teen years riding only on the weekends, which makes her achievements even more extraordinary.
Going from weekend warrior to fulltime racer, her goal was to do something that only one other woman had done in the past…race in the AMA Supercross 250SX class for 2021. She earned her Supercross license, but after a crash early this year that resulted in a head injury, she decided it was the safest decision to sit the season out and come back strong in 2022. And it’s a good bet she’ll be back.
Her love of racing quickly becomes obvious when you talk to her. “Riding is the best feeling in the world,” she said, “You will never find a better feeling than racing a dirt bike.”
Along with breaking barriers in the sport, Jordan inspires and helps other young women hone their skills as an instructor at Camp Makeup2Mud.
“For the women or girls who want to ride or race,” she told American Motorcyclist, “I say go for it! Don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t or can’t, because I promise you anything is possible. You’ll have to work for it, but it’ll be worth it. Fight for what you want, remember how awesome you are, and chase those dreams.” — Joy Burgess
“The atmosphere in the racing community has always been my favorite part,” Tayla said. “You can head to the track and not know anyone, but by the end of the day you’ve made a bunch of new friendships.”
Tayla Jones
Off-road racer, three-time GNCC WXC champion and six-time ISDE Women’s World Cup champ
Originally from Australia, Tayla Jones started riding dirt bikes at age three and racing at age four. While she started out racing dirt track and motocross as a kid, she moved to off-road racing at the age of 16, becoming an off-road champion before moving to the United States.
“I grew up racing dirt bikes with my family,” Tayla told American Motorcyclist, “and the whole atmosphere in the racing community has always been my favorite part. You can head to the track and not know anyone, but by the end of the day you’ve made a bunch of new friendships that’ll probably last a lifetime.”
The 25-year-old moved to America in 2017 to race in the GNCC WXC series, and since then she’s won three GNCC WXC championships. She’s also racked up an additional four Full Gas Sprint Enduro championships, won the National Enduro Championship twice, and was named the AMA Female Racer of the Year in 2017.
Tayla also won the first FIM North American eMTB Women’s class championship, which took place at Loretta Lynn’s. She beat her competitors by a full lap to land on the top podium step despite the carnage caused by extremely muddy conditions.
Currently riding for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna, Tayla remembers when the WXC lineup at the GNCCs was fairly small, but she’s been excited to watch the ranks of women growing at the races. She’s constantly encouraging more women to get out there and give racing a try.
“My advice for any girls who want to race,” she said, “is don’t be afraid to get started. We all start somewhere, so jump right in and do it! The community is there to help if you reach out. Dirt bikes can take you anywhere, and you’ll find that it’s an amazing experience no matter what level you are at.” — Joy Burgess
Becca Sheets
“I love racing my dirt bike,” Becca Sheets told American Motorcyclist, “and it’s the only thing in my life I’ve practiced consistently through every stage of my life.”
Becca grew up around bikes, watching her dad race motocross. She asked for a dirt bike of her own for her seventh birthday and has been racing ever since. While she started racing motocross, she transitioned to off-road racing in 2011, and the almost-28-year-old now has 21 years of racing under her belt.
“It’s my place of peace,” she said, “even though it has its consequences sometimes.” And while she’s made plenty of friendships and memories on dirt bikes, it wasn’t always easy.
At her first GNCC race after switching to off-road racing, Becca remembers being lapped by KTM-supported rider Maria Forsberg, who dominated the women’s class at the time. “I wasn’t good at racing off-road,” she told GNCC Racing, “but I kept racing…and kept getting better each year.”
Finally, that hard work and determination paid off. In 2016, she won the GNCC WXC Championship, was named AMA Female Athlete of the Year and won the 2016 GNCC Bad Ass award. While the competition has only gotten fiercer in the class, she won the GNCC WXC Championship again in 2020.
The two-time ISDE gold medalist and 2019 ISDE Women’s World Cup champion loves seeing more women getting involved in off-road racing these days. “I laugh in my head when I think about the professional level of women in off-road racing,” she said, “and how fast we ride these crazy, 230-pound machines through trees and other riders. We all must really love racing to be willing to take the risks we do. But I’m just thankful the Lord has allowed me to live a life in such a fun sport while I’m here!”
“If you want to race and be a pro racer in the off-road circuits,” she says to women, “GO for it! Be aware that it’s a rough and bumpy road, though, and you won’t get rich doing it, so you’ve got to love it and the people who help you along the way. It’s all about constantly improving, but there are no limits on what you can do!” — Joy Burgess
Along with taking home championship wins (below), Becca spends time helping other women who want to race, instructing at several of her own riding schools each year.
Erin Sills
25-time land-speed motorcycle record holder, and three-time Guinness World Book record holder
“Land-speed racing is the most extreme sport that very few people have heard of,” Erin Sills told American Motorcyclist. “Women and men race equally against one another, not to beat the person next to them on a track, but to beat history.”
And Erin has beat history multiple times, with more than 25 World and American National land-speed records to her name, as well as three Guinness World Book records. She’s also the owner of Hunter Sills Racing, which races 1000cc BMW motorcycles on the Bonneville Salt Flats and elsewhere around the globe. Erin and her team hold more records in the 1000cc class than any other team.
“Motorcycling gives me focus,” she said, “and brings my mind a clarity that is hard to find in an otherwise cluttered world. I think most clearly when I’m riding, and that makes the bike an incredibly peaceful place to be.”
That focus paid off for Erin, as she’s a member of the Bonneville and El Mirage 200-mph Clubs, as well as the Mojave 200-mph Club, where she recorded her fastest speed to date — 242 mph.
The 2014 AMA Female Racer of the Year has racked up plenty of accolades through her career, not just in the motorcycle industry but also in the business world. Erin serves on the AMA Specialist Sport Commission, the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation board, and the FIM Women in Sports Commission.
An advocate for women in motorcycling, she’s the co-chairwoman of WomenRidersNow.com. Erin also founded the sheEmoto Scholarship designed to support women in this sport, which has awarded more than $25,000 to female recipients, working to grow the sport of land-speed racing.
With more than 300,000 miles of riding under her belt since she started seriously riding at the age of 35, she has plenty of advice for newer riders. “First, wear earplugs!” she says. “Reducing wind noise will have a calming effect on your riding. Second, choose the best bike for you, for now. You may outgrow it in six months, or never; but don’t buy something that’s over your head or current skill level. Last, ride your own ride…always!” — Joy Burgess
Land-speed racing, according to Erin, involves “men and women [racing] equally against one another, not to beat the person next to them on a track, but to beat history.” And she’s beaten history a whopping 25 times.
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With over 370 wins under her belt, Kayla heads to MotoAmerica in 2021 and will have the honor of carrying Nicky Haden’s No. 69 as she races out of the World Superbike paddock in Europe.
Kayla Yaakov
With more than 370 wins, this soon-to-be-14-year-old is heading to MotoAmerica — and Europe — in 2021
It’s hard to believe that 13-going-on14-year-old Kayla Yaakov has been riding for nearly a decade and racing for almost nine years, taking on semi-pro and pro road racers by the age of 10. She got her start on a Suzuki 50, stumbled across some of her dad’s old racing videos, and then decided she wanted to try it herself. “I started at five,” she told me some time ago, “and I’ve loved it ever since.”
What does the Gettysburg, Penn., native love about racing? “I love the competition from the other riders,” she told American Motorcyclist, “and it keeps me focused daily on my long-term goals.”
A look at Kayla’s racing history might make you wonder what long-term goals this girl still has, as she’s already accomplished more than many adults. She’s racked up 373 wins, won multiple national championships — four in 2020 alone, including the AMA Lightweight Superbike Grand National Championship — and now she’s got her focus on joining the Bartcon Racing team for the 2021 MotoAmerica season once she turns 14.
Her first pro race will be the weekend of her birthday in July at the Ridge Motorsports Park near Seattle, and to say she’s stoked is an understatement. “I’m super pumped to have joined Bartcon Racing for the MotoAmerica season,” she said, and there’s more to be excited about.
Kayla also will be racing with the American Racing Team internationally in Europe, racing out of the World Superbike Paddock at 12 races across six different European countries. She’ll be proudly carrying Nicky Hayden’s No. 69 on her bike, something that would be super-special for any racer.
“It’s a huge honor to represent America running Nicky’s number,” Kayla mentioned. “He was our last American World Champion, a great person, and his brother Roger has helped me so much with my riding. I’m grateful for this opportunity to race in Europe and for the support from John Hopkins.”
More than a year ago, Kayla told this author, “My goals are to race pro here in the United States [MotoAmerica] and, hopefully, get an opportunity to race in world events overseas.”
Those dreams are already coming true for her, and as one of the most dynamic young racers the world has seen in some time, it’s gonna be fun to see what Kayla achieves next! — Joy Burgess
Jillian Deschenes
Flat track racer in Royal Enfield’s Build Train Race program
From the state of Minnesota, 31-yearold Jillian Deschenes — who’s mom to a feisty and independent 9-year-old daughter and spends her days working as a hospice nurse — started riding at the age of four when her dad brought home a vintage 50cc minibike. In no time she and it became inseparable.
“We had a makeshift mx track in the backyard most of my life,” Jillian told us, “and my family and I were participating in local motocross events in local District 23 until I was 12.”
After an 18-year break from motorsports, her now fiancé — Erik Moldenhauer — took her to a flat track race at the Cedar Lake Arena in Wisconsin. It didn’t take long until she was out there turning left.
In her second year of racing Jillian won the District 23 AMA Flat Track Women’s Championship, and it wasn’t long until Royal Enfield reached out to her, asking her to become part of its Build Train Race (BTR) program, which involves taking a productionspec Royal Enfield Mark III INT 650 Twin, transforming it into a flat tracker on small budget, and then racing at American Flat Track exhibition races.
“When they presented the opportunity,” she told us, “I thought, ‘Are you sure?’ I had no bike-building experience, but decided there was nothing to lose. I was able to build myself a mean racing machine, and I had the chance to compete in events I never imagined possible.”
As part of the 2020 BTR program Jillian won three of the four AFT exhibition races. “When I took that first win,” she remembers, “I was excited for my build and all the sponsors behind me.
Jillian balances her flat track training and racing schedule with a nursing career and raising a “feisty and independent 9-year-old daughter.”
SCott Hunter
Brandon Lajoie
The bike didn’t just turn heads, it was a race bike that let me lay down serious lap times.”
“I love riding and racing motorcycles,” she continued, “because of the way it pushes and challenges me both physically and emotionally. As I get older I realize how important it is to have something in your life that sparks joy and happiness.”
For other women who want to learn to ride or race, she has one piece of advice: “Don’t be afraid to go out and make a fool of yourself! We all start somewhere. Be brave enough to try something new.” — Joy Burgess
THE BETA AMA NATIONAL DUAL-SPORT SERIES FEATURES SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S BEST ORGANIZED DUAL-SPORT RIDES. EVENTS INCLUDE MILES OF WELL-MARKED, CHALLENGING TRAIL CONNECTED BY SCENIC BACKCOUNTRY ROADS.
