Redux: Rockstar Energy Racing
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 | 2:55 PM
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It’s the best of times and the worst of times for independent teams. While several squads have closed doors lately, one standout unit, backed by outside sponsor, is currently leading the Monster Energy Supercross Championship. How did Rockstar Suzuki Energy Racing get to this level?
“I run it like a business,” says team owner Bobby Hewitt, who also owns two other businesses of his own in his native Texas. “It drives the guys nuts at the shop. We have accounting and marketing. We run it to make a profit or break even, and if it’s short, we figure out how to cut costs. I run it like my other business, it’s just a different widget.”
Into year six as a pro team, Hewitt has put a premium on simply staying in business, first, instead of winning races at all costs. The goal has always been “to do the best we have with the budget we have. With racing, you get that emotional side to it, you want to win, and you over exceed what you’re financially capable of, and it ends up hurting you down the road. I tell a sponsor up front, we’re not going to give you a $5 million program on $500,000. We’re up front about what we can deliver so no one is disappointed, and we communicate with them.”
Rockstar Energy Racing found a gem this off-season with current 450SX points leader Davi Millsaps.
Simon Cudby photo
Hewitt’s team actually started as an amateur squad for Kawasaki Team Green, and then blossomed into a pro team. Kawasaki enjoyed having a secondary unit beside Monster Energy Pro Circuit, but when Kawasaki made a bid for Chad Reed in 2010 (teaming him with Ryan Villopoto in a high-budget 450 operation) they no longer had the money to support Hewitt’s effort. Luckily, Kawasaki was up front about the situation, and Hewitt had time to find a new partner with Suzuki. They provided some support in 2010 and then handed over the factory Lites program in 2011. With Suzuki came a Rockstar partnership, too, and a great relationship with factory Team Manager Roger DeCoster. The future was promising, but then a shrinking OEM budget essentially flipped the motocross world.
“The whole time I’ve been in racing, the hardest thing was a title sponsor. The easiest thing to find was manufacturer support,” says Hewitt. “Now it’s in reverse. I have a great title sponsor with Rockstar, and great sponsors like Bel-Ray, Motosport and One industries. Now, the one missing part of the puzzle long term is finding a manufacturer where we can build a relationship—I don’t want to bang on the door and hold my hand out. If there’s a service or a need, be it R&D or expanding your footprint in the pits, or just getting results, we want to be able to provide that.”
Suzuki’s budget cuts for 2011 meant the end of support for Hewitt’s team. “From day one, I said I don’t want to be a team that’s here at Anaheim 1 and gone by Vegas,” says Hewitt. “By our third year with Suzuki, the budget got cut, and we had a meeting with Yoshimura and Suzuki. I put on my business hat. I said I understand the cuts, you have to do what you have to financially. And as a good business partner, I’m gonna cover that myself. We’re going to keep that perception that we’re still the factory Lites program, so as a manufacturer you are still sending the message that you’re strong and you’re still here. But the reality is, you don’t—but I said when it started that I wanted it to be a long-term relationship. I’m here in the good times and the bad times, and I’ll help you get through it. But when you do get additional funding, remember who got you through it. Because everyone is your friend when you have money, and you can’t find a friend when you don’t.”
The Rockstar Energy Racing program claimed its first-ever 450 SX win at Anaheim 1.
Simon Cudby photo
That’s when things went sour. “This year, they had some additional funding, and they decided to go another direction,” says Hewitt. “I don’t make those decisions. I understand how the game is played, it was communicated that they still wanted us to be part of the program, but in the end, powers above my control decided it was in the best interests to go in another direction. By that time, I had too much invested in bikes and development. During that time, since we had lost the factory support, we had invested hard in the research and development of the bikes. Maybe it was naive on my part, but I thought that when the relationship came back, we could share what we had learned with the Japanese, American Suzuki, we could show them what we had developed so we could add value. I want to create value and not just ask them for a check.”
Two years of research and development without factory support has helped them build capable bikes, and Rockstar is still on board to back it. But with the team now more reliant on sponsorship money than OEM support, the general feel has changed. “I tell them [Rockstar] we’re basically a marketing company that happens to be a race team,” says Hewitt. “Because the only thing we have to sell is signage—we can’t sell product. So understanding what their needs are, and giving them a return on their investment is key. Where we are different is, Roger DeCoster works for KTM, and he’s paid to run a race team. Marketing for them is inconvenient—they’re paid to win races. We’re paid to increase marketing footprint.”
Not like results don’t matter, though. Hewitt’s four-year deal with Rockstar is actually contingent on racing success. “It was made very clear to me that if we win a championship within those four years, great, but if we don’t, they will move in another direction,” says Hewitt. “Anything can happen in racing, but we need to at least be in the hunt and contend. Finishing fifth through tenth wasn’t what they are looking for.”
The teams decision to hold onto Jason Anderson is paying off in 2013.
Simon Cudby photo
Meanwhile, the team continues to look for an OEM partner, and they won’t rule out Suzuki. This week alone, Hewitt says he’s had 15 phone calls from people complaining about the SPEED TV announcers for proclaiming Davi Millsaps’ San Diego win as a big one for Suzuki, even though the brand doesn’t support the team. “But that’s okay,” says Hewitt. “I’m not going to go to [announcer] Ralph [Sheheen] and say, “I never want to hear Suzuki when you mention my team.” I haven’t done that and I won’t do that. I’d still like for things to work out with them, and if we’re continuing to have success, maybe they will see the value we can bring.”
If there’s an advantage to the program as it stands today, it’s the general nimbleness of an independent operation. When Rockstar wants a change, they can go directly to Hewitt and Gowland and discuss it, instead of working through the corporate structure that runs a factory-backed team. Plus, Hewitt believes the family atmosphere has fostered results.
“My best example is Jason Anderson,” says Hewitt of the 2010 AMA Horizon Award winner who basically bombed out of his rookie pro season. “I told Jason he’s either going to make me look like the smartest guy in the world or the biggest idiot. But I told him, I believed in him from day one and I still believed in him—and believe me, I had every sponsor and every manufacturer saying to dump him. But if I had cut him, his career would have been over with, he would have never had the confidence again. So we kept working with him. Hey, if you sign a guy, it’s because you believe in him. And if you can convince a guy you believe in him as much as he believes in himself, that can go a long way.”
250SX veteran Blake Wharton will be the teams lone East Region rider.
Rockstar Energy Racing photo
Belief has been the theme of Davi Millsaps stunning drive toward the 450 SX Championship. Millsaps has always possessed great talent, but several down years had sapped him of confidence. He remerged last season with the JGR Toyota Yamaha team, but has taken another step this year. The Rockstar team, as well as Millsaps’ personal crew such as Ezra Lusk, has pounded home the point that Davi can beat anyone. Six weeks into the season, that’s now undeniable.
“I tell every rider I have that the difference between me and everyone else is that I’m going to love you on your bad days as much as your good days,” says Hewitt. “Look, I’ve got a bunch of Monday misfits. I’ve got Blake Wharton, Nico Izzi, Ryan Sipes and Jason Anderson—they’ve all had their ups and downs, but they all have the talent to win. They need that reassurance. If Izzi [who is currently out with an ACL injury] has called me once, he’s called me a thousand times, “You’re not going to cut me are you?” No. I signed him for a reason, and he doesn’t need to come back until he’s ready to come back. I know it sounds corny, but we’re a family here. And when you win together and you lose together, it works so much better. That’s what I’ve tried to build here. So many people say, “I want it today, I want it now.” But it’s a process, and all of the work we’ve put in to get here is starting to pay off.”
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Hewitt sounds like a damned good team owner to me!
Hewitt should hold some seminars for other team managers. With his approach, maybe we could have saved some of the teams that lost funding. Pure speculation, but it would be nice to watch our sport grow, and not head down the other path....
Are you sure you don't want to add a few LOLs, fake MX Bob. You're pathetic.
Finally! A business savvy team owner who understands the point of professional racing - it's to make money! No doubt this Bobby Hewitt guy has a formal education in business/ marketing.
I find it comical when all these washed up racers think they're going to get some sponsors riled up and go be successful - based on what? You don't have an education! Matter of fact, and no disrespect, but they really have no freakin clue how to run a profitable business. They were paid millions based on their racing talent, not business ethics.
No wonder teams backed by McGrath, L&M, and Ward all folded. What was their business plan? Go racing on an idea until the money ran out? I'm sorry, but a goal without a plan, is a wish.
Good job Hewitt! We need more intelligent men like you running moto companies.
Seem like a good bunch of guys who definatley put in the work to get their results....Cant not applaud them for that!!
notice SUZUKI on Whartons seat cover, but its not on Milsaps
its sad how many people get shit on because of stewart, he sucked up all the money at JGR forcing milsaps to take a HUGE pay cut. than he goes to suzuki pretending like he's ready to race for a title, meanwhile hes out riding around promoting his new gear line and now theres no way suzuki could help out a team like rockstar who is actually getting results in two different classes but lets not forget that james also put bret metcalfe out of a job. now I'd have no problem with this all if james would show up and do what he's paid to do and capable of doing but Im starting to think that he's just cashing in one last time and if that is the case than that is highly unfair and disrespectful to guys who actually want to race and want to be there and would be happy making about a 1/3 of what he is making just playing around
The folks at JDR could learn a lot from just reading this article, let alone consulting with Mr. Hewitt.
ping said it best the teams that are selling a product have the least trouble, the one's just trying to get exposure and be in the limelight are the ones that dont last. every team talks about "a budget" but only few teams actually follow it or know how to use it. and yes there are some instances where the main sponsor just pulls the rug out from under everyone but a lot of teams screw themselves
The Rockstar riders have a lot of mouths to feed when they line up, by the sounds of it. When push comes to shove, who you gonna represent? The 30-40 people working for your team, or some other rider on the track?
DM18 and AS29 might be showing that factory support ain't all that. Other than the hardened factory race transmission, a privateer 450 is just fine.
@ Killomoto
Pretty sure I read in there that he's still representing Suzuki in the lites class
Great story.I wonder if CoyGibbs is feeling kind of stupid right now.Why don't you ask him Weeg?
that idiot larry brooks could learn alot form this guy!
Sounds like it sucks in paradise just like it sucks in the salt mines we all work in. Props to Hewitt for having character, and for picking the winning lotto ticket. Not taking anything away from Davi, but I am sure that even he didn't have dreams this good... Save me a seat on the Davi bandwagon!
I'm gonna try drinking rockstar just because that was a great article. This Hewitt guy obviously has the template to follow, seriously if he ends up writing a book or something ill buy it.
Re: Anderson.... not accurate that Hewitt was told by "Every sponsor and every manufacturer to dump him" simply not true.... while a few were puzzled, to be sure, Hewitt was able to accurately relay what was really going on w/ Jason... adapting to VERY hard work to be in the top 5 doesn't happen in 6 months to a year... Thank Jason & Blake W's trainer for their results... he has EVERYTHING to do w/ their success and doesn't get near enough credit...
Ill warn you joel its not that good or atleast the flavor i tried once wasnt they were making bull blasters and said dont worry it taste just like red bull...wrong!
Wow...
Hats off to the Rockstar Energy Racing Team
After all, everything is Profit & Loss
If you don't run the program like that, then the only assurance you'll gonna get is your tent will gonna fold down at the end of the season...
Millsaps, Wharton, Izzi and Anderson. That is an awsome team Hewitt and you know it! Go Rockstar i am a huge fan!
Hey Vinnie , Mr Kotter is #13? I wonder if those are considered 'stock' bikes like Shorts...like it or not ,help or not there still SUZUKI's (don't blame the bike for the company's bizarre lack of 'interest' and foresite) they use them because they work...period...Seems like a great program and a great owner...I wish them continued success .....@jeremy where are you getting your JS7$$ facts and figures .?.you talkin to corporate ...or you just guessing/hatin.. wasn't Metcalf hurt anyway...?
@ Preston, is it wrong, or do you just not agree with it?
There is a lot of truth to the previous 2 teams paid a lot of money to have very uncerimonious splits and questionanble results.
The verdict is out on the present day deal but so far, Outdoors and In, Suzuki is not getting what they are paying for. Any long term succes surely looks bleak where it might be brighter with a young say Eli Tomac.
HEY SUZUKI......DON'T YOU FEEL STUPID READING THIS ARTICLE???
It's shameful they haven't provided support for these guys at the beginning, and now that they are the only team really representing Suzuki in the results column, they have no excuse to not support them now!! Wake up Suzuki.
@ Tonewall, that is hilarious,, what was that characters name! Epstien?
@tonewall there was an interview last year with davi and they told him basically they spent all their money on stewart and could only afford to pay him X amount of dollars and that if he wanted to find a ride elsewhere that they would understand, davi chose to stay (finished 2nd in points) stewart walked out on his contract in dallas left the bike laying about 30-40 yards from where I was sitting. and metcalfe was hurt but they said they couldnt fit two riders into their budget for SX that they may bring him in for outdoors (knowing js probably wont ride)
The comments made by Steve Matthes on the most recent Podcast were out of line. Comparing Milsaps' season thus far with baseball player Sammy Sosa's rise in the 1990's and 2000's (due to illegal steroid use), regardless of how Matthes tried to back-pedal/spin it was WAAAAAAAY out of line.
DM18 has thus far won two races and Matthes thinks it's relevant to give such trash-talking rumors 'air time' for the listeners? That's really twisted. Smacks of someone standing next to a field full of dried wood and leaves while holding a can of gasoline, a book of matches and wearing a (blank-eating) grin on his face. I don't recall any such talk during the 'Showtime' or 'Goat' eras, when they won over and over and over and over and over....
Tabloid journalism.
It's clear (to the rest of us) that Milsaps has worked his Butt off and sacrificed as much or more than most and is finally having all the pieces come together. But NO, couldn't be that, Matthes could it?! What a Jerk-off thing to say. You owe some apologies. Should we start referring to your Podcast as the Steve 'TMZ' Matthes Show?
Wow, seriously impressed. When it started off with Bobby Hewitt saying this is a business and he is here to make money I thought this was going to go sour fast. However I have to say I am extremely impressed with Hewitt's mindset, yes he is a business man and wants to be profitable. Yet he won't turn his back on you and is willing to work for it. That sir, is a fine American.
That was a fantastic article but it also points out that our sport is on very fragile ground with the way the OEM's are treating people. If there is no way to make money for independent teams in this sport then how will it survive long-term. It wont be able to sustain itself unless the OEM's start to take a different approach to assisting other teams. Hewitt even points out that if Davi wasn't in title contention then Rockstar Energy would be walking away at the end of the deal. So, congrats to Davi Millsaps and I hope he wins the title this year to stick to all the Factory teams out there!
Why hasn't Jason Anderson won a race yet? My gut tells me he has what it takes. I hope he pulls one off
This article about Mr Hewitt (and a interview I heard recently ) together with the results Team Rockstar have made in both classes, clearly shows that "Management by Fear" is not the way to lead a team to victory. Loved that the SX-MX riders together with the FMX guys went for a fun energizing kick-off in the desert, that's team building
most of these riders are pretty young, and even if some may act like they are "bad boys" with cemented self confidence, that is not the truth.
Good for ANY sport that to get people like Mr Hewitt who know how to boost people beyond expectations, and feel safe about their job position even during an injury.
Next time a Dinosaur Manager offend a rider put him on a bike and push him out on the SX track preferably with the throttle zip-tied down,
After reading this short article.. one word comes to mind about Mr. Hewitt:
Integrity.
And why no Podcast mention by Matthes, JW or JT of rider Jared 'Jet' Browne, injured in San Diego? Nothing to report? How's the guy doing...?
Thoughts & prayers to him & the Browne family.
@ Motoscript, good on ya man, I second that!
Why is it that everyone jumps on the JS is at fault bandwagon?
Suzuki screwed Rockstar when they threw their support to RCH! RCH got the bikes and parts that Rockstar should have gotten.
I am not a big fan of James, but his contract and results have nothing to do with Rockstar getting left out in the cold.
Crediting sponsors (AKA THE MONEY) is critical to non-factory teams. It is impossible that the Speed TV crew is unaware of this issue, especially in light of recent events. Suzuki received premium TV publicity for no apparent contribution to Hewitt's program. As the title sponsor, Rockstar should have been given the credit along with Millsaps.