Editorial: Hacking Gets What He Deserves (With Partial Post-Race Interview Transcript)

By Michael Hannas
Video courtesy of http://www.onthethrottle.tv/




Jamie Hacking was suspended for one race and fined $4000 for his actions and comments that were “detrimental to the sport” during and directly after the AMA Pro Daytona Sportbike post-race interview in the media center at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday that followed his second-place finish.  Although AMA Pro Racing’s press release is unclear exactly what actions or comments led to their disciplinary action, the release does mention that his comments while leaving the press room are the reason for the suspension, and not necessarily his heated exchange with third-place finisher Jason DiSalvo during the press conference nor his short disrespectful answers to questions from the media and derogatory comments about the new AMA/DMG rules package while on the podium.  While I did personally witness his lack of respect for questions from long-time members of the media during both Saturday and Sunday’s victory lane celebrations and subsequent press conferences as well as the exchange between DiSalvo and Hacking, the comments that reportedly led to his suspension were uttered after the press conference ended on Sunday as he was walking out of the media center and I was just outside speaking with Eslick, so I can’t attest to what he said exactly.



I can attest to the fact that he was visibly upset, especially on Saturday after the race, about the speed of the Buell and made numerous comments about how “as far as he is concerned he won the race” while on the podium and wouldn’t give more than a one word answer when asked about the Buell.  When asked after Saturday’s race what it would take to beat the Buell, he replied, “Well, I think you guys know the answer to that, I think Kawasaki makes a 636, I dunno…”

The exchange with DiSalvo on Sunday during the press conference was in my opinion completely unacceptable for a professional race series.  If you haven’t watched the video yet, I’ll sum it up for you.  Basically, Hacking was whispering with Eslick while DiSalvo was answering his questions from the media, which angered DiSalvo enough to the point where he stopped what he was saying to look at Hacking and tell him to pipe down.  It isn’t necessarily uncommon for the two riders that aren’t answering the questions during the press conference to whisper quietly about the race together, but DiSalvo obviously was offended by it and asked Hacking to stop.  Hacking and the whole press room started laughing, but DiSalvo wasn’t.  DiSalvo began to continue answering his question while Hacking proceded to continue whispering to Eslick, which really angered DiSalvo.  DiSalvo then stopped talking again and turned to Hacking, asking, “Hey!  Did I talk during your interview…?” Hacking did not reply to this, so DiSalvo piped up again, “Did I? Answer my question!”  That’s when it got really crazy as the moderator tried to regain control while Hacking and DiSalvo traded verbal blows back and forth.

My transcript from the pertinent portion of the press conference follows: DiSalvo: "...I had three laps to go. [Stops and glares over at Hacking.] Hey, I'm doing a little interview over here [laughter from reporters in the media center]. By the time I got to the back of those guys, there were three laps to go and I had three guys in front of me...[Hacking continues talking to Eslick] I had three laps to go. Hey, I'm doing a little interview over here [more laughter]. By the time I got to the back of those guys, there were three laps to go and I had three guys in front of me so I said, ‘three laps, three guys, I gotta get one guy each lap.’ [Hacking continues whispering to Eslick and DiSalvo stops again and stares at Hacking] Hey, did I talk during your thing? [Hacking now silent] Did I? Answer my question."

Moderator: "Alright guys..."

Hacking: [To DiSalvo] "You have the microphone? They can hear you. Continue, son…"

Moderator: "Let's finish up here and be respectful...let's finish up these interviews."

DiSalvo: "Yeah, let's get a little respect here…"

Hacking: "I lost all respect for you a long time ago."

DiSalvo: "I never had any for you."

Moderator: "We're not going to get into it here. Let Jason finish his interview and then we'll have questions. Thank you."

DiSalvo: "So..sorry…uh…got me all fired up here."

Moderator: You were talking about the pass and how you came up on Martin…

To be fair to Hacking, DiSalvo did have his part in the whole exchange and could have simply stopped talking when Hacking was interrupting him and waited for Hacking to be quiet until he continued his answer instead of escalating the whole situation by engaging Hacking.  There is definitely some bad blood between the two riders and DiSalvo simply wasn’t going to back down, which simply made Hacking more upset.  Perhaps DiSalvo could have avoided the whole thing by not trying to get Hacking to answer him, but regardless, Hacking was the one who started the whole exchange by ignoring DiSalvo’s request for respect.




At this point DiSalvo was visibly worked up and struggled to regain his composure to finish his interview.  He finished his answer, there was one question for Eslick about what changes he made for Sunday, and then Hacking was asked “Were you able to use the draft of the Buell at all?”  Hacking gave every reporter’s favorite answer, the one-liner, “No…zero.”

The moderator then said the conference was over and I walked out the side door with Eslick, who had to go outside as he was trying to hold in his laughter from the situation, while Hacking proceded past the AMA Pro Racing timing and scoring office on his way out the back door of the media center.  This is when he apparently made comments that were in the AMA’s eyes worthy of a one-race suspension, although it is unclear whether these comments were directed at AMA officials or DiSalvo or simply comments Hacking was making to his wife and team while still in the media center and within earshot of AMA officials and media.

Although I didn’t hear what he said, I would say his actions during the press conference alone were reason enough for the suspension and fine.  Hacking’s disrespect of his fellow competitor DiSalvo as well as members of the media during the podium celebrations and post-race interviews on both days would not be tolerated by any other professional motorsport organization or any professional sporting organization for that matter.  His actions made me personally embarrassed to be a member of the motorcycle racing community and I can only guess what it must have made AMA Pro Racing look like to some of the media from the large local newspapers that only come to one race a year.  Whatever the reason is for his obvious hostility, whether he is not happy with the new rules or not happy to be riding a 600 again or just not getting laid enough lately, there is no excuse for his behavior.  The late great LA Times reporter Shav Glick is probably tossing and turning in his grave right now over Hacking’s actions.  Hacking is just lucky Glick can’t write posthumously else I think we’d be reading a scathing report in the LA Times today.

Editors Note: It remains to be seen if Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki will even attend the next round at Road Atlanta in two weeks, since Roger Hayden is still “taking a leave of absence due to personal reasons” according to the team, and Hacking is suspended for at least one race, after which he can be re-instated once he pays the $4000 fine and issues a formal apology to AMA Pro Racing officials, the media, and the fans.  This leaves them with only one rider, AMA Rookie Leandro Mercado, who was initially supposed to race the AMA Pro SuperSport class this season but was pulled in to replace Hayden on the #95 bike in Daytona Sportbike.