Serco Yamaha’s MX2 rookie Jay Wilson has been doing it tough in a class that’s more competitive than ever this year. With on-track and off-track niggles affecting his performance in 2014, we thought it was high-time we approached the vocal four-stroke racer and hit him with five questions starting with ‘why’.

Image: Jeff Crow.

Why haven’t your results been up to your expectations this year?

It’s just been a tough year. My bike is awesome and the team is great, but I’ve been struggling with starts all season, as well as trying to overcome a staph infection that I picked up during the New Zealand Motocross Championships. After the third round there I found an ingrown hair on the back of my leg and I think some dirt must’ve got into it and triggered the infection. I raced the first two rounds of the MX Nationals and thought I just had the flu, but now we’ve identified what it is. As soon as my body starts coming under stress in the lead-up to a round I get sick and run down. I’ve been trying to battle it all season and it’s been tough trying to get results and work my arse off as much as I can without getting run down. The problem is I can’t get on the antibiotics until after the season as they’re too strong to race on and will weaken my tendons.

Why have you kept your health issues on the down-low so far?

I’d rather just play it down and just do my thing. I don’t want to offer excuses for my results this year. I mean, my health has been a problem but I don’t want to come out and say it’s the only reason I’m not doing well. As I said, my starts have been shocking this year, which means I’ve had to work harder coming through the pack. I know I have the outright speed to win, but I need to keep working on my starts.

Why did the rubber chicken cross the road?

[Laughs] what? No, I’m not answering this question.

Image: Jeff Crow.

Why not?

Because it’s weird! OK, let me think for a minute… did it want to stretch its legs?

Oh you’re good at this. Okay, back to being serious: why do you post a lot of memes and updates that stir up the two-stroke vs four-stroke debate?

Because it’s funny! I love posting things that stir people up, then I can sit back and laugh about it. It’s awesome. A lot of people are saying our team is calling the 250 two-stroke riders cheaters, but no-one at Yamaha has ever said that. I’m not against it as it’s in the rules, but riding a 250cc two-stroke in the MX2 class is an advantage for sure. 450cc four-strokes were built to race against them, which says something in itself.

Why did you move to the Sunshine Coast?

I’m actually moving back to the Tweed at the end of the week, but I originally moved up to the Sunny Coast to ride with Ford Dale. He got hurt practising at Coolum and it’s been tough trying to find people to ride with up here now, so I’m heading back home and getting back into the family environment. I was living with Harley Quinlan at Mooloolaba and it was an awesome experience. It’s a great area and it’s laid back, but it’s tougher to get out riding. I’m looking forward to hitting the tracks with my brother and getting back into it.