On July twelfth, I had the superb pleasure of munching phrases with arguably THE hottest rider in all of filth monitor racing.
There I used to be, cellphone in hand, prepped to the nines for the interview and all I might take into consideration – aside from the fixed white noise of “holy shite” fan-girling – was that Shayna Texter-Bauman and I couldn’t probably be additional aside in our respective worlds; there was a lot I didn’t learn about what her life was like.
Texter-Bauman had began driving when she was three; I had simply began swinging a wobbly leg over mid-pandemic.
As of 2008, Texter-Bauman was slaying the competitors throughout the board, sending the proverbial skittles amok along with her abilities, and I had simply began excited about signing off for a day or two of native monitor time on the Q2 weekends.
But, regardless of these contrasts on two wheels, there was one factor that had me itching to start out the interview: Her impenetrable psychological method to racing.
Shayna had a laser focus I had beforehand solely seen on the cortisol-soaked phases of my nation’s upper-echelon music competitions; her dedication to her life, her profession and her objectives was undoubtedly the stuff of legend – and when a legend is born, you make just a few calls and log the outcomes down for all posterity.
Let’s dive in.
Inform us how you bought into the world of driving and aggressive racing.
I’ve been driving bikes…shoot, my total life.
I imply, since I used to be three years outdated, I’ve been on a bike.
I grew up in a racing household – I’ve really bought racing on each side of the household.
My dad raced, my grandfather raced, my mother’s dad raced dash automobiles.
My household had owned a bike dealership because the fifties, and my brother determined to start out racing in 2003, as soon as my dad retired.
About midway by way of the 12 months, after watching it, I simply sort of bought the itch and wished to strive it and by no means appeared again since. I turned professional in 2008.
Now, my brother Corey races alongside me within the AFT tour, I additionally race alongside my husband Briar and my brother-in-law Bronson…my nephew’s racing now at 4 years outdated…4!…so for us it’s an entire household ambiance on the monitor.
It’s cool, haha.
As ‘probably the most successful rider in American Flat Monitor Singles division,’ what’s your work setting like?
Once we began out, there wasn’t actually a feminine division in a way, which is why I began racing towards the boys to race..and I’ve been so grateful, in a way, that the boys have revered me as a competitor and never simply as a feminine, ? All of it permits me to be a bike racer on the monitor – simply one other competitor – and be a feminine after, off the monitor, when the helmet comes off.
General, I’m fairly fortunate I assume; I’ve grown up with loads of these guys all through my total profession, and so they respect me and I respect them.
It makes for a novel setting in a way, in comparison with, say, different environments which might be talked about within the auto world.
What retains you targeted in your objectives?
I really feel like so many people have began this journey and profession path as a result of it was one thing all of us loved doing and had a love of the game, and have now turned it right into a occupation.
It’s such a dream job and a chance to be a bike racer by commerce – and for me, it’s additionally persevering with to pave the trail for others – not just for flat monitor itself, however for females.
I really feel like I’ve a novel platform, and it continues to encourage me, seeing the expansion of the game, the quantity of females now changing into desirous about driving (whether or not it’s on the road or on the race monitor), or persevering with to see our fan base develop.
I don’t get to spend so much of time in my area people, however my husband and I, we simply did a test-out at Beginner Nationals, so we bought to spend a day with everybody there, which was tremendous cool.
We proceed to attempt to give again to among the youthful youngsters and in addition simply proceed to develop the game, serving to the children which might be simply turning professional to make that transition from novice.
After doing this for thus a few years, you be taught a lot you may share – and loads of these youngsters, they don’t have the upbringing that I did.
In order that they’re sort of studying as they go and it’s tremendous cool to have the ability to give again and assist them make steps to changing into a professional motorbike racer.
All of this helps hold the main target up – and it additionally issues who’s in your nook.
I’m in an amazing spot, as a result of my husband shares an equivalent profession path and is without doubt one of the most constant guys on the market, even each weekend.
For me to have that carrot proper in my nook daily is an superior alternative for me to proceed to make this transition and development – coaching all through the week, driving a ton, staying targeted on the duty. Laying out the groundwork is so, so essential.
My workforce can also be working laborious to develop this motorbike to the place, as a workforce, we are able to get that chance to probably get podium on my first race. So staying targeted for his or her sake, staying surrounded by folks that have faith in me and may also help the dangerous days flip into good days and the nice days flip into victories is superb for motivation.
How did you initially discover the change from Redbull KTM to Indian?
So I had been with the Purple Bull KTM workforce for 3 seasons – I used to be within the singles division, the winningest rider, all that.
A novel likelihood got here alongside for me to affix the Indian bikes workforce – and for me, it’s such a dream alternative, in a way, to be racing in the identical crew alongside my husband.
We’ve spent a lot time on separate groups – over 10 years of our relationship, in actual fact – so to be put collectively beneath the identical pit space was an enormous issue.
Apart from…I’ve at all times wished to experience a twin cylinder motorbike once more earlier than my profession was over, and the Purple Bull KTM workforce didn’t have a twin beneath their cover.
So to ensure that me to make that bounce, I needed to change to Indian, aligning every part completely for the transition.
(To be clear, I nonetheless have an amazing relationship with the KTM workforce; I’m nonetheless capable of experience KTMs for coaching and proceed to assist mentor and be there for one of many KTM riders – so it turned out to be a perfect state of affairs.)
Your subsequent purpose is to be the primary feminine racer to earn an AFT Tremendous Twins podium. What does a journey like that entail?
It’s not simple, haha.
So proper now it’s persevering with to get monitor time. When making the transition to Tremendous Twins, I knew I used to be going to return in somewhat bit behind the eight ball – I imply, each weekend the monitor is crammed with no less than 10 of the most effective guys within the sport, towards bikes that they’ve all been driving for longer than I’ve mine.
Additionally, some rule modifications have come into impact to attempt to steadiness out the efficiency aspect (or so they are saying), and driving is unquestionably harder now with these rule modifications applied…it requires that rather more focus and consistency, making little steps every weekend, persevering with to pluck away at my instances and staying constant and seeing the place that takes me from week to week.
Like I stated, these guys are 10, 11 of the most effective guys within the sport on the planet, and I’m positively going to need to convey my A-game to get that first podium – so I work laborious and, once more, make certain I lay out the groundwork.
What’s your subsequent purpose to your profession?
Clearly it will be tremendous cool to win one among these races, for certain – could be even larger than a podium.
However proper now it’s setting the reasonable purpose.
Begin with the rostrum first, and go from there.
We’re actually not there but, however we’re getting higher.
I’m 31 years outdated, so not completely certain but what the long run holds…at some point I’d prefer to have a household and proceed to remain concerned within the sport…however proper now?
I do know one factor for certain: Tomorrow I’m nonetheless going to be a bike racer.
Given the barrage of ass-kicking on monitor, what do you love to do in your free time to decompress?
Ooo, good one.
That’s one of many largest, most essential issues – to have the ability to separate your self when you might want to.
Actually, some individuals on the monitor get burnt out so simply as a result of they spend each minute racing…so, yeah, to make a protracted profession final, we have now hobbies.
We like {golfing}, hanging out with pals, campfires and such. As a result of we journey a lot, after we come again residence, it’s nearly like our home is our trip spot – away from all of the cazy.
We even have a log cabin in Pennsylvania and go there to decompress, take pleasure in time with household and pals, and hold that aspect of life lit. It’s a implausible place within the fall – our favourite time to go – as a result of our season’s beginning to decelerate and we are able to additionally get into deer searching.
What bikes have you ever bought within the storage proper now?
Ah, shoot…haha.
My storage is LOADED…
My husband’s attempting to do away with loads of it, however I’m mainly a hoarder of our profession and loads of our storage represents the bikes we’ve ridden on monitor up to now.
We now have two Indian FTR750s for coaching for flat monitor…after which we each have KTM motocross bikes, on high of the 2023 fashions we will likely be utilizing.
Except for that, I even have my Kawasaki 250 that I received my first novice nationwide race on and went on to win the AMA feminine rider of the 12 months on.
I even have my first bike that I received my first race on at Knoxville, a 2009 Honda CRF450…then there’s the Huskies that I received the primary Husqvarna race for flat monitor in 2018 with.
And off within the nook we (my brother and I) have a bunch of Harley Davidsons that had been handed on from my father and grandfather.
Like I stated…loaded.
Any parting phrases of knowledge you can provide for someone wanting to start out driving and/or observe in your footsteps?
Simply don’t give up, ?
When it will get laborious, hold pushing.
There’s so many days that it’d be simple to stroll away and quit and check out one thing else.
Likewise, there’s so many days the place I wished to give up and I continued to push by way of…and right here I’m.
I’m so grateful that I by no means give up.
You should definitely assist Shayna Texter-Bauman on her web site in addition to the related social platforms (Fb, Instagram) as she takes on her subsequent purpose of changing into the first feminine racer to earn an AFT Tremendous Twins podium; for different tales like this, be sure you hold checking again at our shiny new webpage.
Drop a remark under for Texter-Bauman (and letting us know what you assume), and as ever – keep secure on the twisties.
*Media courtesy of Shayna Texter-Bauman and her superb workforce, in addition to Cycle World*
