Josh Herrin Interview: Headed To Superbikes

Henny Ray Abrams | November 16, 2011

Josh Herrin is proving a quick study as he moves into the AMA Superbike class. The 21-year-old finished the recent Daytona Dunlop tire test about six-tenths of a second slower than his teammate – two-time defending Superbike Champion, Josh Hayes. Not a bad debut for Herrin in his second ride on the Monster Energy Graves Yamaha R1.Herrin spent six years on the Yamaha R6 chasing a championship, but it never happened. Still only 21, Herrin was promoted by Yamaha to the senior class to learn from the very experienced and generous Hayes. His first ride came in a private Yamaha test at Buttonwillow Raceway, where he couldn’t stop smiling, except when he was running off the course. Then came the Daytona test where he had a better measuring stick.Suzukis took the top three spots in Daytona, led by Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Blake Young (1:37.612). Then came Hayes (1:37.907) and Herrin (1:38.588), not far apart, with Herrin less than a second off Young’s time in his first trip around the high banks on the Superbike. There were four riders behind him, three with considerable experience.

Herrin will make his Superbike race debut at Daytona in a little over four months, and he’ll need every day of it to get ready. At 5’6″ and 135 pounds Herrin is the slightest of Superbike racers and knows he has to get stronger.

For the complete interview with Herrin, see this week’s Cycle News at the following link:http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20111115#pg57