Exclusive Q & A with Honda Red Bull Team Member Ashley Fiolek

The First Female Athlete in History to Sign with Honda's Factory Team

Motocross phenom Ashley Fiolek joined the Honda Red Bull Racing in February 2009, and she is the first female athlete in history to be signed with Honda’s factory team. We caught up with the 2008 WMA Women’s Motocross Champion to find out what makes her tick, and how she plans to expand upon her already impressive racing career.

How did you get into dirt bike riding?
Well, my dad used to race, and when I was three or four years old he brought me to a supercross and I was, like, sooooo interested in it, I fell in love with it. So I asked my mom and dad, “Can I have a motorcycle?” and my dad was thrilled. I started riding when I was four, but I really didn’t start racing until I was seven. And I’ve been racing since I was seven years old, and I love it. I’m eighteen now.

That’s a lot of time in the saddle!
It is a lot—eleven years—it doesn’t seem that long, but it’s been a long time and I love it. It is just so much fun.

Tell me about when you decided to go pro.
You know, I was an amateur for a long time and then in 2004 I won the Redlands Amateur National Race. Then, I really started to focusing because I decided I wanted to become a pro. I started home schooling, I started training, and I just knew I wanted to be a professional women’s racer. Finally, I became a pro in 2007, I raced the last round. But 2008 was my first full year, so I won the championship in 2008, as a rookie. I was so thrilled, what else could happen? Then [getting signed by Honda] happened. I just couldn’t believe it, I was so excited! Its just the best thing that happened; this is my job, this is what I wanted to do, this is what I dreamed of doing.

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced?
There’s different challenges in racing, different things you need to work on. They added X-Games this past year, and I’d never done supercross before, and I got hurt. You also have to work on your [bike setup], suspension, and overcome any problems you have-- and just keep goin’.

Has the issue of your deafness ever come up with other riders?
No… [but] there’s disadvantages to being deaf. I have to know my line, because I can’t hear everybody, I have to know where everybody is on the track. Sometimes, I hit neutral and fall over, but that is my own fault ‘cause I can’t hear what’s happening. But the good thing is I can’t hear nobody behind me so there is no pressure. But nobody has ever said anything to me and there hasn’t been a problem. I’ve never taken anybody out or anything because I couldn’t hear them; nothing like this has ever happened.

How does your deafness affect the way you communicate with the bike?
You know, everybody asks me that. When I was on 50s, I struggled with it…. Every time I move to a different bike, I’d have to shift differently. With a bigger engine like a 250, things were different, the vibrations were different, it would take me a week or two to get used to the different vibrations and when to shift. Then I just get comfortable on it and I’m fine, its just how I do it.

Is there any special equipment on the bike, like a shift light or something?
No. My dad didn’t want to do that. People told him to do that when I was starting because I was struggling, but my dad wanted everything to be the same, so he just, helped me to feel it. I’m excited about that because I didn’t have to change anything, it’s just the same bike that everybody else uses.

What kind of bikes have you ridden recently?
I’ve been on Honda forever-- since 2004. I started on a PW50, when I was on 65 cc’s I was on Kawasaki and then I rode a KTM for a while, and then Suzuki for a while. When I was on an 85 cc, I moved to Honda and I’ve been on a Honda since then… 85 cc, 125 cc, 250 cc.

Do you want to stay in the dirt or try roadracing?
(Laughs) No, no, no… I’m staying in the dirt. I may enjoy other things-- I like snowboarding-- but motocross is my love.

Do you have aspirations of competing in other forms of motorsports?
I want to be one of the first girl to qualify for a boy’s national. I think I just need to be stronger-- physically stronger, mentally stronger. Boys are a huge challenge, maybe that’s the next challenge I want to go after, maybe I’ll do some Canadian races to wet my feet… I’m the first girl on a factory team, so that gave me confidence and I’m going to be ready for my next dreams now.