They reckon you’re no good? Prove them wrong. They reckon you’re too slow? Prove them wrong. They reckon you’re too young? Prove them wrong. They reckon you’re unworthy of the company you are keeping? Prove them wrong. They reckon you’re the village idiot? Prove them wrong.
A textbook Townsville revhead roared to the chequered flag at the Dutch MotoGP, punched his speed machine in unbridled and unexpected triumph, chucked a stand-up wheelie at a couple of hundred clicks an hour, guzzled champagne from his boot on the podium and then shoved a few important facts in the faces of those who had mocked his expedited rise to the premium class.
Proving them wrong has a bit going for it and, when 21-year-old Jack Miller gave north Queensland its most prestigious sporting trophy since Johnathan Thurston slotted a field goal in last year’s rugby league grand final, Australia had its first MotoGP winner since Casey Stoner in 2012.
Miller had officially come a long way since he was the kid being chased off council land in Townsville because his PeeWee mini bike was making too much noise for the rangers’ liking. “I think this makes it clear that we do know how to ride a motorbike and I’m not an idiot,” Miller said in reference to his promotion with Honda from Moto3 to the elite MotoGP class last year.
“It gives Honda something back for taking such a big gamble on me. The amount of criticism they’ve got, and the amount of criticism I’ve got, saying he’s a moron or whatever, a big thank you to those guys. It’s an amazing feeling and I can’t really explain it at this point in time.
“A lot of people have badmouthed us and said that this project wouldn’t work. I just hope we’ve showed them wrong, and that I can ride, and that I’m not an idiot.”
Miller became the 12th Australian to win a MotoGP race, dominating Sunday’s chaotic, rain-savaged race with an approach that he described as “glory or the hospital”.
When the wild weather sent seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi skidding into the gravel, Miller swept past two-time world champion Marc Marquez and held on for the final eight laps.
Making the grade in the Europe-dominated world of motorsport is never easy for an Australian. The family sacrifices are immense: Miller moved to Europe with his mother as a 14 year old. Financial commitments are enormous: Miller’s parents, Sonya and Peter, spent all their savings in his early days before selling their boat and remortgaging their home to keep the dream alive. The physical dangers are confronting and real. Miller broke 27 bones before the age of 14. He has witnessed the deaths of umpteen riders who went for broke and lost.
Sonya Miller watched television coverage of the race. The family moved to a farm outside Townsville when Miller’s bike kept earning the wrath of the council rangers. “My hands were shaking, my heart was palpitating. I thought, ‘Just sit behind Marquez, that’ll be right, second’s great!” she told Fox Sports.
“Second’s great! And then he put the moves on him and I’m like, ‘Please, no, what are you doing!’
“It’s just what you dream of for your child, always, and then it comes true — I’m just in shock.
“Any time your son gets on a podium, you’re just absolutely beside yourself. I’ve always known he’s had this potential and now he’s just shown the world he can do it.”
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Ian
Ian
12 hours ago
Absolutely awesome performance there young Jack… we all knew you had it in you. You have incredible support down under… it keeps us watching the greatest show on earth. Be Aussie, be Humble and get a good PR person in your tent, it can make all the difference.
The World Championship beckons… and we’ll all be cheering for you mate.
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3ClareGeoffBenLikeReply
Geoff
Geoff
14 hours ago
Well done Jack!!Logic suggests Jack should be the one to take over Pedrosa’s seat, and maybe Honda had this in mind when they elevated him from Moto3. But MotoGP is a dirty game – just ask Casey Stoner.Jack has the winner’s instinct; but Pedrosa is European, better still he is Spanish, and even better still again he comes complete with a huge sponsorship and promotion package that dovetails with Dorna’s target TV audience for MotoGP.A case of Ability v Money.We will have to wait and see how that pans out.
But in the meantime, having got the frustrations off his chest, Jack should spend a few hours with a good PR consultant. We would hate to see him fall into the same trap as Ant West – it doesn’t pay to bite the hand that feeds you.
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5PaulRussellRaymond NIanLikeReply
arthur
arthur
13 hours ago
@Geoff Well said Geoff. You are obviously a MotoGP tragic like me.
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1Raymond NLikeReply
Geoff
Geoff
6 hours ago
@arthur @Geoff I prefer SuperBikes and Irish Road Racing, but I get intrigued by the political maze any guys with talent have got to wend their way through to get to the top. As in all things “Follow the Money Trail !!”
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Warwick
Warwick
15 hours ago
I’ve got to admit I was becoming a bit of Miller sceptic after all those crash and DNF’s. But on Sunday he proved himself and did himself proud. He rode a brilliant race and truly proved his incredible skills; you have to have amazing throttle control to win in the wet. Without a full factory level 1 bike he wont win in the dry, but this ride should cement his path onto such a ride. I’m a fan; true grit.
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9ClareDerekRaymond NAshleyLikeReply
arthur
arthur
13 hours ago
@Warwick we were all saying the same thing about Stoner when he was in the Junior classes & when he was a Privateer, he was a serial crasher. “you can get a fast rider to slow down but you cant make a slow rider fast” Well done Jack.
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2philipRaymond NLikeReply
Niels
Niels
15 hours ago
No AIS, no government funding, no elite swimming, tennis or other sports bodies to fund, finance or support him.
That he and his family managed this all by themselves truly magnifies the feat.
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24ClareDavidDerekphilipLikeReply
Steve
Steve
15 hours ago
@Niels Spot on!
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2AshleyNicholasLikeReply
robert
robert
13 hours ago
@Niels truly amazing -well done- thank you Honda-there is always room for the best, and to win on a non factory rocket ship[when was that last done?]
CONGRATULATIONS
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Graham
Graham
16 hours ago
This is a grass root racing family proving their worth to the best, well done Jack, Sonya, & Peter on maintaining your belief, now the hard yards anchor your success. Take it to them.
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20DerekphilipgaryRaymond NLikeReply
Casper
Casper
16 hours ago
Goooooooo Jack !!!!!!
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3AshleyDianneJamesLikeReply
Craig
Craig
16 hours ago
Well done mate.
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2DianneJamesLikeReply
Darren
Darren
17 hours ago
Well done Jack, you little ripper! Bloody beauty.
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5AshleyDianneJamesPhilipLikeReply
Stephen
Stephen
17 hours ago
Great work Jack Miller another great Queenslander and Australian
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14philipBruceAshleyNicholasLikeReply
Ken
Ken
18 hours ago
Champion in the making. If he can win in the wet with ordinary equipment, he can win in the dry with the right bike.
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17Raymond NBruceAshleyNicholasLikeReply
Ray
Ray
14 hours ago
@Ken Great to see Jack moving up the learning curve in MotoGP. Let’s hope that the always elusive factory ride is not too far away, which is always the tough part of the equation. Normally you need to bring lots of sponsor dollars with you, & non-Europeans are always up against it in that race.
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4GeoffphilipRaymond NAshleyLikeReply
Shane
Shane
21 hours ago
Those guys have balls of steel !
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26JohnDennisMartyRaymond NLikeReply
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