Swapmoto Race Series Profile | Benny Breck

Swapmoto Race Series Profile | Benny Breck

Age: 32

Hometown: Buena Park, California

Classes Raced: Vet Pro, 450 Pro

Sponsors: Honda R&D (“Thank you Honda, for giving me a job!”)

The West Coast Open rolled into Los Angeles County Raceway last Sunday and a healthy turnout of racers showed up to do battle in the sandy conditions that LACR is known for. Benny Breck laid waste to the Vet Pro class aboard his Honda CRF450R and looked like he was out for a Sunday cruise while doing so. We tracked him down in the pits to find out more about his job at American Honda! 

You’re part of the Johnny Campbell Racing team, right?

Yeah, well actually now, I’m working directly for Honda. I’m an independent contractor, so it’s neat! I work in four different departments: R and D, the race team, press, and dealership relations.

Did you have a pro racing career in your youth?

Nah, but there was an attempt. I raced Supercross in 2008 and 2009. Mentally back then, I just didn’t have it. I found out very soon that everything costs a lot of money and got a job within the industry working at a motorcycle shop. Then I wanted more than that and more to do with racing. It worked into meeting Johnny Campell and he showed me all the right places and everything. I’m lucky enough to be right where I am now, having fun and making money out of it.

So you’re a full-time Honda employee?

I go there probably twice a week, but I get to go to Japan probably six months out of the year, about a month at a time. For R and D and all of their production models. Among the Japanese, it feels more like home over there than it does over here. It’s so nice there, I love it.

So what city in Japan are you primarily in?

Utsunomiya, which is by Twin Ring Motegi.

That’s the Cole Seeley dreamland!

Yeah, we got to watch him and Jeremy Martin, all those guys come out and ride around when they come out for Sugo.

What is it like playing a part in the development of a bike? When you’re in Japan and communicating with the engineers, do you have to tell them that the “American way” is a little different?

Yeah, their test track they have out there is very similar to Milestone, so even if it gets a good review on their test track, I still have to say okay when it comes back to Glen Helen or something that has deeper soil or more ruts. I usually tell them, “Don’t base the setting off this. Let’s take it back and wait until we ride it in the States.”

How many of our races have you done?

I’ve done handfuls of them. I did Glen Helen and got my butt kicked by Jeff Loop, which I was kind of bummed about, but he’s fast. I’m just trying to get ready for Mammoth so I come out to do Swapmoto series!

As a vet, there is probably one or two races per year you really look forward to, right?

Mammoth and the World Vets are big, but every year for your TransAm Vet National, I’m in Japan! The last year and this year I was gone, but I always want to do those. I want to do Loretta’s but I work Loretta’s for the amateur support and then it’s too hard to work and race, so I get a little screwed out at that one. It’s all fun, the family and everything. My wife is out there racing too. It’s just fun, I love it. It’s extreme exercise.

Considering your job, are there secret parts on your bike?

That is the most stock, horrid motorcycle…don’t look too close! There’s even oil seeping out spots that oil shouldn’t even be seeping out of. I put gas in it, change the oil, clean the air filter, and I ride it. My motor has about 145 hours on the stock crank and everything. It’s really bad, but Honda durability baby!

Your wife is out here racing with you, that’s awesome to have your wife doing the same thing as you…is she as into it as you are?

Yeah! That’s how we met, I kind of reeled her in. She wanted to learn. We raced mountain bikes together and I kind of met her through that, then she wanted to learn how to ride. So, as soon as I taught her how to ride, she’s just as hooked on it as I am.

 For as much as you ride and test in Japan, how much do you get to do fun riding and racing for yourself?

Not as much as I’d like. It’s funny because everybody thinks like “oh, testing, you get to ride all the time!” I’m blessed to not sit behind a desk all the time, but it’s two and three laps at a time and we might even be at the test track all day long where I might only ride a total of 20 minutes. You know, with parts being changed. I still in between all of that, try to ride for myself once a week whether its a race or something. Then with all the travel and stuff, sometimes I’m just tired! So I actually don’t get to ride as much as everyone would view it as.

Have you done a race in Japan?

No!! They won’t let me! The test leader is the safety guy, I can go ride with him or ride with everybody, but everything is paced down and everyone says “please, careful.” Yeah, they won’t let me. I tried going and riding with Akira Narita, right before Sugo, everything was set up, but then they were like nope! and shut it all down. Like the morning of! I couldn’t believe it.