Brian Jorgenson interview - his career

mccread
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mccread
We got the chance to speak with Dane, Brian Jorgensen, a former factory rider and GP winner about his successful GP career - but it was very close to not happening at all after suffering tragedy as a teenager.

Listen on iTunes here or Spotify and Youtube below:

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motoxxx599
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motoxxx599 8/19/2021 8:14am
8/19/2021 8:14am
I used to work at a bike shop during week in Daytona and the Ohlins rep for Florida stopped in and asked if I would be willing to take some Danish guys around Florida for month to do some riding. He said they would be shipping their bikes to the shop I worked at and I needed to pick them up at the airport in Orlando. The bikes arrived before they did in a custom shipping crate with Honda HRC stenciled on the side. I had no clue who these guys were as I didn't follow the GPs at all. My race mechanic and I drove to MCO and to pick these guys up and one of them was Brian Jorgensen. They were slated to stay with us for the whole month in my 2 bed 1 bath apartment near the Speedway in Daytona but the next day they rented a house as it was 2 riders and 2 mechanics and Brians GF (now wife) in their group and my apartment was pretty small and already packed with a couple other racers and some local strip club talent.

A couple days after they arrived we went to Orlando Motocross (Bithlo) for a FL Winter AM. I still didnt know Brian was a top 5 GP guy until he passed me in practice going double my speed through the sand section in the back. I rode this track every Monday and was sure I was going to shows these Euros the fast way around. It wasnt to be. I think Brain won both motos of the 250 pro class much to the dismay of Florida pro Brian Gray who tried to take him out a few times and then wanted to fight after the race.

I got to ride with them a few times and then they packed up and went back to Europe. The other rider who came with Brian got injured in the first few days and didnt get to ride much. I dont remember what his name was but I think he was a rookie in the GPs that year.
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Neverclear
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Neverclear 8/19/2021 8:42am
8/19/2021 8:42am
motoxxx599 wrote:
I used to work at a bike shop during week in Daytona and the Ohlins rep for Florida stopped in and asked if I would be...
I used to work at a bike shop during week in Daytona and the Ohlins rep for Florida stopped in and asked if I would be willing to take some Danish guys around Florida for month to do some riding. He said they would be shipping their bikes to the shop I worked at and I needed to pick them up at the airport in Orlando. The bikes arrived before they did in a custom shipping crate with Honda HRC stenciled on the side. I had no clue who these guys were as I didn't follow the GPs at all. My race mechanic and I drove to MCO and to pick these guys up and one of them was Brian Jorgensen. They were slated to stay with us for the whole month in my 2 bed 1 bath apartment near the Speedway in Daytona but the next day they rented a house as it was 2 riders and 2 mechanics and Brians GF (now wife) in their group and my apartment was pretty small and already packed with a couple other racers and some local strip club talent.

A couple days after they arrived we went to Orlando Motocross (Bithlo) for a FL Winter AM. I still didnt know Brian was a top 5 GP guy until he passed me in practice going double my speed through the sand section in the back. I rode this track every Monday and was sure I was going to shows these Euros the fast way around. It wasnt to be. I think Brain won both motos of the 250 pro class much to the dismay of Florida pro Brian Gray who tried to take him out a few times and then wanted to fight after the race.

I got to ride with them a few times and then they packed up and went back to Europe. The other rider who came with Brian got injured in the first few days and didnt get to ride much. I dont remember what his name was but I think he was a rookie in the GPs that year.
Around 98/99, right? We met him at Hardrock just before he went back & bought a bunch of tires from him. He was towing an RM on a flat trailer with a Mercedes or BMW car.

Really nice guy & he definitely surprised a lot of us watching the Winter-Ams that year. I followed his results thru the rest of his career after that.
motoxxx599
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motoxxx599 8/19/2021 10:30am
8/19/2021 10:30am
2003 was we he came and stayed with us
xracerphx
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xracerphx 8/19/2021 10:54am
8/19/2021 10:54am
I lived at hardrock the winter of 97-98. He came over and raced some winter races down there. His posture was SO aggressive, elbows way up.... and yet so smooth. It was amazing watching him on the 98 RM125. He was so good, he made me want to stop racing... then i rode with pastrana, and that made me want to stop riding. HAHA. It was really cool to see his euro prowess on the track. He kicked ass at DADE, which was to be expected.
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Neverclear
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Neverclear 8/19/2021 1:04pm
8/19/2021 1:04pm
xracerphx wrote:
I lived at hardrock the winter of 97-98. He came over and raced some winter races down there. His posture was SO aggressive, elbows way up...
I lived at hardrock the winter of 97-98. He came over and raced some winter races down there. His posture was SO aggressive, elbows way up.... and yet so smooth. It was amazing watching him on the 98 RM125. He was so good, he made me want to stop racing... then i rode with pastrana, and that made me want to stop riding. HAHA. It was really cool to see his euro prowess on the track. He kicked ass at DADE, which was to be expected.
I was standing on the fence after riding at Hardrock one day midweek when Pastrana pulls in with his bike in the back of a pick-up. He had the track all to himself & it was absolutely insane how fast he he could ride. Heel clickers over the water tower jump every lap like it was nothing. It was probably the year before he went pro, so you were probably there at that time. He wasn't driving & I doubt he had a drivers license yet.

Anyone know if the Mathias Jorgenson training in Florida now is related to Brian?
Nairb#70
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Nairb#70 8/19/2021 3:00pm
8/19/2021 3:00pm
xracerphx wrote:
I lived at hardrock the winter of 97-98. He came over and raced some winter races down there. His posture was SO aggressive, elbows way up...
I lived at hardrock the winter of 97-98. He came over and raced some winter races down there. His posture was SO aggressive, elbows way up.... and yet so smooth. It was amazing watching him on the 98 RM125. He was so good, he made me want to stop racing... then i rode with pastrana, and that made me want to stop riding. HAHA. It was really cool to see his euro prowess on the track. He kicked ass at DADE, which was to be expected.
I saw him and another UK rider (might have been Dobb) at OCR in Bithlo that same year 97-8, and I've never seen any one just smash it for 1 hour plus long motos. They gave new definition to "bad ass". Jorgensen was an animal.
Benchracer17 8/23/2021 8:29am
8/23/2021 8:29am
xracerphx wrote:
I lived at hardrock the winter of 97-98. He came over and raced some winter races down there. His posture was SO aggressive, elbows way up...
I lived at hardrock the winter of 97-98. He came over and raced some winter races down there. His posture was SO aggressive, elbows way up.... and yet so smooth. It was amazing watching him on the 98 RM125. He was so good, he made me want to stop racing... then i rode with pastrana, and that made me want to stop riding. HAHA. It was really cool to see his euro prowess on the track. He kicked ass at DADE, which was to be expected.
Neverclear wrote:
I was standing on the fence after riding at Hardrock one day midweek when Pastrana pulls in with his bike in the back of a pick-up...
I was standing on the fence after riding at Hardrock one day midweek when Pastrana pulls in with his bike in the back of a pick-up. He had the track all to himself & it was absolutely insane how fast he he could ride. Heel clickers over the water tower jump every lap like it was nothing. It was probably the year before he went pro, so you were probably there at that time. He wasn't driving & I doubt he had a drivers license yet.

Anyone know if the Mathias Jorgenson training in Florida now is related to Brian?
Mathias and Brian are not related. Jørgensen is just a very common Danish last name.
Brian's older brother is Jesper - same insane speed as Brian. Jesper also multiple Danish champ.

In 1985 Jesper won 80cc Danish Championship. At the first round, Brian was only maybe 10, and very little
(kinda AC92 little) and could not push his KX80 up the hill in the pits, so I helped him push and he was so polite
and thankful for the push. Some years ago I sent Brian these photos of his brother and he remembered that
day and the push up the hill in the pitSmile

Jesper holeshot 1985 - gone. Number 2 is back with the entire field.


Another Jesper holeshot from 1985



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