Richie Escalante, Mexican Superbike rider, returns to MotoAmerica at COTA with the Hammer Team after a serious accident last March in Atlanta.
We are happy to see him recovering and proud to know that he continues to demonstrate his talent. Richie Escalante won third place in the podium in the first race at COTA last week.
Richie Escalante’s race in 2024.
In 2024, Richie Escalante raced a state-of-the-art Suzuki GSX-R750 in the Daytona 200-mile race as part of the Hammer Team effort, spending most of the 200 miles pushing the eventual winner for the lead.
Escalante also set the track record in qualifying for the legendary 200-mile race. In the opening race of the Superbike season at Road Atlanta in March after posting a top-ten result in Superbike Race 1. So Richie was involved in a post-race incident with another rider.
We caught up with Richie on the track at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, shortly before his first Motorsport race of the weekend and had this nice long conversation.
A CONVERSATION WITH RICHIE ESCALANTE
Hi Richie, nice to see you again. In our previous interview, you told us that you always have a ritual that you perform before starting the race for good luck. Do you have a new ritual?
I’m still pretty much the same; I think that once you get used to your routine, as a rider or as a person, you don’t want or like to change anything.
So if you change something, you feel that things are not going to work out for you. So I continue the same, with the same routine, first start everything on the left side and then on the right.
Nothing else, well I am Catholic, I like to do the sign of the cross on the bike and myself, and more than good luck, just to feel more protected and from then on everything is the same.
Richie Escalante’s Helmet before racing
Photo by: Laura Miguel of La Revista Mujer
RICHIE’S ACCIDENT
However, you scared us with an accident last April in Atlanta. Tell us a little bit about your accident.
Well, mainly I came back to race the 220 miles of Daytona in March. In this 81 yea old race, there are 56 laps around the oval, and only one Latino driver has won in 1956. I’ve been trying to win this race for 3 years. First race of the year on the superbike, so I went with high expectations when I arrived in Atlanta.
Unfortunately I had a crash that I never thought could happen to me. This was at the end of the race passing the finish line, 150 meters past the finish line. A moment of total distraction, one of those times when you pass, take a deep breath, relax, and say “I’m done.”
I was upset because I finished 8th and I had never finished 8 seconds before another rider. I really didn’t lose anything, but once I hit him, I was really scared for the first time, and I thought, – maybe this is as far as I can go.
RICHIE’S INJURIES
How badly were you injured?
From that fall I fractured 7 bones, the radius and ulna of my left wrist, a ligament and the lower part of the tibia in my left foot. I have the scars here. (Richie showed us his leg)
But the hardest lesson and the one that cost me the most was that I crushed three lumbar vertebrae. Luckily it didn’t touch any nerves or anything, thank God.
From there they took me immediately to the Atlanta hospital where they gave me the diagnosis. After that, I returned to Mexico and had surgery there because my family is there and I have a place to recover. It was difficult but four months later I returned to Ohio.
Technician checking Richie Escalante’s Suzuki before the COTA race Photo: Laura Miguel
How did this affect your career?
Well, it affected me a lot because I couldn’t ride 5 dates and 11 races. For example, I can’t switch to another team, like Ducati if I wanted to, because I have nothing to show.
And this year I really have to prove that I am still good. Show that I am not afraid of the bike. And already thinking about something in 2025.
Whether I win or lose tomorrow here in Austin, it’s not going to make a difference. I just have to prove that Richie is still the same or better.
RICHIE’S RECOVERY
What did you do during those four months of forced rest in Mexico, in Pachuca, Hidalgo?
Being a racer and above all, a person who is used to doing exercise, well it was difficult, as in the first month I did practically nothing.
I walked very slowly and from then on I did rehabilitation, but the most difficult thing was the MRIs and the doctor told me that “until your vertebrae are completely dark, it does not mean that you are well.”
I had to have three MRIs, so it was quite hard, rehabilitation, but little by little I was recovering.
What did your family tell you, especially your abuelita, who makes you the best enchiladas?
My biggest support was my mom and my girlfriend. My father and brothers were supportive but they were working most of the time.
And well, my grandmother, she told me “Ya dėjalo Richie, retírate”, (just leave it Richie, retire) she was one of the few people who told me to quit.
Did you get to participate in Ohio?
Two weeks before Ohio, I was told I could do stationary cycling, but not to use my arms.
After Ohio, it was quick, the doctor told me, “you’re fine now Richie, I recommend you train and come back to Austin this weekend”.
And I replied “what if I run in Ohio 5 days later?”
She said “that’s your decision, if you want to race, it’s your risk, but I want you to wait for Austin”.
But Austin is a track I like, it was my first podium, close to Mexico and close to home and at that point I decided to go to Ohio as training and then come to Austin more prepared.
Now I’m already much better.
Photo by Nickless. at COTA
RIDING IN COTA
Is it true that motorcyclists have to adapt to this track when it is very hot, what do you think?
Well this track is great for both cars and motorcycles. Of course the bike feels the jumps a little bit more and that’s where you have to work with your team on the internet to set up the bike to absorb the jumps better.
And this track is so big that you have to do it in sections. Some of it is new, some of it was done in January, some of it was done later on, some of it was done eight days ago, so everything is changing.
Richie Escalante discussing details of his race with his team.
The good thing is that it’s the same for everyone. Whoever adapts better will do better. But it is still a world championship track, where Formula 1 and MotoGP come, whether it is hot or cold, we are very happy to race here.
MEXICAN RIDERS
What do you thin is needed for Mexican riders to have more opportunities to compete in this sport?
It’s a very difficult question because there is not really a base to start from. It’s not like there is a school where they teach you where there are small motorcycles available for you.
It’s a very expensive sport, so you really need the support of parents. It is difficult to say to a child, “race, yes, but you need 250 thousand pesos,” it is very difficult. And of course, it’s best when you start young, maximum 15 years old, otherwise it is very difficult to get there.
And what I can recommend is to start with small bikes and try to race the national championship in Mexico and above all, you to have the winner’s mentality long before you get in the bike. I have always said “Where you race, win before you get into the motorcycle”.
After you win in México, in the highest racing category, which is the 600, I will try to race in the USA. Start at the Junior Cup, which is 300, maybe Twin, which is super sports and eventually superbike racing. But always with financial support.
How old were you when you started Richie?
I started when I was 7-8 years old. I’m 29 now, so I’ve been racing motorcycles for 20 years and my goal was to represent Mexico in the world championship.
After the Spanish Alvaro Bautista – Ducati, Champion 2022-2023, are you ready to be the first Mexican Champion in the Superbike category with your Suzuki?
Well, sure but here is Bautista racing the World Superbike World Championship.
I would like to win the American Superbike race first and from there if I can have the opportunity to race at the world superbike level, which is the world championship of the motorcycles.
That would be like a dream come true. but first, I would like to focus myself here, in the racing class I’m in, and win several championships.
Richie Escalante during interview by Lilia Rodriguez of La Revista Mujer Photo: Danielle Becker
RICHIE’S FUTURE PLANS
What’s next?
Well this weekend is special, because it’s September 15, we are celebrating Mexican independence, “El Grito.”
So it’s extra motivation to try to win on Sunday here at COTA and after this practice it looks like it’s possible. I’m fourth, but I’m very close to first.
Then to finish in New Jersey strong. The first thing is to finish the remaining two weekends and then I’d like to focus on resting and recovering well, and check my back, until I’m 100%sure.
Is there a chance to change teams?
The possibilities of changing teams, or doing other things were lost by not running the whole year. It’s difficult for another team to tell you for example, “come with us” and you have nothing to show, or you didn’t have races. It’s very difficult.
But I have a good crew, I have good equipment, they support me, they told me, «we wait for you until March 2025 and we’re going to put you back in when you feel ready. Very few teams do that. So out of respect, and out of loyalty, I am going to stay here. After 2025 I will stay with the same team.
Last curious question, why do they call you Richie or Ricky?
Oh yes, well, my name is Ricardo but they call me Richie, actually my name is Ritchie with a “t”. My mom used to tell me that when I was about to be born she went to see the movie RichieRich. Do you remember? Well that’s where she got the idea to name me Richie!
Number 54! Photo by Nickless Photos
WE WISH YOU THE BEST RICHIE, AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT YEAR!
By: Lilia Rodriguez Davis
Editor in Chief of
La Revista Mujer / Austin.
