Hey Guys! It’s been a while since I’ve done an article for an Aussie publication. I’ve been away from home for eight years now, and I’ve just finished arguably my best season of racing since leaving Australia in the BSB Championship.
The British Superbike Championship is getting stronger year on year, and 2016 was one of the
fastest years on record, with lap records being broken at pretty much every circuit we went to.
I enjoyed the challenge, finding a new level within myself and managing to be competitive from the
very first race, even after missing half of the 2015 season through injury.
2016 BSB – Jason O’Halloran – Image: Chris Brown/BSB
We are now into the winter break, I won’t ride a bike again until January but these months are vital for our 2017 preparations. My trainer, Andrew Pitt and I will be refining our programme and working hard to improve again for next year.
For 2017, Honda have a new model Fireblade which I can’t wait to get my hands on, the last time I rode a new model bike was all the way back in 2008, when the current model Fireblade was released and I was racing for Honda Australia in the Australian Superbike Championship.
I gained a lot of confidence from the 2016 Championship, winning my first BSB race and taking seven podiums, so I head into the off season full of confidence knowing we have a new machine at our disposal with the whole purpose of challenging for the Championship in 2017.
2016 BSB – Jason O’Halloran – Image: Impact Images/BSB
My life has changed dramatically since arriving in the UK back at the start of 2009, living out of a
suitcase and spending 4-5 hours a day at the gym for hot water and heating.
From not knowing any of the circuits, riding for under funded private teams, all while trying to show my potential to move forward with my career. To now being in a position were I am racing Superbikes for one of the most established teams in the Championship, living in a place where I am really comfortable and loving my surroundings.
I’ve finally made it to a level were I am earning a good living racing motorcycles in an International Championship.
Every rider that leaves Australia to chase an International career will have their own story to tell,
and I’m sure will have had many ups and downs like I’ve had.
Jason O’Halloran (right) signs with Honda (UK) Racing for 2016 BSB season
At some points it seems nearly impossible, and you struggle to see a way forward of how to continue to make it work, but you have to keep believing in yourself, and the reason why you left the comforts of home in the first place.
For me, the prospect of returning home prematurely and the process of explaining to people why I didn’t make it, was my driving force, my reason why failure just wasn’t an option.
Next year has huge potential, I have a year of experience under my belt in the Superbike class
racing with the top guys in the championship, learning the strengths and weaknesses of my main
rivals.
I will be working hard over the coming months to refine the base we currently have, improve
what we need to improve and turn up as a refined better version of what everyone saw in 2016.
It’s now my opportunity to grab hold of something I’ve been chasing for such a long time and I’ll be
doing everything possible to get my hands on a British Superbike title in 2017.
