MotorActionMedia.com had the honor of chatting with Jet Ski legend “Wild” Bill Pointer, as a part of the #DrivenByPassion series, presented by ProWatercraft Racing.com., the handling component experts. Learn more about Pointer’s colorful history in the sport, and learn about his sweet new rid in this exclusive interview.
Bill, I understand you’ve been a part of the sport for a while. Could you tell me how you got involved in it?
My grandparents and parents have had a river house near Blythe, CA on the Colorado River since 1970. My Dad was a boat designer and right after I was born in 1973, my parents and I moved to our river house until it was time for me to start kindergarten. My family was avid water skiers and being stuck in the boat while somebody else had fun behind it wasn’t my idea of a good time. I would watch people ride by on their white and blue 440 Jet skis and wanted to be able to slide and jump wakes just like them. I was finally 11 years old and after a few years of badgering my Grandma Jean (who toured with me for 4-5 years) gave me a check for $2500.00 we went down to Dana Point Jet Ski and picked out a Brand new bright red 1985 JS 550 with bars, grips, a quick turn, impeller, scoop grate, and ride plate. I was beyond excited happy! and ready to go ride it. After fooling around with little tracks made of milk jugs with my Dad and friends, My Mom took me to my first race to watch and see what it was like. Not being into any sport until then I said that it was something that I was good enough to do and that I wanted to try. We went home got some numbers and an IJSBA License and entered my first local race in Novice 650 stock. From 1985 until I Retired in 1999 I was obsessed with riding and racing PWC.
You are famous for being able to rip on a 650, how would you compare the skis you raced “back in the day” to the skis you race now?
What we used to race can only be described as trying to ride a bar of soap and the tracks were smaller to cater to the smaller size and lower speeds of the skis. I have a 550sx for my son and have ridden a few 650sx skis lately and all I can say is that it takes a lot to get those things to turn or even go forward through the chop. What once seemed like the state of the art is now not quite so much. The rules were much more strict about what we could do to the stock hulls etc. and the pumps were stainless but didn’t really perform better than OEM besides be more reliable. Now the engines, hulls and pumps do so much for the rider that they can just concentrate on riding the next turn or straight. The old way of riding was to use our bodies to drag in the water to turn, now if our body is in the water at anytime on the track a mistake has occurred . For me the riding has become less about maintenance and more about fun and putting in solid laps.
Could you tell me about your race ski? What’s under the hood?
About 5 years ago Rob Flores had a SXR 800 with 900 ZXI engine in it for sale. I ordered a RRP Pole from Blowsion, Rob installed it for me and I picked the ski up in May. After a near 10 year break, Rob and the simplicity of the ZXI engine is what really got me back into riding. I am very lucky to still have great friends in the industry who have helped me in the past so a year later I found a 1100 ZXI engine and had the cylinder ported at Circuit Jet Sports. ADA supplied the best Billet head in the business and 3 Mikuni Super BN 44 carbs feed Maxima Super -M and 92 octane gas to Tassanari V-force reeds. The hull is still stock with a RRP Pole, Trinity hood, Bullet Carbon nose, Jettrim Pole Pad, Pro Watercraft Racing.com matt kit by Jettrim, TBM intake grate, Impros impeller, Solas 12 vein pump, Skat-Trak dump nozzle kit, and the Pro Watercraft Racing SXR 800 handling package: Pro Watercraft Racing.com front sponsons, Pro Watercraft Racing.com rear sponsons, a Pro Watercraft Racing.com fiberglass ride plate, adhesive bumper rails, and the Pro Watercraft Racing.com-style Jettrim tray mats. Last but not least it has a custom designed IPD Retro blue pink and yellow “Wild Bill” #35 Graphics kit like the skis that I raced to IJSBA Pro Rookie of the Year Honors in 1992.
WILD BILL’S HANDLING COMPONENT BREAKDOWN
PRO WATERCRAFT FRONT SPONSONS
PRO WATERCRAFT REAR SPONSONS
PRO WATERCRAFT RIDE PLATE
PRO WATERCRAFT-STYLE TRAY MATS
PRO WATERCRAFT ADHESIVE BUMPER RAILS
Find all of these cutting-edge components on the Pro Watercraft Racing.com website by clicking here.
I understand that you are running some Pro Watercraft Racing handling components, could you tell me which ones?
Last summer I had a pretty good ski put together and was content with riding events like the Impros BBSD on it. Then I went to Fish’s Aqua Moto Gp race and holeshot the 15 minute Pro GP Race. That’s when I found out that my ski was fast enough to win but was taking too much effort from it’s old pilot to do so. After almost 15 years of retirement I had forgotten how to get in a groove and ride smart. I just thought I had to run for my life with Mac, Tera, and Klipper behind me. 5 laps later I ended up tightening up, getting tired, crashing and finishing 4th. I was satisfied with my race but was thinking it would have helped to have a ski that handled better and was less tiring to ride. I have known Chris Hagest of Pro Watercraft forever and I always seem to like the way he sets up skis that he lets me test out, so I hit him up and he was interested in helping me out with his Pro Watercraft Racing Parts. He was down for the project so I met him at his shop and He went to work installing his Pro Watercraft Racing SXR 800 handling kit consisting of: Front and rear sponson kits, Bumper trim, Rideplate and Matt Kit made by Jettrim.
How have those handling components changed your ride? Would you recommend them to other racers, why?
What I liked about the Pro Watercraft SXR 800 handling kit is that it is a complete front to rear hull package (where everything is designed to be used together) aimed at faster entry and exit of corners and better straight line stability. My old setup had a hodge podge of hull parts obtained from different sources that I found out didn’t work as good as it could for me. Yes! I would recommend this handling kit to anybody that is looking for fast consistent lap times and also a ski that is easier and more predictable to ride while doing them. I have also found the Pro Watercraft kit to be more stable in traffic or tight sections encountered on most close courses.
What advice would you give to young riders who want to be World Champions someday?
I would have to say that if you really want to do something that you will have to show that you are worth the support being given by others. I came on to the 1990 Expert National tour as a nobody only planning to do the first two local rounds and see what happened. By the end of Round 2 and having the points lead there was not one person in the sport that would have given up. Not having any backing from the sport to speak of, My family did what they had to do to support me, So my Dad fixed me up a small 2 ski box trailer with a few spare parts and we set off for Texas in an old van with my Aunt and Grandma in the back, and then with more success we headed to Florida and didn’t stop Until the final round in Chicago where I was crowned Expert National Champion. I learned a lot that year and there was not one guy that I raced that just handed me that title. Racing Jet Skis Took me to races all over the World and I have raced with all of my Heroes (who are now some of my best friends) from Jet Skier magazine that I read when I was little kid. Life on the Jet Ski Tour was very good for me and to be able to make new friends with people that I had something in common with and Bond with my family out on the tour was just something very special.
Will we be seeing you on a race track more next season?
My Track activities are very Limited to the Body Beach in Lake Havasu or the BBSD in Blythe, Ca. That place is just the best for me and there is nothing like riding there when the sun is going down. I try to get there 5-10 times a year to ride with the Kanamoris, Flores, Tera Laho or anybody else that shows up. I ride there to prep for the annual Impros BBSD event and the Aquamoto GP races that The “Flying Fish” promotes. I only support Chris and his Aquamoto GP racing so that’s the only actual race that I will line up for. I was very bummed I didn’t get to ride with the Jet Girls at Body Beach this year at the Finals…
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The Sport of PWC is a great family activity and what you [MotorActionMedia.com] do to promote it as a well as you do to little kids and adults is something I admire very much. You definitely have a love for the history of the sport and a love and respect for those who made it what it was in the 90’s. I can only thank you for the great job that you do everyday and the sport of PWC is very lucky to have a racer and role model such as yourself.
Is there anyone you would like to thank?
I have to thank my parents and family for getting me going in the sport that took me to the cover of magazines, magazine ads, put me on TV and Gave me a fan base and Made me a IJSBA Hall of Famer. In the beginning I would have never thought that I would get free Jet Skis, parts, wetsuits, helmets, gas and also money to do what I did best, but My dad Bill as with Jammer, and Fish has been the driving force behind my success. Waking me up to Test, changing parts, building skis, mastering the MSD ignitions, watching me practice, helping me day in and day out in miserably hot and humid conditions, being my holder, dealing with me arguing with him every step of the way, and being the first person to congratulate me when I won or to tell me better luck next week when I didn’t. I couldn’t have asked for a better teammate/ coach than My dad “Mild Bill”. He built the SXR 1100 I ride and race now and thanks to the ProWatercraft.com racing parts it is the best Jet Ski I have ever had. I really need to thank my mom Stephinie for all of her belief in me and sacrifice to help me realize my dreams and my Aunt Pam and Grandma Jean for all of their support in the pits and in life in general. I couldn’t have done any of it without them. I also had some great sponsors on board with me to get me to the pro success that I earned: Westcoast / Skat Trak /Maxima Lubricants /Jet Pilot /Smith Optics always took such great care of me.
