In this series sponsored by ProWatercraftRacing.com, MotorActionMedia interviews talented and passionate athletes on their love for the sport and how ProWatercraftRacing.com handling components help them charge after their goals.
Brian O’Rourke is the owner and founder of Team Faith, Team Faith is almost always present at the races. They offer a helping hand to everyone and bring church to the racers who can’t make it. Brian races Sport GP on his Sea Doo HX with an 1100 motor, and was aware of some of the tricky handling issues with this hull. After working with Chris Hagest at Pro Watercraft Racing.com, Brian was able to make some changes and overcome — so he could keep pursue his passion of racing to bring glory to God. In this interview, we talked with Brian about his passions and his ProWatercraftRacing.com components.
MotorActionMedia.com: Brian, you are a guy who has been involved in the Jet Ski industry for quite a long time. Despite your ups and downs, what keeps you passionate about this sport? What drives you to keep lining up?
For me, I am motivated by my passion to use the sport to glorify Jesus. When I was at my worst, and with absolutely NO interest in God or Jesus for that matter, He got ahold of my heart while I was working in a strip club as a DJ when I was 27 years old. I got into watercraft racing shortly thereafter and in 1994 I started Team Faith in an effort to reach pro watercraft racers with a church service that we bring to the races. I LOVE throwing my leg over a Sport GP boat and I am blessed to have sponsors like FLY Racing, Jet Lift, Amsoil, Pilot/Flying J’s, KTM, Pro Watercraft Racing.com and a whole host of others that enable me to have the fun I have each weekend we go racing. But ultimately, its just a tool for me to use to spread The Word of God.
MAM: Could you tell me a little bit about Team Faith and their involvement in the Jet Ski industry these days? What have you guys been doing this season?
Team Faith has made its way back into Pro watercraft racing in 2010 after a short hiatus when my wife wife Monica sponsored me to take my rec blaster I already had to go race Mike Young’s Pro Hydro-X Series in an effort to get in shape at age 45! I wound up winning that Championship in the Sport Spec class (if you ask her though…I didn’t really get in shape with the deal!) But now Team Faith has our retired Pro Arenacross Racer and former Supercross and Outdoor National Motoross racer Kelly Smith on a Sport GP boat on the Pro Watercross National Tour representing us, our sponsors, and Jesus of course! He’s a phenomenal talent and currently he is leading the points in the series after a great start in Panama City Beach going 1-1-1 in the surf. There are a lot of great riders out there in the class though like Glen Jung, Sam Nehme, Johnny Smith, Bill Dearman, Aaron Gewecke, Chris MacCluggage, Tony Martinez, Tommy Bonacci, Shawn Kamata and others and there is still a lot of racing to go…
MAM: I understand that you run some Pro Watercraft products on your race boats. Could you tell me about your machines, and what PWR products you are using?
I personally run the front sponsons on my Sea Doo HX1100. And actually this week, I am in Lake Havasu City putting some on Kelly Smith’s HX951 Sport GP boat before we go to St. George, UT for Round 4! Kelly had to ride my boat at the Pro Watercross race in Pensacola and he actually won on it with the sponsons, so he wants them on his boat now. We tested quite a bit on my boat trying to find the right position to place the sponsons. For me I needed the stability they provide in the rough water while still maintaining the predictable handling characteristics of the HX.
MAM: What changes have you noticed since you installed these PWR products?
HX’s have a tendency to sometimes roll over while tracking in a straight line when its really rough or when you are trying to pass someone and are behind them in their “dirty” water. The ProWatercraftRacing.com front sponsons enable the boat to essentially be a wider boat and the sponson adds the “stop” for the problem of roll-over in those conditions. Believe me, they work!
MAM: How has the addition of the Pro Watercraft products helped you while racing?
ProWatercraftRacing.com front sponsons have “saved” me more than a few times! Before I go them on my boat, I’d have to let off a bunch in the long straights and sweepers because the boat would unpredictably try to roll on me in certain rough conditions. Now, I literally feel the boat start to lean over and the sponsons actually stop the lean before it gets so far over that I can’t stop it. High speed rollovers are not fun! This past weekend in Sparks, NV on the Pro Watercross Tour I was able to hold the throttle on longer through the rough straights and the back sweeper and managed to not crash – not even once! I tried these ProWatercraftRacing.com front sponsons in 7 different positions before I found the sweet spot! Everyone’s riding style is different so don’t be afraid to try to dial these in to suit your preferences. I had Chris Fishetti, Chris MacClugage, Chris Hagest from ProWatercraftRacing.com, and a few others ride my boat at various stages of testing and some guys liked the way they handled before I actually found the spot that I liked.
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MAM: Brian, is there anyone you would like to thank?
Again, we really are blessed to have the kind of support we need to go do what we do on Arenacross, Watercross, GNCC and with our FMX team. I’d like to sincerely thank Team Faith/FLY Racing/Pilot Flying J/Pirelli/KTM- WPS, Amsoil, WISECO, SSi Decals, Jet Lift, Industrial Machine & Tool, K&N Filters, RAD Mfg., Pro Watercraft Racing, Performance Supercycle, FMF, Dragon, Cycra, Jet Dynamics, Shades of Gray, GUTS Racing, Sunstar, Lite Cellular Sales, Renegade Fuel, Rhaas Products, Tubliss, Liquid Performance, and M&M Marine for all their help and support.
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Featured photo by Ronny Mac Photos.