Motor Action Media interviews Sea-Doo team rider Cody Hawkins on racing and his work with LOOK Marketing.
Motor Action Media: Cody, I know you’re doing a lot of different things in the industry. Could you tell me a little about how you first got involved?
Like many people who work in the industry, I really can credit my racing to how I have made this sport my living. I always wanted to be a racer, but I was never lived in that world to think it may pay my bills. When racing started to take a dip in the early 2000’s, I really had no clue what I was going to do. I one day got a call from Tim McKercher, who at the time was working in marketing for Sea-Doo, to see if I wanted to come drive some units and assist in a few on water demos. I accepted and took off for my first Ski-Doo (yes the snowmobiles) dealer meeting to help release the new Sea-Doo 3-D. When I got the call I had it in my mind this was a chance to really prove I can do more than race and hoped it would lead to more work. Needless to say, I really enjoyed the month long journey and would do whatever I had to do to work with a company like Sea-Doo. Fortunately it did lead to more work and along the way I went to work with McKercher when he started Watertop Unlimited. I will say, getting to work on the inside with a company that you have grown up around and get to see how it operates it something I only wish everyone got to experience once in their life. Its amazing to get to see some of the ins and outs it takes to run a company the size of BRP.
MAM: Aside from being a top-level runabout racer, you also work with LOOK Marketing and Villon Clothing. Could you tell me how you are balancing all that, and what exactly you do?
Balance is the key word there. LOOK Marketing is my primary focus. It is the job that has given me many of the opportunities I have today. LOOK Marketing has taught me a lot of what I know today about marketing and all the elements that come along with it. At the same time our main client is BRP, so that has helped maintain the relationship I have to allow me to remain in the industry in a few different ways. Villon Clothing is a project I continue to work on with owner Mark Quavillon. We both have jobs and spend many nights after our 9 to 5 to continue to brain storm and work on growing the brand. It has been really fun and I am glad I have had the opportunity to expose it the watercraft community. I have a lot of great friends with a ton of titles still racing today that support Villon. Dustin Motzouris, Erminio Iantosca, Jared Moore and Shante Bukes being some of those racers. We have a good group! And this may surprise some, but racing is a lot of the time last on the list. I have to work a lot to maintain a runabout that competes at the highest level, so many times I will not put racing over work as I need the job to pay for it all [Laughs]. It really is a lot of work because I do 90% of the work on my boats. I pull engines, rebuild engines, true hulls, install all the parts and do this all in my two car garage at home.
My schedule goes like this during race season:
7:00AM – 830AM workout
9:00AM – 5PM LOOK Marketing,
5:30PM – 10:00 or 11:00PM Villon, work on race boats.
MAM: I saw you race a few stops of the National Tour on your Sea Doo, will we be seeing you on the Tour again this year? What are your plans?
Really it all depends on my work schedule from year to year. In years past I have traveled April – July, Thursday to Monday for demo tour almost every week. I work a ton of weekends. But my plan is to try and get to as many races as possible this year. The cool thing about Florida recently is we have a lot of options for racing. Just like back in the 80s and 90s, Florida is the hot bed. I think I may attend Panama or Pensacola as far as National tour goes. But my main focus will be on Aqua X. With all the manufactures supporting it this year, the TV and media package is really good for exposure to my sponsors and not to mention the staff putting it on is top notch. Even the ski class racers are really enjoying the series as well. On top of that I will be at the IJSBA world finals in Lake Havasu. I still love going out for that week of racing.
MAM: What kind of goals do you have for the future? On the track, off the track?
On the track, I still want to win. I have the ability; just I need to put it all together. As long as I am always fighting for podium positions I will be at the races and aiming for the top step. It would be really nice two improve on the third place finishes I have gotten the last two years at world finals in the Pro Am Limited class. That will be one of my main goals for sure. Off the track, I just want to continue to be successful in my career and have fun with my job like I always have. Also continuing to help Villon Clothing reach its full potential. I have a lot of time into Villon and the owner Mark has his life into it. It’s cool working with driven people like LOOK and Villon.
MAM: What has been your most memorable experience as a part of the personal watercraft industry?
That’s almost easy. This is in no particular order. Winning national and world titles and doing it on what was factory programs back in the day, working with LOOK marketing to bring major product releases, notably the current RXPX and SPARK to market, coming back to racing after missing about six years and still racing at the top of my classes and doing a lot of it on my own and helping Villon Clothing become what I believe a legitimate clothing company in the watercraft racing community.
MAM: As a Sea-Do X-Team rider, I am sure you have tried out some of their newer machines. Any one in particular you really like?
The new SPARK is still one of the go to watercrafts in the fleet for me. I love my RXPX, but they really are meant for one thing for me, racing! The SPARK really does all the things I want a watercraft to do when I want to go spend time on the water outside of racing. Its light weigh, plenty of power to get you around and just fun to play-ride one.
MAM: What advice to you have for racers that dream to someday have big-time support?
Work hard and be good to people. The big time factory support unfortunately is not here at the moment, but you never know when it may come back. So be on the forefront of everything. Put in the good results, train hard, promote yourself and be sure to network. Its not often someone reaches out to you to give you support if they have no idea who you are. So be sure to promote yourself and don’t burn bridges along the way. The sport and the industry is to small for that.
MAM: Most important question, what do you love the most about the Jet Ski industry?
What I love the most is the life the industry gave me. When my summer break from school started, I got to go on the road with my friends and family to race, while everyone else I knew just sat around at home. I got to see the country and a few places in the world all because I grew up racing. Also the early days, we never went home, we just traveled all summer long until national tour ended. You learn a lot living on the road and a lot of times without my parents being around. I will always credit were I am today from it. The friends I have made along the way continue to be some of my closest friends and it is cool we have something in common that always re-unites us year after year. Racing and motorsports is truly what I am passionate about and I am very fortunate to had a chance to live this life.
MAM: Is there anyone you would like to thank?
First, Thank you Anna for doing this interview and what you are doing for the sport. Thank you to all the good people @ Sea-Doo, XPS, Villon Clothing, WRT, RIVA Racing, Lawrence Equipment, LOOK Marketing, Surf City Marina, BURN Wetsuits, Bell Helmets, Ryno Power, Jettrim. Also I want to thank Allen Walker, Mark Quavillon, Erminio Iantosca, my brother Shane Hawkins, all my family and friends who support me on and off the track. Last but not least, my fiancé Lacey who stands by my side and supports me doing the things I am passionate about.