Lead image courtesy Scott Lukaitis
When Mike Alessi was about to graduate into the professional ranks, his father Tony made some bold claims of how he would do once he got there. When the hype put a target on Mike’s back, Tony ordered up a bunch of shirts with the phrase “Believe the Hype.”
There was so much bravado and bragging that, if we’re being honest, a lot of the motocross industry really just wanted to see Mike fail. His last test in the amateur ranks came in 2004, and it just so happened that heavy hitters like Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart were there, with their respective entourages, to watch an Alessi moto at mid-week. As expected, Mike grabbed the holeshot, and the man in position to challenge him was Tennessee-based Jacob Saylor. Saylor gated second and it was up to him to try to hit the target. There were a lot of eyes on this moto, and Saylor tried, but Alessi got away, en route to the 250/Open A Championship. Saylor finished second overall.
It was a strong enough performance for Saylor, a Yamaha prospect, to get some support as a pro. He came close, but never got all the way to the factory level. After several years as a pro which even included time in Europe, the always-friendly Saylor called it a career. Now he’s Sales Manager at a car dealership in Georgia. We called him last week to look back at his career and find out what life is like today.
READ THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW HERE – https://racerxonline.com/2022/06/22/where-are-they-now-jacob-saylor
