John Kocinski


John Kocinski is a retired Grand Prix motorcycle road racer whose successes include winning the 1990 250cc World Championship, and the 1997 Superbike World Championship title.

Career

Early years

At age seventeen, Kocinski was already a factory rider for Yamaha, in the AMA Championship Cup. He won the AMA 250 Grand Prix Championship every year from 1987 to 1989, and won the 1989 Supersport race at Daytona having started 53rd in a field of 80 riders. In 1988, he won the pole position at the 250cc US Grand Prix and finished the race in fourth place. He would also place fifth at 1988 250cc Japanese Grand Prix.

Middle years

was also the year of his 500cc World Championship debut. In 1990 he raced in four different championships, but the highlight was winning the 250cc World Championship in his first full season on a Team Roberts Yamaha YZR250.
In a funny and unusual story happening after his loss at the 1991 American Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, According to Michael Scott, Kocinski was so upset after the loss that he drove away from the track recklessly and refused to pull over when stopped by a policeman; he was arrested and sentenced to community service. He was a full-time 500cc racer for the next two years, finishing fourth and third in the championship and winning the final round in both seasons.
During his first year in the 500cc class, Kocinski infamously told reporters that if a rider hadn't won the World Championship within 2 years of starting in the class, then they should give up racing. This statement would come back to haunt the American as he competed in the top class for over six seasons without ever becoming World Champion, with many reminding him of his comment in later years.
Kocinski started 1993 in 250s, taking Suzuki's first-ever podium at this level, but switched back to 500cc mid-season after falling out with the Suzuki team. He won Cagiva's first ever dry-weather 500cc win at Laguna Seca, and came 11th overall with only four appearances. He opened 1994 with a win in Australia and finished the season in third place. After Cagiva pulled out of Grand Prix racing, Kocinski concentrated on becoming a professional water skier.

Later years

Kocinski came back to world-level motorcycle racing in 1996 when he joined the World Superbike series on a factory Ducati and came close to winning the title in his first attempt, despite falling out with Ducati during the year. He joined the factory Castrol Honda squad for 1997, and won the title with nine wins and seven podium finishes. In the final round of the season at Sentul in Indonesia, Kocinski led teammate Aaron Slight going into the last lap of the first race. Slight needed to win the race to wrap up second in the championship and give Castrol Honda a 1-2 finish, and despite the Kiwi rider passing Kocinski early in the lap, the American re-passed Slight in a move that almost took out Slight's front wheel to take the win, meaning Slight only finished third in the championship. Kocinski's actions caused him to fall out with both the team and Slight.
He returned to the 500cc world championship in 1998 with Sito Pons' Movistar Honda team, and the following year in 1999 riding for Erv Kanemoto's sponsorless team but failed to win a race. He raced at home in AMA National championship in 2000 for Vance & Hines Ducati, and tested for Yamaha for the next two years before retiring. He is currently a property developer in Beverly Hills, California.
In January 2008, he was reported to have been looking for a professional motorcycle racing ride for 2008 in the AMA, SBK and 250cc sections.

Grand Prix career statistics

Points system from 1988 to 1992:
Position123456789101112131415
Points201715131110987654321

Points system from 1993 onwards:
Position123456789101112131415
Points252016131110987654321


YearClassTeamMachine12345678910111213141516PointsRankWins
1988250ccMarlboro-YamahaTZ250JPN
5
USA
4
ESP
-
EXP
-
NAT
NC
GER
NC
AUT
-
NED
-
BEL
-
YUG
-
FRA
-
GBR
-
SWE
-
CZE
-
BRA
-
2419th0
1989250ccMarlboro-YamahaTZ250JPN
1
AUS
-
USA
1
ESP
-
NAT
-
GER
-
AUT
-
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
-
FRA
-
GBR
-
SWE
-
CZE
-
BRA
-
4014th2
1989500ccMarlboro-YamahaYZR500JPN
-
AUS
-
USA
-
ESP
-
NAT
-
GER
-
AUT
-
YUG
-
NED
-
BEL
5
FRA
-
GBR
-
SWE
-
CZE
-
BRA
-
5.535th0
1990250ccMarlboro-YamahaYZR250JPN
14
USA
1
ESP
1
NAT
1
GER
3
AUT
3
YUG
2
NED
1
BEL
1
FRA
NC
GBR
NC
SWE
2
CZE
2
HUN
1
AUS
1
2231st7
1991500ccMarlboro-YamahaYZR500JPN
4
AUS
3
USA
NC
ESP
2
ITA
2
GER
NC
AUT
9
EUR
5
NED
6
FRA
NC
GBR
4
RSM
6
CZE
3
VDM
4
MAL
1
1614th1
1992500ccMarlboro-YamahaYZR500JPN
NC
AUS
DNS
MAL
-
ESP
5
ITA
3
EUR
5
GER
5
NED
2
HUN
7
FRA
3
GBR
NC
BRA
2
RSA
1
1023rd1
1993250ccLucky Strike SuzukiRGV250AUS
2
MAL
5
JPN
9
ESP
4
AUT
7
GER
12
NED
3
EUR
-
RSM
-
GBR
-
CZE
-
ITA
-
USA
-
FIM
-
8012th0
1993500ccCagivaC593AUS
-
MAL
-
JPN
-
ESP
-
AUT
-
GER
-
NED
-
EUR
-
RSM
-
GBR
-
CZE
4
ITA
4
USA
1
FIM
NC
5111th1
1994500ccCagivaGP500AUS
1
MAL
2
JPN
9
ESP
3
AUT
5
GER
NC
NED
8
ITA
NC
FRA
2
GBR
4
CZE
NC
USA
2
ARG
3
EUR
3
1723rd1
1998500ccPons Racing-HondaNSR500JPN
13
MAL
5
ESP
11
ITA
5
FRA
4
MAD
DNF
NED
-
GBR
-
GER
-
CZE
15
IMO
13
CAT
9
AUS
12
ARG
10
6412th0
1999500ccKanemoto-HondaNSR500MAL
NC
JPN
NC
ESP
6
FRA
2
ITA
8
CAT
9
NED
7
GBR
9
GER
5
CZE
14
IMO
8
VAL
8
AUS
9
RSA
10
BRA
13
ARG
7
1158th0

World Superbike Championship