Barona Oaks seems to have a knack for producing great racers, and one of those is Jesse Casillas. The soft spoken but hard shelled racer is a very pleasant and affable personality off the track, put the twenty one year old racer behind the gate and the unswayable scrapper comes out and is ready for his moto sortie. Let’s take a stroll through the history of this promising AMA Pro racer number 63.

Learning to ride at the now developed free ride spot, Palm Avenue in Chula Vista, California, Jesse earned his moto boots on a Yamaha PW50. Soon racing at Barona Oaks at five years old, his family became regulars at the Oaks, at age seven Jesse’s family purchased open land near Jamul, California, to hone his fledgling status to certified dirt digger. Getting faster he very seldom ventured to a race at Barona Oaks without bringing home a first place trophy. As Jesse approached the age of nine, he started riding Perris, Glen Helen, Starwest, setting his sites on improving against tougher competition and testing out his skill at the top amateur races.

Competing with moto marksman like Jimmy Nelson and Daton Beavers, which in turn led to his exorbitant growth at the time. Now at ten years old, the serious nature of his racing was reaching a zenith, still on the 65’s and moving slowly into the 80’s. His family decided to treat the amateur National races as a vacation instead of something they had to go to, it was going to be just part of quality family time with racing on the side, attending major races such as Las Vegas World Minis and Ponca with good results. Nonetheless these races were taking serious, and they had to drive through the hot desert without an air conditioner because it was not good for Jesse’s immune system.

In the amateur ranks, Jesse had a competitor whom has become a living legend, James Stewart, when Stewart was around second place was the best most any one could do. By this point Jesse was expected to be in the top five at the major amateur races, and would usually finish top three or win if Stewart was absent. Jesse experienced one of his best finishes when racing at the World Minis at age eleven when he won the 65 (9-11) against Stewart, after Stewart lost his wheels in a qualifier moto and lost points with his finish. This was a feather in the confidence cap for the young racer.

As the victories began to mount so did the sponsors, Yamaha embraced Jesse seeing the promise in the pre-teen racer, Axo, Dunlop, Scott Goggles, and many others came along. Life was good. At twelve years old he went on to win a CMC Golden State title, but as his teenage years neared, it took more energy to focus and stick to his goals. He suffered an injury later in the year that set him back, but stayed true in direction. Still on Yamaha’s and riding the 85 age group, 85 Open, and Supermini. At thirteen years he was back on the horse pyramiding his successes, being named in conservations with racers like Stewart, Michael Blose, fellow Barona Oaks Alum Billy Laninovich, and Josh Hansen as the next wave, the future was bright. Still winning locally, capturing mini amateur victories like Ponca, Whitney, Mosier, the titles count was getting larger. Time had come for the big bikes, practicing on a YamahaYZ125 at fifteen he was excited about the next step. While racing at Barona Oaks in one of his early 125 Intermediate races, he locked into a battle with Billy Laninovich showcasing his ability to run with top racers on the 125, and another bolt of lightning in the cauldron of confidence.

The home schooling set is common place with amateur mx super stars, Jesse started home schooling at sixteen as his career began to blossom, and blossom it did. Jesse became a shape explosive blowing away the competition, one crown at Whitney, one at Mosier, two overalls at Mammoth, two at Ponca, closing the season with several Amateur titles. With fame comes disappointment, finishing second and third at Loretta’s, he was put on the bubble for a spot on his team to the U.S. Open and was not chosen. Interviewing Jesse the disappointment in the tone of his voice was evident of the situation that occurred over five years ago, but he was soon back on the track training and getting ready for the next step.

In 2002 Stewart moved to the Pro ranks, Jesse was riding amateur A class, and major league sponsors were starting to knock on his trailer. Vying for a spot on Yamaha of Troy against Josh Hansen, he was at a race week before Whitney where he essentially barrel rolled himself into the ground while battling with Evan Laughridge. Describing the numbing experience to me, saying he could see the ground but it seemed to be going backwards, the incident is vivid to him even now, despite injuring his back he still went to Lake Whitney but the crash hex reared it’s ugly head once again. On a start of a 125 class he was in a dogfight for the hole-shot with Tim Weigand, the two came together and Jesse went down, resulting in a hematoma on the left side of his torso. His clutch handle was ripped away from the handlebars and dangling, getting back into the fray a lap down. Laughridge came by him in the lead, he proceeded to pull in behind Laughridge and started pushing him hard, propelling Laughridge to up his lap times and pull away for the victory. Unfortunately for the competition, this win seem to give Laughridge added confidence as he went on a tear winning several major amateurs over the next few months.

Racing with a hematoma the following week at Mosier, Jesse wore a kidney belt tighter than a corset on a pumpkin in a beauty contest and won a title. On to the World Minis he broke his foot , the rigors of moto can be brutal and only true warriors continue, Jesse is one. As the season went, Jesse was rapidly approaching the end of an illustrious Amateur career compiling over fourteen National titles, it was time to make some serious decisions. Finding himself without a major sponsor for the first time in years, reality of the business was sitting in.

In 2003 Jesse had a ride with 3D for the Supercross season, one problem, the Supercross track configuration was not something he was very familiar as the lack of mentor to help him struck home. The first time he saw his bike was at Lake Elsinore, a Thursday before the first round. Feeling somewhat akin to a raw t-bone steak thrown into a den of wolves he was intimidated to say the least. Soldiering on he made the night show in the first three rounds. At round four in San Francisco he bogged on the finish line double jumping off the bike, suffering another injury. Sitting out the rest of the winter he made a come back at the AMA National Outdoors, racing Bud’s Creek and then Red Bud, rounds five and six respectively. Trying to shake the monkey off his back he bought a Yamaha YZF250, and also borrowed one, racing in the Outdoor Nationals. Making the main at Washougal, round eight, he rode with an injured right leg then went down feeling a pop in his left knee, and was out for the race. Interesting note, Jesse embraced the 4-Stroke machine as a full time workhorse.

As Jesse pre-planned his 2004 season, he showed a new maturity, self management, and marketing of himself to further pursue this sport that he had devoted so much time and effort too. Recruiting his long time friend Bobby Romero to turn wrenches, and trusty dad for financial help. He was now adapted to the rhythmic craziness of Supercross, experiencing his best Pro results to in the 125 West, making five of eight mains scoring twenty-four points, finishing a career best thirteenth to date at Texas, and nineteenth overall in 125 West points. Injuring his wrist at Las Vegas, he was in rehabilitation mode once again, recovered, Jesse hit the road for the AMA outdoor series in classic nomadic fashion, with mechanic Justin Herrman (also a Pro mx’er). His first race back was round five at Red Bud, from there equipped with his dad’s truck and a thirty foot trailer, three bikes, racer and mechanic lived the full privateer style. Waiting at dealers to get parts first thing in the morning, camping at random tracks and being shown the gate after winning the cash that the local Pros were use too, piecing out two of the three bikes to keep one together. Jesse made his next trip to Washougal and finished the rest of the outdoor series after that. He felt his best performance of 2004 was at Glen Helen, round twelve, when he ran tenth in moto two but ran out of gas.

In 2005 he started altering his training working heavily on his aerobic fitness, offered a bike and a mechanic from a Team ECC (Escondido Cycle Center), his racing career was looking good once again. His best 2005 Supercross finish was a seventh at Phoenix, making six out of eight mains and finished eighteenth in points in the 125 West. Racing in the 4-Stroke Nationals Jesse raced in the 250F class coming through for a second in both the 250F and Premiere class in round one, at Speedworld in Phoenix, Arizona. After the first round, Jesse changed sponsors to High Desert Racing, Hahm Motorsports, and Pro Circuit. Racing round two at ET Motopark in Queens Creek, Arizona, Jesse finally reached the box top with wins in both 250F (riding a stock bike) and the Premiere class, finishing fifth in points in the 250F, and sixth in the Premiere class, racing only two of the five rounds. This was it, Jesse won three Wonder Warthog Most Improved Privateer awards, winning one of them at Glen Helen. He was invited on radio shows, he was creating a fan base, things were happening. He made ten mains in the AMA Outdoors series with his best race at Steel City, placing fourteenth and closing the season at twenty-eighth overall in the 125 class.

Surprisingly enough Jesse had difficulty getting sponsors for 2006, he was at his limit and was ready to hang up full time racing. Conveying this to a Zoo Ministries racing representative, he was told to just hold on. Zoo went to work getting Jesse bikes, a mechanic, and a major sponsor in MDK. One of MDK’s main racers was injured and Jesse was promoted to full contract status. At this time Jesse currently stands tenth in points in what is now the Supercross Lites, formerly the 125 class, with his best finish being tenth in the third round at Anaheim.

Jesse would like to thank his entire family for all their love and support, Mike Edwards (Wink), Eddie Campos, Dave Alemon, Louis Velarde, and all his friends who have stayed by his side throughout his entire career. He would like to give special thanks to his sponsors MDK, Zoo Ministry, FMF, Troy Lee Designs, Spy, Michelin, Works Connection, Renthal, Twin Air, PCS, Hinson, Motul, Asterisk, Cobian Sandals, and Braking.

Fellow Barona Oaks alum Ryan Beat had this to say about Jesse, “along with being a great rider, Jesse is a way cool person and a close friend of mine. Over the years he has shown me plenty of times how to get around a race track.”

Writers note: Jesse has many more local series titles and victories not mentioned here, and I would also like to thank Jesse for his time in helping me write this article.

To keep track of his progress please go to www.amamotocross.com