Tree hugger!
By TMX Archives on 14th Aug 03
thing about trees, they just don't move - not even when you crash into them. THAT'S THE thing about trees, they just don't move - not even when you crash into them. There's not much to say about Namur except I guess all things considered I was pretty lucky - but my bike took a real bashing and I was unable to continue the race.The weekend had started well and to qualify in seventh was inspiring. Practice for the 650 class definitely helped and man and machine were indeed looking forward to the race - but it just wasn't to be. I gated well in fourth but in corner two I got stuck in a queue that took forever to get going - I was furious.I was charging hard trying to get to the front and I must have got off line because the next thing I knew my bike locked up on one of the big uphill leaps, which resulted in me bailing as my Honda fought it out with a 200-year-old tree. My GP had lasted only three frustrating laps but at least I had the 650 class to race to try to salvage something out of the weekend.You know when ***t just keeps on happening! I gated in fourth, then my clutch just wouldn't engage. Then a momentary loss of concentration - or perhaps the fact that there was so much water on the track a crash could have ended in a drowning - resulted in a big moment that dropped me down two places. I regrouped and got back to fourth but the leaders were pretty much gone. I was closing a little but decided there's a fine line between a finish and another DNF so I settled for fourth and headed for home.Back in Ireland the second round of the supercross was next up. The weather had been crap all week but the sun came out just after practice - game on!This new Moto Sprint race format was fun and must have been great for the 2000-plus spectators that came to watch as it's two mad laps of pure race action. Herring proved he can still rock a motorcycle and I only just got past him to win the final. There's only one round left and I hope that this will be the start of something to build on for the future, it's what our sport needs.Let me set the scene for the British round at Desertmartin. There's the biggest crowd ever seen at Porter's Pit (who always automatically expect me to win) as well as wild-cards Joel Smets, Brian Jorgensen, Peter Iven and all the usual British challengers - and I go and cut my thumb with a knife the night before! So I'm getting stitches at the local hospital only hours before the biggest race of the year. Oh yes, the powers-that-be have a real strange sense of humour.Smets was in startling form and I knew he was up for it. I grabbed the holeshot and then a rock smashed into my front brake disc. The brake jammed on every half-second which, as you can imagine, was not the best thing that could have happened. Every jump was a thrilling experience as the wheel would lock up. I crashed and remounted and was absolutely delighted to see the chequered flag - the sweetest second place ever!I had another holeshot in moto two but Smets was blatantly faster. I tried hard but I was riding uncomfortably and having not got on the pace in the first race I found myself fighting with the bike - I never got a rhythm going the whole race.But a win in the cup race was good for me and the fans. While I'd love to have won all three races, I don't think it would have been possible. The way things turned out was the best that we could have hoped for under the circumstances.I must be maturing a little. When I was chasing after Joel I had the championship in the back of my mind and realised I could lose the war for the sake of an ego that wanted to win a battle. So roll on the final round of the British championship.After that I got a couple of days to relax and go trials riding with a few friends - Jeremy McWilliams, Leon Haslam and Richard McKeown to name a few. It's great fun to just go playing on a motorcycle but as usual the competition thing always comes to the surface.I'm in Holland writing this report. The CAS team are here all week testing some new set-ups for deep sand. I'm looking forward to the Dutch GP but with four races left time is running out for me to get on top of the podium.The thing about motocross is that anything can happen to anybody at anytime. Every dog has his day and good dogs have two. I'll need some extra luck if I'm going to get on the podium in Holland - but we'll be giving it large.Until next monthGordy