Warm welcome!
By TMX Archives on 12th Oct 05
Words by Gordon Crockard Photo by SuttyWhatta bout ye? If reading that opening question totally confuses you then you're well within your rights as I'm sure the majority of the Desertmartin GP paddock were equally baffled. Words by Gordon Crockard Photo by SuttyWhatta bout ye? If reading that opening question totally confuses you then you're well within your rights as I'm sure the majority of the Desertmartin GP paddock were equally baffled. Not because the Irish can be confusing or anything obvious like that but more because 'whatta bout ye' is the most common way of saying 'hello' when meeting other folk. Foreign mechanics and riders must have been, well, lost on more than one occasion I reckon.On the other hand, if you read my opening question and clearly understood it - but were still left thinking that I'm a complete balloon - then you should probably forget about reading any further down this page as I think most of what I write will only strengthen your belief! Only kidding, read on please...I threw myself in at the deep end and contested the Irish round of the World Supermoto Championship at Bishopscourt - without even practising once I may add. Practice and qualifying was on Friday and it must have been the wettest and windiest rotter of a day ever.The clerk of the course made a decision to cut out the off-road section and save it for race day so that meant I was on Tarmac for the entire lap. Well, I was supposed to be but I must confess to having a few excursions on to the grass due to running out of road when I got my braking a bit wrong.Race day was dry and the off-road section was in so I was much further up the leaderboard and enjoying this way more. Two 16th place results were a reward for my efforts but now I had another race to enter - a race down the motorway to make the flight from Dublin to England before driving up to Whitby for the British MX champs.The weather had been pretty cruel to the Whitby club in the lead up to Sunday's race. The track had been presented very well and I think it would have been fantastic without the rain. It's on the 2006 calendar and I'm glad as I reckon it deserves it - and the club deserve a big pat on the back for their extra effort with helping everyone in and out of the paddock.After the race I drove the camper to Stranraer and caught the midnight ferry. It docked in Belfast at 3am and I steered towards home. Now, I'd not been home for nearly two months - apart from the two days at the supermoto - and I was looking forward to getting into regular life again.Little did I know there were problems in Belfast and lots of rioting and vehicles burning on the night I got off the boat. I soon found out as I turned down a road which is on the route home and I was met with a burning bus blocking the way! Welcome home - whatta bout ye!I quickly selected reverse gear and got out of there, choosing another direction to get home safely. Thankfully, the trouble stopped after a few days and the world motocross travelling community arrived on the shores of Belfast and travelled up the road to Desertmartin without any factory race trucks getting hijacked.The track looked superb and the event went extremely well and the key people involved should be very proud of themselves for putting the politics aside and making the event happen. May it continue for many a year.The day after the GP I met with a few friends for a couple of hours of wake-boarding and messing around on the water. It was a good craic and if I had more spare time to do this type of thing I certainly would. The climate is not great for watersports over here but it sure teaches you not to fall in to often.I represented Team Ireland for the MXdN which France hosted. My fellow team-mates were Philip McCullough on his 250F KTM and Martin Barr on his 450 Bike-it Yamaha. Stephen Russell was our team manager and we were well supported by two full coachloads of Irish MX fans to urge us on around the Ernee circuit.This was my ninth year on the team in a row and I was bitterly disappointed not to make the final race. It's the first time ever I failed to be in the main race and the only good thing about that was getting to spectate the big races. Carmichael is my hero and my hat goes off to Townley for matching his pace in the last race of the day.Matt Bates is running his annual Belfast Supercross on November 25/26 and I attended the press launch for that recently. He's having a minibike race with a few celebrities contesting it so I'm sure that will be mayhem and well hyped up. There'll be freestyle with back-flips as well which will bring the house down no doubt.I'm hoping to talk Jeremy McWilliams into doing a back-flip on the night - he'd probably suggest doing it on his BSB Fireblade he's that game.Best of luck to you all whatever you might be attempting to do and cheers for persisting with my sketchy collection of words and thoughts!