It’s a craicer!
Published: 21st January 2008
Author: Words by Stevie Mills Photo by Sutty
With the new season stretching out ahead of him, our man in Ireland’s predicting a 2008 to remember…
Happy New Year to you all! 2008 promises to be a cracking season for a variety of reasons, not least a full-on eight-round Irish championship which will take in eight different tracks stretching from Cork to Desertmartin.
The Irish series will again follow the format chosen by the ACU with MX1 and MX2 classes running on the same day, giving the super-fit guys a chance to ride in four motos if they so desire. From a spectator’s point of view we’ll get four top quality A+B races while Grade C riders provide support entertainment racing in their respective MX1/MX2 races.
Despite an EGM at the request of disgruntled MX1 C riders, the motion passed at the AGM has been upheld – three Grade A races at the six-round Ulster Premier championship. You can please some of the people some of the time but never all of the people all of the time.
So now that whinging time is over, get your ass into the gym if you want to be in the top 40 Grade C riders who will qualify for the Ulster Grade C series. God forbid, it may just actually work! The bottom line is this - we need to make the Ulster Premier championship regain the appeal of days gone by when we had sponsors in abundance and paying spectators to match.
The first shock of 2008 was my hangover! The second was Phil McCullough's Moto-One squad confirming the rumour that they will be running Suzuki machinery for their Irish and British championship campaigns this year. With over 10 years working with KTM, the sudden move to Suzuki came as a big surprise in Irish motocross circles considering McC's past commitment to the Austrian marque and his team winning all four national championships for the second year in succession.
For sure there is a hint of a Lyons link in this deal. With Adam now related to McC by more than on-track rivalry, he may well have been burning the midnight oil negotiating this TAS/Moto-One deal from behind the scenes.
“I was initially disappointed that KTM did not step up to the mark given the results and the work we as a team put into our racing,” comments McC, “but I’m delighted with the package that TAS and Suzuki have put together at such short notice. It shows the confidence and faith they have in us. As yet we have not received delivery of the new 450 but if the 250 is anything to go by the big bike will be a winner straight out of the crate.”
If my fading memory serves me correctly (as confirmed by the Turk) was it not TAS bossman Phil Neill who last won the silverware for Suzuki back in 1990? In fact, the now Tarmac supremo won both Irish 125 and 250 titles on a pair of Europrice-sponsored Suzukis – supplied by yours faithfully. Where does the time go?
Rainey Brothers have confirmed that Tommy Merton goes orange for ’08. The multi-time Ulster champ reckons the change of machinery will see him climb back onto that elusive top step of the podium this coming season. The word is that Tommy will concentrate on the Open class championships but never say never as the Comber lad is a dab hand on a fast 250F.
Even though GC is in training for his new job Stateside, Marty Barr will not be the only Irish representative in the GP paddock this year. The ever-smiling Dixon Yamaha rider will be keen to build on his well-documented des Nations form and establish himself as a regular top 10 finisher in GPs. It’s no secret that Barty would like to race in the USA but to get a deal on a good team he needs to have something to sell to them and that's pretty much his plan for ’08.
Joining Martin on the GP trail is the fastest female in British/Irish motocross. Natalie Kane will fly the flag for Ireland and Motovision Suzuki in her first full women's GP season.
Knowing Natalie and her ambition, desire to win and dedication to her chosen profession, I’ll not be surprised to see the Irish lass on a GP podium during the year.
Snippets from practice facilities are so often misleading as many riders actually go faster while practising, mainly down to them relaxing and enjoying riding without the pressure of a race situation. Anyway, my spies are reporting that Sean Devlin has been making waves at Desertmartin while GOMX new kid Thomas O' Grady has been practising for his upcoming assault on the MX2 class on a fire-breathing Russell's Motorcycles YZ450F.
Say what you may, Richard Bird came to the fore in 2007 in a big way. No longer the fast lap man, Ricky proved his championship challenging pedigree and has earned his place in Blarney's ‘tips for the top three’ in 2008. Actually, I’m starting to get really excited about next season. Last year it was pretty much a two-horse affair - basically the Tommy and Wayne Show – but this will not be the case come mid-season. Experience will hand the early race wins to the Comber lads but by June they will start to feel the pressure, especially in the MX2 class.
While it’s unfortunate that the des Nations will now not be held at Moneyglass it's hardly the surprise of the century! Many will see this as a result of moving the GP from its Porter’s Pit home, others will point fingers in other directions citing the hoards of people who allegedly sneaked into the GP last year.
The bottom line is that we have a GP date for Ireland TBC and the venue will be in the greater Dublin area which for my money will have at least a better chance of breaking even. People south of the border support international events and they don't have to be die-hard motocross fans to pay to go to a world championship MX, it's more about a day out for the family.
If we get our act together we can sell this event to the general public and make it pay…