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British Championship

Viewpoint: Tommy Searle

The two-time British champion speaks out.

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Tommy Searle’s season came to an end at the final round of the 2019 Maxxis British Championship this past weekend. Searle wrapped things up in the best way possible too, as he clinched the MX1 title in the domestic series. That is covered in this exclusive MX Vice interview as well as injuries, the future and the Motocross of Nations.

MX Vice: You won the title, which obviously you expected to do. Anything less than that would have been a disappointment. Considering the shoulder injury and stuff like that, it’s got to be good to just get this one locked up?

Tommy Searle: Yeah. To start off with I thought it [Landrake] was a couple of weekends before Turkey and China. When it was not that weekend, I was like, “Oh no! I’ve got to get through these two races.” Then I hurt myself in Turkey, and actually quite bad. I couldn’t lift my shoulder the first week. Even this time last week I was thinking, “I have no chance.” I got an MRI and saw the shoulder specialist and they said, “You just bruised your shoulder.” I went home for a couple of days and I called them a couple of days later and said, “There is no way my shoulder is bruised.”

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I thought, “That’s it. Career is over. I can’t even lift it.” Every time I lifted it it just fell back down. It just started getting better quite quickly. I rode a little bit of enduro one day this week. Then I didn’t really know how I was going to fair, but it wasn’t too bad out there. I could get around and go a sensible speed. The track was pretty easy. It was quite technical but easy in a way where it was not too jolty on your arms. You were not hanging off the bike. You were just riding the track. I’m happy to get it done.  

I wanted to get it done in the first race, because we weren’t sure on the weather. Overall, I’m really happy. The team – Matt [Hutchins] at Evotech and Nige – they have done a great job. We have had a small team with how it’s been this year in the British Championship, but we have not had one problem with the bike all season. I could not have asked for a better group of people around me. I had never worked with them before this season. I owe a lot of this whole championship to them, really.

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Shaun [Simpson]’s bike broke twice in one round and I’m not silly. I know that’s the reason why he lost the championship. I’ve been fighting injuries the last half of the season, so I’ve sort of been doing what I can do to bring it home. I’ve been in the championship where I’ve almost won it and had bike problems two other times on the 250 [2006 and 2007]. It is what it is. Injuries, bike problems… It’s not easy to win a championship. At the British Championship – with how many GPs we have as well – just being healthy for every round is quite hard. 

How does this one compare to the first one in 2016? Obviously this one has come from a rough old road with switching teams and all sorts of drama. 

It’s quite difficult. Obviously to win the British Championship is good. It’s nice. In 2016 it was better, because it was quite close between me and Shaun. I remember the last round… I think we ended up one point apart. That was a lot better to win it that way, more of a fight to the end. This one I sort of knew I’d won it unless I really threw it away, which I almost did a couple of weeks ago. We got through that.

It was just one of those things where you don’t want to do anything stupid, and just get through the day. It’s obviously really nice to win. More so for Matt and Evotech, because they were racing with Steven Lenoir the year he died. They were leading the championship with Steven and it means a lot to them to win this.

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That’s enough about the British Championship. Turkey when you crashed, was it a gnarly crash or did you just fall on the shoulder wrong?

It was quite bad in the end. A little crash, but just the way I landed was really awkward. There was a small single into a turn. It was warm-up and I caught the rut. The gear shifter must have caught the rut on the take-off and then I was in neutral as I landed. I went over the front, then sort of flipped and landed on my shoulder. It was just a real awkward crash and as soon as I had done it, I was just there like, “I can’t lift my arm up.” The team said that they would just tape it up.  

I just said, “Look, there is no point in taping it. I cannot even lift it up. It’s impossible for me to ride the bike.” It was just one of those. Just frustrating. I’ve been in the situation so many times where I’ve been riding with injuries. I rode with my broken ribs in Czech, crashed because of that and broke my hand. Then I was trying to come back with that. When you are trying to race those tracks at that level and you are not one hundred percent all you end up doing is hurting yourself again, which I have done. I’ve had three injuries all through trying to race.

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It’s our job to race and people give you a hard time. “Oh, he’s injured. You’re getting paid to be out there.” That’s what we do. Sometimes it is hard. It would be nice if you could just sit out. Get one injury, sit out, and then come back and race when you are one hundred percent. It’s just not how it goes and then it is easy to make other mistakes, which I have done. I’ve gone from a cracked rib – that I carried on riding through – to then a snapped rib to a broken hand to my shoulder. It is what it is. The year is done now. I’m happy enough. That’s it.

Maybe this is a stupid question, but are you happy with how the whole KRT thing went? Your body was obviously screwed the whole time, but you did actually have decent results. You kind of showed what you could do.

Yeah, no. Not really. The results I got with how I felt, I couldn’t believe I had gotten those results. I felt awful. When I was going to those races, I couldn’t practice in the week. I was trying. I couldn’t ride. The actual results I got… I couldn’t believe it when I went to Italy, I think, and I got sixth overall. I was just in shock about how that happened. I almost think with that bike and how I was – I could not go fast so I had to be so smooth because I didn’t want to jar my ribs or jar my hand – everything actually came quite easy.

In Turkey I felt a lot more confident. I had done a couple of days of practicing and sort of over-rode the bike in the qualifying race, so went even slower. It’s difficult to say. It’s hard. It’s one of those things. I would have loved to get better results, but I didn’t. I was injured and it was what it was. 

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You are not on the ‘Nations team but, as far as I can make out, you would have actually been doing the MXoN before that Turkey thing, right?

I was injured and then carrying these little niggles, so I didn’t feel really confident to go there. I only wanted to go if I could really show what I can do and do Britain proud. Then as I started to feel healthy, I said to Mark [Chamberlain], “Alright, I’ll race it. I want to race now. I feel good. I feel I can do well for the team.” I didn’t want to race it for the sake of racing it. I just wanted to race it if I could do well. Then I fell on my shoulder. I think the team they have got now is good. I hope they have a real shot at a podium.

We cannot say what you are doing next year, but can we at least say that you are not doing the GPs? Can we confirm anything?

I cannot confirm anything at the minute, but I think that’s it for me with GPs. We’ll see. I want to do the odd few. It depends how everything falls. I may end up doing the full season. It is what it is. In discussions at the minute still. I’m quite happy with where I’m at. I have had a long-time racing GPs since I was fifteen, with my couple of years in America in-between.

I won a lot of races on a 250. My 450 career has not really gone as I had expected, but that’s life. I’m not bitter about the sport or GPs. I loved racing GPs. I’d love to do a few more in the future, but the position I’m in at the minute I want to take the deal I have on the table. I’m happy with it, really happy. That’s that, really.

Interview: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: ConwayMX

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British Championship

Bickers to supply UK market with Alpinestars

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This is great news for UK motocross dealers, who can now order Alpinestars Boots and Protection for the motocross and enduro community.

Full PR:
Bickers are pleased to announce a new partnership with Alpinestars, from 2024 Bickers will be a
newly appointed distributor of Alpinestars Off-Road range of MX, Enduro and Trials footwear and
protections.

Alpinestars has been redefining protection for motorcyclists ever since the company was established
in 1963. Commitment to innovation has led Alpinestars to become the world-leading manufacturer
of professional motorsport racing products, motorcycling airbag protection, high-performance
apparel, technical footwear, and helmets. Alpinestars understands that the best design and research
is achieved under extreme conditions. Their involvement in Formula 1, NASCAR, MotoGP, World
SBK, AMA Supercross and Motocross, MXGP, Dakar and more has led to the creation of the most
advanced technical equipment for the racing world’s top athletes.

Bickers and Alpinestars will be working together in the UK and Ireland (via Bickers Dornan) to create
an industry leading integrated sales program, reaching the Bickers dealer network; carrying stock in
2 strategic locations in the UK and Ireland to ensure next day delivery on all items.
Stock is in the UK and available now, to see the range visit alpinestars.com or bickers-online.co.uk.

Chris Hillard (Alpinestars Communications Manager)

Alpinestars are pleased to welcome Bickers as a distributor of our MX/Off-Road range in the UK and
Ireland. With their proven record in offering next day service to dealers; we see Bickers as a logical
partner to add to our already strong network of Dealers and Distributors in the region. With focus on
offering keystone hard goods from our range; namely Footwear and Protection. Central to our plan,
inside July/August 2024 Bickers will also become an Official Alpinestars repair and service center for
MX Goods, with the aim of increasing efficiency for our UK/Ireland based racers and customers
moving ahead, and we look forward to developing this partnership.

Derek McMartin (Bickers)
“Bickers are extremely excited to be able to service and sell Alpinestars Range of Off-Road Footwear
and Protection and cannot wait to start offering these great products to our dealers”
To see what Bickers offer, please go to bickers-online.co.uk
You can visit the Full Range at Alpinestars direct alpinestars.com.

Picture – KTM Group

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Breaking News

NPC 2024 IS ON! All eyes are on Oakhanger.

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Oakhanger will host the first round of the NPC series this weekend. Gulf Racing Fuels, which will support the series for the next three years, will be in attendance. The line looks impressive, while entry lists are still being worked on. Starting a series from scratch is always hard, but trying to do that in a recession and with industry budgets at an all-time low is even more challenging. The guys behind the NPC have been working around the clock to make this happen.

MX1 and MX2 classes will provide some exciting racing with this at the weekend. MX1 will see Tristan Purdon, Brad Todd, Jamie Carpenter, Carlton Husband, Tom Grimshaw, John Adamson, Dan Thornhill, Chalie Putnam, and Aaron Patstone lining up. MX2 will offer some great racing with Charlie Cole, Charlie Heyman, Ollie Colmer, Ben Mustoe, Glen McCormick, Callum Mitchell, Syd Putnam, Ben Franklin, Harvey Cashmore and Liam Bennet all looking to get some hours in the bank racing.

Justin Barclay and Alfie Smith have produced a stunning track for riders to compete on. As I’m typing this update, more British riders are signing up, and they will be confirmed every day leading up to what will be a historical event. I say historical because I believe this series will go from strength to strength and offer one of the best championships in the UK and, hopefully, Europe.

The Acerbis is cancelled this weekend, so places at the NPC are filling up fast. There are four groups, and wildcards are still available in each group.

Entries for the event can be accessed here: https://nora92.com/event/nora-pro-championship-round-1/#tribe-tickets

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British Championship

Andrew Short confirmed for the 2024 VMXdN at Foxhill

No Short measures for Team USA

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The promoters for the annual VMXdN Foxhill have announced that former factory HRC, KTM Factory Racing and Monster Energy Yamaha rider Andrew Short will be racing at the legendary Wiltshire Grand Prix circuit over August bank holiday weekend (August 22nd-26th) as part of the American squad.


Words: Press Release | Lead Image: Supplied


Short has had a stellar sixteen-year pro career, during that time, he earned over 50 podium finishes and nine wins, he is also one of the nicest guys you could wish to meet. One of his personal highlights was being part of the American Team that won the 2010 Motocross of Nations held in his home state of Colorado. 

After he retired from professional motocross at the end of 2016, Short then worked as a team advisor and brand ambassador for Factory Honda HRC before making a big transition to compete in rally racing and take on the ultimate rally race – the Dakar.

After a steep learning curve, he was able to become competitive in rally and even took his first win at the 2019 Rallye du Maroc, a leadup to the 2020 Dakar. He raced for the Rockstar Husqvarna team as well as the Monster Energy Factory Yamaha rally teams.

After a nasty injury while riding at home, he is now back to full fitness and bang up for the challenge that is Foxhill, the greatest 2-stroke event in the world. Short will race a 2002 YZ 250 built and maintained by the crew at DocWob. Team USA won the inaugural event in 2022 and finished 3rd behind Team GB and Team Northern Ireland in 2023. 

The race is already creating a huge buzz with new and returning legends being announced weekly, it really is a whos’ who of the sport through the golden heydays of the 90’s and 00’s era.

Labelled by RacerX magazine as “the Woodstock of two strokes” the event simply goes from strength to strength.

With ticket sales up year on year, the promoters have been blown away at the response to the event and are urging spectators to purchase tickets asap. Could this be the first outdoor motocross event in the UK to be ticket only? Camping passes will be capped at last year’s numbers as simply putting it – it was full!

Ensure your place at the most anticipated event on the British MX calendar by booking early.

Saturday, Sunday, Weekend and Camping passes are available at https://vmxdnfoxhill2024.eventbrite.co.uk

Keep up to date with all the VMXdN Foxhill news

www.vmxdnfoxhill.com 

www.facebook.com/vmxdnfoxhills 

https://www.instagram.com/vmxdnfoxhill/

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