    |
 |
|
|
|
Week after Grand Prix One, 2002
It’s always good to get that first one out of the way.
Sure in my case it could have been better, fifth isn’t right at the pointy end, a podium was my aim.
But the fact is, this is the highest placing I’ve ever had at the first round of the world champs. Somehow I always seem to start off slowly and build my way back up.
I’m determined I’ll be climbing again this year.
I was pretty gutted with the back injury that returned to haunt me just in time for race day at Valkenswaard. It was something that developed earlier this year, when I was testing and training, but we thought we had fixed it then. Well, we had.
But then in Saturday qualifying for the GP of the Netherlands I felt it go again. I got through the sesh with a reasonable lap time but the old back was pretty sore.
Next morning I couldn’t lean down to do up my boots. I was stiff-jointed and slow in our Sunday morning warmup ride. So I had a hefty pain-killing injection before the GP.
It worked a treat. Trouble was, I couldn’t feel anything from my lower back to my calves, and you use the feedback from your bum and all around there all the time in motocross. Half the time I was just sliding off the seat in corners. It’s no way to compete with Mickael, Fred, Pit and co.
I was quite happy with my start, a bit of a holeshot as usual. But as the quickest bikes came by, I just couldn’t do a thing about them. Really frustrating, because the Honda is just so good to ride.
Towards the end of the race I was getting some feeling back and despite the pain that came with it I was getting into some sort of rhythm. Another lap or two and I would have had Dobbin, then it was just a short distance to Pit. Oh well, next time.
But do you want to hear the stupid thing. Sunday night I was spot on again. No pain, nothing. Backs do that, tricky things.
But I’m leaving nothing to chance. I’ve seen the doctor, trainer and physio and we have a thorough programme mapped out already to get rid of this once and for all. If anything we’ll go overboard to eliminate any possible problem.
So here I am sitting on a plane bound for Qatar. For a while I thought I might not make it and really all these hours in the air are not the best therapy, but I’m exercising my way through it and I’ll be fine for the race this week.
By the time I get this out to you, we’ll be into the Qatar scene. I’ll tell you about it next time.
What I can say now: it’s great to mix it just semi-seriously with my Berni Honda teammates and those guys from the orange brand. Not that we’ll be doing any socialising you understand, it’s hard work all the way when GP riders go anywhere for a race. Oh well all right perhaps just the odd drink beside the pool. BUT NO CAMEL RACES!
Anyway, look at the calibre of the opposition: Pit, podium on Sunday; Andrea, 4th in the 500s; plus everyone from old wrinkles like Kurt Nicoll and Joel Smets (he’ll get me for that) to, well, the amazing young fluffs from Vangani.
Tanul Leok did you know he’s still the youngest ever double world champion? Yep, 80 and 125 junior classes, I found out when Big Five Vangani rocked Belgium with a laser-light and liquor launch Thursday before the GP.
And Tyla Rattray who of course, like his team, is South African. Which means we Kiwi expats like to beat them almost as much as the Aussies. And Styla ran right up to 8th that’s a top-ten finish in the 125 GP.
And of course you can see where this leading. What about our young Benny? Number 33 in the world last year, just one GP in the points. And he goes out and blows them away for second place in the first round of the year. And I watched closely, he looked comfortable and composed virtually all the way, even when he passed last year\'s GP winner Eggens.
Ended up with factory bikes ahead and behind him - Ramon the current number 2 and Eggens 3. It doesn\'t come much bigger than that. Sure there will be tougher times ahead for #33, but what a what to start.
I’m as rocked as the rest of you, but boy am I chuffed for Ben. He has worked very hard for this and he deserves all the kudos he gets.
But you’ll have to sharpen up the podium act Benny we Kiwis have a reputation to uphold. I wasn’t there but they tell me Ben had only one thing on his mind the whole ceremony … to throw his helmet into the crowd.
Well why not?
You have to compliment Tinus and Glen who have done such a great job creating a team atmosphere around Bad Benny and the others. Without it Ben wouldn’t have been standing up there.
I have to be honest. We had a psych session the week before the GP and I told Benny: first, get the gate; then, think top five. Not because he would necessarily get there, but if he found himself in the first few and was expecting only 10th or 15th he would subconsciously be looking to go backwards.
But hey we didn’t say anything about top two. That’s all his own doing.
It gave me a real buzz to see him make it, and to see him so elated afterwards.
Plenty of New Zealand faces in there congratulating him, and around the pit this year. Ben’s mechanic is one, Craig Behl. He’s an ex-rider who pulled spanners for Ben for a while last year and they have really clicked.
Usually it’s the others who point out the link (like that sheep-chasing Australian Meyer at motocrossgp.com) but Ben and I have spent quite a bit of time together as expats. And there’s Ian who tries to tell us what to do (we ignore him, mostly. Hell when he was riding, bikes still had square wheels).
Another ex-NZ rider is Daryl Atkins who has had so much bad luck over the years, and got another dose on the weekend when his bike refused to cooperate. But he’s always a cheery face in the pits and it amazes me how he came back from a devastating car crash years ago: they said he’d never ride again, much less race, yet here he is back in GPs.
This year he’s with the Church team out of the UK, where his team manager Paul is yet another ex-Kiwi.
Even our sponsors boast Kiwi cred. I’m thanking my lucky stars for my Tech 8 boots from Alpinestars after I ran over my foot at Castiglione (quite truthfully, any lesser boot and I’d have been in serious trouble) and who should my supplier be but friendly Jason Steele. Another ex NZ rider out here chasing the GP circus. You find him in the pits supplying all the top riders.
Actually I exaggerate. Sometimes you find Jason in the pits. Mostly you find him chatting up some young pit dolly. Like at Beaucaire when he cornered a specially vulnerable ski bunny with her leg in plaster. Then they both disappeared….
Oops. If Mr Alpinestars reads this, it’ll probably cost Jason his job.
Anyway up and down pit lane you’ll find NZ accents (like Australian but more cultured). Kiwis are especially favoured as mechanics, apparently because we are good at fixing things. I think that’s because NZ is so far away from the rest of the world, we have to learn how.
It’s only a small nation less than four million people but 60 million sheep but over the years we’ve batted way over our weight as riders, wrenches and throughout the paddock.
I know this piece is a bit short … so much happening right now. In fact I nearly didn’t write it at all, after a bit of sharp criticism of a small throwaway line I used last time. But that one barb was outweighed by plenty of positive and supportive comments (thanks guys).
If you have a mo, read back over my predictions from last time. How accurate was that? Joel to take it to Stefan, with Andrea as a bit of an outsider; a red bike right amongst it with Pichon and Bolley in the 250s; and I’m sorry to gloat but what about this on the 125s:
Here’s the inside from the kiwi korner: my young pal Ben Townley looks like he’s ready to break through this year … it all looks good for #33 Benny. When you see his name up the ladder in ’02, remember you read it here first.
Next time, some impressions of Qatar (if I don’t get stomped by a camel) and more.
Ciao
Josh #6
PS - Check out www.racerxill.com
