Well another season has once again drawn to a close, the more the years go by the faster the season seems to become!

 

Here I am again thinking what to do before it all starts again but I have no doubts that it will be here before I know it.

 

I finished the last blog just after my trip away to Cyprus, that seems an awfully long time ago now and so many more things have happened since. Snetterton, a dry weekend for a change, one of the few last season. Also British Superbike win number one for the boy Mr Camier! What an awesome memory that will be, I paced up and down the press room for the entire race as he battled with his team-mate Shakey, who wasn’t letting him have it easily.

 

As he crossed the line I ran down into pit lane to by greeted by Storka, Mr Jewson and then Colin (Wright). I was trying to hold back the tears as it didn’t seem that long ago being with him track side at Cadwell when he broke his femur and to watch him take his first win was just magical!

 

That was a good weekend, as whilst Leon was taking his first win, Brendan was taking win number two in the European Superstock race in Germany, as I left Snetterton I ended up with six podiums between all my riders – perfect!

 

Mallory, that was a mixed one, Leon had a nightmare, but the Blade, Mr Rutter pulled it out the bag, after hurting himself crashing in race one, we were just hoping for a good top eight finish but Michael had other ideas as he shot off the start. That was it, he was gone and that race was without any doubt, his race, amazing for all the North West team as they all worked so hard all season.

 

Oulton and Knockhill seemed to be the weekends for my riders getting injured, Leon gave himself severe concussion at Oulton after a fast crash on the approach to Shell Oil and then at Knockhill by Friday lunchtime, J Lav had knocked himself clean out as had Dan Cooper. I spent the day nursing Dan as he was in cuckoo land for the majority of it, must have asked me 30 times if he crashed and what happened, like a broken record but luckily all were ok. The Blade notched up another podium for the boys and up to that point J Lav had been pretty dominant in the Privateer Cup Championship.

 

In between that I went to Brands Hatch World Supers and once again had to face the fear that we all hope never happens in our little racing game we play. Craig Jones, a good friend of mine since 2001 sadly lost his life in the sport he loved at one of the circuits he loved. Battling for the lead with Jonathan Rea and Andrew Pitt, Jonesy sadly rode his last race at Brands and crashed at Clark Curve on the re-started race. It’s the news you never wish or want to hear in racing and puts a downer on everything that we live for in our sport. He died doing what he loved on August 4^th and he’ll live in my memory forever as the happy, go lucky person that he was. He’s up there in the racing heaven now and is in great company but it doesn’t ease the pain of losing another friend – read my tribute to him here: - http://www.carly-rathmell.com/memorial-page/craig-jones/

 

Sadly in this sport we have to pick ourselves up and move on as I know for a fact Jonesy wouldn’t want us just mulling around and being sad, I know he’s still with us and watching us and the racing.

 

We once again held the CJ Cycle race at Cadwell Park which was highly amusing and some of the outfits were more than worrying, why the lads have this obsession to dress up in lycra at the first opportunity is beyond me lol! We managed to raise about £8’000 that weekend which was perfect and covered us being able to pay for an Air Ambulance to be on the site for the entire weekend.

 

Leon made a great comeback at Cadwell despite his horrific accident there the year before and he secured two solid fourth places with Airwaves. He went on to take win number two and three at Croft and Silverstone respectively, as he watched team-mate Shakey take the title. We’d (Leon, Storka and myself) had been venturing out to a Chinese every Thursday night with Shakey, Petra and Reggie. Silverstone, was for us all one of the most memorable!! See win number three for Camier at the following link to find out what happened! http://www.leoncamier.co.uk/category/rider-blog/. He ended the season on a high with a podium at Brands, we waved goodbye to Shakey and the laughs we’ve had this year and wish him all the best for 09 and we’ll be backing him all the way!

 

Meanwhile, Brendan was having his own dilemma’s trying to win the European Superstock championship as disaster struck at Magny Cours when he was forced to retire from the race with gear box problems. This dropped him from Championship leader to fourth place in the series as he headed for the final round at Portimao, there was no option, he had to win the race and he knew that! Luckily the boy pulled it out the bag, set the lap record, took pole and the race win, which saw him lift the Championship crown. A very nerve wracking weekend, but he pulled it out the bag and hits the big world Superbike stage in 09!!

 

For me, the season carried on with me working for the Future West Supercross, The Dirt Bike Show and also the CJ Rider Fund annual dinner. All in their own way were great, I’m in my second full year of working for the Supercross and they raced at Sheffield, Liverpool and the O2 arena, all were great and the O2 brought a fantastic crowd in also which added to the excitement of it all.

 

It was my first year working for the Dirt Bike Show and it was a great honour and privilege to work with such a fantastic group of people, the show was a little down on numbers through the door but I think in the current times it was to be expected. The CJ Dinner once again was a huge success and everyone of the 520 plus people had a great night, all the riders turned up and made it the special night that it was. With cheque donations over the evening we reached a sum of around 50’000, which will be vital in the purchase of essential medical equipment for 2009 and beyond.

 

All in all, the 2008 season was a good one, bar the loss of friends! I just hope 2009 will be just as good if not better and that all the boys enjoy happy safe racing! I’m looking forward to it all starting again now and eager to get back out there! My next stop is the Hawkstone International MX meeting on the 1^st March, maybe see you there!

 

Cheers

Carly