It s so hard to put something down on paper when you have to talk about someone who is no longer with us. Like many I m still in shock about the loss of my good friend Craig Jones who sadly lost his life doing what he loved most, racing at Brands Hatch, battling for the lead, the only way he knew.

I met Craig for the first time in 2000 when he was in talks with our close family friend Mick Grant, who in 2001 became Jonesy s team manager at Motopower Honda. Jonesy joined the team at the tender age of 15 racing in the Junior Superstock series with team-mates Glen Richards and Gary Mason riding in the Supersport and Superstock series.

At that point in time, Jonesy, was tiny and you would have never have thought he was the rider. I always remember him from those days as I always thought he was the lad that helped out doing the odd job in the team, not the rider as being so small he could barely touch the ground when he was sat on the bike! At that point in time, it was my first year in the road racing world and I wasn t doing the PR job I am now, Mick, his team and his riders always looked after me and always had a smile on their face.

Sadly Jonesy s year in the Junior Superstocks wasn t how he was expecting and after having a fight with the bridge at Oulton Park that year, Jonesy came out worse and ended up on crutches, with a broken femur. Not stopping him though in his fight to become the best, he still turned up at the races showing his face and gaining the respect and admiration from the entire paddock for the way he always battled on. That s how it continued; he was always there, always smiling, always laughing and joking but always amazing to watch once he threw his leg over a bike.

In my time in knowing him he s always liked a challenge; he shone and impressed everyone in 2002 with Roundstone Suzuki winning the Junior Superstock Championship after six months out of racing after his broken leg the previous season. In bright orange colours you couldn t miss him and his battle on track with the likes of best friends Tom Sykes and Cal Crutchlow. The moments on the track were soon forgotten off track and the three were soon named the three musketeers and were never far away from playing tricks on unsuspecting folk around the paddock. Friendships were formed between Jonesy, Cal, Tom, Stuart Easton and Tommy Hill and those friendships carried through their racing career no matter where in the world they were.

Jonesy decided he needed more of a challenge in his short life, flying the flag high for the British based bike Triumph and Jack Valentines ValMoto squad, in 2003 and 2004. In British Supersport series he took a monumental win at the final round at Donington Park in 2004. Backing it in at every opportunity and thrilling the crowd as only Jonesy knew how too. An epic contest took place in 2005 when Jonesy joined the Northpoint Ekerold Honda team. Jonesy, Leon Camier, Cal Crutchlow, Stuart Easton, Tom Sykes and Eugene Laverty bashed fairings throughout the entire season. Providing some of the best British Supersport racing that I ve ever seen and producing some of the most talented British riders that we have to date, including the young, loud, funny and very likeable Craig Jones.

In 2006 Jonesy proved himself enough to be spotted by World Superbike legend Carl Fogarty, who was willing to throw another mountain in the path of the youngest and giving him the opportunity to move to the World Superbike series with the Foggy Petronas team. A difficult task but a perfect opportunity to get some knowledge in the World series and also the various tracks around the globe.

2007 and 2008 saw Jonesy back where he loved on a Honda in the World Supersport series. In his debut season in 07, in World Supersport, the 22-year-old secured a stunning fifth place in the series overall and was eager to better that this year.

Brands Hatch 2008 saw Jonesy as always in great form, great spirits and ever smiling, happy and relaxed amongst his friends once again seeking that sole World Supersport race win that he so longed for. Having the banter at the Chris Jones chat show on Friday night he was all set for the race. Locked in a close race with fellow rivals but good friends Jonathan Rea and Andrew Pitt and dicing for the win. It was here we lost our friend, our talent and our British hope for a World Champion, doing the job he so loved and lived for; life was cut short for Jonesy #18.

Road racing becomes a drug, an addiction, which we all live for. It pushes us along, keeps us strong, it deals us some of the most fantastic moments and sometimes, like now, it delivers some horrendous blows which shake up the entire industry. But as always the racing family come together and support each other at such a sad time and its in times like this, when we help each other to get through the bad times that keeps us all part of the life we call racing.

The racing family are a strong one, and together, with the memories of our friend Craig, we ll carry on. For his memory and his sake, as I know for sure he wouldn t want us to be sad for long, but to remember the happy times, the funny times, the stories and the big Jonesy grin we all loved. We all have our own special memories of Craig and these can never be taken away from us. He s left us now and is racing in the skies with some of the best, he ll be in fantastic company in the racing heaven and the star he was will continue to shine over us forever.

My thoughts are with his Mum, Dad, sisters, girlfriend Kaz, her children and all the many friends he made in his short 23-year life. We ll never forget you mate, you were a diamond and a true credit to racing. It was an honour to have known you and been able to call you a friend.

RIP Jonesy #18, we ll miss you. God bless.

Risk

To laugh is to risk looking a fool
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out for another is to risk involvement
To show feelings is to risk revealing your true self
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss
To love is to risk rejection
To live is to risk dying
To hope is to risk despair
To try is to risk failure
But risks must be taken
Because one of the greatest dangers in life
Is to risk doing nothing

Those who risk nothing
Do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing
They may avoid suffering and sorrow
But they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or live
Chained by their uncertainties, they are slaves
They have forfeited their freedom
Only a person who risks all that he cannot keep
To gain that which he can never lose -
Is truly free!