ROAD racing and sidecar stars gathered on the North Yorkshire coast as they met fans and chatted with club officials ahead of the Oliver’s Mount Racing season.
The Auto 66 Racing Club’s annual chat show brought together the likes of Dean Harrison, Ivan Lintin, James Cowton, Daley Mathison and Joey Thompson, as well as three-wheeled stars Conrad Harrison and Tony Thirkell.
All regulars at Oliver’s Mount race circuit, the riders were keen to dish out early-season banter and kick off the competition talk early as they fielded questions both from the audience and the organisers.
Reigning Oliver’s Mount king Dean Harrison, who has ruled the road race for the past few years, admits he’s had a strong run but isn’t bothered if his title gets taken.
“If you get beat, you get beat, you just have to come out in the next one and try and win that one,” he told UK Clubsport.
“You take the rough with the smooth, fortunately for me I’ve won quite a few over the last couple of years. It’s always nice to win, but my day will come where somebody will beat me and then I’ll have to try again to beat them.”
One of his strongest challengers this season, as with last, will be Mathison, who has been knocking on the door of victory for the past two seasons.
The Stockton native knows he’s running short on time to make big moves in racing, and feels that this year could be his best chance yet at victory around the Mount.
“I’m at the stage now where we need to start to challenge Dean and win races to get noticed, obviously coming second isn’t good enough,” he said.
“I’m bike fit, I’ve motocrossing all winter which is something I’ve never done. Dean has already said he hasn’t been in the gym as much as he’d like to be, so hopefully having that physical edge is going to make the difference.”
Watch the video below to see some of the other stars we caught up with at the Auto 66 Racing Club’s annual Rider Chat Show.
