TEAM REA RIDERS UP FOR NEW TEST
Jonathan Rea Donington WSB 25 3 11 picture Gavan Caldwell
Motocross is still a hobby for World Superbike star Jonathan Rea who recently launched his own two-man off-road team comprising multi-champion Wayne Garrett and Michael McCammond.
“This is the best thing that could have happened to me particularly now that I’m coming back from injury,” said an appreciative Garrett who has spent the last seven months recovering from a broken leg.
He added: “Along with Michael we will be riding JAR Hondas, the initials stand for Jonathan Andrew Rea! I’ll be on the MX1bike while Michael will ride the MX2 version.
“My first outing will be the opening round of the British championship at the FatCat circuit near Doncaster on March 11. After that I’ll be concentrating on the Ulster and Irish championship as well as the Red Bull series.
“Fortunately very few of the dates overlap and that means I’ll be racing virtually every weekend, to put it another way I want to be a professional.”
A 26-year-old plasterer from Comber, Garrett (pictured below) can reflect on five Irish championships and a string of Ulster titles.
Back in 2007 he completed the grand slam of four championships in the one year and last season he was on target for three titles only to sustain a serious leg injury at Seaforde.
Garrett added: “In previous years I was a dedicated KTM rider but this will be first time to ride Hondas. Thanks to Jonathan’s involvement these Hondas are the latest specification with the addition of some specialised parts.
“Right now Jonathan is with the Honda team in Australia preparing for the opening round of the World Superbike championship but he communicates with us every day.”
“When he’s not racing he hopes to get along to as many motocross events as possible and that’s understandable since he’s a former British schoolboy champion.
“Back in 1997 when he was just 10 he won the 60 cc title along with numerous Ulster and Irish championships.
“The tarmac scene is now his workplace but he still takes a keen interest in motocross, he now considers it as a hobby but during the winter he takes to the rough himself as part of his training.”
So far as 20-year-old McCammond is concerned he has already benefitted from Rea’s enthusiasm.
“Jonathan gave me a helping hand last season,” reflected McCammond who is a farmer from Larne.
“I concentrated on the under-21 championship last year finishing-up third,” added McCammond. “But I might have finished higher up had I not suffered a mid-season injury.
“My goal for the coming season is to win the under-21title but I will also be chasing the Ulster and Irish MX2 championships.”
The JAR Honda team has been strengthened still further with the addition of top technicians Davy Mulligan who previously spannered for Gordon Crockard and Kenny Smith.
The Irish championship kicks off with the Killinchy club’s event at Downpatrick on March 24.
Then on April 7 the under-21 championship commences with the Ballymoney club in charge at Desertmartin while the main Ulster championship starts at the same venue on April 9 under the umbrella of the Cookstown club.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
