Jason and John Meara join forces with Watts Motorcycles for motocross title tilt

The Loughbrickland riders certainly have the ability to finish top of the pile come the end of 2019 and it was a confident duo who chatted about the past year and looked forward to the up coming challenges of the new season.

Jason, you won British Experts and Irish MX2 titles in 2018. Yourself and Glenn McCormick had some memorable MX2 battles over the year on the domestic scene. Did you enjoy them as much as the spectators and how would you sum up your season?

“The battles were great, they are the reason I race I don’t know any racer who wouldn’t.

“I remember there was one race at Laurelbank we passed each other three times back and fourth in one lap, that was so much fun.

“I had a great season but probably the most enjoyable memory has to be standing on the podium in Belfast in front of the home crowd at the Arenacross. That was probably the highlight of my career.

“The worst memory has to be breaking my wrist at the supermoto event at Nutts Corner. I got the classic hi-side and ended up with a pretty complicated break to my wrist.

“Thankfully I am out of cast from before Christmas and expect to return to riding my bike within the next couple of weeks.”

What are your thoughts moving to the MX1 on the Kawasaki. Considering you have missed a lot of pre season track time do you think you will be playing catch up at the start of the year?

“The move has been great. I basically set the handlebars and levers, jumped on the kxf450 and already was a lot faster than I was on my 250, it was at that point I was confident I made the right move. I have now had suspension done, and have some upgraded parts to put on so I’m really looking forward trying these out.

“I can’t answer where I will be at come round one right but I’d like to think I’ll be there or there about.

“If I’m not I’ll not panic. If I’m able to get points on the board, I’m confident I can start winning later in the season.”

Are you looking forward to racing alongside John in the MX1 class. He helped a lot as you raced for MX2 titles in 2018 but do you think his help might be slightly less as you will be both going for the same titles?

“Yes it will be fun. We’ve always helped each other and I think this year we can help each other even more now that we are training and riding together.

“Our practice motos are going to be like racing and this is only going to make us faster I think.”

What would be the ideal end to the 2019 season for Jason?

“Win! I always want to win it’s why I race.”

John you are the more experienced of the two brothers in MX1 terms after winning both domestic titles in 2016 and although both 2017 and 2018 were ruined through injury do you believe that you can regain the form that made you a leading MX1 title contender and run at the front in 2019?

“Yes I believe that before I got reinjured in 2018 I was already back in that form winning six races in a row sweeping two rounds in Athlone at the Irish championship and Seaforde at the ulster championship.

“I got a pretty nasty back injury after that at Hawkstone Park and it forced me out of the rest of the season.

“I’m hoping for a good injury free off-season and I think 2019 is going to be a very good year.”