Last Rites - Adam Wheeler
April 02, 2007
Even if the name Adam Wheeler doesn’t ring any bells with you, we guarantee you will be familiar with his work. The twenty-nine-year-old who lives with his Spanish wife in the beautiful city of Barcelona is one of the most prolific journalists on the circuit – and in more than one media. The co-author of Jamie Dobb’s ‘A Year in the life….’, he has also released his own book, ‘Motocross 2004 Grand Prix Review’, and in 2005 wrote and directed the DVD ‘Paced’.
Armed with a degree in Sports Science and English, and a post-grad in Journalism, he entered the world of motocross through the back door. After working as a researcher and producer on early Saturday morning TV show ‘Cybernet’, he landed a job with Dorna in 2001 – the promoters of the MotoGP motorcycling series. But his brief was also to cover a new sport to both him and Dorna, one recently acquired by the Spanish company, the Motocross World Championship. And he’s been around ever since. MOTO Magazine caught up with him the day before the 2006 World Championship kicked off, in a warm and dry Zolder press room.
Okay then Adam, when was your first motocross?
The first motocross I went to was the first GP of 2001. And I’ve been to every GP since. It was in Spain [Bellpuig], the one when Everts came back after injury, and won his first race. It was a nice sunny day, a nice GP; but it was a baptism of fire for me. I was still busy trying to get involved with Dorna and settle myself in there. That was my first taste. Before that it was seeing a picture of Dave Thorpe on ‘A Question of Sport’ in the 80s, and seeing the track at Canada Heights on the way to Brands Hatch. And that was it really. I’d only really been into road racing before that.
So Brands Hatch was where your interest in motorcycle racing started?
Definitely, my dad took me all the time. He was great; he took me to Assen as well in ’83 when I was like five years old and to Spa. We used to go to the GPs, it was a real upbringing with motorcycle racing. I was even at Silverstone in ’79. Motocross racing didn’t really come into it. I lived in Kent, to get on an off-road bike wasn’t that easy, and my parents couldn’t afford one anyway. I never had access to it. Living and then working in London I was never in a position to afford to get a bike.
How did the job with Dorna come up, and what did it entail?
The actual job was to work in MotoGP, in Barcelona. I applied for it and went for an interview. About three months later I got an e-mail from them asking if I wanted to cover motocross, because they had just bought it. I said yes, because it would also mean working in MotoGP which I knew everything about. Hardly knowing anything about motocross, I took the plunge and went for it. It was a real baptism of fire trying to work out who was who and who’d done what. I was a multi-media journalist. I wrote for their website and did various stuff, like making TV reports and press releases. I was responsible for all the motocross content in the company.
What did you think of motocross when you first saw it?
I thought it was a bit mental to be honest. I found in motocross it was right in your face. I found that refreshing, it was interesting. And as soon as you see a race close up in the flesh you get an appreciation of how hard it is. The speed is something you don’t appreciate until you’re standing next to the fence. On TV I think it’s completely lost unfortunately, I don’t think you get an impression of how spectacular the sport can be. Leirop, for example, is a track that always amazes me, but I don’t think you get that on TV.
How do you think Youthstream have done since taking the GPs back?
I think they went in very bullish and didn’t really listen to many people, which was the same mistake Dorna made; it was kind of despairing to watch it. Everyone was talking about nursing Guiseppe Luongo’s ego, and there was a lot of conflict in that first season and a third. But everything has quietened down and I’m glad to see they have picked up their standards as well. Which is only fair, I think you had to give them a year to get back into it. MX1 was a new product for them; it wasn’t the 250cc World Championship anymore. I’m impressed with what they do, I don’t have many criticisms. Everyone talks about prize money but if his reasoning is to cut that to improve other parts then it has to be done. And if we have to go to Zolder or Sun City to get a decent race then where’s the money going to come from? Like everyone I’d like to see the riders get paid, but what Youthstream are doing now I think is pretty good.
You’re launching a new website http://www.gatedrop.com , is it like the other websites that rehash a load of press releases, many of which are actually yours, or is it something different?
No. It’s half and half. Half of it is racing news, but it’s not going to be like ‘mxlarge’ or ‘mx247’ which I think people go to for news on a daily basis. Mine will be updated daily but it will be more like a magazine and more photo led. I think that’s what people first and foremost like to go onto the internet for, to see the latest race pictures. But the other half of the website is to do with fashion and products; everything from PROGRIP to Quicksilver. All these different companies that have products, I wanted to give them an outlet to get some exposure and publicity. Instead of just posting on press releases and news I wanted to do something more interesting.
How was it working with Jamie Dobb, on the book “a year in the life of…….”?
Jamie’s a good guy. I think a lot of people get the wrong idea about him, because he can come across as a bit arrogant. I was lucky because Dorna had tapes of every race. I’d ask Jamie about a race and he’d give me enough material for about two pages, but I was able to stick the videotape on and watch him riding in it, and then I could amplify the chapters from watching the tapes. Then I would go and stay at his house for a few days and get him to sit down and talk about stuff. The reason I did it was because he was coming to the end of a long career and he’d had various ups and downs. He always had lots of stories and stuff and I thought it would be great to get it down on paper. Jamie and his family are great people and it was a real pleasure to do.
What would be your advice to any aspiring Adam Wheelers out there?
Well what you have to do is this. You have to come to races, even if you have to kip in tent and just – even if you have to blag it – walk up to someone like Pichon and say you’re doing an interview for a British magazine and just produce the work. Even if your writing is not very good you can send it to someone who will let you know where you’re going wrong. Sadly, as is most journalism, it’s dominated by contacts so the more people that see you and that see you’re reliable and can do a good job the more work you tend to attract. Produce the work. Even if you have to give it away free to websites, it gets you known and it can snowball from there.
What would be your ultimate sporting assignment?
It’s a ballbreaker but I’d like to write another book. I don’t know what it would be about. Maybe something historical which would involve research, and talking to people. I did want to do a top ten riders book and get fresh interviews, but it would have to be in MotoGP, I don’t have the familiarity of motocross history to do that. That would be a nice thing to do. Any kind of sport, I’m reading a lot of boxing books at the moment. Books are always awesome, you see them on the shelf and it gives you a sense of satisfaction.
Send this article to a friend
Page 1 of 1 pages
