issue 30

Ah, spring is here again and the air is fresh with race fuel and adrenaline – beautiful. I find I often repeat myself around this time of the year but it’s kind of hard not too, the excitement of a new season just gets me every year even though I so often think it won’t. After my comments in last month’s Slap, and all I’ve been through since, I feel the anticipation building like a love-struck teenager.

There are times during every winter where I often think I don’t miss motocross at all, or indeed ever will, if I walk away from it. But then, just like when Clark Kent finds that glowing green crystal that gives him back his powers in Superman 2 (c’mon, don’t pretend you don’t remember), the beacon of motocross attracts me like a moth to a flame. Motocross is to my sprit what colonic irrigation is to a whole host of A-list celebrities – and it’s certainly more dignified.

With every new motocross season come the hype and the predictions – and they alone get the blood pumping before you even get to an event to see the real cut-and-thrust of it all. New seasons mean change but sometimes that doesn’t always happen. For example, I can’t help but notice there’s a huge amount of negativity surrounding the return of the Motocross of Nations (I’m now going all PC and using of instead of des – but only in print). It seems since we last held the event in 2006 – which seems so long ago – the controversy hasn’t settled down.

OK, a lot of that came after the unfortunate turn of events at Matterley Basin – but whichever way you look at it – it was memorable. Now however, before we even get close to packing the van for our weekend at Donington Park there seem to be huge clouds of doubt hovering above. Already for some people those dark skies are enough to deter them from even getting in the vehicle. It’s a little too early in the day for me to jump on the anti-Donington bandwagon and needless to say they’ll be plenty of discussion on forums and viewpoints in this very magazine before the doubters are proved right or wrong. But at this point that’s the only pollution in the otherwise fresh air that I need.

Hopefully those dark clouds will be broken down by the sunshine of a bright and breezy season ahead and I’ll be able to take a huge breath and fill my lungs. That’s the only internal cleansing I’m interested in – have you seen the price for getting the work done at the other end? The cost alone will make you ***t yourself. Motocross is simply a better option and far less messy, you know what I mean?

Good health, bottoms up! – Jeff.

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