Team owner, team manager of the TC Racing squad which has worked with leading lights such as Cameron Donald, David Johnson, Mark Miller, Julian Trummer and Paul Jordan, all round great pure road racing supporter Mick Charnock is next to take part in Road Racing News rising in popularity, Manx GP Top 6 series.
An accomplished racer in his own right, holding a racing CV which includes two top ten MGP finishes, his answers to the Mountain Course themed set of questions are as follows:
Q1: When you first competed at the Manx, what was your first initial thought of the Mountain Course?
“What the hell am I doing here! I am nowhere near prepared enough for this. 2 idiots on holiday was all I can describe it as, then 3 idiots once my long term mentor and race guru Sim turned up. Things have changed for us at the Manx a lot since them days.”
Q2: Most memorable Manx GP bike?
“My 2004 CBR600RR (Honda) that we built for Gordon Blackley at the 04 TT. It was a really nice bike and I was gutted to wreck it. I still had another 40 monthly payments left on it.”
Q3: Most treasured memory from the Manx?
“Getting the 100 mph lap in, road lads seem to think it’s easy but it wasn’t. Back then the course was a lot longer, bumpier and tyre technology has advanced quite considerably since.”
Q4: Is there one specific Manx GP competitor that you look up to?
“Andy Daniels, he was always fast no matter what he rode, he matched me nearly every lap of practice in 2004 on a bike that should have been in a museum.”
Q5: Describe the Manx GP in one word?
“Ace”
Q6: Finally, if you could race one machine from any series, championship around the Mountain Course, what would it be?
“A Honda RS125 I was lent in 2008 for the Billown TT race. I got offered it from Andrew Ashcroft who had never met me and the bike was mega.
I never got to race it there sadly as I took a liking to ward 11 in Nobles. It’s one of my biggest regrets in racing that I never rode a 2 stroke round here.”
Words by Stevie Rial