Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The NT National Superbike event, the Terror TTC Challenge I
believe it's called, is happening at Hidden Valley Raceway, with
practice and time trials already taking place and competitive racing
this weekend. Now we have will a top local and
interstate writers from every state across Australia here for the
(00:24):
event and some of the up and coming juniors to
watch well. They are Liam Fooks NT champion and he
represents the Northern Territory in the Oceania Junior Cup Australian
Superbike Series. He's up against Locke Williams, number one junior
from WA who's involved in the Red Bull Rookies team
(00:46):
and going to Europe as I understand it this year.
And we've also got our very own Owen Todd from
the Northern Territory currently racing in the NT and the
Queensland Junior Cup, who's also a rising star. Now, these
three young fellas as well as Luke MacDonald who coaches them,
(01:07):
and Tony Seaver's the CEO of Motorsport here in the
Northern Territory, they are all in the studio with me.
Good morning to you all, gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
How good to have you all here today, and well, Tony,
first off, tell us a little bit more about the
competition that's happening this weekend.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Katie Lo.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
It's our national competition, like the superbikes, and we have
over sixty bikes here from all around the country and
here some top races, some top coaches as well, and
some top juniors. And we're lucky to have such good
nt juniors not only here but representing us across the country.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
So how many riders are taking part? Did you say
six sixty? Yeah? Across What kind of age groups are
we talking?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Oh, so the juniors are from eleven to sixteen, and
then in the adults to go up from there.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Now, for those out there listening who haven't been to
the superbikes, how like how far do the competitors race
and what's it sort of look like out there?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yep, So so they're there, they get to top speeds
over two hundred and forty k down the straight some
of some of the some of the top races or more.
You know, we're watching lap records being beaten already this
week so by you know, half a second or a second.
So some really good racing out there, and this weekend
(02:33):
were so exciting and the event is free Katie. Yep,
and the Marquees are down there.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
The Marquees are down there and go up on the
grand stand and wats some great racing and support our
local races.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
How good? Now, Luke McDonald is in here. Now, Luke,
you also you coach these young fellows, some of the
young fellows, but you also race, right.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
I certainly do.
Speaker 5 (02:53):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Tell me a little bit about what kind of racing
you do and how fast your ride?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Mate, So, yeah, I'm racing in the top superbike class
this week. You know. By the end of the straight
on the super bike we're doing about eighty two ninety. Yeah.
I've been doing it since I was sixteen seventeen and
now I'm trying to help out the kids.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
How good. How did you get involved when you were
sixteen seventeen?
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Free me old man? You know, he's always raced, so
family business.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
You might say, yeah, I love that. I love that.
And what's it like for you then, you know, mentoring
and helping out some of the young fellas.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Yeah, it's really good. I love, you know, being out
on track with them and coaching them up more than
I do, you know, racing by myself seeing them progress
and the things that they're going on to do now
around the country, is are pretty cool to see.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Yeah, it is. It's awesome. Now Lockey, he's stepped away
from the microphone, but he's coming over and now, Locky,
you're here from wa aren't you for the comp? Yeah?
Now tell me how long you've been racing for?
Speaker 5 (03:50):
So I started around the end of twenty twenty one,
so yeah, quite a few few years.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
And how did you get involved? What made you decide
that you wanted to, you know, to ride in superbikes
on superbikes.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Definitely mild Man as well, because he's been racing well
he's actually he's retired, but he's been racing for about
seven years, right, Yeah, and apparently my first word was
motorbike as.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Well, so it was inevitable. How cool? Now? What like
to any of the redheads listening this morning that are going,
what kind of bike do you ride? Can you tell
us what type of bike it is?
Speaker 5 (04:31):
So at this event, I'm racing three bikes. I'm racing
a one fifty junior bike, a three hundred, and a
six hundred, and I'm excited to race this.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Yeah, is it the first time he raced that one
or it was nice.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
I'm racing up here. Yeah right, I've raced all the
other ones done in Wa.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
How awesome. Now you're also part of the Red Bull
Rookies team going to Europe this year? Is that right?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Well?
Speaker 5 (04:57):
Next year?
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Next year?
Speaker 5 (04:59):
Yes, it's guarantee that I'm going to do the tryout.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
So how cool.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Hopefully I'll do good that.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
How old are you?
Speaker 5 (05:09):
Sixteen?
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Sixteen? So that is such a cool thing to be
involved in and and you know, like it must be.
Is it a bit of a juggle sort of juggling
school and you're racing.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Yeah, it's a lot of stuff clashed with my racing.
I got one event, happened in another one.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Yeah, so yeah it's but do you know what, how
like how good that you're involved in something so you know,
so positive and to see a young bloke like you
riding at that level, I think it's it's fantastic to
say you should be really proud of yourself. Now, Liam,
I might head across to you next mate, A couple
of young Territorians. Now, Liam, how old are you?
Speaker 3 (05:48):
I'm thirteen thirteen?
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Now, how long have you been racing for?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
I've been racing for about two years?
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Two years? What got you involved in superbikes?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
So first of all, mum saw this post on Facebook. Yeah,
and she thought, oh, let's have a go because I've
always loved, always loved motorbikes. Yep.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
So yeah, just and so what did you just rock
up that first time? What happened?
Speaker 6 (06:11):
Rocked up?
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Saw Luke there and he's like, oh, let's get you
on a bike. Let's get you on a bike. So
we went out how to go on in the back
of the paddock.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
How awesome. So did you see Luken did you see
him riding and think, hang on a sec. That looks
pretty cool?
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Oh yeah, definitely, I love it.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
So tell me about some of the some of the
competitions that you've raced him previously.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Well, I started, I can't remember how long ago, yep.
Started with TTC and I started on the old Oceana
Junior Cup bikes yep, and that was the first time
I've done. And then I've done. Then I went over
to Adelaide and I went to race the Blue Crew there. Yep,
SA Blue Crew. How good?
Speaker 1 (06:57):
So what are you hoping for this weekend?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I'm hoping for a first place?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Also peb How fast? How fast would you have to
ride to get a PB?
Speaker 6 (07:08):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (07:09):
I'm not sure, not sure?
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Exactly pretty fast, real fast? Like what's your top speed?
Speaker 3 (07:15):
One hundred and fifty down the street?
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Oh mate? How does your mum feel about this? Does
she still love your riding superbikes? Or does she worry
about you a little bit?
Speaker 3 (07:22):
I think she's made both.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Yes, I reckon, it's wonderful.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Liam.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Now, owen, tell me more about your your racing. How
did you get into it?
Speaker 6 (07:34):
I started out by a three times world champion. He
gave me a son's old suit and a helmet, how good,
and went out there had some fun. Yeah, had my
first crash and I was nervous but happy at the
same time.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Oh how bad was the crash? Mate?
Speaker 6 (07:53):
Not bad? I just low sided?
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Yep. Are you guys are used to that stuff? I
suppose you know? For me, I'm like listening like a
proper mum thinking, Oh my goodness, i'd be worried as
I'm sure your mum marries. Tell me about your bike.
Speaker 6 (08:08):
I'm riding two at the moment, Yamaha one fifty and
a Yamaha three.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
How fast are you expecting to go on.
Speaker 6 (08:18):
The R three. I'm topping at it about one one
hundred and eighty two kilometers on the one fifty, about
one hundred and forty one.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Holy moly, that is fast. Now, talk to me a
little bit about your racing career. What kind of races
you've been in so far?
Speaker 6 (08:34):
Last year had my first TTC and was just trying out.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Yeah, and.
Speaker 6 (08:40):
Just after that went to Queens and had my first race,
had two there and my second one came third overall.
And yelp went there this year and came forth. It
was my new track.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
How awesome now? Oh and how long? How so? How
old are you?
Speaker 6 (08:57):
Fourteen? And Tuesday?
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Yep, celebrating on Tuesday. Love it? What better way to celebrate.
So do you boys all race against each other? Yeah?
So no, I love these So it's a bit of
friendly rivalry. But it doesn't seem like you seem like
you respect each other. You know, I'm not. I'm not
worried about any of you getting into fisticuffs or anything.
You all seem like there's a lot of respects for
(09:22):
each other.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Downstairs are talking about how they're going to beat each night.
The best times I've done, and it was full on downstairs, a.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Bit of smack talking and well, Luke, you know you
might it must be great writing with like, you know,
seeing these young fellas as well come up the ranks
and doing so well.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Yeah, seeing their progression, you know, is really good. It
makes you feel like, you know, when I'm out there
coaching and I'm actually showing something worthwhile.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Yeah, how awesome. Look, I love seeing young people involved
in sport and I think it's really awesome. It's wonderful
to talk to you all this morning, and it's sound
like it is going to be a massive weekend this weekend.
Now before I let you all go, you know what's
on the what's what? Have you got a short term
(10:10):
goal or even a long term goal that you're aiming
for with your superbikes in terms of you know what
you what you want to be doing with your sport?
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Liam, Well, I definitely want to get to Murdo GP.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Awesome. Yeah that's so cool. Yeah it is. Yeah, but
you know what you've got to have, You've got to
have those goals. I think it's fantastic. Oh and what
about you.
Speaker 6 (10:34):
Just try and have fun and probably make it to
Australian superbikes and see what I can do.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
How cool Lockie.
Speaker 5 (10:44):
Obviously get into Moto GP, but just have fun doing
this sport. Yeah, I love it.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
So much, enjoying the ride. Hey, what about you, Luke?
What's on the horizon.
Speaker 4 (10:55):
I be happy to have a decent result this weekend
and see if I can't snuggers of our buffalo orn
trophies on trophies.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
That's so cool. And what a pleasure to talk to
you all this morning. How wonderful to have you all
in this studio. Tiny severs. Remind our listeners where they
need to be this weekend to check out the action
of the superbikes.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
He will Katie, and thanks Katie for your support with motorsports.
We love it and the boys had a great time.
And this weekend Hidden Valley ten am, sad Day Sunday,
get down there, there's marquees and it's all free event.
Go through gate too and follow the track around and
you'll have a great time. And something that we need
to mention and these boys also aspire to is Joel Kelso. Yep,
(11:40):
he's our GP three rider worldwide and he's got three
podiums this year. Two podiums this year yep, he's currently
in hospital, so get well Joel down there. He's done
his leg again. But you know he came through the
same club, Terror Club. They do a great job and
Luke does a great job coaching him down there, and
we we can't do the sports with all the volunteers
(12:02):
that we have. So if you're interested, as these boys
have just said, you know, through mum coming down seeing
a post on Facebook, come down and join in the fun.
It's a lot of fun as well. So thanks Katie,
thank you.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
Yeah, and just quickly, you know, the club's got some
bikes and gear and a junior program that we run
for anyone interested. You know, motorsport can be expensive, but
to try and limit the startup fees, you know, we
don't charge any entry fee or any high for the bikes,
you know, for the kids to start with running. And
we've got some gear donated and things I've got for
them to use.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Where can they head to if anybody who's out there listening,
is it best to jump online head to the Facebook page.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
So the Facebook page is just Tara and t t E.
Double R a top end road Racing association and flick
us message.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Well, Luke McDonald. Lovely to talk to you this morning.
Thank you so much for your time. Luckie Williams, thank
you for joining us on the show this morning. Mate,
Oh and Todd, thank you, Liam Fooks, thank you so
much for your time. And Tony Seavers. So great to
have you all in the studio. Thank you.