Martin Bullock and Mikey Evans

Martin Bullock’s involvement with road racing stretches back precisely 30 years to when he supported the late John Crellin in the 1987 TT.

His first major success came with another local rider, Brian Venables, in the 1993 Manx Grand Prix.

’Paul Wisbey provided Brian with a 600 for the Junior and he rode my RC30 Honda in the Senior, finishing runner-up in both.

’We thought that was wonderful at the time, but Brian went one better to win both the following year.

’It was Brian that kick-started the whole thing really.’

Earlier this year it was rumoured that Bullock’s interest in the sport was waning and that the Manx Grand Prix would be his swan song.

But the jury appears to be out on that as he says he is not making any rash decisions. ’I’m simply having a break,’ he insists.

The 2017 MGP was among the most memorable in his long association with the event, largely thanks to a Junior and Senior double for Mikey Evans. This included an outright lap record for the meeting of 122.866mph in the latter race a fortnight ago.

It was the Martin Bullock Motorsport team’s fourth Senior/Junior double, the others - in addition to Brian Venables in 1994 - being Yorkshireman Craig Atkinson in 2006 and Ulsterman Andy Brady in 2011.

Bullock also had a Junior/Lightweight double with Richard ’Milky’ Quayle in 1999.

In total, his sponsored riders have now won no fewer than nine Junior and six Senior MGPs, along with another four Lightweights (three on the same Vimto Honda) and one Ultra-Lightweight (Carolynn Sells in 2009).

He has always been keen to bring new blood into the meeting and is proud to have had five winners in the Newcomers events.

The grand total of MGP wins is 25, with an additional nine courtesy of Roy Richardson in the Classic MGP. In all, his riders have racked up no fewer than 67 rostrum finishes, almost certainly a record for a single sponsor in the history of the event.

Looking at this year’s achievements he said: ’Mikey Evans is an amazing talent. When Billy Redmayne came along a couple of years ago I never thought we’d get another young rider like him again, but Mikey has proved me wrong.

’I really hope that someone takes him on for the TT. He is massively talented but totally understated and very safe.’

Bullock’s input into the sport has been little short of colossal. In addition to the Manx, he has also helped numerous Isle of Man Centre road race champions and Billown Course winners, not to mention the odd foray into the TT.

He supported American Jeremy Toye in 1996 and put a joint package together with Alan Jackson of Preston to provide a pair of 600s for James Hillier’s debut in 2007. Martin also provided bikes for Nick Jefferies at the TT for three years.

’I don’t have the desire for the TT anymore. Bike racing can be a somewhat emotional investment. Two weeks each year is enough.’

One of his other two loves in life is athletics (the third being West Bromwich Albion!), and Martin was delighted this summer when the Isle of Man women’s 4x100m relay squad won gold at the NatWest Island Games in Gotland.

A local sprint-running champion in his younger days, Martin sponsored the local athletics team at the Games with his own Full Factory - Winnerswear brand of sports clothing.

Never one to mince his words, Martin Bullock has recently become disillusioned with the way that the Manx Grand Prix appears to be treated.

’I’m disappointed, it all needs a bit of a culture change,’ he suggested. ’I’m very unhappy with the way things are and I know that other leading sponsors such as Paul Rennie and Mick Charnock feel the same.

’The Manx Grand Prix is a fantastic event, all I’m asking for is a bit of respect for everyone involved. No one talks to us with regards to any input of ideas.

’Some of the facilities for those new using the extended Noble’s Park area for the fortnight are extremely poor. There are only four specific showers for females, it’s like wild camping up there.

’There’s another issue about an application charge for additional passes for sponsors and parents of riders. Everyone in the paddock needs to be treated a bit better.’

Mikey Evans is in with a good chance of capping his amazing season with the Isle of Man solo Centre championship title at Jurby on Sunday week, September 24.

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