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| Celene Cain |
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So Celene, How did you first start off in Road
Racing ?
I first started out testing at Jurby with Mike. With Mike
having been a competitor for some years and going to all of the the
presentations at the Villa Marina, I said that one day I would walk across that
stage after competing in the TT, preferably with Mike.
What was your first Race Bike ?
My first real
race machine was a 350 Shellbourne outfit, which was a really smashing little
bike, I loved it !
Where was your First
Competitive Race ?
My first ever race was at Jurby, but I suppose
that really, my first truly competitive race was at the Southern 100 in 1996.
Some people have a liking and a loathing for
various circuits, can you tell us which are your most favourite and least liked
circuits ?
No problem, it really has to be the Southern 100 as my
most favourite, what with all those tight twisty bits and good close racing.
The one that I like least of all however is the Jurby Road, I feel it is just
too bumpy and it is also very tiring.
Who has
been the biggest influence in your career ? Without a doubt it is my
husband Mike. He has achieved so much in his racing career both on two wheels
and three! I won't ever be as good a passenger as he is.
Hey, are you
going to do an interview with Mike also. He's the one who got me into this, so
you better put him in the spotlight as well you know !
Perhaps it might
help him actually as he is still looking for a bike for the Classic Manx in
Aug/Sept
Yeah,
sure, what do you say Mike ? You want to give us an exclusive ? Give us a time
and the place and we will be there.
What would you say, have been the
highlights of your career to date?
I would say that competing in the
TT for the first time in 1998 after the disappointment of having to pull out of
the 1997 TT due to injury, has been the highpoint for me
personally.
Now that the season is almost upon us,
can you let us know what your plans are ?
Well, after 2 pretty
disappointing years, we'd really like to just get a reasonable finish - Mind
you that is if if we can get a start!
Considering
the luck that we have had recently, we are looking at a new colour scheme for
this year. Since we have used the blue we have had nothing but mishaps, we are
hoping that a change of colour will alter that.
Our Plans for this year
are to do the TT and the Southern 100 for sure. Maybe also a couple of the
Jurby meetings - but Mike is planning to take the 400 out at Jurby so the
sidecar may get pushed out.
Unfortunately we can't afford to go away to
race, ie on the mainland. Not unless we win the lottery big style!
Unfulfilled ambitions concerning your
motorcycle racing is a question that we ask everyone, is there anything in
particular that you would like to achieve before you finally "call it a day" ?
No I suppose not really - higher finishes would obviously be nice
but just to to be able to compete is great anyway.
Which was your single greatest victory ?
I wouldn't
call it a victory exactly, but being the first Manx husband and wife sidecar
crew to compete in the TT (and I think also the Southern 100) is a great
achievement.
Who were your childhood heroes and
why ?
I never really had any childhood heroes as such, but I've
always been interested in motorcycle racing. Living in Northern Ireland as a
teenager, we were always around the Northwest 200. I was pleased to meet
Agostini when he came over to the Island - about 10 years ago and I even
managed to get his autograph for my son. (Honest!!).
Of the present day riders, is there anyone in particular that
you admire ?
I have great admiration for Roy Hanks. He was one of
the first top sidecar guys to acknowledge my achievement in being able to
compete in the TT and he always has time to say hello to you. Rob Fisher is
another guy I like very much. He was very helpful to us in our first TT when we
were discussing tyres with the Yokohama chaps. He is very down to earth like
Roy and always has time to acknowledge your existence.
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Do you feel that you have received fair
recognition for your racing successes ?
I wouldn't say I have had
much success yet, but I do feel that the girls in our sport do not get the
coverage that they deserve. When anyone mentions sidecar crews - they
automatically say "the hard men of racing" but we girls have to work
just as hard, if not harder sometimes, just to be able to compete.
When Channel 4 filmed us in 1998, I think that it showed that women,
who want to, can actually do sidecar racing. Wendy Davies, a good friend of
ours has proved that beyond a doubt, by driving a sidecar in the TT with a male
passenger.
Prior to a race, is there anything in
particular that you do, that gets you into the right frame of mind for going
out there ?
Not really, I simply try not to worry, try and stay calm
and relaxed and think about how right it will feel on the circuit, even though
I do feel sick before every race!
We know that
you had a tumble at Jurby a year or so back, how serious was that and have you
ever seriously considered retiring at any point ?
I have been lucky so far - I have not had any serious
accidents although as you say, I did fall out of Alan Langton's outfit on Jurby
airfield in 1999. All I had was some concussion and a dislocated thumb, but I
was very badly bruised.
The thumb took a while to
heal and to get full movement again but I did manage to get fit for the TT. I
have never considered the thought of retiring yet. I suppose I'll finish when
Mike has had enough of me passengering for him - even though I am a grandmother
now!
It must have scared you somewhat when Mike
and Chris went over at Jurby in '99. How did you actually feel when that
thappened ?
Yes, Mike and Chris (my son) tuned the outfit upside
down at Jurby Road in '99 and it was a worry when it happened. This was just
before the TT in 1999. Chris ended up with with a lot of abrasions and a very
nasty gash on his neck which required 22 stitches, and Mike? - well he stayed
with the bike and let go at the last minute and ended up with three cracked
ribs from the crash.
The damage to the bike was quite serious and even
although we managed to repair it in time for the TT and although Mike did make
the first practice, the pain was just too much for him and he reluctantly had
to admit defeat. That meant no TT that year.
Are
there any improvements that you feel could be made to the Road Racing scene,
either safety-wise or organisational-wise ?
I actually feel pretty
strongly about this subject and perhaps it is best not to go into this too
deeply at this point. However, the new Park Ferme planned for the TT practice
this year appears as if it could be a step in the right direction.
When you retire from the sport, would you remain
associated with it, or would you make a "clean break" ? There is no way
that I could make a clean break from it. I love the sport too much. Anyway, if
Mike was still racing it would be very difficult. I think I would most probably
join one of the Island clubs - say the Southern 100- and try to put something
back into the sport.
Your son Chris is now
actively involved in the sport, has it been difficult to accept this, as the
sport is after all recognised as being notoriously dangerous ?
No,
not really as he has grown up with it, Chris has taken up the sport and
unfortunately was involved in that incident at Jurby Road in '99, which
obviously as a mother you worry about. However, Chris is a good passenger and a
natural at it. He is much better than I am - though my excuse is I started
later in life!
At the moment he has given up passengering as he has
just become a father but he has said he would like to go back to racing again -
if not as a passenger, then he would like to try driving an outfit.
As Road Racing is a seasonal sport, what do you
do for a living during the close season ?
I work full time even
during the season - I am a PA. I am also at College where I am studying Trust
and Company Administration for work.
How do you
feel as a Road Racer who receives very little by comparison to the so called
superstars, for risking your life, when most GP/BSB "stars" receive such
massive financial rewards ?
I wouldn't say that we are "hard done
by" exactly, as we all enter the racing for the love and the thrill of the
sport itself. Obviously though, if someone were to come forward and give us
more money to race I certainly wouldn't turn it down!
Anyone out there with some spare going ? If so
you can give us a call !
Celene,
thanks a million for taking the time to talk to us, and all of us here at
TTwebsite wish you every success for the coming season. Don't forget now Mike,
we will be back !
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You can
read a lot more on Mike, Celene and Chris by clicking on the link
below.
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| TT Map |
A detailed map of the Isle of Man TT Course
all bends, corners are listed. |
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