Roger Magee - Team Lizard Honda - Interview by Geoff Meyer
Roger Magee is a man who has been around motocross for many years. He is also one of the men who runs a privateer team (Lizard Honda) in the Grand Prix paddock. We thought it might be a good idea to find out how he ventured into the sport and what it takes to make a Grand Prix team run. With a strong Northern Irish background in the sport and with the Grand Prix of Ireland just two weeks away it was a good time to chat with the likable Magee.
Q: So how did you get into the sport?
A: We started off racing in 1973 along with Lawrence Spence, Stephen Russel and Dave Watson. That was when the schoolboy thing got going in Northern Ireland. My brother also raced for the Irish team in the Motocross of Nations in 1982. We have been involved in the sport since then.
Q: You also worked with the famous Killinchy club in Northern Ireland?
A: I was also involved with the Killinchy Motocross club of which I am currently the chairman. The Killinchy track ran from the 1960's and we had the International John Donnelly until 1985, then we had Grand Prix 125 until 86 to 91 and then in 1992 we had the 250cc GP. Because of the poor crowds run in some Grand Prix at that time Killinchy decided not to run another Grand Prix. The track is still there, there are some houses near the track, but the track is still there. The guy who owns it does not want to have any events on the circuit and I don't see another race being run there.
Q: It is expensive to run a motocross team, what type of work do you do?
A: Our main business is electrical and plant hire contractors. We cover a lot of street lighting and that type of thing. We also have a pub in Northern Ireland. My grandmother was the oldest licence in the whole of Ireland, she lived until one month after her 100th birthday. The pub is one mile from the oldest Motocross circuit in Ireland, which is the Tommy Stewart. The circuit has been running for 54 years, and we had riders like Dave Bickers, Roger Harvey, guys from the 1970's racing there. I think Willie (Shaun Simpson's dad) won our big race once. We are going to run the event on the 15th of October this year, and it's a typical old school type scrambles track.
Q: How did it come about signing Shaun Simpson?
A: I have known Willie (Shaun's father) from the old days, he rode for me when I was team manager of the Irish team in 1994 and 1995 when he rode with an Irish license. Although we didn't qualify for the main A final, Willie won the B final. I have been keeping in touch and watching Shaun's progress. I decided to start a team when the Chambers Honda team folded. I talked to Shaun at the Dublin Supercross and then got talking with Roger Harvey from Honda. We came to an agreement with Honda for some 250F's and we also support another rider Adam McKee, and Gary Magee. The team has snowballed. We bought the ex-RTT Honda truck, which is the set-up you need to do the Grand Prix. I got talking with Marc Pauwels from Youthstream about getting into the GP for 2006. Thanks to Youthstream for allowing us into the series, and after Namur Youthstream upgraded us, so I am very thankful for that.
Q: What about the future of the team?
A: Next year we are looking at running Shaun once again in the MX2 class and a top class rider for the MX1 class. We are having negotiation with some manufacturers, but we would like to stay with Honda.
Q: How has the first season been, have you enjoyed it?
A: It's been a learning curve really, we were late in, so we had to work hard to get sponsors. People like Street lighting have come in with some cash for diesel, which has been great. We are looking at a major sponsor for next year, and we will announce a big sponsor at the Grand Prix of Desert martin. It's been hectic, you don't spend much time at home. My wife and daughter are giving out flyers for the Grand Prix of Ireland today (at the Isle of Wight). My daughter has a quad and loves motocross. She has made a lot of friends in the paddock.
Q: How can you improve the team, or go to the next level?
A: To get to the next stage you need product support, and a major sponsor. Obviously we have put nearly all of it in this year, but if we are to do it better, then we need to have financial support. This year we also have support from SOBE (energy drink), we are the importer in Northern Ireland, and hopefully they will go bigger in 2006.
Q: So how did you get into the sport?
A: We started off racing in 1973 along with Lawrence Spence, Stephen Russel and Dave Watson. That was when the schoolboy thing got going in Northern Ireland. My brother also raced for the Irish team in the Motocross of Nations in 1982. We have been involved in the sport since then.
Q: You also worked with the famous Killinchy club in Northern Ireland?
A: I was also involved with the Killinchy Motocross club of which I am currently the chairman. The Killinchy track ran from the 1960's and we had the International John Donnelly until 1985, then we had Grand Prix 125 until 86 to 91 and then in 1992 we had the 250cc GP. Because of the poor crowds run in some Grand Prix at that time Killinchy decided not to run another Grand Prix. The track is still there, there are some houses near the track, but the track is still there. The guy who owns it does not want to have any events on the circuit and I don't see another race being run there.
Q: It is expensive to run a motocross team, what type of work do you do?
A: Our main business is electrical and plant hire contractors. We cover a lot of street lighting and that type of thing. We also have a pub in Northern Ireland. My grandmother was the oldest licence in the whole of Ireland, she lived until one month after her 100th birthday. The pub is one mile from the oldest Motocross circuit in Ireland, which is the Tommy Stewart. The circuit has been running for 54 years, and we had riders like Dave Bickers, Roger Harvey, guys from the 1970's racing there. I think Willie (Shaun Simpson's dad) won our big race once. We are going to run the event on the 15th of October this year, and it's a typical old school type scrambles track.
Q: How did it come about signing Shaun Simpson?
A: I have known Willie (Shaun's father) from the old days, he rode for me when I was team manager of the Irish team in 1994 and 1995 when he rode with an Irish license. Although we didn't qualify for the main A final, Willie won the B final. I have been keeping in touch and watching Shaun's progress. I decided to start a team when the Chambers Honda team folded. I talked to Shaun at the Dublin Supercross and then got talking with Roger Harvey from Honda. We came to an agreement with Honda for some 250F's and we also support another rider Adam McKee, and Gary Magee. The team has snowballed. We bought the ex-RTT Honda truck, which is the set-up you need to do the Grand Prix. I got talking with Marc Pauwels from Youthstream about getting into the GP for 2006. Thanks to Youthstream for allowing us into the series, and after Namur Youthstream upgraded us, so I am very thankful for that.
Q: What about the future of the team?
A: Next year we are looking at running Shaun once again in the MX2 class and a top class rider for the MX1 class. We are having negotiation with some manufacturers, but we would like to stay with Honda.
Q: How has the first season been, have you enjoyed it?
A: It's been a learning curve really, we were late in, so we had to work hard to get sponsors. People like Street lighting have come in with some cash for diesel, which has been great. We are looking at a major sponsor for next year, and we will announce a big sponsor at the Grand Prix of Desert martin. It's been hectic, you don't spend much time at home. My wife and daughter are giving out flyers for the Grand Prix of Ireland today (at the Isle of Wight). My daughter has a quad and loves motocross. She has made a lot of friends in the paddock.
Q: How can you improve the team, or go to the next level?
A: To get to the next stage you need product support, and a major sponsor. Obviously we have put nearly all of it in this year, but if we are to do it better, then we need to have financial support. This year we also have support from SOBE (energy drink), we are the importer in Northern Ireland, and hopefully they will go bigger in 2006.
posted by Race Deal - Sports PR @ 12:04 PM
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