We decided to sit down with Tom and ask him about his retirement plans and also the one race that means the World to him, the Grand Prix of Great Britain.

MXlarge: Tom, so what is the plan as far as your future goes?

Church: For me the plan is I have a deal with the team until February, so I will race all the remaining Grand Prix’s I will race the British Championship and I will also race the British Supercross races in the winter. I will do Weston Beach race and then my contract ends in February. I just signed one contract so I am not looking at signing another one soon.

MXlarge: So you will retire in February?

Church: For me I always said I would finish my career in February, and that is pretty much it really. I’ve set a goal to be fit for Matterley, for the Grand Prix of Great Britain. If I can be fit for that race, then get a good result at the GP. I mean I would like to run up front for a few laps and get the crowd behind me. I mean it’s hard in the MX1 class, it’s so tough now. I would be happy with top 15.

MXlarge: How tough is the MX1 class now?

Church: The talent and the class in the MX1 is just amazing, it’s great for the sport. There are only so many good riders and only so many good teams, so it’s hard for some riders, because there are just a lot of riders who deserve a good ride and there are a lot of riders who will struggle to get a ride because they are just not good enough. The cream always rises to the top and guys who used to get top five are now happy with top 15, everyone is scrapping for every point. I think for the sport and the spectators it’s good, but it’s tough for the riders.

MXlarge: So what is the plan for a career after Motocross?

Church: I am going to start a new company, nothing to do with Motocross, plus we are expecting our baby in January, so I don’t know, even before I got the deal with the Red Bull KTM UK team I was sort of thinking about stopping. I thought just do the Supercross season and then call it a day. I will still ride, I love riding and I will continue to go and have fun on my bike, but I can’t just keep doing the same thing over and over again.

MXlarge: If you look at your form this year, you came close to being a serious contender for the Maxxis, so there is still something left in the tank. Wouldn’t you think of coming back and trying to win that British Championship?

Church: I just have to be honest, I don’t think winning a British Championship would matter to me, it wouldn’t make a difference to my life, and I wouldn’t really care. And I don’t mean I don’t care, I would love to win it, but I mean I have worked all my life to win it, and then this year it went wrong again and I worked so hard to win that championship, and then I thought to myself, you know what I wouldn’t really care if I did win it. I mean that in this stage of my life, with what is important, it isn’t going to make or break me.

MXlarge: What about just doing a selection of races in 2012, just for fun?

Church: I don’t know, you know Foxhills (round of the Maxxis) I worked so hard and I am used to doing that, and having two practice bikes and a mechanic, the work that goes onto those results, it’s a lot of work and just getting up in the morning and going to the races, without doing the hard work, then I am cheating myself. I wouldn’t achieve anything for myself. I raced British Championship for 13 years and World Championship for 11 years, I mean what I haven’t done and haven’t seen, of course I haven’t been World Champion and I know I won’t ever be. I have loved it, but it’s nearly over.