Former British Grand Prix promoter, current Weston Beach race promoter and promoter of some rounds of the British motocross championship, plus the Judd KTM British Youth Championship Gareth Hockey has been around forever and pretty much seen it all before as a promoter. That was until the 2020 season started, then ended and should start again in a month or two. Nothing like a World lockdown to change plans.

Having already been part of this years British motocross championship, Hockey was expected to run more rounds when the series returned in possibly August, however we now hear that he might just give it a miss in 2020 and try and concentrate on running the complete series in 2021, if he gets the go ahead from the ACU.

We called Mr Hockey up and chatted about all thing’s coronavirus and British motocross championship, not to mention his Judd KTM British Youth Championship plans.

MXlarge: Gareth, how are you doing?

Hockey: I am okay thanks Geoff. How are you enjoying it?

MXlarge: To be honest, if I do not lose any clients, I am loving it. Now, it seems a lot of the smaller motocross companies that sell parts or graphics, or exhaust pipes or whatever, they are selling out of products, so many of my clients are really happy. Fingers crossed

Hockey: Yes, we are hearing the same thing, from Judd Racing, or other people. I am hearing the same thing, that business is going well.

MXLarge: Hopefully, it stays like that when we come out of the lockdown and the government money stops being paid to unemployed people, because 20201 might be tough.

Hockey: It will, that is expected. 

MXlarge: How is it as far as the British championships, will you be involved still in 2020?

Hockey: We were involved in four rounds. The new ACU series manager has obviously announced he will run the kids and adults separately. Of which I heard nothing, not even a phone call. They now have one date left, which is the 31^st of August, which is meant to be run by me, but they have announced the British Youth kids’ championship would not be going ahead with it. So, I must protect my championship, so that will be one of the dates my kids will be running on.

MXlarge: So, you will not be doing that round of the British motocross championship?

Hockey: I cannot see any round of the British adult championship being run with the social distancing and the volume of people there will be any adult racing, be that British championship, or one of the other series. I cannot see how they can organize it to be safe. We have spoken to our insurance company and our safety company and we are looking at three rounds of the British Youth championship, because we can run with the numbers that are needed and the tracks we go to, we can create the social distancing. Obviously, it appears children are less of a risk. We plan to have three rounds over two days and live stream these events for free. We will have lockdown sites and the plan is end of July, end of August and end of September, but first we need the okay. We are speaking to people and because the lockdown has been eased, they are expecting a second peak in the next ten days.

MXlarge: I do not believe that is going to happen with the weather.

Hockey: That is the medical advice we are getting now. Let us see in two weeks’ time.

MXlarge: So, you can have 750 people at an event?

Hockey: This is not clear yet. We are not only speaking to people in the motorcycle industry, but in the event industry and some councils we work with. They are already looking at social distanced social events in the areas we plan to run our events, and of course it depends on what happens, it might be okay to run with bigger crowds depending on what the government says, but at the moment, these smaller events are being planned.

MXLarge: I was surprised when I heard that 5000 people are allowed at the round of the French championship in August, that seems like a lot.

Hockey: Personally, that is too big a risk. If I spoke to anyone at the ACU and the only people there that are worth their weight in gold are Andy Summers and Steve McCauley from the motocross committee, those are two of the only people really engaged. I think to have 5000 people in a gathering is too much.

MXLarge: I mean in saying that, I have been checking a lot of information from governments around the World, and also checking all the chases and deaths really closely, and I thought we wouldn’t get out of lockdown in Holland until July, and we are getting out now already and sporting events are already starting up, motocross tracks are open, riders are travelling from country to country to practice, so who knows what it will be like in August, we might all be back to normal?

Hockey: Correct. To be honest, I didn’t think we would get out until 20201, and I think it will be brave to right this year off, but I can’t see why some federations can’t start up, some club racing.

MXlarge: So, for your events, how many riders and family members are involved?

Hockey: We have 200 riders and we are working on that one parent, or maybe two, and that gives us 600 and then medical people and marshals we will be under 750 people easy.

MXlarge: And the live stream will go out on YouTube?

Hockey: The live stream will go out on our own channel (https://rhlactivities.com), also our social media pages. It is free and I am very passionate about getting that out. We did Little Silver on the Saturday and we have 250,000 people watched it.

MXLarge: What about Weston in October?

Hockey: We are planning with the local council and there is no reason to change that. That event needs to happen for the area and there will be measure for people going to food vendors and things, but we will have things put in place.

MXlarge: How is the local council about that event, because its going to be 100,000 people?

Hockey: They are more positive than us, because of the economical issues if it does not happen for the area. We will have to put things in place and change how we operate. We must keep people spaced out. The cost of putting the event on and setting up the restrictions maybe it costs so much we need to go a month later, but now we stick to the October date.

MXlarge: Do you think we will see GPs run in 2020?

Hockey: I do, but maybe not as early as they are saying. I think August might be too early. I think by the end of August or September, I cannot see why not. The Nations is bringing so many people from different parts of the World, but we need to balance the economics of it compared to the coronavirus.

MXLarge: What about you and the British championship in 2021 then?

Hockey: I will not be running the round this year, and I pointed out there are good people at the ACU, but the people who are running the championship have not go a clue. I am already busy with organizing my series for 2021, because I need to deal with sponsors and things like that. We need to sell bikes and people need to earn a living. My frustration with the ACU is they should be worried about the sport in general and we appear to just worry about the British championship. The only people I see working with the clubs are Andy Summers and Steve McCauley.

MXLarge: So, you think they will only run the one round of the British championship in 2020?

Hockey: Yes, I do.

MXlarge: Do you know when?

Hockey: No because they do not want to clash with the Grand Prix’s.

MXlarge: Good luck with that. The GP calendar is going to be packed once we come back, I doubt there will be a free weekend.

Hockey: For me, the round I have at the end of August, before I even start the event I have to pay the fee to the ACU, you pay the prizemoney, then you have permits and insurance, its 20,000 sterling and then another 20,000 sterling, and I won’t be paying 40,000 to not have spectators. They are not coming to us with a plan that they cover the costs. I think what the governing bodies should do this year, the ACU and the AMCA is tell every member, your license rolls over to next year. Any events you can race this year, it is a bonus for you the rider.

MXLarge: Any last words?

Hockey: Just to clarify, I am desperate to run the British motocross championships in 2021, because I think I can do as good a job as Infront do with the Grand Prix, and it needs to be discussed now. I do not want the Dutch or the Italians to have the best national championship in Europe, I want that to be the British. You look at the Dutch championship, they are just doing what Infront do at the GPs do not they. That is what I would want to do also. Infront are the promoter and the organizer of the GPs, the countries or clubs run the events and the national governing bodies mandate the events with the rules and look after the sport in general. I am happy to pay ACU to run the event, but just get out of the way.

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