At 15 years old Graeme Irwin has sent shock-waves through the Irish motocross scene in 2007. In his debut season in the adult ranks, everyone including his team boss McCullough has been in shock at his progress but was Graeme as shocked as everyone else? “It went a lot better than I thought I took the British Championship and won the last race there of the season.” For those who have been living under a rock Graeme is now the British MXY2 Champion - but he hadn’t even planned on competing in it this year! “I wasn’t meant to do it but Wayne was doing the adult championship so I decided to give it a go, I qualified pole for the first round , I didn’t really know what to expect as I hadn’t raced any of those guys before . The last race I was hoping everything went all right and thankfully it worked alright.”

Things got even better for Irwin as he was selected to represent Ireland at the Under 21 Des Nations in Belgium where he helped the team to a solid 8th place against some GP regulars “The U21s wasn’t to bad it was a good experience the track was very fast , but it was good”

Success has come very quickly for Irwin but where did it all start? “I got a bike when just before I was four and it all started from there” Graeme has always deep set ambition inside him driving him to the top “my target or dream has always been to a world motocross champion and to be the best, hopefully I can do that, we will see how it goes in the next two to three years.”

Not one for slacking off in training Graeme has already the reputation of being a hard work on and off the bike this boils down to a simple philosophy “I believe in the saying “ you only get in what you put out” It is so true, I like doing the gym work, I was worked hard this winter Philip has helped so much if it wasn’t for Philip I wouldn’t be were I am today.”

With so much success this season what are his goals for 2008 and will he be staying with moto –one?
I’m staying with Philip next season and as well as racing at home I will be doing the British adult championship I think it is the only way forward to keep improving so we will see how it goes, I will give it my best shot next season to win some titles. Next season is already being billed as a Garret/ Irwin inter team battle and Graeme knows the score “ I think there will be a rivalry next season we are both very competitive even in the gym, he is older and always there he always puts that extra bit of effort in too so it is going to be good and will bring both of us on!”

Things could get hectic then for team boss McCullough who couldn’t have wished for a better start to team management but he is still in shock at Irwin's progress “He started of good but I didn’t think he would have progressed so much so soon at the end of the year he wanted top be on Wayne's pace , now Wayne has upped his the last few weeks. Graeme is now 2nd to Wayne at the minute he is quicker than Merton he is quicker than Bird, McKee and those guys.” So what about next season how does Philip guide this young prodigy with so much talent? “ It will be interesting next year Graeme will have a hard winter, he is still only 15, if he progresses at the same rate as he did this year I don’t know where he will end up I might have to take him to the European Championships . He is being thrown in at the deep end riding the British championship but we will just have to wait and see what happens it is the only way he is going to learn.

Riding a 450 at 15 may seem like a bit of a step to far but Philip explains Irwin's times have been jaw droppingly quick in the big bike! “ He has been riding the 450 for the last few months and he actually rides the 450 better than he does the wee bike, the last few times 6-8 weeks ago he was faster than Wayne on the big bike, I think he is going to be a big bike rider.” McCullough though is honest too and won’t hold back if Graeme needs a remainder of the direction he is supposed to be going but is there to supports his rider even if he makes the odd mistake “ I think Graeme took his eye off the ball a wee bit when he hurt his hand, he dropped back a wee bit he has made mistakes too but that’s the only way you can learn and hopefully he can learn from it. On the track I can’t do anything for him but off the track I can help wee all go to the gym together.”

Summing up his first year as team manager McCullough says “It has been a good year winning the British championship, the first round they couldn’t not let him ride ( Graeme was only a reserve) after he put it on pole! That championship is a good championship to win it is better than the British Schoolboy championship it is a big thing.

Wayne Struggled a bit in England this year he moved to the big bike for the last couple of rounds and I would say it was only the last race he rode like he could. Before that Wayne was getting pissed off I was getting pissed off , but he kept at and it and the results came, then he went to the des nations and had a great ride there and the last 3 races at home he has become a different rider than he was mid-season.” Commenting on next season potential headaches he feels “The rivalry will be healthy it was hard when I was racing with Wayne last year because obviously I wanted to win myself but I didn’t want Wayne to think I was giving him full help too , this time will be easier from that point of view. There will be no special treatment , no number 1 and number 2 rider they get on well but again when they start banging bar they might not get on as well!”

New signing for 08 David McAmbley showed he will be a force to be reckoned with next season – “ he had the speed he had the same time as Wayne and Quicker than Crockard ( at the final Irish Championship round) now he will be starting training with us, he has the speed for 5 or 10 minutes but he will be able to do it the whole way next year!

Article: Jonathan McCready, Photos: Paul McCready