I suppose my love for cars bikes and motor sport in general started when I was about three, because that's the legal age where kids can play with a hot wheels car. When ever I was in hospital due to my dodgy leg, the only toys I would play with would be the big box of cars. Come to think of it, I still have a big box of cars at home. If I wasn't eating, sleeping or crying the latter taking up most of my free time, I would be on the floor making up stories with my cars. Since at the time I was an "id", I wanted my cars and I wanted them now. I didn't want to wait until the weekend to get another five pack of Hot wheels, I want them ten seconds ago. So many police chases and Drag races took place in my living room, not forgetting the occasional pile up. The only other real interest I had was football, but due to me being about five, and Fratton Park never being without a riot on match day at the time, I didn't go many many matches then.
So football took a back seat up until I was about 12. But between that time, my love for cars just grew. Overall I reckon that I've had at least 200 toy cars. When I grew up a bit (still working on that), I found myself learning about how they worked. I also started obsessing slightly about certain parts or cars. Exhaust note, whether it was pulsing or smooth. The style of the cars, if it looked boring or angry. But the biggest obsession was the engine. I didn't want a car that had a pathetic 1.4l flat four. I wanted the engine from the Ascari A10. A 5l V8 with 4 valves per cylinder, individual throttle bodies and a straight through exhaust. I wanted a car that could eat corners like they weren't even there, hitting every apex and doing 200mph on the straights.
When I was fourteen, I got onto a Young apprenticeship course in car maintenance. I was working in a garage in my school holidays. during that time I learnt so much about cars, old and new. Also my other interest (football), kicked into overdrive, which is why I've been a season ticket holder at Fratton park for four years now, and I don't plan on giving it up. But nothing could keep me away from my cars. As a very early 14th birthday, My dad took me to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. I went on the Sunday of the weekend, and even though the weather was awful, it was one of the best Sundays of my life. I saw the best cars the past and present had to offer, I saw Lewis Hamilton do a burnout in his F1 car, and I stuck my head in the exhaust of the Bugatti Veyron because that's how big the exhaust was. I passed my apprenticeship course as one of the best the college had ever had. I chose to carry on and become a mechanic, but the people at my second garage didn't seem to understand the concept of hospital appointments, and due to that and my left leg getting quite bad, I quit the apprenticeship program and chose to pursue a career in Radiography.
Of course motor sport is dangerous, but that is part of the thrill as weird as that may sound. But we have to respect the mighty machines we create. Last year in the Moto 2 Shoya Tomizawa tragically died after the race at the Misano track. He lost traction and fell of his bike. The two rider behind him could not react quick enough as they were only a few yards behind him travelling at over 130mph. Both of the rider ploughed into Shoya and he died of his injuries at the hospital. Luckily incidents like these don't happen at every race, but this video clearly highlights the dangers of racing.
My interest in cars and motor spors will never leave me, I still watch races on TV, I go to many car shows a year, and I buy car magazines. I also have a need to buy a Mazda RX7 before I die. I don't think my life will be complete without owning one. As big as my love is for Portsmouth FC, it will never be a big as my love for cars.
