Page 128 - Australian Motorcycle News (January 2020)
P. 128
sport
ASBK
Vale
Ian Irving, in colour, was a
key part of Yamaha’s
on-track successes and
Irving will be greatly missed
Aussie racing
scene mourns
a great and
generous mind
TRIBUTES HAVE BEEN week as he always liked to with Yamaha was immense. team with Jason O’Halloran
flowing for Aussie racing check in on me. You won’t A very dear friend to my and Mark Aitchison in 2006.
legend Ian Irving, who find him in social media. family and we will miss him “Prior to and at every
passed away on 17 January He was old school, no text, so much.” event Ian would speak with
after a battle with Acute he only called you. It wasn’t Newly appointed YRT all of our YRD supported
Myeloid Leukaemia. his racing knowledge I loved Superbike rider Aiden riders. Not only was he our
Highly respected about him. It’s the fact he Wagner wrote that he would ‘go to’ man for all technical
technical guru and a stood by me always, even in be dedicating the 2020 aspects on all our ‘R’ models,
generous mentor to many my recent darkest moments.” season to Irving, saying, he also helped guide and
past, present and, no doubt, The personal reflections “He’s been a stepping stone mentor many of our riders,
future champions, the racing continued, highlighting his for all racers coming through especially those of younger
world flooded social media kindness and willingness to the ranks (including myself) age just developing as road
with an outpouring of love give his time, with current for a long time. He truly was racers. Especially since 2010
for a man who will perhaps Supersport 300 star Zac levy an all-round top man.” I personally spoke with Ian
be remembered more for his commenting, “A great man Closely associated with almost daily, and like many
personal qualities than his that had so much time for so Yamaha his entire career, learned to respect both his
immense technical skill. many of us young racers. A YRT boss John Redding knowledge, technical ability
Ant West wrote, “This one lot of us wouldn’t be able to first started working with and judgement, I certainly
hurts in my heart. I talked do what we do if it wasn’t for Irving when they formed the will miss him.”
to him on the phone last Ian. The trust he put in us factory Yamaha Supersport MATT O’CONNELL
Rally
Three WHILE ALL EYES were on Toby Houlihan, Peter Caldwell was Matt Sutherland (KTM) who
finished a very credible seventh
Price and Co in the 2020 Dakar
and Matt Sutherland lined up
Aussies Rally, three other Aussies alongside the 74 other starter’s in overall, 5h45m59s behind
this year’s motorcycle category,
Botturi, after a string of top-10
were competing in a gruelling
as they raced from Monaco to
stage finishes.
international off-road race of
tackle
Dakar, Senegal.
“It was a crazy hard race,” he
their own, the 2020 Africa ECO
The bike category was won
said. “So many ups and downs.”
Race.
Held over 6500km, the off-
Albury resident Andrew
Africa road rally is held very much by Italy’s Alessandro Botturi Houlihan ended the event in 21st
(Yamaha), who finished the
in the spirit of the Paris-Dakar
position, 12h12m42s behind the
race in 48h47m30s, ahead
winner on board his Coca-Cola
of Norwegian Paul Anders
and traverses many of the
Eco same tracks as the original Ullevalseter and Briton Lyndon Energy-backed KTM, and now
Poskitt (KTM).
course across its 12 stages of
moves his focus to the 2021
Dakar Rally where he’s hopeful
The highest-placed Aussie
competition. Aussies Andrew
126 amcn.com.au
