Rider hoping to challenge after Skerries crash
Road racer Jamie Hamilton is confident he can shake off the injuries he suffered in his crash at the Skerries 100 to mount a podium challenge at the Metzeler Ulster Grand Prix this August.
The 23 year-old broke his pelvis, cracked his sternum, dislocated his shoulder and suffered bruising to his lungs following his clash with Dan Kneen in the last race of the day at the Dublin circuit earlier this month.
Jamie said: “It’s only when I start reading out the list of injuries that I realise I probably shouldn’t be standing here. I certainly didn’t expect to feel so good this quickly.
“The crash was no-one’s fault and Dan’s been riding really well, so I can’t take anything away from him there. I’m not really thinking about the accident too much to be honest and the plan now is just to pass the medical and get out at Armoy. If I feel good after practice I’ll definitely be racing again,” he added.
Should the Ballyclare rider not be able to compete at Armoy, he’s confident he will be fit in time for the Metzeler Ulster Grand Prix on the 11th -16th August and has his sights set on a strong performance.
“I was competitive last year with my first 130mph lap and I’m coming off the back of some strong results so I can hopefully wipe this accident aside and still be fast.
“The aim is to keep improving my results and I don’t see why I won’t be able to up my lap speed and maybe step on the podium. After we came back from the TT we really had the bikes sorted and I was riding the best I’ve ever been, so hopefully I can pick that up again.
Jamie’s comments came as Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) and RentaMerc announced they are the official van supplier to the Metzeler Ulster Grand Prix in 2014.
Andrew Dickinson, Group Marketing Manager for Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) and RentaMerc said: “The Metzeler Ulster Grand Prix is a great event for us to support as a lot of our customers are heavily involved in motor racing. This is our opportunity to give back to them and we are proud to be a part of this fantastic local race.
“We will be supplying vans for the course preparation and recovery teams to help them fulfill their roles and we also provide Jamie with a van for the races, so it’s great to see him looking so strong after his accident.”
Noel Johnston, Clerk of the course at the Metzeler Ulster Grand Prix said: “I’m really pleased to see Jamie in such good shape after his crash at the Skerries 100. He’s a tough young man and I’m glad to hear he believes he will be fit to race at Dundrod as there would have been a lot of fans disappointed if he couldn’t compete.
“He’s going to be lining up on a grid full of top racers so it won’t be easy, but it would be great to see him in the mix for a podium after his mixed season so far. There will be a lot of big battles and close racing. It’s not to be missed.”
Jamie was speaking as Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) and RentaMerc announced they are the official van supplier to the Metzeler Ulster Grand Prix in 2014.
Pictured is Jamie Hamilton with Andrew Dickinson, Group Marketing Manager for Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) and RentaMerc and Noel Johnston, Clerk of the course at the Metzeler Ulster Grand Prix.