'To carry on just seems normal' - NW200 newcomer Hodson

Motorcycle road racer Rob Hodson has told the BBC Bikes Podcast that his family were united in their decision that he should continue racing following the death of his brother Jamie in an incident at the Ulster Grand Prix Bike Week in August 2017.

Jamie, from Wigan, died after an accident at the Joey's Windmill section of the County Antrim circuit during the Dundrod 150 part of the meeting.

Rob, who began road racing one year later than his brother, in 2005, was involved in the crash but was not seriously hurt.

"We were rivals even though we were both racing out of the same garage. We did most of our racing together and we helped each other out wherever possible," said Rob.

"Unfortunately we lost Jamie in 2017 at the Ulster Grand Prix but we decided to carry on racing.

"It was terrible, and to be involved in that as well, was awful. There was a point where we thought, 'should we carry on?' but my mum never turned round and said, 'I think we should call it a day now'.

"She gives us encouragement, and still does, to do better. If you had your mum saying, 'I think we should give this up now..', but to have family spurring you on, and wanting more and better, plus the sponsors and friends who come to the meetings with us.

"To call it a day, I don't know what we'd be doing now, but to carry on, it's just been part of our life all of our lives, to carry on just seems normal."

Rob's father Jim is also a long-time competitor in the sport, and Rob explains that he, his dad and his brother were keen rivals when they were racing on track, despite the close family ties.

"It's a strange one, but good. When it's your dad in front of you it's just another rider really. We both want to be in front of each other," added the 39-year-old.

"2017 at the TT there was me, my dad and my brother Jamie. I think we were all in the Supersport race together. I don't know if there are many families that have done that. That was quite special."

Rob is partnering with the SMT Racing team for a fourth consecutive season and includes a debut at the North West 200 in his plans for the first time.

"Something that's been in the pipeline a long while [racing at the NW200], especially the past couple of years with SMT Racing," outlined Rob.

"We want to be part of the big road races, which we have done apart from the North West. So for this year things have lined up right.

"It's a unique event. Apart from down Sulby Straight maybe at the TT I've never really experienced speeds like it, and there's the slipstreaming. It will be a massive experience - you're going from as fast as you can on a Superbike to much slower on a right-hander or a chicane, so it will be interesting."

Hodson achieved his first-ever podium finish at the Isle of Man TT last year, finishing second in the first Supertwins race behind winner Michael Dunlop.

"You dream of standing on a TT podium and then when it actually happens you're kind of wrapped up in the moment.

"It would be nice to do that again and hopefully try and get on the top step."