VOL. 51 ISSUE 33 AUGUST 19, 2014 P101
tor (keep in mind, people questioned last
year if Valentino Rossi was over the hill at
34), McWilliams says that's not the case.
"I ride bikes a lot. I don't believe that
age has an affect on that," McWilliams
said. "Everybody links age with slowing
down; you lose your edge or your reac-
tions or whatever that might be. I think
that's not right. Okay, there's a limit, but
I don't know what that limit is yet. We'll
see. I don't know if I'll keep going for an-
other two, three, five years or whatever."
But racing isn't easy, even as a part-
timer. It still requires a certain amount
of commitment.
"Every time you do it you wonder why
you put yourself through it," McWilliams
said. "You go through all the same emo-
tions and nerves and the not being able
to eat and that horrible feeling you get
before the off [start]. Once the flag drops
and you get into it… actually there's a lot
of fun doing it. When you pull a win off or
a podium or whatever it might be, par-
ticularly when you're not expected to do
it, then it's even better, isn't it?
"It's more pleasure beating kids that
are half your age or guys that are run-
ning the whole championship and you
can dip into it without riding the bike.
You can understand that that's a lot of
fun. It's a lot of motivation."
In addition to racing the odd race
here or there, McWilliams stays pretty
busy and still spends a lot of time at
the racetrack in the World Superbike
Championship. He manages the Race-
days Honda Superstock Team - the
team American Josh Day rides for. He is
also the rider coach for the Pata Honda
European Junior Cup – an entry-level
series for 14-19 year olds. McWilliams
has also found time to be in a movie,
taking on a supporting role in last year's
film "Under The Skin" starring Scarlet
Johansson.
He is also a test rider for KTM and
raced a six-hour endurance race in
Germany with two other riders a few
weeks before Indy.
"That's what really keeps me, I sup-
McWilliams picks
and chooses a
select few events
to compete in, the
Harley races at
Indianapolis is one
of those few.
