By itsnota400
Pic by Mago
It was my pleasure to be able to have a few words with newcomer to the Irish roads, Michal “Indie #23” Dokoupil. Indie, who comes from Prague, Czech Republic, was competing in his first Irish road race at Skerries, where he rode for Billy Smyth’s team, AIR Kawasaki (Anglo Irish Racing) on both a 600 and 1000cc machine.
Indie started racing mountain bikes and BMX bikes when he was 12 years old but it wasn’t the sport he wanted to compete in for the rest of his life. At 20, he started working for a TV commercial director and started travelling round the world working for him. His first ride on a motorcycle was as a passenger and he fell in love with motorcycles. After having a few road bikes, he didn’t feel comfortable with the danger on the public roads, but still felt the need for speed. He decided to start racing when he spectated at the Horice TT road races, and really enjoyed what he saw on the closed roads and the thrilling racing.
In 2004, at the age of 26 Indie started competitive racing as a newcomer. He finished his first season in 8th place on his privateer R1. In 2005 he decided to change to a CBR600 and finished 6th in the Open 600’s Czech Championship ,10th in Supersport Czech Championship 600’s and 7th in Open 600’s at Horice. After 2 seasons, Indie’s racing in 2006 really progressed and he came 1st in Czech Open Class and 5th in Czech Championship Superstock 600’s.
Around this time Indie also started competing in the Czech Endurance Cup, which he won 3 years in a row from 2006-2008. In 2008, Indie won a lot of races around the Czech Republic, winning another 4 races that year.
In 2008, he decided that he would like to compete in the Isle of Man TT. Knowing this was a taxing course, he spend the winter on a physical training regime, and watching laps of the TT on DVD to improve on his course knowledge.
“Short circuits were too expensive and it was difficult to race and I had lots of crashes. I enjoyed the road races; there are 4 in Czech Republic. I won most of the local races in 2008 and competed in my first TT in 2009.”Indie’s best place as a newcomer at the TT was 24th on Yamaha R6. It was here that he was approached by Billy Smyth, who asked him if he would be interested in competing on the Irish roads. Of course, Indie was interested!
“Billy has made a schedule of what I could do with the team and I will also be competing at Scarborough, Kells, Armoy, the UGP and again at Scarborough at end of year”Skerries was Indie’s first taste of Irish roads. I asked him how it compares to his local races back home.
“Its more enjoyment and lots of jumps, I like it that the spectators are so close and it’s nice to race on the narrow roads.”On Skerries circuit itself Indie had this to say!
“I really like Gillie’s Leap and Sam’s Tunnel but my 600 is not fast enough there and it cannot get the front wheel up”. For his first time racing here, Indie came 18th in the Open race and 15th in the Grand Final. Unfortunately he took a fall at Glasshouses and did not finish the 600 race.
Finally I asked Indie, where did that nickname come from.
“I have an Indonesian father and Czech mother, and used to have really long hair, and that’s where the name Indie came from. I also have an Indian headdress which I wear”So folks, if you come across someone in the paddock wearing an Indian headdress, don’t be alarmed, it will be our adopted road racer, Indie #23!
Many thanks to Indie for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk to me about his racing.
We wish Indie and the AIR Kawasaki team great success for the remainder of the season.
