Some blokes are just understated. No fuss, no fanfare — they simply get on with life and kick goals every step of the way.
Like Aussie MX legend Glen Bell, who never really seemed comfortable in the glare of the spotlight, least of all in the hey-day of the 1990s and the all-out moto wars with his arch-rival, the way more flamboyant Craig Dack. Instead, Belly did his best talking on the track and ultimately won more championships than I’ve had chicken dinners.
Another bloke cut from a similar mould is three-time Australian Superbike champion Shawn Giles. Quietly spoken yet clearly calculated and confident, Gilesy made his mark in a world where success is measured by he who holds the throttle on longest, dives deepest under brakes and rides a razor’s edge at up to 300km/h, where potential disaster is a hair’s breadth away.
“My first road race was at Fairburn Park at Canberra when I was around 18 years old,” Gilesy recalls. “I had ridden dirt track on Honda CR250s and CR500s before then, but as soon as I got on the tar I loved it. I just remember the speed and dragging my knee on the ground; it was awesome.
“I also raced the CRs at Amaroo Park and Oran Park, and after that I raced at Eastern Creek in Sydney when the
