Profile/teenage motorbike racer Nicole McAleer: Nicole McAleer is preparing to take on the world. Alastair McCooke profiles the Omagh teenager.
While most other teenagers' thoughts are turning reluctantly to the imminent return to the classroom as the final days of August fall from the calendar, Omagh teenager Nicole McAleer (14) has other things on her mind.
Nicole has already caused a mini-sensation in the world of motor cycle racing, but the tiny teenager is still reeling from the news that she has been invited to ride at the Ricardo Tormo circuit at Valencia in Spain as part of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Run Off.
The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies' Cup is a new championship that aims to offer young talent aged between 13 to 16, the chance to get one foot on the glamorous Moto GP ladder. Under the expert eye of ex-Grand Prix star Alberto Puig and KTM's Harold Bartol, the Rookies' Cup series will encourage youth development in the sport.
It will give 20 teenage hopefuls the chance to share the limelight of the Moto Grand Prix world as the inaugural championship runs alongside seven of the European Grand Prix during the 2007 season.
The entire field will be mounted on identical standard spec KTM RC 125cc Grand Prix bikes. That elite list of the 20 riders who will comprise the 2007 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies' Cup grid will be finalised after the three-day test (or run off) that begins in Spain on August 28TH. It is Nicole McAleer's opportunity to follow in the footsteps of her heroes, names like Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa and Toni Elias.
It's not unusual in the world of hard knocks that is the sport of motor cycle racing to find sons following in their fathers' footsteps and carrying on the family tradition in the pursuit of speed. But a daughter donning leathers and helmet discarded by a racing parent is something you don't come across every day. That is exactly what Nicole McAleer has done.
When Nicole's father Paul called the end on a career that had begun with a Grade C win on an LC 250 at the Temple 100 in 1980, he had little thought 20-odd years later he would be acting as chief mechanic, manager and mentor for his own daughter, as she takes on the boys - and more often than not she gives them a lesson on how it should be done.
When not attending school and studying for exams, Nicole spends most of her spare time travelling around Ireland and the UK, competing in the 125cc class in the British Superbike Championship on her GP Honda at tracks as far apart as Mondello Park in Kildare, Knockhill in Scotland and English circuits like Oulton Park, Donington Park and Snetterton.
The visit to Snetterton is particularly vivid in Nicole's mind. It was there that she was clocked at 132 mph, the fastest she has been to date on a motorcycle. Her ambition is to go even faster.
Nicole's rise through the motor cycle racing ranks has been meteoric. Her first introduction to the two-wheeled world of speed was at the tender age of eight years old when she made her mini-moto debut. Six short years later Nicole is on the verge of competing on the same stage as Moto GP's finest.
Despite missing the early rounds of the BSB series the tiny teen tearaway has shown an ability to learn tracks quickly. It was a massive disappointment that Nicole's home round of the 125cc series, due to be held at Mondello Park back in May, was cancelled after heavy rain flooded the circuit leaving the officials with no choice but to abandon the meeting.
Her performance at the round held at Scotland's Knockhill circuit in July was impressive. Nicole qualified in 17th position on a grid of 37, and then produced her best result to date with a classy display that saw her finish in 10th place.
But Nicole's chosen sport has a nasty habit of biting back when you least expect it. A week after the highs of Knockhill, Nicole struggled through qualifying at Oulton Park after a big high-side brought her crashing to earth.
Despite the pain and disappointment, Nicole made a flying start and carved her way up to 14th place only to be knocked off on the second corner. Race over.
Already the bruises earned at Oulton have faded, and any thought of high-sides and high speed excursions into the scenery are distant memories. Nicole McAleer isn't the type to be disheartened easily.
Her sights are firmly set on claiming a place for herself on the Moto GP grid in the not too distant future. Her next step towards world domination takes place on Monday 28th August on the world famous Ricardo Tormo circuit in Spain.
We wish her all the luck in the world.
British Superbike Championship dates remaining
Cadwell Park: Aug 25th-27th
Silverstone: Sept 15th-17th
Brand's Hatch: Sept 29th-30th and Oct 1st