Wob's Career

1979-1986

Started riding local trials then onto AMCA motocross reaching the level of 750 Expert level and getting support from Husqvarna UK importer via a local dealership.

1986

I started going to help with my first rider Mervyn Anstie for French International events while his full time mechanic Jim Lewis was prepping his race bikes. I was assistant to Jim for the GP's and British Championships taking on more and more responsibility as the year progressed.

1987

My first full time job as an MX mechanic with Tony Craig, living in Caste Douglas, southern Scotland. I spent that summer working with Colin Thomas on Yamaha's before getting offered a new job working for Justin Banks at the John Banks Honda squad. I was also hired to work with Mark Banks where I was his mechanic for the Bercy Supercross where I first met the American superstar riders.

1988

I went on to work with Rob Andrews on the Team Kawasaki supported KX500SR for the British championship and World 500cc World championship. The picture of Rob Holeshotting the 1988 GP at Namur was the same race won by Hakan Carlqvist where he stopped for a beer while leading.

1989

I started a multi-year professional relationship and a lifelong friendship with Paul Edmonson building his Farioli KTM SX 125's for his British championship assault. Later that year I started up my own Motorcycle shop RAW motocross (my initials).

1989-1993

Raw motocross was successful with not only the accessory and bike sales and we were running a few sponsored riders in the AMCA Championships starting with Jason Burrows as well as other high profile amateur guys. Then Kawasaki approached me to help with their schoolboy sensation who was going adult - Justin Morris who we ran in the World & British series starting with 125s in 1991 and 250s in 1992. We also had started a long standing relationship with the UK magazines building many special factory bikes and the perimeter frame KX 500s which until then were factory issue only for magazine articles and features. Unfortunately we had problems with security at the shop and numerous break in's made it impossible for us to continue.

1993

I went to the USA for the first time through the Tecnosel importer in the USA. I got a job as mechanic to Gene Naumec on the BSY Yamaha. We did the Supercross and Outdoor Nationals which was an eye opener to say the least. I spent most of my time at Brian Swink's house in Ocala Florida that year. By the end of the year I had landed a job at former Kawasaki factory mechanic Tom Morgan's motor tuning business. I was building motors and doing porting work.

1994

I moved on from Tom Morgan's where I worked for the opening months onto Billy Liles who had signed for the Vertemati squad alongside Joel Smets. We swiftly moved onto a privateer CR 500 as we could get the bikes race ready with the resources available to get ready for the 500cc Grand Prix series. After a few races Billy picked up sponsorship from Georges Jobe's Belgacom team meaning we had access to HRC components.

1995-1996

I took a sabbatical from MX and worked on the Torquspeed Rally team building Peugeot 105 race cars.

1997

I came back to work with Paul Edmondson who had signed for the mighty Suzuki factory team for his assault on the GNCC series in the USA. We had a really good year winning numerous races and cemented Paul's place on the American scene

1998

I was head hunted by Roger DeCoster to come over to the Factory Suzuki 125 program to work with teenage sensation Robbie Reynard. We came 2nd every week in the SX and opening nationals to RC but halfway through the outdoors Robbie found his form putting in many wins, the most memorable was the Unadilla race where he came from mid-pack to catch and pass Carmichael. It was impressive to say the least. He put in may wins in the latter part of the year with the highlight being the overall at the last race at Steel city. We went from there to the FIM World SX events as Suzuki in Europe had a rough year and they needed some coverage. We rode every event as well as the Bercy SX winning the series and the World championship in front of some heavy hitters such as McGrath, Vuillemin,Ward, Lamson, Larocco etc. Unfortunately though I had a contract to stay with Robbie for the 1999 season I got caught up in a Visa issue with Albee's mechanic and Larocco's dad meaning no green card = no job.

1999

I started work for DBR magazine as technical editor. This is where the Dr wobbly name came from, shortened to Doc Wob by the magazine. I also built some aluminium framed CR 500's for RWJ supported Ed Bradley.

2000-2001

I came back to work for Paul Edmondson for the Factory Team Green Pro Circuit Kawasaki team. We were there for 2 years culminating in an AMA Championship, meaning to this day I am the only British mechanic to have won both a world FIM Championship and an AMA National Championship.

2003-2011

I was hired by Smith optics as Global Athelete service, working alongside former SX champ Denny Stephenson. I was responsible for driving the race team service truck to every SX and outdoor national and in every week in between I was either at the big amateur events stateside or at the GP's in Europe looking after the Smith Optics factory riders. My job entailed working on contracts to hire new riders and teams then working with each guy to get their preferences handled and actually building their goggles week in week out. I was full time until 2005 where I worked half the time for Smith and MOTO Magazine until Smith ceased their MX goggle operation and the program got cut.

2004-2015

I was approached by 4130 publishing to be editor for a new venture of theirs, MOTO Magazine. I was tasked with building a team from scratch to make a motocross magazine different to anything else previously available which to this day is something I am very proud we achieved. I managed to do this alongside my Smith job as it was a bi-monthly magazine. When the publisher moved to 9 issues a year then 12 -after 3 years I was stretched too far with my Smith responsibility and my assistant made editor. I remained on the staff for the magazine having articles published in every issue until the magazine ceased as a printed publication in 2016.

2005-present

I started DocWob Imports at the end of 2005 as I was homesick and needed to create a position for myself back in the UK. Being on the road was tiring and I had plenty of connections making it possible to do what we do today, buying surplus bikes and parts from high profile race teams stateside as well as current & clearance parts from the biggest brands in the industry. We build a series of special bikes for promotion reasons as well as turn over millions of pounds of stock each year and it has become a strong company and recognisable name in the industry. Starting out as a one man band we now employ 7 guys and have importerships with some big companies and have started our own brands of hard parts & Superlite Titanium bolt kits. We now sponsor many Grand Prix and American race teams to this day putting something back into the sport.