In the first of five extracts from Michael Dunlop’s book, Road Racer: It’s In My Blood, the Ballymoney man talks about dealing with fame and its consequences…
"The problem with sticking your head above the parapet is that people start to take an interest. Winning the TT a year after what I'd done following my dad's death got me a bit of press outside of Ballymoney. Wherever I went I started to get strangers calling out.
“It's nice, I like it because most of them are friendly. But there are always a few who are wankers and they ruin it for everyone else. I had a man at one of the smaller races shake my hand, then tell me I was a shit rider because I put other people in danger. I think he called me a cheat.
“That leaves a sour taste and the very next time a lad tried to stop me I carried on walking. I expect now he thinks I'm an arsehole for that. The internet warriors are the shit stirrers. But I can ignore them very easily. The ones who get in my face are harder to walk away from. I went into a pub shortly after the TT and there's a crowd of lads, maybe 30 of them, all having a laugh.
“One of them recognises me, so I'm bought a pint and people are talking about racing and the craic. But I know, from experience, that in a crowd that size, especially when alcohol has been taken, there will be at least one wanker who resents me somehow, who won't be satisfied until he's told me how shit he thinks I am.
“And I was right. He comes up and says, 'You're only famous because of your name.' Here's the thing. Even if he truly believes that and even if he's right, where's the boys mother to tell him not to be rude to strangers? Would you go into a butchers shop and slag him off for his family name? Pick a fight with a lollipop lady, would you? You probably see her every day, more often than you see me. Why don't you tell her what you think of her?
“My problem is that I find it hard to walk away. That boy in the pub just wanted to look good in front of his mates. Believe you me, he didn't when I'd finished with him. But other blokes come over with their fists clenched, like they want to snap your head off. That is not a good thing to do to me. My fuse is like a Black Cat Banger. You only have to strike the matchbox and I go up. There is now warning. I will smash anyone before they can smash me. And I have done. I've probably lost a few genuine supporters in the process. But I'm not in racing to put up with shit like that, just like I'm not here to kiss arses."
Road Racer - It's In My Blood by Michael Dunlop is published by Michael O'Mara Books, £20 hardback.
