Kingsbridge Private Hospital Sponsors Young Racing Starlet

10th, Oct 2016

With the word ‘daredevil’ the name Evel Knievel often comes to mind but in the next few years we may come to associate it with someone else! Eight-year-old Ben Phillips is a young Motocross racer from East Belfast and with a number of races already under his belt the young adrenaline junkie is planning big things for the future. Already hitting speeds of 80mph through winding tracks and shooting off jumps, Ben has no fear! We caught up with the young starlet to find out why he races and what mum thinks of it.

With the word ‘daredevil’ the name Evel Knievel often comes to mind but in the next few years we may come to associate it with someone else!  Eight-year-old Ben Phillips is a young Motocross racer from East Belfast and with a number of races already under his belt the young adrenaline junkie is planning big things for the future. Already hitting speeds of 80mph through winding tracks and shooting off jumps, Ben has no fear!  We caught up with the young starlet to find out why he races and what mum thinks of it.

Q: How long have you been competing in Motocross?

A: Only two years, I started on my bicycle, then skateboards and now my bike.

Q: What bike are you currently riding?

A: A KTM, its 65cc and I usually get to 80mph in it. My mum usually says before races, don’t go too fast and don’t fall off but I reach 80mph every race!

Q: That’s awfully fast, what bad injuries have you had?

A: I’ve split both my ears open when I went round a corner too fast and hit a pole.

Q: Why did you start racing and who are your inspirations/heroes?

A: My dad races so I got into it because of him, he’s my favourite racer. We go to events together all the time and race, he always takes me out to practice as well.

Q: Have you ever been caught riding somewhere you perhaps shouldn’t have?

A: *Looks at mum* Well… I got a real telling off one time in Newtownards.  We snuck in round a fence and started riding then the police showed up and started questioning us, they nearly took my bike off me! But it was okay, they let us off once my mum came along and realised we were being responsible, it was cool.

Q: So finally Ben, where can we expect to see you racing in the near future?

A: I’m actually riding in quite a big event next year, the Supercross at Odyssey Arena, only a few get asked to go so it’s really exciting and it’ll be my biggest event to date!

Kingsbridge Private Hospital, part of the 3fivetwo Group, is delighted to announce a sponsorship partnership with Ben and any knocks or bangs he might encounter can be examined and treated at our five-star hospital on the Lisburn Road in Belfast.  Along with Ben’s Aunt Kelly, who is a Radiographer at our MRI, CT & Outpatients Centre, our Doctors and Consultants will be on hand to help…but I think we’d all prefer if we didn’t have to see him like that!

If yourself or family member have had an accident or need a consultation, our Private Casualty unit can organise an MRI, CT scan or an X-ray and have you checked out by an expert Consultant the same day.   So why spend hours waiting in the queue, find out more information today by hitting the enquire button or by calling 0845 6006 352.