Biography...

I arrived Sunday 7th January 1985, but not without a hint of drama, no this time I wasn't late! In fact a little early, but a few problems meant a hairy ambulance dash from the little maternity unit in Buxton, over the snowy tops to Stockport. In the end thankfully all was well and there I was.

With my parents lifestyle, there was little time for Baby talk and within weeks I was off on my first foreign trip, racing at Vallelunga, Italy for the European 500cc race. During my first year of life I had visited no less than 12 countries, some many times. The not so trusty caravan and an old Fiat van as my temporary home for weeks at a time.

My Dad it seems, wasn't a bad road racer, from his first race at Darley Moor (when bikes used to run steam engines!) riding to the meeting on his road going Laverda with his tools strapped to his tank , the racing bug began and soon sacked from his job for making parts for his bike, he decided to give racing a go. And go he did, British Championships, European Championships, GP's, the TT and World F1, always with me in tow.

Surrounded by bikes and being raised in paddocks and on paddock bikes, I had my first bike by the age of two and competed for the first time in a schoolboy motocross event aged six, and no I didn't win but I don't think I was completely last but buzzing around on my little PW50 seemed to become second nature.

Weekends became weekends racing and now with my little brother also in tow we trekked from muddy paddock to muddy paddock, Mum always lap scoring and Dad working on his next secret go faster part!

From 6 to 16 schoolboy motocross was my sport and I loved it but the usual motocross injuries, broken wrist here, broken leg there, ambulance ride here, operation there, nothing unusual over the years became one too many when a badly broken and plated collarbone at the end of 2001 healed only to snap again at the start of the 2002 season, putting paid to any Championship assault for that season.

And so it was with me injured and no MX keeping him busy, Dad decided to have another play himself. This time it was Supermoto. And regardless of my Mum's warnings, it was inevitable that if I asked enough times that my Dad would eventually give me a go. So mended collarbone or not I had my first ride on a Supermoto bike.

A natural? Unfortunately not but a high side couldn't dampen my enthusiasm, nor luckily did it damage my mending bones further and so it was somehow that I got to race my Dads bike instead of him!, making my race debut at the end of May 2002.

New leathers, tarmac and it was raining but somehow I kept it together well enough it seems to impress Dave Clarke of DCR Racing who amazingly offered to sponsor me with Husaberg's for the rest of the season .

Aiming high (my Dad's influence there) I rode my first European Championship race (Mettet) that summer, I didn't qualify for the main event but the experience of the speed and maturity of the sport on the continent showed me what I needed to aim at. Only a month or so later I did manage to qualify for my first European Championship race, albeit on the back row of the grid.

By the end of the season I was pushing the leaders at home and was ready for a full British Championship attempt.

With the full backing of Dave Clarke Racing, 2003 was a busy year winning both 450 and Open Summer Championships and gaining podium finishes at European championship events amongst the frantic pace of the European field left me in no doubt that with every race my experience and confidence was growing and that I still had more to find.

At the end of 2003 and looking to contest the world champs for 2004 , I saw out the year, leading the Open and the Overall Winter British Championships courtesy of Dave Clarke, this (along with my dad) a man who had had complete faith in me right from the beginning and that I was able to repay with result after result.

With a deal to contest the World S2 , switching at the end of the year to Husqvarna and Mike Carter's Husky Sport team, I wrapped up both the Open and Overall winter Championships, as luckily I was able to continue where I had left off.

At home, despite my busy year, I had just managed to scrape enough A-Levels to get a place at Hudderfield University where I began studying for a Bsc Honours degree in Health and Sport in October 2003. This was no mean feat as it had been incredibly difficult to keep up with my schoolwork and give all to racing.

As part of team Zupin Husqvarna for the World and German championship races, I had to switch priority from my favourite open bike to ride the 450 S2 class. A good stepping stone to the S1, (Open class), or so I thought.

The S2 class was a wake up call, not as expected an introduction at this level, but with the top 15 riders often within the same second in qualifying, I was having to push and find new limits race by race. The pace and depth of field was incredible.

Little by little, things were falling (sometimes literally!) into place, and when it all went to plan at Ceska Lipa in the Czech Republic, my first visit to the world championship podium was achieved and I can tell you it felt so good.

On to 2005 and I parted company with both Zupin and Husqvarna. Believing I had a great ride lined up for the coming season, I spent an easy winter just chillin, only to have all my plans change at the last minute.

Thankfully Husaberg had yet to finalise their World Championship plans and without hesitation I signed to join their World Championship effort with the newly formed Endu-Raid squad and was re-united in the UK with the daddy himself, Mr Dave Clarke.

2005 was probably my best season ever and even a broken wrist sustained during one of the British Championship rounds couldn't stop me from taking back my British Championship crown. The World Championships went really well too and only 3 DNF's in quick succession managed to drop me from 4th to an eventual 6th overall.

Outside of the serious racing I also competed in the MOTO 1 event and after beginning the event with the ambition just to have a bit of a laugh, I ended up winning the whole thing!

After such a great season I was picked up by the Factory Aprilia squad. 2006 was a great year for my racing and after 4 races in the World Championship I had taken my factory Aprilia to 4 straight GP podiums. Unfortunately a damaged knee ligament at round 5 put an end to my title hopes but I still ended the season in 4th and fighting for GP wins. 2006 was also the year that I finally graduated from University and got my degree.

2007 was even better and I took 2 British titles as well as finishing 3rd in the FIM World Championship after standing on top of the podium for 2 GP's.

For 2008 I will be once again with the Factory Aprilia squad so fingers crossed for the races.

To be continued………