Amateur motorcycle racer Paul Turner has done it by the dozen after securing his twelfth Road Race championship title with a podium place in the final race of the season.
Paul won the 2010 Road Race Championship 350-745 cc title at Lancashire circuit, Three Sisters last weekend after a nail-biting battle. Whilst he was beaten to the chequered flag by the narrowest of margins his second p
lace was enough to secure the championship. Paul nearly made it a baker’s dozen of titles. Competing in the 501-1300cc class he won on the day but rival John Blundell’s third place saw him take the championship by just one point.
“Even though I needed only a podium place it turned out to be one of the closest races seen this season,” said Paul of his title winning battle.
“Ronnie Moore was on pole and he’d already beaten me twice that day and I was determined to finish ahead of. We both got good starts, with me edging slightly ahead going into turn one, but Ronnie went hard over the hill and pushed me wide and slipped past as we went into turn three. I spent five laps chasing as hard as I could, achieving the fastest lap, but try as I might I couldn’t get past and finished 2nd just a fraction of a second behind. It was great to regain the championship but it would have been even better to do it with a win.
“Paul’s title bounty has come at a cost. Over the past five years he’s not only broken many bones but has ploughed in some £75,000 to fund his racing passion. Thankfully he’s enjoyed the support of Carole Nash which has provided sponsorship and let him make use of its facilities. Josal Racing has also provided invaluable backing, including loaning him his race modified Suzuki SV650 which was originally from Carole Nash’s fleet of courtesy bikes.
Despite each race costing him about £700 and having broken or dislocated his collar bone, wrist and shoulder and hip, he says it’s all worth it. “It might cost a lot of cash and as much again in broken bones but I absolutely love it. Bikers will understand where I’m coming from because whether on the road or track biking is a real passion.”
Whilst accepting that he’s unlikely to progress to the professional circuit he is following in the slipstream of other Three Sisters veterans who have gone on to great things. British and World
Superbikes champion Neil Hodgson enjoyed his first win at the Wigan circuit and the track was also a proving ground of two times WSB titleholder James Toseland.
But Paul also needs keep an eye over his shoulder at the exploits of work colleagues Lee Vernon and Rob Knight. Lee, aged just 22, races a Triumph 675 and Honda RS250 and earlier this year won the 400cc & Mini Twins Modern Machines class at the Barry Sheene Festival at Scarborough’s Oliver’s Mount circuit. Rob, meanwhile also races an RS250, RS125 and Yamaha R6.
