James Cowton Racing

Twenty-one years old James Cowton will be entering his fourth season of Motorcycle Racing in 2014 where he hopes to compete in most of the major road race meetings in England, Ireland and the Isle of Man.

James is looking for sponsorship to help him continue his racing career which will enable him to obtain competitive machines to compete in the Isle of Man at the International TT Races in June, and the Classic TT three months later.

After initially commencing his ‘motorcycling career’ competing in motocross, he switched to the tarmac and road racing in 2010, which proved to be a steep learning curve, making his debut on ‘the roads’ at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough, where he notched up a number of top three podium places before achieving his first race win on a BSA Goldstar during the Barry Sheene Race Festival.

2012 was a very busyand successful year and on his newly acquired Honda 600 he went on to win both the Auto 66 Road & Track and Northern 600 championship as well as finishing a very close second overall in the North East Club 600 championship.

James continued to prove himself a force to be reckoned with up against the cream of Irish racers at Oliver’s Mount on both the 400 and 600cc machines, with many more excellent results.

Then came his debut in the Isle of Man Southern 100 International Road Races, where he surprised many of the more regular contenders by putting his Honda 400 on pole position, where he led the race from the off, although having to settle for second at the chequered flag.

He impressed by qualifying fourteenth fastest in the 600cc events going on to finish twelfth in the first race and tenth in the next.

After his successful Southern 100 debut, James returned to the Isle of Man for the 2012 Manx Grand Prix.

James soon got to grips with the famous 37.73-mile TT Mountain Course and topped the timing sheets in the Newcomers C Lightweight class on his 400cc machine after which he rode a near perfect race against the clock crossing the finish line six seconds ahead of the second finisher and received his first winner’s replica. Out of eighty-eight riders competing in the Junior ‘Manx’ he qualified a staggering seventh fastest on the 600cc machine going on to cross the finish line fourth and another replica to his credit.

Over the winter months James secured himself a ride with Ryan Farquhar’s newly formed KMR Kawasaki Team on a SuperTwin planning to compete in the major road meetings and selected Irish national events. He also rode his own Honda 600 and Pete Berwick’s 250 Yamaha at the same events.

Making his debut at the North West 200 in Ireland in May 2013, James rode well notching up two top ten placed finishes before the meeting was abandoned due to heavy rain.

Returning to the Southern 100 he finished third on the SuperTwin, fifth on the 600, in the feature Solo Championship Race he finished seventh a great achievement on the smaller capacity machine picking up a special award for being the first 600 machine to cross the line.

Expectations were high for the Manx Grand Prix and initially everything went to plan with James topping the leader board in both the SuperTwin and the Junior events.

Then while holding a thirty second lead after one lap in the SuperTwin race the Kawasaki developed problems and he was forced to retire. Then the most devastating thing happened in the Junior Manx Grand Prix while James was enjoying a twenty-six second lead and less than a mile from the chequered flag he ran out of petrol.

The rider proved he had the ability but was denied two victories through no fault of his own.

But he did have success finishing a close second in the Formula 2 event on the 250 Yamaha.

More success came at his local circuit at Oliver’s Mount including finishing third in the Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup Race close behind Guy Martin and Michael Dunlop, moving him up the Duke Road Race Rankings Championship to finish a very credible sixth overall.

James finished the season in fine style at Cadwell Park where during final rounds of the Auto 66 club meeting he won races to secure the Junior and Super Lightweight titles and also the Junior Road & Track title.




Meeting
Race - Position

North West 200 International Road Races
Vauxhall SuperTwins Race 1 - 7
McKendry Fabrications Supersport 600cc Race 2 - 10

Blackford’s Pre-TT Classic Races - Isle of Man
4-Hire 230cc - 350cc Post Classic Race 2
4-Hire 230cc - 350cc Post Classic Race F/l

Metzeler Post TT Road Races - Isle of Man
Metzeler Post TT 650/250cc Race 4

Barry Sheene Races Festival - Oliver's Mount
Modern Solos up to 400cc 1st Leg 1
Modern Solos up to 400cc 1st Leg F/l
Modern Solos up to 600cc 1st Leg 2
Solo Invitation 1st Leg 1
Solo Invitation 1st Leg F/l
Solo Invitation 2nd Leg 2
Modern Solos up to 600cc 2nd Leg 1
Modern Solos up to 600cc 2nd Leg F/l

Southern 100 International Road Races - Isle of Man
Mike Kerruish Plumbing 650cc SuperTwins Race 3
Radcliffe’s Butchers 600cc Race 5
Ocean Ford 650cc SuperTwins Race 4
Manx Gas Solo Championship Race 7

Cock o'th North Road Races - Oliver's Mount
650cc Super Twins First Leg 4
Supersport 600cc 1st Leg 4
Lightweight 250cc 1st Leg 2
Supersport 600cc 2nd Leg 5
650cc Super Twins Second Leg 4
Cock o'the North Race 4

Classic TT - Mountain Course Isle of Man
Motorsport Merchandise Formula Two Race 2

Manx Grand Prix - Mountain Course Isle of Man
Junior Manx Grand Prix F/l

Gold Cup Road Races - Oliver's Mount
650cc Super Twins Race Lee Pullan Trophy 1st Leg 3
Darran Lindsay Superbike 1st Leg 5
254 Phil Mellor Trophy Race 1st Leg 5
David Jefferies 600ccTrophy 1st Leg 4
Darran Lindsay Superbike 2nd Leg 8
250 Phil Mellor Trophy Race 2nd Leg 3
International Steve Henshaw Gold Cup 3
David Jefferies 600cc Trophy 2nd Leg 4


Championship Positions

Duke Road Race Rankings Championship 6th

Auto 66 Club Road & Track Championship
Lightweight - Up to 450cc 2nd
Super Lightweight - 650cc SuperTwins 1st
Junior - 600cc 1st
650cc SuperTwins 3rd

Northern Clubman’s Championship
Super Lightweight - 650cc SuperTwins 1st
Junior - 600cc 1st


Proposed International & National Road Races and Championships 2014

Ian Watson Spring Cup National Road Races – Oliver’s Mount
North West 200 International Road Races – Northern Ireland
Isle of Man International TT Races – Mountain Course, Isle of Man
Post TT National Road Races – Billown Course, Isle of Man
Barry Sheene Race Festival – Oliver’s Mount
Southern 100 International Road Races – Billown Course, Isle of Man
Cock o’the North Continental Road Races – Oliver’s Mount
Ulster Grand Prix – Dundrod, Northern Ireland
Classic TT – Mountain Course, Isle of Man
Steve Henshaw International Gold Cup Road Races – Oliver’s Mount
(All the above count towards the Duke Road Race Rankings Championship 2014)

Plus other selected Road Races

Auto 66 Club Road & Track Championship
Lee Vernon SuperTwin Championship
Northern Clubman’s Championship


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