2020

In Dan’s first full year of racing, he progressed quickly, to become a competitive rider, and well-liked in the paddock. Dan won the Riders’ Choice Trophy, for the 2020 summer season, and talks passionately about The Cup:

“It’s been a steep learning curve for me, getting used to a clutch and gears, cornering, and breaking techniques, as well as race-craft. I’m learning all the time and getting quicker with every session I ride. Winning the Riders’ Choice Cup was a real highlight, but I’ve also met some awesome people from all over the country and been lucky enough to be coached not only by Peter, but by a lot of famous bike racers from all over the world.”

2021

Following a vast improvement in his racing abilities over 2020, Dan finished 5^th out of 15 riders in the 2020/21 winter season and made a strong start to the 2021 summer season, comprising three races at the Red Lodge Circuit, with an increased field of 25 riders, which has grown from the 16 riders who took part in the 2020 season.

Following his first race of 2021, Dan moved from the 110cc class to the 160cc class, and has also gained his ACU racing licence, which will allow him to get practice at bigger circuits, on his Kawasaki Ninja 300, with a view to joining the ACU Team Green Junior Cup from 2023.

Alongside the Ohvale UK Cup, Dan is also competing in the FIM Mini GP World Series, racing at Cadwell Park in a support race for the British Superbike round, as well as Silverstone, as part of the Moto GP meeting. This series is part of the FIM initiative to unify and standardise youth GP racing around the world, and is promoted by MSVR, governed by the ACU, and sponsored by Pirelli, and Ohvale UK.

Despite having started the year in the 110cc class, Dan finished 10th in the 160cc Cup.

Publicity

With big names in the racing world backing the Ohvale UK Cup – Peter Hickman, the series founder, as well as Sylvain Guintoli, James Hillier, and Tommy Bridewell – the Cup receives a lot of media attention, with all races televised live through British Minibikes’ YouTube channel, and marketed through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter by Peter Hickman’s Marketing Team. Dan was also recently featured in the best-selling weekly motorcycle publication, Motorcycle News (“MCN”), following the 2020 summer season awards ceremony.