Commuting bike turned nto a racer

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD supermoto racer Lewis Cornish's British Championship opener got off to a mixed start at the weekend.

The Caister-based double British Junior Supermoto champion qualified his 250 Honda over a second ahead of his nearest rival at the Lakeland, Rowrah Stadium circuit.

However, any hopes of a dream start to the season were dashed in race one when Cornish's bike suffered a major mechanical failure which meant a no points.

Unlike his well-funded rivals Lewis doesn't have the benefit of a spare machine, and it was due to the generosity of fellow racer Lee Cunliffe who loaned a bike that saw Cornish make the grid for the following races.

Despite the fact that Lewis had never ridden a KTM machine he swept past the leader, who was on an official KTM UK-backed machine, to take the flag in first spot.

The following day Lewis took to the grid on his father's under-powered trail bike that usually sees service commuting to work. Removing the lights, registration plate and off-road wheels the humble CRF250-X was ready for a baptism of fire.

Despite being around 20 horsepower down on his rivals and the races running in perfectly dry conditions, young Cornish squeezed every ounce of power from his dad's bike to score an amazing second place spot on the podium. All of this on a bike costing 10 times less than the machine ahead, which was lapping only a second faster.

Lewis was hoping to have his race bike repaired in time for the NORAsport National Championships at Three Sisters Circuit this weekend.

Extreme Sports Channel will be screening the British Championship action soon, so look out for supermoto's youngest ever champion on your screens.

Further details of the championship at www.britishsupermoto.net/2009/02/lewis-cornish