Teenager Longmore stepping up into British championship

The teenage racer has already enjoyed plenty of success at club championship level, particularly at Darley Moor, but he is now preparing to step up in class once again.

The Willenhall star has been learning from the best during his fledgling career, getting tips from the likes of current National Superstock 1000 champion, Richard Cooper, who recently signed for Michael Rutter's Black Country-based Bathams Racing team.

The 16-year-old remains very keen to the learn from the best in the business and currently works as an apprentice with Paul Curran of PCR Performance, who is also team principal at Cannock-based OMG Racing.

He could not be in better company either as OMG Racing recently announced it had signed former MotoGP rider Héctor Barberá to race alongside Luke Mossey in the main British Superbike championship.

The team is also moving into the world of road racing and has snapped up Isle of Man TT stars James Hillier and Australian David Johnson for the 2020 campaign.

It means Mcauley will be surrounded by the best in the business when he begins his debut British Junior Supersport campaign in April.

Mcauley's father, Steve, said: "Mcauley has been keeping himself fit during the winter by racing his motorcross bike, which is also helping to improve his riding skills.

"This season we will be doing BSB junior supersport series, riding his Kawasaki Ninja 400.

"Mcauley will also be doing some track days before opening race week and still doing his apprenticeship with Paul Curran, who’s the team principal of OMG Racing.

"He has been learning loads from Paul and the lads. He is in such a great place at he beginning of his working life.

"With all the skills he is learning at work, as well as the tools at his disposal and being around top mechanics, it can only lead to be a positive result once he gets back on the circuits."

Mcauley, who was just pipped to first place in the Formula 125cc class Darley Moor Motor Cycle Road Race Club series in 2018, kept himself busy last year.

As well as competing at Darley, in Derbyshire, he also raced as a wildcard in the Thundersport GB and N G Road Racing championships, which have meetings at some of the best circuits in the country.

Mcauley, from Coppice Farm, also entered the occasional junior supersport round, when time and money allowed, during 2019 so he will be returning to familiar surroundings when the flag drops again for round one at Silverstone, April 10-12.

However, arguably his best result of 2019 was at Darley Moor, when he returned to compete in the lap in the Junior class at the season finale, the Stars at Darley meeting, in October.

Having romped to back-to-back wins at round four, he was in fourth behind James Bull during the final race of the season

But when Bull failed to finish the final lap, it meant Mcauley inherited third place overall and, vitally finished, second in class.

His haul of 30 points was enough to claim third in the championship, despite having missed numerous rounds due to other commitments.

Steve said: “Mac had had a good practice day but we had bike issues were working on it until 9pm on the Saturday night.

"Sunday morning was wet and when he went out to qualify he crashed at Paddock Corner.

“He smashed the left-hand side, mainly damaging the fairing, which meant another surprise visit to Chase Accidents Repairs, in Cannock, as well as the gear bracket but his helmet was also condemned so we had to use the spare.

"He went out in the All Comers class and had to come in after one lap due to the helmet misting up but once that was sorted he went out in the Junior race and came second.

“Mac also went out in Lightweight race and came eighth after having some gear problems.

"Mcauley’s aim this year is to keep learning loads at work and to get a good result in BSB, which could lead to some interests from sponsorships."

Anyone interested in sponsoring Mcauley during his debut BSB campaign is asked to email Steve on longmoreselec@gmail.com