OMG backs hunt for young talent
A Cannock-based motorbike racing team has agreed to sponsor an inaugural cup competition as part of its drive to find the champions of tomorrow.
The OMG Racing Ohvale UK Cup will initially run 110cc machines for young racers, aged eight to 12, with the joint aim of running a more affordable championship for up-and-coming stars.
Rich Energy OMG Racing will sponsor the cup competition through its #SupportedByOMG scheme.
The series, which will run across all six rounds of the Rich Energy British Mini Bike Championship, has already attracted a strong entry list, with more than 15 racers attending a recent Ohvale test in Nottingham.
OMG Racing set up the #SupportedbyOMG scheme to promote positive racing stories and talent in the British paddock.
Currently, the scheme supports military racing outfit True Heroes Racing, Superstock 600 team JR Performance Racing and British Junior Supersport rider, Chloe Jones.
Rich Energy OMG Racing British Superbike riders, Luke Mossey and former MotoGP star Hector Barbera, will also attend Rich Energy British Mini Bike Championship Rounds where possible, working alongside other initiatives such as the VisionTrack Michael Laverty Academy.
Alan Gardner, Rich Energy OMG Racing Team Owner, said: “We are delighted to come on-board to help support junior British racing through the Ohvale Cup.
"We are particularly passionate about making motorcycle racing accessible to all, and when the opportunity arose to work alongside Peter Hickman and Alan Lord to support a competition where talent drives success rather than a big budget, we knew we had to be involved.
"OMG Racing don’t sell any products or services, so the idea with our #SupportedbyOMG scheme has always been to directly benefit the future of British motorcycle racing.
"We’re excited to be extending that support out of the British Superbike paddock into junior racing, and to link up with our title sponsor Rich Energy in supporting grassroots racing.
"We can’t wait to see the bikes out on track, and to see new generations of British racing stars competing at the top of our sport.”
Founded in late 2017, OMG Racing has grown to become one of the world’s largest racing outfits, competing in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, International North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT.
The team had planned to run five top racers, in both British championships on the circuits and the international road race racing scene.
With the North West 200 in Northern Ireland, and Isle of Man TT, cancelled due to coronavirus, it meant TT winner James Hillier and Australian David Johnson were unable to make their debuts for the team this year on the roads, although both are set to line up using the team's BMWs in 2021.
British Superbikes and all the support classes are due to return in early August, meaning Mossey and Barbera will be competing in the BSB series, with fellow Aussie Billy McConnell racing on the National Superstock 1000 series.
Behind the scenes, the Staffordshire-based team has also been keen to support up-and-coming talent, which includes sponsoring the inaugural Ohvale UK Cup.
Alan Lord, Series Director of the Rich Energy British Mini Bikes Championship, added: "We are incredibly pleased to welcome the OMG Racing team to the Rich Energy British Mini Bikes Championship for 2020 and beyond as the Class Sponsor for the UK’s first ever Ohvale 110 Cup class.
"The OMG Racing team have been incredibly successful at BSB level over the last few years and they will be bringing not just financial support but a wealth of experience which will only help the class grow in the future.”
BSB rider Peter Hickman, who is also a seven-time TT winner and the current lap record holder, is the official UK Ohvale distributor.
He said he was excited to see OMG Racing get involved and it was great they were taking such an interest in developing future motorbike talent.
"The whole reason that I got involved with this (Ohvale) isn’t about making money, it’s about making future champions," he said.
"We’re trying to build a class that is fair, the engines are all sealed so it’s equal for all our competitors.
"The ethos behind Ohvale and what we’re creating here is that it doesn’t matter about the size of your wallet, it’s about identifying and promoting British youth talent."
The rules in the UK Cup are in-line with European series running in Spain and Italy, so British riders will be able to compete alongside Spanish and Italian youngsters as they progress.
"We’ve got a great entry list so far of around 15 riders from all backgrounds competing on the Ohvale 110, which was my aim for the end of the season," added Hickman.
"To have so many young talents lining up for round one is fantastic. A huge thank you to Alan Gardner and OMG Racing for backing the series.”
The rescheduled Rich Energy British Mini Bike Championship kicks off at Ellough Park, on July 18-19. For further details, visit www.britishminibikes.com
