Powell takes on the road racing scene

The 58-year-old was left with numerous broken bones after an accident in 2017, just when he was beginning make some serious progress.

Racing has always been in the blood of the father-of-one, from Wem, who first began riding enduro bikes and raced in motocross in his younger years.

Later in life, he enjoyed racing on some of UK’s most iconic circuits, in numerous classes and club racing championships, before he was again forced to reassess his future after crashing three years ago at Cadwell Park.

And yet, despite still suffering from the effects of that crash, the timber haulier returned to action at Oliver’s Mount in Scarborough to compete in the Barry Sheene Classic for the first time.

“I’ve been racing for about eight years but motorbikes have always been a part of my life. I probably got my first one when I was about 10,” he said.

“I burned myself quite badly when I was 12 but then I started doing motocross and enduro racing.

“Then I got married and had a kid, which again meant a break, before I started club racing with the goal of racing on the Irish roads.

“I had planned to race at the Skerries 100 in Northern Ireland but then I suffered a big crash at Cadwell Park in 2017. I was out for nearly three years but returned to race at Castle Combe and Cadwell Park twice, before entering Oliver’s Mount.

“In the past I’ve raced everywhere – Donington Park, Silverstone and Brands Hatch – with in the No Limits, Wirral 100, Thundersport and NG Road Racing championships.

“The main aim was to race the circuits and club meetings to get main road racing licence.”

Powell’s best-ever result on a superbike was a fourth in the Powerbike class with the Wirral 100 Club at Anglesey.

“That was pretty good because I was racing against some very good riders and I’d just got two back-to-back wins at Cadwell before the accident happened,” said Powell.

“Everything was falling into place but then it all went pear-shaped.

“I was put at the back of the grid for one of the races, which I didn’t agree with, and I drove with the red mist and paid the price.

“It happened during a Thundersport meeting in 2017 – the video of the crash is still on YouTube.

“After crashing into the barrier, I badly damaged my foot, shattered my hand and fractured my arm. They managed to save my foot and everything was plated.”

However, bike racers are made of strong stuff and as soon as Powell had enough movement in his wrist to twist a throttle he decided to return to racing.

“I’ve still got my three bikes, which is a 2011 Honda CBR600 I race in the supersport classes, a 1989 Honda CBR600 for the classic meetings and then my big bike, the Honda Fireblade,” he said.

“I entered a couple of track days to get a feel for it, at Oulton Park and Cadwell Park, which I was a little apprehensive about.

“I think I then finished about 22nd out of 30-odd riders, which was not the position I ideally wanted to be in but it was good to get back out there again.

“I wanted to be in the top 10 but I’d out of it for three years, and some of the lads I was beating have had three years more experience now.

“A couple of riders I knew were saying Oliver’s Mount was on, including Ben Plant, so I decided to give it a go.

“I raced in the Classic Supersport and normal supersport races, against the likes of Guy Martin and a load of other top names in some of the classes.

“It was a bit scary at times and hard work on the classic bike because the surfaces is so much rougher when road racing but over all I really enjoyed it and would come back.

“I went back to Cadwell Park and was taken out again, this time by another rider who just rear-ended me at the Gooseneck.

“I was left battered and bruised – and back on the grass and then in an ambulance – but the injuries weren’t too bad and the bike won’t take too much to fix.

“I was thinking of returning to Oliver’s Mount again but it clashes with the NG Road Racing calendar.”