ONE TO WATCH – JOSH DAY

By BSB Reporter Tammy Milsom

Every racer has their individual career path to obtain their dream, whether it’s by progressing up from the 125cc class or entering into superstock, but normally by the time they reach national level they have a couple of racing years experience.

That is unless your name’s Joshua Day who in only his second year of racing will be competing within the North Gloucester Championships and National Superstock 600.

The 19-year-old professional paint sprayer began his racing career in 2007 on a standard 1999 Yamaha R6. Even though the bike struggled up against his far newer and higher-spec rivals, Day still obtained some successful results, however to compete with the best he purchased a 2007 R6. Day was regularly battling at the front of his club races on tracks he didn’t know and on a standard bike, which was down on horsepower compared to his rivals.

He said: “My best performance last year was at the Bike Sport News autumn challenge back in November 07 at Pembrey. In the open races I had a tough first race battling the whole way with Leon Morris [2008 Superbike Cup Rider] riding a Ducati 1098. In the second race I had a really good start with the leaders and eventually finished 9th. Good enough to be the second 600cc in the class behind only Ross Walter [2008 British SuperSport Cup Rider]. In the 600cc races I had a great first race and was missing it right at the front only to be pipped at the end finishing fourth. In the second race I was leading early on but was pushed back to fourth, then pushed hart to get back into second only to highside and break my foot.”

This year Day aims to prove how serious he is about racing and his belief in his talent by competing within two demanding championships. With the throttle literally wide open he has thrust his talent into the spotlight he said: “Although me and my team are very dedicated but a small team and are very inexperienced we are confident and believe in my ability to up the pace when it is required. This will be a learning year for me but I hope to be consistently in the points in the national superstock and my aim is to win the NGRRC 600 championship.”

Day has certainly had his skills put through the test with the extreme weather conditions that has been thrown into the racing season so far. However this hasn’t fazed him, where possible he has turned this into an advantage. Starting the season off as he intends to go on Day took the first win of the season within the George White 600 Championship followed by a second in race two. Continuing on from that success he has earned himself joint fourth place within the championship standings.

Hungry for more in his debut round of the British Superstock category at Brands Hatch on an unknown circuit Joshua Day qualified 24th to then finish 14th overall come the rescheduled round a few weeks later. He also continued to improve by taking a sixth at Thruxton and a seventh at Donington Park following a DNF due to electrical problems at the Cheshire circuit of Oulton. These dazzling results from a mere rookie place him ninth within the National Championship.

Day will venture back out on track this weekend at Cadwell Park for the seventh round of North Gloucestershire before the Lincolnshire circuit of Snetterton the week after for the fifth round of the National Superstock. Has this lad taken on too much too soon and rushed into going for his dream, his results say ‘No’. We are witnessing natural racing talent, what will Joshua Day be able to do once he spices that up with experience.