About Danny Kent

‘I’m a pretty normal 18-year-old from Tetbury who is lucky enough to be living my dream of being a professional bike racer. I’ve always loved bikes and started racing when I was 6. Since the early days of minimoto racing, I’ve competed in a range of national and international motorcycle championships and have been fortunate enough to get some great support from influential people.

I met Roger Burnett a couple of years ago. He’s a former racer with a successful marketing business and he was the guy who managed James Toseland and Neil Hodgson to world championship titles. Roger took me under his wing and helped me get advice from riders and support from sponsors.

He introduced me to businessmen including Joe Henderson and Phil Burgan who have been amazing in terms of providing the financial support that has helped me to continue racing. It’s an expensive sport to take part in until you reach a certain level and it would be impossible to get to where I am today without this type of backing.

The support from Phil Burgan comes through a race academy that he set-up in order to support British racers. One of the first riders he supported was James Toseland, so the aim of the Phil Burgan Race Academy is to find the next British World Champion - and obviously I’m hoping that’s me! It’s great that because of the academy, there’s a personal interest in my development, so even though Phil is busy overseeing the running of nearly 150 care homes in his Maria Mallaband Care Group business, he takes time out to come and watch me racing and provide moral support as well as financial.

Phil and Roger have also been responsible for introducing me to James Toseland and last year I had the huge honour of being passed on the 52 number from JT at his retirement party. He’s a great rider and a really nice guy and it’s an honour that he thinks I have what it takes to be the new number 52 World Champion.

I’ll be proudly displaying the number on the Red Bull KTM this year when I contest the new Moto3 Championship for the Ajo Motorsport team. I’m looking forward to fighting for victories in the 17-round series and making all of my supporters proud.

A note from my manager, Roger Burnett:
‘Danny is a great talent and I spotted his potential from early on. He really made his mark on the world’s motorsport pundits in 2011 and I’m confident he’s set for even bigger and better things this year. He has already shown great form in the 2012 early season tests and looks certain to be a potential Championship contender.

I believe him to be one of Britain’s biggest upcoming talents, as does double World Superbike Champion, James Toseland, and I am sure he will be out to impress in this season’s all new Moto 3 World Championship. His contention at this level at such a young age, means that he is much better prepared for future MotoGP opportunities, which puts him in a much stronger position than previous generations of British riders.’

Me in the Media…
‘I’m really excited about Danny Kent in the Moto3s…Danny is the bright star’, Steve Parrish. Read more at: http://www.visordown.com/interviews/interview-steve-parrish/20207.html#ixzz1oWsik9I3

‘Jerez test good gauge for early season prospects’, Matthew Birt. Read more at: http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/MotoGP/2012/March/mar1912-kent-jerez-test-good-gauge-for-season/

‘Danny Kent storms to superb second after big crash’, Matthew Birt.  Read more at: http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/MotoGP/2012/March/mar2112-kent-finishes-second-after-big-crash/