Name: Josh Daley

Date of Birth: August 10^th, 1996

Place of Birth: Warrington, UK

Nationality: British

Races competed: Thundersport GB 09-12, National Superstock 600 2013, British Supersport 2014-2017, National Superstock 1000 2017 onwards. Isle of Man TT 2016-2017 onwards, Ulster GP 2017, Classic TT Superbikes 2017

Twitter: @joshdaleyracing

Facebook: Josh Daley Racing

Website: www.joshdaley.racing

Credit: Tim Keeton – Impact Images Photography

Getting into biking:

“My dad used to race club racing, I’ve been around bikes since I was born. I was sat on Carl Rennie’s PRF Racing CBR600 when I was 5 days old. It all started for me when my parents got me a PW50 on my 4th Christmas. That was the start of me costing my mum and dad a lot of money!”

In 2004 at the age of 8, Josh had his first race in the British Minimoto 4.2 Championship, where he found himself on the podium in 2^nd place.

First bike:

“Yamaha PW50.”

Racing Icon:

“Tough one, when I was younger racing mini-moto’s everyone had dreams of being the next Valentino Rossi, I wasn’t interested in that. I wanted to be the next Joey Dunlop, David Jefferies and Steve Hislop, always sort of had tunnel vision towards road racing and it’s always been in my mind.”

Career Highlights (pre-2018):

“8 lap records at Thundersport GB in the 400 class in 2012, Pole position in European Junior Cup at Silverstone 2012 as a wildcard rider riding for Moto Vudu (Simon Crafar), first rider to do 100mph lap around Aintree on a 600, biggest one has to be my first ever TT and finishers medal though, and progressing to a bronze replica and silver replica this year also!”

He first appeared at the Thundersport GB in 2009, where he placed 16th, improving on this result the following year when he came 4th. In 2011 Josh was the youngest rider on the grid at just 14 years old when he finished runner-up and, after 30 races, he finished on the podium an impressive 21 times which included 6 race wins.

2009 and 2010 also saw Josh become North West Centre ACU Junior road race champion for two consecutive years. This came before Daley won the 2011 Formula 400 & Open 500, ACU North West F400 and became the youngest ever Ace of Aintree champion in the history of the club.

In 2012 Josh won the F400 championship and came 2^nd in the Open 650, and as he mentioned appeared as a wildcard ride for Simon Crafar’s Moto Vudu team.

Daley raced in the Pirelli National Superstock 600cc Championship in 2013, moving to the Supersport class of the Evo Championship the following 2 years, where he placed 8^th and 10^th respectively.

2016 was the first year Josh appeared at the Isle of Man TT, racing in the two Supersport TT races where he placed 46^th and 52^nd. The following year Daley improved considerably and in the solitary Supersport race that took place, he lapped at 117.347mph to finish in 35^th place and win his first bronze replica. He also contested the Superbike Classic TT race for the first time and finished in a fine 23^rd place where he lapped at 114.467mph on the 750cc Primus Racing Kawasaki.

He also made his debut at the Ulster Grand Prix, finishing 20^th and 22^nd in the two Supersport races and an excellent fourth in the Dundrod 150 National/Challenge race, missing out on the podium by just a solitary second. He immediately broke the 120mph barrier too with a best lap of 121.168mph.

2018 season:

Moving into the 1000cc category for the first time, Daley went into the 2018 Isle of Man TT saying he was treating it as if it was his first but he acquitted himself well with the highlight coming in the Superstock race in which he placed 44^th. Josh managed a new personal best lap of almost 121mph while riding the 2017 Kawasaki ZX10RR.

As well as this, Josh came 36^th in the Superbike TT and 52^nd in the Supersport TT 1 race, which was won by Michael Dunlop. Josh had a week of mixed emotions, however, suffering a cold which saw him pull into the pits during the second Supersport race after the first lap to retire. To compete as safely as possible on the Mountain Course you have to be feeling 100% and so it was widely considered a wise move to cut his race short.

After the race Josh tweeted: “Woke up this morning full of cold, can’t breathe through my nose. Started the race but struggling to breathe and made a couple of mistakes. Pitted at end of lap 1 and retired from the race. Sorry to all my sponsors & supporters. Will see how I feel Friday for the Senior. Josh #88”.

Unfortunately Josh was also forced to retire in his first appearance in the Senior race but he returned to the Isle of Man for the Classic TT which proved to be a much more successful campaign. Riding Steadplan Primus Racing machines, Daley placed 12^th and 17^th in the Superbike Classic and Senior Classic races respectively.

Josh also returned to the Ulster Grand Prix and he enjoyed a successful week on the Dundrod circuit, taking a best finish of 12^th in the opening Supersport race. He followed this up with 21^st in the second and lapped at a new personal best of 124.778mph on his way to an excellent 14^th place in the Superstock encounter.

Josh Daley credit Tim Keeton (Impact Images Photography)

2019 season:

Favourite course/track:

“It’s a tough one between Isle of Man TT and Ulster GP, but short circuit has to be Thruxton.”

Aspirations:

“To keep chipping away, gaining confidence on the roads, focusing on being as smooth as possible not worrying about lap times or positions for my first 5 years road racing.”

Career Achievements – at a glance:

Ace of Aintree Champion
Made Isle of Man TT debut in 2016 finishing 46^th and 52^nd in the two Supersport 600cc races
Finished 35^th in the 2017 Supersport 600cc TT race, winning his first bronze replica and improving his best lap of the Mountain Course to 117.347mph
Broke the 120mph barrier at the 2018 Isle of Man TT with a lap of 120.980mph in the Superstock race, finishing 44^th. Also finished 36^th in the Superbike race and 52^nd in the opening Supersport race
Improved fastest lap to 122.064mph during the 2019 Isle of Man TT races with a best finish of 30^th in the Senior race. Won his second bronze replica after placing 37^th in the second Supersport race
First appearance at the Classic TT came in 2017 when he finished 23^rd
Took 12^th and 17^th in the 2018 Superbike Classic and Senior Classic TT races
Also finished 14^th in the 2019 Superbike Classic TT race
Made Ulster Grand Prix debut in 2017, finishing 20^th and 22^nd in the two Supersport 600cc races, setting a fastest lap of 121.168mph. Also finished fourth in the Dundrod National race
Lapped at 124.778mph at the 2018 Ulster Grand Prix, finishing 14^th in the Superstock race. Also took 12^th and 21^st in the two Supersport races
Took seven finishes from seven starts at the 2019 Ulster Grand Prix with 12^th place in the third Superbike race being the highlight. Took five top twenty finishes
Regular points scorer in the British Supersport Championship with a best finish of 11^th (Snetterton 2015 & Snetterton 2017)
Competed in selected rounds of the 2018 and 2019 Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship

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