Some people may try to convince you that motorcycle racing is a glamourous sport, but most of those people probably haven’t tried to ride a motorcycle fast. The g-forces, the power management and steering are enough to physically batter the strongest person. So, imagine consistently facing these physical challenges not just every race, but every day during practice. Every now and then, that hard work pays off, and you win a race. However, sometimes you keep winning and wind up with a perfect racing season, and a championship to boot. This was what happened in Ryan Burke’s 2017 Colorado Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA) season.
Ryan Burke and His Near Perfect Season
The MRA championship was getting off to a slow start as round one at Pueblo Motorsports Park was called off due to weather. The next stop on the calendar was at Pikes Peak International Raceway (PPIR), and it’s there that Ryan Burke started his bid for the championship. A come from behind victory painted a bright outlook on the season, and Team Burke had no intention of wasting that momentum. But every racing season has its ups and downs.
The first problem for Team Burke happened when the championship made it to Pueblo. That’s when the team’s YZF-R1 refused to cooperate, forcing Burke to ride his YZF-R6 through two rounds of open class racing. Even underpowered as he was by the R6, Burke still managed to finish in fifth and sixth place. Those would prove to be the lowest positions he would finish in for the rest of the season—in any class.
Over the season, Team Burke overcame a many other obstacles. After the engine on the team’s R6 blew up, they managed to borrow an R6 from fellow racer Jeff Brown. The team won that race despite being unfamiliar with the bike. In another instance, Ryan had to face off against former AMA Superbike rider, MotoAmerica rider and Pikes Peak International Hill Climb winner Chris Fillmore. Worse yet, he had to face off with the champ with no traction control. Somehow Burke still managed to win.
Team Burke as well as Ryan himself have attributed their winning 2017 season as an effort of focus and family. Ryan’s mother, father and fiancée are all involved with the team and lend that helping hand whenever needed. Now the team is fighting for the 2018 championship, having already won the season opener at PPIR. Do you think they’ll be able to bring home another #1 plate?
This racing update brought to you by the attorneys who ride at Metier Law Firm—reminding you to keep the racing where it belongs, on the racetrack!