Glen Richards (born 30 September 1983), is an Australian former professional motorcycle
road racer and racing team manager. He raced primarily in the United Kingdom, winning the
British Supersport Championship
British Supersport Championship is a support series to the British Superbike Championship (BSB) for engine capacities smaller than Superbike. British Supersport runs one or two rounds per weekend at each BSB event. The BSS championship is seen as ...
and the
British Superstock championships and was a regular participant in the
British Superbike Championship
The British Superbike Championship (BSB), currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, is the leading road racing superbike championship in the United Kingdom, and was once widely acknowledged as the p ...
.
Motorcycle racing career
Richards was born in
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
, Australia but, who now lives in
Hinckley
Hinckley is a market town in south-west Leicestershire, England. It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Hinckley is the third largest settlement in the administrative county of Leicestershire, after Leicester and Loughbo ...
,
Leicestershire. He first came to national prominence when competing in the 1998 British Supersport championship finishing 5th overall. Richards moved up to the British Superbike Championship where he rode with the Hawk
Kawasaki team from 2002 to 2005, finishing in the top 10 in the championship every year, with a best 4th-place finish is 2003 despite a lack of a full testing programme. He also contested the World Superbike round at Brands Hatch in 2002, but retired from both races. Richards switched to the Hydrex
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...
team for the 2006 season, finishing in 10th place in the championship.
After that Richards dropped down to the Superstock level on an Embassy Phase One Yamaha for 2007, winning the title, leading the standings all season. He then moved up a class back to the Supersport championship for 2008 on a MAP Embassy Triumph. His first win came after a titanic scrap with
Hudson Kennaugh at Oulton Park which was decided at the final corner, and he ultimately beat Kennaugh to the title. At the final round his team produced T-shirts stating that "A Triumph can even blow away a Hurricane", referring to Richards' make of bike and Kennaugh's nickname.
Richards was then signed by the HM Plant
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...
team for the 2009 BSB season. His only podium finish was a second place in the opening round, however he was a regular points scorer in the first half of the season. He then suffered a broken left
femur
The femur (; ), or thigh bone, is the proximal bone of the hindlimb in tetrapod vertebrates. The head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum in the pelvic bone forming the hip joint, while the distal part of the femur articulates wit ...
after brake failure caused a crash with
Suzuki's Iain Lowry during qualifying at
Knockhill
Knockhill Racing Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Fife, Scotland. It opened in September 1974 and is Scotland's national motorsport centre. The circuit is located in the countryside about north of Dunfermline. It is the only FIA appro ...
.
Career statistics
British Supersport Championship
(
key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
British Superbike Championship
(
key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
:1. –
E Denotes riders participating in the Evo class within the
British Superbike Championship
The British Superbike Championship (BSB), currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, is the leading road racing superbike championship in the United Kingdom, and was once widely acknowledged as the p ...
.
References
External links
Personal Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, Glen
Living people
British Supersport Championship riders
British Superbike Championship riders
1973 births
Sportspeople from Adelaide
People from Hinckley
Australian motorcycle racers
Superbike World Championship riders
Supersport World Championship riders
Sportspeople from Leicestershire