A MOTORBIKE racer is hoping to take his career to the next level after joining his new team.

Mike Norbury, from Astley, who signed for Stockport-based ECTA Racing last year, now thinks he has the backing to blossom in his road racing career.

The 23-year-old started racing competitively at the age of 18 and won the 400 and 600 Championships in the North West ACU events in his first two years on the track.

He also picked up four Preston and District Motorcycle Club (PDMCC) Championships; the Formula 400, the Formula 600, the Forgotten Era and the Open Class in that time.

Former Fred Longworth High School pupil Mike said: “This year I will be competing at most of the major road races including international meetings where the best racers in the world will be there.

“It is a big step up for me as I was only racing at the Three Sisters in Wigan on a Honda VFR400 a couple of years ago.

“Eventually I would love to be one of the front runners at all the big road races and my dream would be to win an Isle Of Man TT race, but that is a very big ambition of course.

“I had three fourth place finishes last year on my own bike so I am looking forward to riding the ECTA bikes to see how well I can do on them.

“It is a big help riding for a team because I could not afford the bikes that they have given me which gives me a better chance of competing at this level.

“ECTA has a really friendly bunch of guys in it and they are a pleasure to work with.”

Last year, Mike was presented with the Les Williams Memorial Trophy for the best up-and-coming racer at the Isle Of Man.

He also raced on the Isle of Man TT track at the Manx Grand Prix last year where he finished in fifth position in the Newcomers category despite blowing two engines.

Mike, whose hero is 23-time TT winner and record lap time holder John McGuinness, is racing a BMW S1000RR bike in the Superstock and Superbike series this year.

He will also be racing a Kawasaki Zx600 in the Supersport series.

Mike, who works for Wigan Yamaha as a bike mechanic, says those close to him have played a part in his success so far.

He added: “I have always been into bikes and had them since I was little when I was riding around fields.

“My dad also used to race too which helped me get involved in racing.

“My family and my girlfriend support me all the time even when things are going bad which is great.

“What I enjoy most about my sport is the buzz you get from racing down public roads inches away from curbs and lamp posts at speeds of up to 200mph on some bikes- there is nothing else like it.”