MIKE Norbury is a young man in a hurry.

The rookie motorcycle racer won two championships in his debut season last year and is in a great position to repeat the feat in his second campaign.

Norbury, aged 20, of Astley, is leading the Formula 400 Championships and looks odds on to retain his crown after winning at his home track of Three Sisters, near Wigan.

Although a blown engine cost him when running second in the last round at Oulton Park.

He is also challenging for honours in the Formula 600 class and the open class in the Forgotten Era Championships after building on a real leg up given to him by fellow racer Rob Barber last season.

Norbury explained: "After saving up for a long time I managed to buy my first race bike, a 1990 Honda VFR400 NC30 at the start of last year and started racing

"I started with the Preston and District Motorcycle Club, who race at the Three Sisters circuit.

"I managed to win the Formula 400 Championship and also the Forgotten Era Championship, breaking the Forgotten Era lap record in my first race in the class.

"I raced in the most competitive rookie class they have ever had on my 400 against mainly 600s.

"I kept being placed second, third and fourth because of the power difference so Rob Barber let me use his Honda CBR600RR, which enabled me to win the last three races to finish third in the championship."

Norbury also had wins at other circuits, including the Tonfanau circuit in Wales, the local Aintree circuit, where he won one of the Formula 400cc races by 11 seconds.

"Basically, I had a very lucky first year winning two championships and 13 races in a row in my first season at the smaller clubs.

"This year has been about improving and learning by entering the more competitive races with the faster riders.

"I know I'm not the fastest or have a lot of money but this season is about learning as much as possible and improving as a rider."

Multiple wins at Cadwell and Three Sisters have been the highlight of a very promising second season, as well as a very competitive debut at Oulton Park in the Wirral 100 Club Championships.

He said: "This was my first ever time around Oulton. In the first Allcomers race my clip on (handlebar) came loose so I had to retire and start from the back of the grid in the main race.

"I started from 26th and managed to finish fourth overall and first 400.

"On the 600 I was in the Formula 600 and Powerbikes class, I started from 17th in a very wet race and managed to push through the pack to fourth overall and third 600.

"This got me into the Formula 600 final, where I managed to get a sixth place.

"I'm very happy due to it being my first time there in such a competitive class with lots of well-known riders behind me."

Norbury works at Wigan Yamaha to help fund his racing but alongside a host of corporate sponsors he has also set up a "Club 26", encouraging supporters to pay £26 towards his racing fund.

For more details email benly@live.co.uk.