Racer Myler has been hit hard by lockdown

Telford ace Paul Myler had been set to enter his 19th year of racing in 2020 but, like everyone else, he is playing the waiting game to see if he can get back out on the track in any shape of form.

Being self-employed, the current lockdown, away from his motorbike racing past-time, has also hit him hard.

But with 12 titles to his name during an illustrious club racing career, the 53-year-old is as eager as ever to get back out on the track – as and when the government allows – which includes another return to the Tonfanau circuit and championship in Wales.

“Last year was a learning curve on the Yamaha 1000 EXUP, in Forgotten Era Superbike class,” he said.

“Tonfanau is unique circuit and the hairpin is probably the tightest in the country.

“The first thing I learned was the bike was not set up to turn tight enough, so drastic action was taken.

“The forks were dropped in yokes, the right-hand lock stop cut down and then the fairing had to be lifted higher.

“The bike also had a clutch snatching issue, which meant every start was a nightmare as it would send me skyward.

“We changed the full clutch twice over the four meetings, without curing the snatch, and I also had a carburation issue where the bike would fluff and not drive away under low revs.”

Myler ended up stripping the carburetor completely twice over the four meetings and admitted he felt quite fortunate to finish the championship in second place.

“A poor workman blames his tools and I’m getting older, however, I didn’t feel I had a fair go last season and finishing second in the championship was more luck than skill,” he said.

“However, I did finish every race and when the bike went it was very good.”

From racing tiny Honda 90s in endurance races to winning major championships, Myler has done pretty much everything on the club racing scene.

With 12 titles to his name – two on Mini Twin bikes and 10 on Forgotten Era superbikes – Myler also admitted he found it very hard to walk away from the motorsport he loves.

And he plans to be back racing again later this year, with a different machine and possibly even running two if he decides to throw his leg over the Yamaha again.

However, running his own removals company in Dawley, the lockdown has not only hit his racing season.

“This season I’m reverting to my faithful Suzuki GSXR 1100, which has been tuned by fellow Telford racer, Geoff Martin,” he said.

“As the year has progresses, I may enter a newer bike later in the season but a lot depends on earning some money and keeping my business afloat in this awful time.

“In the self employed world, this has been a very damaging time and at present I’ve had no earnings for a good few weeks and there is no prospect of me getting any money from the government until June.

“The virus partly closed my business on the Tuesday, after the Prime Minister gave his lockdown speech, and by the Friday of that week we had virtually fully closed.

“I’m struggling at present and, at my age, I don’t get sponsors any more, which means financing the racing is all down to me.

“I knew then the race season would be dramatically affected and the Easter meeting was cancelled at Tonfanau.

“And although it hasn’t yet been made official, I don’t see the bank holiday meeting in May going ahead either. The ACU has halted all meetings until the end of May anyway.”

Myler, who has been chairman of the Bug Splat Motorbike Club, in Telford since 2001, has also enjoyed plenty of success over the years in the crazy world of Plop Endurance racing, as the meeting is called.

Organised by the Scarisbrick and District Armada MCC, ‘the Plop’ has been running for more than a decade and raises money for the air ambulance and blood bikes charities.

Three endurance events are held throughout the year at Anglesey, Cadwell and Mallory Park.

Each event is a team endurance race, with the winner being the team with the most laps completed within the eight-hour time frame.

Sometimes there can be 100 small Honda bikes competing on and off the track, however, this year’s meeting at Mallory Park has already been cancelled due to the coronavirus.

“We lost the eight-hour Honda 90 endurance race at Mallory, on April 25, which is immense fun and was such a shame,” he said.

“That meeting attracts British Superbike riders such as Bradley Ray and some of the the Challange Cup riders.

“However, behind the scenes I have updated the Forgotten Era superbike for the Crewe and South Cheshire Club, which hosts the Tonfanau races, and got the GSXR up and ready with new wets.”

Anyone wishing to support or sponsor Myler’s racing campaign can email paulmylertransport.co.uk