Following on from his sensational performance at the 2011 Isle of Man TT Races, Dan Cooper and the Centurion Racing Team are heading for the 2012 festival which gets underway with practice this Saturday evening.

On only his second visit last year, Cooper from Stroud managed to win four bronze replicas and achieve a best lap time of 122.583mph in the Senior TT on his way to 24th place to end a superb week.

Now the former British 125GP champion and the Cornwall-based race team, which had five successful years in the British Supersport Championship, including many successes with the rider nicknamed 'Ferret', are returning to tackle both races in the Supersport class aboard a 675cc Triumph, and the Superstock TT and Senior TT aboard a Honda Fireblade.

Dan recently contested the International North West 200 in Northern Ireland and riding for British Supersport Championship runners-up Gearlink Kawasaki on his debut at the 8.9-mile Causeway Coast track, secured 25th place during qualifying out of the 50 riders entered. In the opening Supersport race, he suffered a quickshifter problem which was soon rectified by the team and he went on to take a sensational tenth place in the second six-lap race.

24 year old Cooper commented;

"I am very confident about the TT this year as we have a great team again, and with the laps I put in last year, I am getting to know the circuit even better every time I go out. I obviously have a long way to go before I reach the heights of the likes of John McGuinness, Hutchy, the Dunlops and Guy Martin etc, but this is why it is so exciting, you never stop learning every time you jump on the bike, no matter what class. I am very thankful to Paul Rees and Centurion Racing for giving me the opportunity to ride at the TT and also to Michael and Norma de Bidaph at Gearlink Kawasaki at the recent North West 200 especially as this gave me time on the roads just before the TT. I am looking forward to the good times both on and off the track at the TT producing some good results for Centurion Racing over the next couple of weeks."


Paul Rees, Team Principal, said:

"We are all looking forward to getting over there again, as we believe Dan is destined to do very well on the roads, especially as he just loves the TT circuit, the atmosphere and the safety and management of the whole event is just superb. Like all racing it can get very stressful but it is amazing to witness that if you have a problem with a bike how other teams come over to try and help you out. Along with serious preparation, set up each day and the actual practices and racing, the time both at the circuit and away from the circuit is electrifying as thousands of people flock to the Isle of Man to watch these guys perform, I would personally say it's the best bike racing in the world. I would like to thank the whole team, sponsors and friends and family for the support they have shown for Dan and the team. We hope to see as many of you over there in the next couple of weeks."


As in 2011, Centurion Racing will continue to show their support for Help for Heroes, their chosen charity, by displaying H4H logos on the bikes and team attire. Team Principal Paul Rees, who spent 20 years in Her Majesty's Royal Marine Commandos, was given permission to have the bikes carry the H4H logos in order to encourage the public to be more aware of this charity that supports our Armed Forces, many of whom are making daily sacrifices in Afghanistan.

Centurion Racing would specially like to thank Arai, FTR, GPR Racewear, Dunlop, Rage Designs, RichArt, R2 Logo Print & Embroidery, Akrapovic and Daytona for personally supporting Dan, and all our friends and followers.

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