RIDER PROFILE: HARRY WALKER


August 22nd, 2019.


This week we chat with British Under-21 champ Harry Walker who, alongside Murray Graham and Oli Sansom, will play a key role in the three-man 2019 Team Great Britain QXoN squad.


Twenty-year-old Walker, from Reading in Berkshire, is the southerner of the team. His family have been central to the quad-racing scene for many years, going back to when dad Stuart Walker, a former British and European championship racer, enjoyed the heady days of the sport in the late eighties – through to recent years. Mum Nikki has always been a strong trackside supporter, as well as a very handy photographer, and younger brother Alfie is forging his own quad-racing path having recently moved up to the adult ranks at the age of 15. Walker also has an older brother, George, who is a personal trainer and has been instrumental in completely changing his younger brother’s training/fitness/diet regime. “George did try having a go at racing quads,” said Walker. “He went out at Bletchingdon and crashed three times in one day – that was the end of his racing career!” The boys’ sister Charlie isn’t one to take a back seat either and can be seen getting stuck in at Nora-MX events as Assistant Clerk of the Course, Chief Marshal and licenced Technical Officer.

Walker started riding aged around three and won his first championship – the Nora Sports Challenge - at the age of seven on a Viper. His racing career really took off when he was aged around 11 and Keith Knowles of KIK sponsored Walker on a 100cc geared Cobra and he contested the British Youth Championship 100cc150cc geared class along with team-mates Aryton Knowles and Brad Swinbank. Walker finished as runner-up in his first year and he went on to rider for KIK for another three years. “It was a great time for all of us,” reflected Walker. “Dad, Keith and Rob Swinbank were all mates from racing back in the day and us boys all rode together, went on holidays together and pretty much became one big extended family.


Walker takes British QX Championship overall win at Dean Moor - dad cheers from the sidelines [Pic: John Cook]

As Walker got bigger, stronger and faster, his dad took it upon himself to build him a 150cc geared hybrid with a chassis from America. Walker won the 150cc British Championship on that machine and then moved into the Clubman/Rookie British Championship with Nora-MX on a 450cc. He won that Nora class, which was also back then classed as a British championship. “Throughout all my years of racing, I’ve always focussed on the Nora events,” said Walker. “British and European championships came later, but Nora has always been massively important to my racing.”

Walker then joined the giddy heights of the Pro class and, by his own admission, struggled for a couple of years. “It was a big step and I wasn’t getting the results. There I was this kid, trying to compete against the likes of Paul Winrow and Stefan Murphy. But, I made a breakthrough at the end of my first year as I went to the Weston Beach Race and finished third in the adult class. At the age of 15, I was the youngest quad racer to do so. It gave me a huge boost and things picked up from there.”

A rejuvenated Walker went on to win his first-ever British Championship race at Dean Moor in 2017, again, he was the youngest to do so. In fact Dean Moor has proved to be something of a fave venue for young Walker as he went on to win his first British Championship overall there last year. “I seem work well there, it’s got good jumps, is fast and hard-packed and I just enjoy the track.” 2018 was a pivotal year for Walker with that inaugural overall British win, Under-21 British QX Champion, runner up in the British QX championship and his first year in the EMX European Quad championship where he finished third overall and had five podiums from six starts. “I wanted the challenge of Europe; to ride different tracks, meet different riders and hopefully ride at a higher level. It has been good for me as I’ve met people like Davino Brunell and Christopher Tvaraen who I’m now riding with at Pont de Vaux. I wouldn’t have known them if I hadn’t gone to Europe.”


Walker took his second British QX Championship overall at Preston Docks earlier this year [Pic: Julian Webb]

Walker cites his biggest achievements as taking that first British QX overall at Dean Moor – with mum and dad trackside, and in tears - and winning the last session at PDV in 2018. “I rode in a team with Davino and Dean Dillon last year and we were running in the top five for the whole race until we had problems with the night stage. But then I went out and, from way behind, managed to win the final stage – the whole team spirit was great.”

On the hero-front, Walker was quick to put forward Paul Winrow, Stef Murphy and his dad. “As a youngster, I always wanted to ride like my dad. So he has to be my first hero. He always talked about how good Paul was, both as a rider and in his professional approach, and so I’d always watch him. I used to have training sessions with him and, even now, he still helps me out. In fact, he helps out loads of us which is amazing when you consider just how successful he’s been and the number of championships he’s won. And then there’s Stef. I know it’s a bit cringey to say he’s one of my heroes when he’s also my boss, but he was a young rider in the adult ranks of quad racing and I really looked up to him. He was a cool rider, always looked good with new kit and immaculate machine and was always ready for a joke and laugh.”

As with the vast majority of current-day quad racers, Walker has to fit in a day job around his racing [or should that be the other way round??]. As outlined above, he works for his pal and racing hero Stef Murphy who runs a very successful aviation valeting company Up & Away Detailing. “I’m very lucky as, whilst not a pushover, Stef is very supportive of my racing and lenient too, and I thank him for that. It makes it easier to do what I love but, realistically, I do need to stick with the day job as the days of being a professional quad racer are long gone.”

Looking ahead to the 2019 Quadcross of Nations, Walker said; “We’ve got a good team, mixing youth and experience. Last year I rode with Sheldon Seal and George Callaway and finished fifth. It would have been second it hadn’t been for a mechanical breakdown. We have different strengths and I reckon we’ll be on the podium.”

Walker currently rides a Yamaha 450 supplied by PAR Homes with support – amongst many – from ZIP Racing, ATVs R US, Duncan Racing. I’ve been fortunate enough to have the support of my family and friends over the years and if it wasn’t for mum and dad, and all my sponsors, none of it would be possible. They’re with me every step of the way and will be there shouting for us in Germany – I want to bring it home for them, as well as everyone else who’ll be out there supporting the team.”


Team Walker and supporters celebrate the 19-year-old's first-ever British QX overall at Dean Moor, 2018 [Pic: John Cook]
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