True Heroes Racing prove a loss of limbs doesn't necessarily mean a loss of passion for racing.

Lance Corporal Murray Hambro lost both of his legs below the knee in an IED explosion while serving in Afghanistan for the British Army in 2010. This year, in 2017, he'll be racing a Ducati 959 Panigale for the third year in a row in the Ducati TriOptions Cup for True Heroes Racing.

All thanks to a serving member of the Royal Navy, Phil Spencer.

Spencer formed True Heroes Racing [THR] in 2012, when he decided that he wanted to give injured UK Service personnel the chance to become involved with the sport that he loved - motorcycle racing – be it as a rider, mechanic or with the logistics of the sport.

Joined by Hambro - who himself became the UK’s first double amputee motorcycle racer in 2012 - on board a specially adapted Triumph - the past two seasons have proven both critical and fascinating; with the team battling on track with able-bodied riders and garnering praise, and prizes in the process.

After moving from the Triumph Triple Challenge in 2015 – one of the support races in the British Superbike Championships - THR has been recognised nationally through many different high profile awards, including The Sun’s National Military Award and the Sporting Endeavour award hosted by the Soldiering on Through Life trust.

With success and recognition of course comes growth, and as their support has grown, the team has been able to expand and run multiple bikes.

So this year, Hambro will be joined by fellow amputee Marc Fincham.

Fincham used to serve as a Royal Marines Commando before suffering near fatal injuries in 2007 when the motorcycle he was riding was struck by a car. The crash left him with multiple, serious, injuries but the worst of them all was his left ankle. He went through a series of operations to try and pin it, but two years later - in 2009 - the decision was made to amputate.

But Mark loves motorcycles.

He was soon back on a motorcycle and taking part in track days. He began racing as a Rookie in 2012 and won several races at club level. But for Mark it was time to step up, and after wildcarding in the final round of British Superbikes as a privateer in 2016, he signed for True Heroes Racing to compete in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 in 2017.

The successes that True Heroes has achieved has allowed them to grow as a team, meaning Jim Walker has been welcomed aboard to compete with the team for their National Superstock 1000 assault.

Jim is not new to the team, and competed as a wildcard for THR in the 2016 Stock 1000 class.

He served in the Army with the 1st Battalion Parachute regiment for 11 years, before retiring in 2004.

It was upon retirement that Jim developed hearing loss, and is now almost completely deaf in his right ear. But he didn’t let that stop him doing what he loves.

He’s no stranger to success, and spent three seasons in the North Gloucester Road Racing Club, before progressing to wildcard in the Stock 1000 class as the team’s first disabled rider.

The team’s incredible achievements have not gone unrecognised, and they’ve had a lot of media coverage surrounding them. Support has come from the BBC, ITV and the team even had a feature done on them for a Channel 4 mini-series entitled: “The Superhuman Body Handbook”, which followed Murray Hambro and mechanic Adam Francis through a weekend at Oulton Park, Cheshire.

Their continued exposure has allowed them to create bonds with lots of different high profile sponsors – such as R&G, Hel Performance and Laguna Motorcycles, who allow them to continue doing the thing they all love to do.

One thing that is very clear is that True Heroes Racing is made up of a team of hard-working, dedicated individuals with a burning passion for racing and a fantastic ethos. They constantly push for greatness and provide a supportive environment for the rehabilitation of injured Service personnel.

Their goal is to run a full Superbike, and I truly believe that they are only just a few steps away from doing so. With True Heroes Racing, it is a case of ‘when’ and not ‘if’, and with their continued passion and ‘can-do attitude’, they’ll be proving to everyone for year upon year that absolutely anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Originally written and posted by myself on Motofire.com