Calan Contrino - A star in the making

Callan Contrino has been taking part in low capacity road racing since October of last year, starting on minimotos and progressing to the Jawa GP50 Auto road race bike, which is a smaller version of the MotoGP bike.

The GP50 Auto is the starting point in road racing and can eventually lead to a future in MotoGP or Superbikes.

This is how such greats as Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Bradley Smith started.

Callan was 3rd in his race debut at Whilton Mill, Northamptonshire on his Jawa in March 2008, coming 4th overall in the English National Winter Series. Now at the start of the Summer Series Callan took 2nd place at Ellough Park, Sussex in on May 12th.

He is 4th current standing in the British LCRRC, the Southern Championship and Northern Championship. This can be verified on the LCRRC website.

Callan was 12 years old in March and attends Kettlethorpe High School. He is well supported by his school with his motorbike racing. He lives in West Bretton with his mother Cinzia and his sister Abbie who is 7 years old.

His Grandfather Lillo Contrino (Italian) bought him his first minimoto last summer and his mother made him a member of the Lucky Devils Minimoto Racing Team in Colne where he was taught how to race at their indoor track at weekends.

It was at the suggestion of Nicky Ward, that Callan should enter his first serious race on his minimoto back in October 2007. Nicky’s husband Mick (everyone calls him Lucky) made sure Callan’s minimoto was in tiptop condition as well as coaching him on the track at Colne.

At Whilton Mill Callan was coached by Arthur, the grandfather of junior motor bike star Bradley Ray. Callan was hoping to show Arthur how he had progressed with his racing but we received the sad news at the track that Arthur had died of a heart attack the previous week.

The thrill of racing took Callan to advance from minimotos to his first Jawa GP50 Auto. It was on his Jawa that Callan progressed in leaps and bounds in a short time. I am assured he will be watched closely at his next race on the 1st June in Rowrah, Cumbria

Callan loves racing and hopes to follow in the footsteps of his hero Valentino Rossi.