True Heroes Racing: Overcoming adversity through racing

Recently you may have seen us giving away VIP tickets to one of the British Superbikes Events. This has been done of the back of the long running relationship between ourselves and racing team True Heroes Racing, who have been generous enough to donate a number of tickets to give you, our customers the opportunity to attend an event and show your support.

In this article we take a look at what True Heroes Racing is, why they exist and why we feel it is so important to support the team.

About True Heroes Racing

It was back in 2012 when the concept of forming the UK’s first motorcycle race team for Wounded, Injured and Sick (WIS) UK Service personnel came to fruition and we here at Würth have been fortunate enough to be able to assist the unique team that is “True Heroes Racing” from almost the point of creation.

After returning unscathed from several tours of duty in Afghanistan, Royal Navy Warrant Officer Phil Spencer, like many others wanted to do something to help those UK Service personnel who had been less fortunate while serving. He had served as a senior aircraft engineer with the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm working on the Harrier, based out of Kandahar, providing close air support to the forces on the ground.

He chose to combine his passion for motorcycles with fundraising for UK Military charities and in 2010 organised and completed a round Britain charity motorcycle ride that raised over £15,000 for charity. The contacts he made whilst organising this 2 week event began his path into motorcycle racing at the British Superbike Championships, not as a racer, but as the Founder and Team Manager of a truly unique race team.

The year after completing the round Britain ride Phil spent many weekend’s fundraising for UK Military charities at British Superbike race events and that is what led him to the concept of forming a motorcycle race team for WIS UK Service personnel and Veterans. After being introduced to a keen motorcyclist, who had lost his legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan, Phil had everything he needed to form True Heroes Racing...a racer! In 2012 the team embarked on their first ever race event with the aim of taking the first ever double amputee rider to the British Superbike Championships in 2013.

Completing that first race weekend ignited a passion on what has been a steady climb as the team has expanded year-on-year to what it is now; a renown, well respected and widely followed race team made up entirely of personnel with UK Military backgrounds, competing against able bodied teams on the top stage within the UK.

Würth UK & True Heroes

It was part of the journey towards the British Superbike Championships that led Phil to the door of Würth. As the team stepped up to a national level the need for a supply of good quality, professional tools and equipment came to the fore.

Phil's email request for support landed on the desk of the UK Marketing Manager who immediately invited him in for a face-to-face meeting to discuss the concept. On meeting him it was obvious Phil had a huge passion for what True Heroes Racing stood for and the potential opportunities the project could offer. His request for product support was accepted without hesitation.

After 5 years, True Heroes Racing and Würth have an even closer and strengthened relationship, with the team still benefitting from Würth's support. You only need to visit the UK Headquarters to see a variety of framed photographs of the team over the last 5 years on the walls. With the team’s expansion has come expanded support, providing the team with all the tools and equipment required to maintain and support all aspects of their high value race motorcycles.

So as the team embark on the opening round of the 2018 British Superbike Championships over the Easter weekend- why not check them out? You can’t do anything but admire this team, their achievements and passion for something that is more than the sport itself. The camaraderie and team spirit that comes from being involved with likeminded people with that key military ethos and sense of humour that flows from this team in spades. What can never be truly quantified is the number of people this team have helped, their inspirational back story and determination to create something that many thought was impossible has been shown around the world. They have inspired wherever they have been and will continue to do so.

What does the future hold?

The story does not stop here, Phil has an aspiration to take True Heroes Racing even further. As the team has grown to where it is now, the time and effort its core members put in has grown, but to take the next step Phil wants to move the team from a voluntary organisation to an organisation that is able to offer paid employment to WIS UK Service personnel and Veterans. It is certainly not the team’s passion and determination that is holding them back at the moment, but the age old story of sustainable long term financial investment. In time there is no doubt this will come and wherever the story takes True Heroes Racing, Würth UK will be by their side providing that critical support.

If you want to learn more about True Heroes Racing then why not visit their website www.trueheroesracing.co.uk or any of their social media sites.

Want to watch True Heroes in Action?

Right now you can enter the competition to win a pair of VIP tickets to one of four British Superbike events, if that isn't enough we have also thrown in a free overnight stay in a local hotel so you can really soak in the atmosphere all weekend.

To be in with a chance of winning all you have to do is send us or tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter in a photo of you using one of our brand new Perfection Line cleaning products between now and the 30th May.

The draw will take place on the 31st of May and winners will be able to choose between any of the 4 following events:

• June 15th to 17th - Snetterton, Norfolk
• July 20th to 22nd - Brands Hatch, Kent
• August 17th to 19th - Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire
• September 7th to 9th - Silverstone, Northamptonshire