Features 23 Jul 2010

Privateer Profile: Danny Ham

MotoOnline.com.au highlights the part-time racing return of Danny Ham in the 2010 MX Nationals.

Rider: Danny Ham

Team Name: JK Motorsport/UEA Racing

Team Owners: Jason Kain and Andrew Rowlands

Mechanic: Terry Russel

Bike: Kawasaki KX450F

Team Sponsors: Tag, Scott, One Industries, Axis, Australian Extreme, High Roller, Bridgestone

Career Highlights: Numerous supercross victories

Goals for 2010: To have some fun while helping launch a new team to the Australian motocross industry

Danny Ham is back for 2010 on a part-time basis on a privateer Kawasaki with JK Motorsports/UAE Racing. Image: Kajx Communications.

Danny Ham is back for 2010 on a part-time basis on a privateer Kawasaki with JK Motorsports/UAE Racing. Image: Kajx Communications.

Profile:
Danny Ham is one of the most recognisable identities in Australian motocross thanks to his lengthy racing career and, more recently, his commentary efforts alongside Lee Hogan during the Monster Energy Australasian Super X Championship television coverage.

Well into retirement, it came as somewhat as a surprise to see Ham debut with all-new team JK Motorsports/UAE Racing at the Raymond Terrace round of the MX Nationals, continuing on to finish out the season from that point.

“We came together very late in the MX Nats series, well behind the eight ball,” Ham explained. “We had only two rides on the bike after 18 months off a bike previously before our first race at Raymond Terrace.

“We knew we weren’t going to set the world on fire, we very just after a start and to have some fun. Since then the team has competed in a few more races – national and state motocross – each time improving.”

A longtime factory rider with the likes of Suzuki and Yamaha in Australia, Ham has experienced the privateer side of racing in 2010.

“I personally now have great respect for the privateers out in the motocross classes,” he commented. “I am unable to ride at all during the week and find it hard to get the time for training after work. It makes it extremely hard to be competitive on the track.”

While Ham is gradually improving and claimed a solid 12th overall at the Moree round last weekend, finishing off the round with a fine seventh place in moto four to prove he still has what it takes at the top of the sport on a domestic level.

Despite his improvements, following this weekend’s Coolum finale Ham will hand over the riding efforts of the team to a new rider for Super X – returning to the comforts of the commentary box for the series’ third season.

“The team is looking towards the upcoming Super X title where they are looking to put a rider on for the series,” Ham said. “They have learnt a lot on this small journey through the motocross series and will take everything they have learned to be ready for supercross.”

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