After being rocked by tragedy at Oulton Park, the racing community has paid tribute to Shane Richardson and Owen Jenner
The British Superbike Championship is in a state of deep mourning following the death of two stars at the opening round at Oulton Park. Shane Richardson and Owen Jenner were victims of an accident involving 11 riders soon after the start of the Supersport feature race, with the remainder of the meeting abandoned.
Richardson, a well-known and popular Kiwi, was highly respected in the BSB paddock where he had been plying his trade since 2019 when he made his debut in the National Superstock 600 championship. In his first season he won two races and finished second in the standings. Richardson, who was also a Stock 1000 race winner in MotoAmerica, moved to the National Superstock 1000 class the following year and remained a competitive figure in both BSB classes.
Similarly, Jenner was also highly regarded for his infectious character and talent, having won the British Junior Supersport Championship in 2020 and National Junior Superstock in 2023.
Another rider was seriously injured. Tom Tunstall was listed as stable and undergoing treatment for a spinal injury.
Hitting close to home
Tributes have been pouring in from around the world and one person who has been hit particularly hard is Australian racer Brayden Elliott. He turns 30 this year, hails from the NSW town of Tumut and has been racing in BSB since 2017. Elliott and Richardson were great mates and the Aussie penned these touching words about their friendship:
To Shane – You were the best mate I’ve had at the racetrack. I felt you were one of the only people I could truly relate to that understands all the emotions that comes with chasing a dream, missing home and staying positive throughout.
To Owen – Any moment we shared involved smiling and laughter, your huge personality made it impossible to do anything else. I always looked at you as someone that will make it, an absolute character with an abundance of talent that would take your career to the top.
ASBK Stop & Seal Superbike racer Tom Toparis has also taken the news very hard, being teammates with Richardson at Astro JJR Triumph in 2022. “It’s difficult to explain how I’m feeling right now, it’s been a tough time, for sure. Shane was an amazing person, a very gifted rider and a real family man. I met Shane in 2020 and when I first raced in the UK I didn’t know anyone. Richo was so welcoming and the whole Astro JJR team had such a strong bond. I had a connection to Shane through Damon Rees, and we became good mates straight away. He was one of the nicest, softest, gentle guys – but also a typical gritty Kiwi. When his visor went down, he was a hardened racer. He just made things happen for himself and his family, always working either around bikes or making kitchens. I feel so sorry for Hannah and the kids. Owen is another huge loss. He was so friendly, he always had time to chat and I remember every time I was on the grid he would come and watch with his massive smile and give me a high five. I still can’t wrap my head around both of them being taken at the same time.”
Avalon Lewis, a fellow Kiwi who is racing in the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship, wrote, “In my opinion Shane epitomised what it is to be a Kiwi motorcycle racer. Fast, friendly, funny, humble and hard-working. His actions spoke louder than words, a family man who raced hard and played harder. He dared to dream bigger than just winning local races. He created opportunities for himself out of pure passion and dogged determination and managed to take family and friends along for some wild rides around the globe. My heart aches for Hannah, their kids and the Richardson family.”
Aussie Ben Currie summed up the thoughts of many as the series headed to Donington Park, saying, “It is important to remember why we do this sport. It is because we love it first and foremost, and this weekend we’re going to be giving it everything as usual. But we’re also going to be having in the back of our minds Owen and Shane and their families this weekend. We race in their honour and I’m sure the boys will be looking down on us.”
