Aaron Burns started riding motorcycles at three years old. His father, Alan Burns, has been racing motorcycles since 1986. Growing up around motorcycles, combined with a racing father and a competitive nature, it was only logical that the father-son Burns Racing Team formally kicked off in the Spring of 2015. Now 26 years old, Aaron competed in his first race in September 2014. He’s been racing ever since, with the team participating in anywhere between five to ten rounds of racing at various series across Ontario and Eastern Provinces every summer.
The primary racing series that the Burns Team is planning to compete in is the Canadian National Superbike Championship. (www.csbk.ca) From 2016 to 2019, this series traveled to tracks across Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, including: Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Shannonville Motorsports Park in Belleville, Ontario, Grand Bend Motorplex in Grand Bend, Ontario, Autodrome St. Eustache in St Eustache, Quebec, and Atlantic Motorsports Park in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia.
In 2021, Burns Racing will attend two other regional series: Southern Ontario Association of Racing (SOAR) that operates out of Grand Bend Motorplex, in Grand Bend Ontario, north west of London, and Pro6GP, a brand new series out of Calabogie Motorsports Park in Calabogie, Ontario.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced many cancellations during the 2020 season, although there were a few race rounds that continued with pandemic protocols such as not allowing spectators, therefore allowing some riders the opportunity to keep up their skills. Aaron competed at Calabogie for one round, while Alan raced at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville.
The pandemic continues to challenge the 2021 season. Currently, the tentative schedule sees them competing at Grand Bend for the first round, and Calabogie for the second round, followed by Atlantic Motorsports park, depending on restrictions imposed for the east coast, and finishing off at Bowmanville.
The races are divided into two categories, professional and amateur. Alan competes in the professional rankings, while Aaron still races in the amateur category. The national series is comprised of three sub-classes: Pro/Am Superbike (1000cc inline 4 engines such as Kawasaki ZX10R, BMW S1000RR, and Yamaha YZF-R1); Pro/Am Sport Bike (600cc Inline 4 engines such as Kawasaki ZX6R, Yamaha YZF-R6, Suzuki GSX-R 600); and Amateur Lightweight (250-500cc entry level bikes EX: Yamaha R3, Kawasaki Ninja 400, Honda CBR 500). The lightweight class was new in 2018 and Burns Racing had two bikes on the grid for the entire 2019 season, because they brought in a second amateur rider, Justin Marshall. Despite the pandemic upheaval, the season ended well, with both riders finishing in the top ten in the standings. The lightweight class is the perfect entry level class for new racers looking to join the sport.
For the 2021 season, Burns Racing will be fielding two bikes. Aaron will be running a Kawasaki ZX6R in the Amateur Sport Bike division, and Alan will use the same bike in the Pro Sport Bike Division. Along with the ZX6R, they still have a lightweight bike, a Yamaha R3, that Alan will compete in select endurance races at SOAR. Aaron is focusing on the sport bike series with his eyes on the amateur sport bike championship.
Burns Racing would like to thank their 2021 Confirmed Sponsors, especially appreciated in these uncertain times: Motul Lubricants, Pazzo Racing, Windmill Motorsports and Machine, DP Brakes, Snowcity Cycle Marine, Forsaken Motorsports, 613 Motorsports, VnM Sport, and Hindle Exhaust.
Burns Racing welcomes an email from any interested sponsors: [email protected]