Dean Ellison

Dean Ellison
Dean Ellison during a race
Nationality	British
Born	14 November 1977 (1977-11-14) (age 34) Lancaster, Lancashire
Bike number	42
Website	http://www.deanellison.net
Motorcycle racing career statistics Superbike World Championship Active years 8 Manufacturers 3 Championships 0 2008 Championship position Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 0 0 0 0

Dean Bruce Ellison is a motorcycle racer from Britain, born 14 November 1977 in Lancaster, Lancashire. Dean is the older brother of former Moto GP and current British Superbike rider James Ellison.

Early career

Ellison started racing in 1996. In 1997 he entered the Superteen British Championship, finishing the season with a number of podiums. In 1998 he competed in the Aprilia 250cc Challenge, regularly finishing in the top 5. Halfway through the season he was offered the chance to ride in the 250cc British Championship for D&B Racing, which at the time was his dream.

After proving that Ellison could be a contender in the British Championship, D&B owner Danny Gallacher asked him to ride his new 250cc Honda in the 1999 championship. This gave Ellison the opportunity to run in the top 5 and at the end of the season he was asked to ride a Superbike as a one off in the British Superbike Championship.

Superbike racing

D&B Racing then made the switch to Superbike and asked Ellison to go with them, and in 2000 they contensted the British Superbike Cup, Ellison learning his trade on a kit Honda VTR-1000 SP-1. 2001 brought in more consistent results and a hard earned 12th place in the overall British Superbike Championship.

In 2002, equipped with a factory Ducati along with support from Ducati Corse, Ellison had an exciting year getting to grips with the Ducati and putting in some impressive results. At the end of 2002 he was tenth in the British Superbike Championship and was desperate to get racing again in 2003. During the off season Ellison continued to race - taking in Supermoto, motocross and endurance racing, simply to keep on a bike and improve his riding.

2003 brought mixed emotions with top 10 results (most notably the May Bank Holiday round at Oulton) in British and World Superbike rounds and the frustration of mechanical gremlins and lack of power against the opposition.

At the beginning of 2004 Dean was left without a British Superbike ride after D&B Racing pulled out at the last minute. He was asked to help Phase One retain the World Endurance Championship, which Ellison had helped them win in 2003. By March 2004 Ellison had started developing Yamaha's brand new R1 in preparation for the first race in April. Along the way he competed for RP Bikes Suzuki in the British Superstock Championship, and for IRT Honda in the World Supersport.

In 2005 he took over his brother's former ride in the Jentin Racing Yamaha BSB team, without the same success.^[1] He left mid-season to join the Slingshot Racing team.^[2] His 2006 season with the SMT Honda team was wrecked by a crash at Oulton Park in which Dean picked up a serious knee injury.

For 2007 he raced one of Donato Pedercini's Ducatis in the Superbike World Championship,^[3] usually well down the order. Due to lack of power his season was plagued with mechanical failures.^[4]

He returned to Britain for 2008, aboard the Co-ordit Yamaha. Ellison missed the rescheduled Brands Hatch round after a high speed horror crash at Oulton Park.^[5] He took his first double point scoring finish of the season at Donington Park whilst still riding injured.

Personal life

Ellison lived in Kendal throughout his childhood, moving to various places while pursuing his dream to become a professional racer. After leaving school he studied to be a motorcycle and motor vehicle mechanic, gaining all qualifications with distinction.

In 1998 he finally settled down in the Midlands and he lived in Leicester until 2009 with his wife Susie, whom he married on December 28th 2008. He is the older brother of James Ellison and Dean is certainly James's biggest fan, working behind the scenes to find new sponsors.

Dean is still very active within the motorcycle world, dealing with all Marketing and PR activities for J&L Motorcycles in Carlisle, He plays regular football, runs daily and still attends motorcycle track days, supermoto events and has openly admitted his desire to race soon.

Always well respected for his fund raising efforts, Dean still takes time out to do his bit for charity. In 2011 he teamed up with Dave Winter and filmmaker Ben Barden to travel over 1000 miles in one go, raising money for his 2 favourite charities, Riders and CJ Riders Fund. Images can be found here on Facebook including the whole team from the JOG2LE1DAY, which was supported by Kawasaki UK Ltd.

Find Dean Ellison on Twitter @dean_ellison and Facebook.

References

1. ^ http://www.biker247.com/news/2243.asp
2. ^ http://www.trymysport.co.uk/sports_news/motorsport_privateers/2005/may05/slingshot_racing_ellison.htm
3. ^ http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/09052007/58/test-dean-ellison-signs-pedercini.html
4. ^ http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/mcn/2007/july/july2-8/july0507worldsuperbikesriderdeanellisonspeakstomcn/?&R=EPI-92500
5. ^ http://www.bikesportnews.com/articles/article.html?id=BRANDS_BRITISH_SUPERBIKES_ELLISON_OUT_AFTER_HORROR_SMASH_1

External links

• deanellison.net Official website
• [1] Profile at BritishSuperbike.com
• http://www.jandlmotorcycles.co.uk/staff-details.cfm?name=DeanEllison&staffid=9

Persondata
Name	Ellison, Dean
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	14 November 1977
Place of birth	Lancaster, Lancashire
Date of death
Place of death