Teenage supermoto ace Lewis Cornish and his Nameplate Services/DCR team have been busy during the off-season.

Preparations for the Caister-based racer's 2012 British Supermoto Elite Championship are well under way including regular fitness training, BMX and off-road motocross practice sessions, plus extensive overhauls and refurbishment of the bikes that took him to sixth place overall during the 2011 Elite Championships.

For 2012 it was decided to stick with the tried and tested KTM 450 and 505 machines rather than wasting time developing new race bikes for the season which starts next month.

Dave Clarke Racing has spent most of last month improving the power delivery of Lewis' race bikes before the team heads off to Aragon, Spain for a pre-season shake-down test session. Nameplate Services, Michelin, Motul, ProAction, LR Designs and Circuit Equipment will once again be backing Cornish in his bid to move up the British Championship rankings.

Recent TV coverage has helped Lewis not only to retain his regular sponsors, but also to attract new support in the shape of Fly Racing clothing and MotoXtreme who run National and International supermoto trackdays.

Team manager Dave Cornish explained: 'In these tough financial times getting support for any sport is difficult but thanks to Lewis and his team's professional image, impressive 2011 results and extensive Press coverage we are grateful to not only hold on to our existing sponsors, but also obtain additional support for 2012.

'In only his second year in the super tough Elite Championships Lewis has shown that he has the speed to run at the sharp end of this extremely competitive sport, this season we are working towards more consistency which is needed to move up the standings.'

Lewis will continue to run his lucky race number 8 during the season as he competes across a range of championships including, British Masters, Southern Supermoto, The Scottish Masters and the televised British Elite Supermoto Championships in both 450 and open classes.

Lewis will once again take on the world's best riders at the famous Mettet Superbiker event in Belgium in October. He will be competing in the Cholmondley Pageant of Power which is becoming the Goodwood Speed Festival of the North.

The event, located just outside Chester, will see Lewis pit his skills against a timed circuit within the grounds of the Cholmondley estate alongside classic racing machinery from past and present.

Visit www.lewiscornish.co.uk