IN the scheme of life it has been a whirlwind ride for Mount Gambier motorcycle racer Levi Day.
In 2013, after previously giving up his job as a fitter and turner to concentrate on racing, he headed to the UK to follow his dream to race motorcycles full time.
That landed him on the British Superbike circuit, racing support categories.
The last two years he rode Ducatis in the Ducati TriOptions Cup, also a support category for the superbikes.
This year he takes another step, aboard a 1000cc Aprilia.
Along the way he met his wife Katie, who recently gave birth to their son Max.
There have been highs and obvious lows in a sport that takes no prisoners.
In 2015 he suffered a serious injury after another rider crashed over the top of the stricken Day, who had fallen while dicing for position.
He was airlifted to hospital and made a full recovery, despite a fracture to his back and bleeding from his liver.
The incident could have been far worse, but it did not stop Day.
He returned to racing and continued to improve.
His time aboard a Ducati saw another injury, this time a broken collarbone last season, but again he returned and continued an impressive year, with a fifth place finish for the championship.
He has struggled through mechanical issues, but always remained focused on the job at hand.
His dream was to race overseas and he has certainly achieved that – and some.
Day returns to Mount Gambier each year and conducts coaching clinics at our own iconic McNamara Park – to “give back to the sport”.
In more recent times he brings Katie and Max along to enjoy a family holiday.
But the dream is not over, despite approaching his 30th birthday.
Day is set to continue this year in a higher class – the British Supersport 1000 – another support category for the superbikes, just one level down.
There is also a change of manufacturer, with Aprilia UK coming on board to offer another iconic machine.
The new V4 Aprilia produces around 210 horsepower and is capable of over 300kph.
How long the ride continues, Day does not know, but he is certainly proud of what he has achieved so far.
“Looking back, it has been unreal to be honest,” he told The Border Watch.
“When I first moved over to the UK I thought if I could do one year I could come back and say I had a crack at it, I had a good time doing it and perhaps go back to working on a lathe for the rest of my life.
“Each year at the end of the season you pinch yourself if you can continue on.
“I am 30 in September and I have been fortunate I can continue racing bikes.
“To meet Katie, to have our son Max – I wake up every day and feel proud to have been able to do it all.”
Day said he has no regrets about chasing his dream.
He said there is a limited opportunity in life to achieve your goals and he was determined to at least try his best.
“When I was doing my apprenticeship, they said ‘you either race bikes or keep working’, because I was taking too much time off,” Day said.
“I thought I could be a fitter and turner until I am 65, but I could not race motorbikes until then.
“I quit the job and was teaching drums for a while to give myself a bit more flexibility to go racing.
“I thought I would give it a go and went all in.
“It was financially quite expensive for a couple of years, but it has paid off and I have been fortunate enough a couple of people have been able to pay me an income to be able to race for a couple of years now.
“I certainly have no regrets.”
Having a family does not seem to have slowed Day down.
While he said that fact does come to mind, while on the bike he is simply focused on the job at hand.
And he has a simple philosophy when it comes to his continued racing.
“When you are out on the bike you only think about what you are doing on the bike,” he said.
“I have never been on the bike and thought about anything else.
“I am aware I have a son now and I do not want to get injured and not be there for him.
“But Nicky Hayden is a good example.
“He was Moto GP world champion and got hit by a car on a push bike last year.
“So do I keep myself inside and watch Netflix all day or do I go out and hopefully be an inspiration to him, to show I followed my dreams and that’s where it got me?
“I just want to show with hard work and determination you can do the things others might think are not possible.
“Hopefully I can be a bit of a role model for my son.”
Day said if his career finished at the end of this season he would not be too despondent.
He said he has already achieved far more than he ever thought possible.
But of course, as a racer, he clearly wants to add to that while he has the chance.
“Of course you want to win races and win a championship,” Day said.
“But I have already surpassed all the expectations I ever had.
“I would love to win a race in Stock 1000, to stand on the podium.
“I would love to win a championship in England.
“But originally I thought if I could race at Mallala or something like that it would be good.
“Now I have raced all over the world, which I am proud to have done.”
