From the frontline to the finish line

A former Royal Marines Commando has finally found a buzz similar to being on the frontline after swapping the battlefield for the race track.

James ‘Jumbo’ Ashenden from Exeter was medically discharged in 2019 due to a combination of physical and mental health-related injuries. These include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, hearing loss and skeletal injuries.

But he’s found a way to spend time with fellow veterans again in the most exciting manner possible by becoming a rider for True Heroes Racing, the UK’s first motorcycle racing team dedicated to supporting wounded, injured and sick service personnel.

James said: “I’ve had injuries before. I’ve been in real danger before. I’ve lived through combat.

“And yet, the buzz I get from racing is the closest thing I’ve felt to being back on patrol in Afghanistan, running around getting shot at. That might sound extreme, but it’s true. That hyper-focus. The heightened senses. The clarity of thought. When I’m racing, nothing else exists.

“There’s no room for distractions. No stress. No noise. It’s just me, the bike, and the track. Everything else fades. It’s not chaos. It’s peace.”

The 39-year-old first became aware of True Heroes in 2022 while attending an event at the NEC in Birmingham. He joined the team two years later and is currently on its grassroots pathway programme that could lead to him competing in one of the British Superbike Championship’s (BSB) feeder classes.

He is learning the ropes in the Mini Twin class at North Gloucester Road Racing Club (NGRRC) on a Suzuki SV650, now works as a barber, part-time social media manager and in marketing.

“When I first knew about the team, I was instantly drawn in, not just by the bikes, but by what it stood for,” James added during a lengthy feature with Bikesure, one of True Heroes Racing’s sponsors.

“Veterans supporting veterans, bringing us together through the shared buzz of racing, adrenaline, and purpose. I registered my interest in the grassroots scheme on the spot, not quite knowing what it would lead to, but feeling something stir inside me that had been quiet for a while. In October 2024, I headed to Pembrey, passed my licence, and even managed to get an entry for the race weekend. I finished second overall in the Mini Twin class.

“That result was a bonus. The real win was the feeling. I’d found something that lit a fire in me. Racing grabbed me by the soul, and it hasn’t let go since.”

For more information on True Heroes Racing, or how you can support the inspirational outfit, visit the team’s website.