Joey Teo - The Sky’s The Limit
Being a racer is not always what it's cracked up to be. As in trying to achieve a dream, there are most certainly hurdles and adversity to overcome. The question that we should all ask ourselves is, how far are we willing to go for that dream to be reality.
When you talk about racing most people think of a four wheels not two. But Joey Teo Yew Joe has had passion in the two wheel motorsports from as far as he can remember. Back then, it was a norm that bikes were disapproved and the reason would normally be because of safety. However, with passion fueling him, he went ahead to chase his dream even willing to sneak over to his friend’s house to watch his all-time idol Wayne Rainey and Schwantz, Doohan.
No matter how many challenges he faced in pursuing his dreams, he never gave up. He managed to raise enough money from his first job and bought an Aprilia RS250. Now buying a bike and riding one are two completely different things. Joey had little knowledge on how to ride a bike, let alone race and almost met with a fatal accident when he first took it out for a spin.
His first race was of course in Sepang International Circuit which was also his first wipeout at Turn 1 due to the lack of experience. Even with that incident, Joey did not give up and continued to learn and practice in order to overcome his shortcomings.
in 2011, he saved up to buy his second bike, the ZX6R. His mentor William Chean had just passed away in 2010, which got him thinking that life was too short to keep on dreaming and he decided to participate in a race organised by Sepang International Circuit, The Malaysian Super Series.
“I remember it was the last round in 2010 and I sat at the south paddock overlooking the superbike race. In the pack, I saw this yellow CBR 1000rr who took a faster line than the rest and on stock fairings, taped lights, stock standard out of the showroom, racing with the rest of the power pack. He made it to the top 5! I told myself that I want to be as skilled as this guy one day and as fate may have it, the following year I met this man who changed my life forever, Mr Lee Ching Hooi,”said Joey.
With passion driving Joey, he worked hard practicing with Lee on a dirt track, he was far from being the fastest on the track but Lee was very patient with him. Week after week, Joey toiled through practice to make it to his first race and in 2011, he made 2.30 above per lap and was then Azlan Shah and Zamri Baba's back marker.
Joey raced with Sportsrider from 2012-2014 and was a paying rider and in 2015. After that he left Sportsrider to go to TWG garage. As luck would have it, Full Throttle offered up theirHonda CB600 race bike for sale, and he bought the bike. In WorldSBK it was his first ride on the Honda, a significantly slower bike but he made his first 2:16. 2015 ended as it is and in early 2016, Joey left TWG to start his own team.
He will be racing for PRIVATEERS in his Honda CBR 600 in the Supersport A category, Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship. Be sure to catch him racing this weekend at Sepang Circuit and check him out - #16.
“My passion and my dream have been a big part for me living my life, to the fullest, my way. Make sure you never look back and regret but keep overcoming hurdles and challenges you face and forward.” - Joey Teo, #16 PRIVATEERS.
When you talk about racing most people think of a four wheels not two. But Joey Teo Yew Joe has had passion in the two wheel motorsports from as far as he can remember. Back then, it was a norm that bikes were disapproved and the reason would normally be because of safety. However, with passion fueling him, he went ahead to chase his dream even willing to sneak over to his friend’s house to watch his all-time idol Wayne Rainey and Schwantz, Doohan.
No matter how many challenges he faced in pursuing his dreams, he never gave up. He managed to raise enough money from his first job and bought an Aprilia RS250. Now buying a bike and riding one are two completely different things. Joey had little knowledge on how to ride a bike, let alone race and almost met with a fatal accident when he first took it out for a spin.
His first race was of course in Sepang International Circuit which was also his first wipeout at Turn 1 due to the lack of experience. Even with that incident, Joey did not give up and continued to learn and practice in order to overcome his shortcomings.
in 2011, he saved up to buy his second bike, the ZX6R. His mentor William Chean had just passed away in 2010, which got him thinking that life was too short to keep on dreaming and he decided to participate in a race organised by Sepang International Circuit, The Malaysian Super Series.
“I remember it was the last round in 2010 and I sat at the south paddock overlooking the superbike race. In the pack, I saw this yellow CBR 1000rr who took a faster line than the rest and on stock fairings, taped lights, stock standard out of the showroom, racing with the rest of the power pack. He made it to the top 5! I told myself that I want to be as skilled as this guy one day and as fate may have it, the following year I met this man who changed my life forever, Mr Lee Ching Hooi,”said Joey. With passion driving Joey, he worked hard practicing with Lee on a dirt track, he was far from being the fastest on the track but Lee was very patient with him. Week after week, Joey toiled through practice to make it to his first race and in 2011, he made 2.30 above per lap and was then Azlan Shah and Zamri Baba's back marker.
Joey raced with Sportsrider from 2012-2014 and was a paying rider and in 2015. After that he left Sportsrider to go to TWG garage. As luck would have it, Full Throttle offered up theirHonda CB600 race bike for sale, and he bought the bike. In WorldSBK it was his first ride on the Honda, a significantly slower bike but he made his first 2:16. 2015 ended as it is and in early 2016, Joey left TWG to start his own team.
He will be racing for PRIVATEERS in his Honda CBR 600 in the Supersport A category, Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship. Be sure to catch him racing this weekend at Sepang Circuit and check him out - #16.
“My passion and my dream have been a big part for me living my life, to the fullest, my way. Make sure you never look back and regret but keep overcoming hurdles and challenges you face and forward.” - Joey Teo, #16 PRIVATEERS.
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