While countless German vacationers are relaxing in Denmark this summer and soaking up the sun on the beaches, there’s a young racer in the IDM Supersport 300 who heads in the opposite direction every few weeks: Ty Henriksen. The 16-year-old Dane from Hvidovre near Copenhagen competed in three races in the Yamaha bLU cRU Cup last year and was right up there with the leaders from the start. As the crowning finale to the season, he ultimately participated as a guest starter in the IDM at Hockenheim and really enjoyed this racing series. This season, he is one of the regular starters in the junior class.
Together with his father, Lars Henriksen, the 16-year-old travels mile after mile from Denmark to compete in the IDM races on race weekends, hoping to open new doors for himself. We wanted to get to know the IDM rookie with the proud #46 on his bike, so we spoke with him.
IDM: How did you get into motorcycle racing, and how did things develop from there?
Ty Henriksen: It was my dad who bought me a pocket bike in 2016, when I was nine years old. He said at the time that I needed something to burn off my energy. When we went to a race track for the first time, we realized this was something big for me. It didn’t take long before it was upgraded to a professional pocket bike and I found myself in the middle of a race. From there, everything happened very quickly: from the pocket bike to the Honda NSF, to the Ohvale 110, 160, and 190. In 2022, I switched from the MiniGP bike to the Supersport 300 class.
IDM: Which racing series have you competed in so far?
Ty Henriksen: I’ve competed in the Danish Championships, the Ohvale Cup Denmark, the Ohvale European Championship, and the World Championship in various classes, as well as in the RAP Holland Ohvale 110 and 160. When I switched to the 300cc class last year, I competed in four out of five races in the Swedish Championship and was lucky enough to be granted three wildcards to race in the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Cup before making a guest appearance in the IDM at Hockenheim.
This year, it’s going to be especially difficult to juggle everything, since I’m competing in two series at the same time. In addition to the IDM, I’m also entered in the Swedish Championship.
IDM: You’re 16 years old and go to school in Denmark. How do you manage to balance everything?
Ty Henriksen: I’m so grateful that my school lets me do this and supports me in what I love most. My dad and the school have agreed on a strict rule: I have to make sure I finish the homework the school assigns me, which I do alongside the race weekends. It can be a little exhausting, but it works.
IDM: Do you drive from Denmark to the races every time, or how do you travel?
Ty Henriksen: Yes, we have our own little race van that we use to travel. We’d be lost without it, since we carry all our tools, parts, bikes, and so on in it. So we’re used to driving many, many miles.
IDM: What are your expectations for your first year in the IDM?
Ty Henriksen: My expectations for the IDM this season are: learn, learn, learn. I’ll do everything I can to make the most of it. I know most of the guys and have been watching them race for years. They’re no longer beginners or nobodies, but rather good racers. I’m really looking forward to improving and pushing myself to my limits so that, hopefully, I can soon be in the mix at the front.