James Whitham
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James 'Jamie' Whitham (born September 6, 1966 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England), is a former professional motorcycle road racer. He won the 1991 and 1993 British Superbike Championship. In 1994 he raced full-time in the World Superbike Championship, taking a race win at Sentul and finishing 7th. He returned to the British series in 1995, leading the standings and taking a podium as a WSBK wild-card at Brands Hatch, but contracted Hodgkin's Disease mid-season. He recovered in time to be BSB championship runner-up in 1996 on a Yamaha.
He raced for the Harris Suzuki team in WSBK in 1997 and 1998, finishing 8th in the championship both seasons with a total of 3 podiums, but for 1999 the factory contract changed hands, and the new people hired Pierfrancesco Chili and Katsuke Fujiwara. Worse was to follow when he was hired by Kenny Roberts' uncompetitive Modenas 500cc World Championship team: he crashed heavily at Brno, breaking his pelvis. He was in World Supersport from 2000 to 2002, taking 12 podiums including 4 wins, and 4th overall in 2001. Glaucoma, most likely a consequence of past chemotherapy, caused him to retire at the end of 2002. He now runs Crosland Moor airfield, and as of 2006 he works on ITV's coverage of Superbike racing. He also works as a road tester for the British motorcycle magazine T.W.O.
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