Michael Sykes

Michael Sykes (born March 9, 1972 in Port Tennant, Wales) is a Welsh race car driver currently competing for FLASH Racing in the TM Master Cup Series.

Sykes broke into the series in 2010 driving for his own team, and won the 2010 Independent's Trophy in the process.

He currently resides in Cardiff Bay, Wales, but also has a home in Indianapolis for when the Master Cup series is competing in the United States.

==Early Career

Sykes made his full racing debut in 1988, after competing in go-karts for five seasons. He took second place in the Formula Inglesby Festival, which attracted the attention of several well-known drivers and teams, most notably Lance Andrews. Andrews recruited Sykes in 1989 to be a test driver for his team in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), but after several encouraging test runs in Inglesby's youth development program, Sykes was given the opportunity to drive at the one-hour Special Grand Prix at Donington Park.

1990-95: British Touring Cars
Sykes gained a full-time ride in the BTCC in 1990, after Andrews departed for the TM Master Cup Series. Andrews' faith in the Welshman would be rewarded the following season, as Sykes won three races and finished second in the final points standings.

1992 would be a banner year for Sykes, as he racked up nine victories en route to the BTCC championship. He was subsequently offered a test drive invitation in Formula A, but turned it down.

Hopes of a Sykes repeat the following year were dashed in testing, as a severe crash, which included a multiple barrel-roll, hospitalized him for the majority of the season. He did return to racing near the end of the 1993 season, to the applause of the paddock.

He returned to form in 1994, as a season-long battle with defending champion Finlay McKenzie helped promote the series like no other rivalry. Sykes had the last laugh over his borderline-friendly rival, claiming the championship on the last corner of the last lap at Donington.

Lured by the prospect of big money, Sykes left the BTCC in 1995 to sign with Desswindel in the German Supercar series. However, the team and manufacturer went bankrupt before the season even started. His reputation tarnished, Sykes returned to the circuit to mount an independent effort.

1996-99: German Supercars and Formula A
Sykes finally made his German Supercar debut in 1996 with the Kosweiger team. He earned three victories toward the end of the season. The team moved to the International Sportscar Trophy series in 1997, and, alongside former Formula A champion Jean-Luc DeLuc, finished third in the final standings.

Kosweiger moved to Formula A in 1998, and the team retained Sykes as its test driver.

Sykes took the 1999 season off, but is still recognized as an "employee" of Koswieger and given the role of "British Ambassador".

2000-01: Back to the BTCC
Sykes returned to the BTCC in 2000 with an independent entry, winning the Indy Cup in the process. He gets close to winning the overall series championship, but just missed it. He would repeat as Indy Cup winner in 2001, but by 2002, a new discipline would grab Sykes' attention.

2002-04: British Thundercars
In 2002, Sykes switched from touring cars to stock cars, forming a team in the then-titled British Stock Car Cup. The team, ADX Racing, was a three-car effort consisting of Sykes, Kenny Hodges (cousin of former TM Master Cup regular Alan), and former BTCC rival McKenzie.

Hodges would win the 2003 championship, with Sykes placing fourth.

However, family matters forced Sykes to sell the team in 2004, and he spent the next five years out of racing.

TM Master Cup career
Sykes made his return to a racing paddock in 2009 as a VIP in the TM Master Cup. It was there that he considered a return to racing.

2010
Sykes made his return to racing in 2010, re-forming ADX Racing as an Independent's Trophy entry at Brands Hatch. Sykes performed well enough to earn the inaugural Trophy, which earned him a fill-in role at the Round of Decatur, substituting for Matt Taylor. Sykes also took part in the 12 Hours of Road Atlanta in a Koswieger GTK-10, standing in for Karl Yvrandes, Koswieger Totelwerks' team leader, as part of the International Sportscar Endurance Trophy.

2011
In 2011, Sykes signed with Bill Barclay Racing to drive the team's No. 45 STS, with backing from S.A. Brains Brewery. He performed well in the first half of the season, even claiming his first career victory at Ohio. Sykes left Barclay after the Round of British Columbia, citing the other competitors' "inability" to drive causing most of his accidents (even saying on his Twitter feed the other drivers were "all driving like complete cabbages").

Sykes returned for the Round of Decatur driving the third FLASH Racing Inglesby, but had mechanical issues at the start of the race and never really contended. FLASH Racing would recruit Sykes to a Full-Time slot for 2012, replacing Arto Kekkonen.