The three brothers
Bahattin,
Sinan and
Kenan Sofuoğlu have been some of the
most successful Turkish motorcycle racers.
Their father
Irfan Sofuoğlu, a motorcycle enthusiast since
1965, ran a motorcycle repair shop in Akyazı
district of
Sakarya
Province
.
The family
moved 1992 to Adapazarı
, where the father opened up a motorcycle dealer and
repair shop. The daughter,
Nilüfer Sofuoğlu
(1988), is also a motorcycle fan, who was once caught by the police
riding a motorcycle without license.
- Bahattin Sofuoğlu, (1978 in
Adapazarı
, Turkey
- October
25, 2002) was a successful motorcycle
racer for the Turkish Honda team.
As son of a motorcycle dealer, he started racing in 1997 at the age
of nineteen. After a brief but successful career, Bahattin died on
October 25, 2002, at the age of 24, following a traffic
accident.
- Sinan
Sofuoğlu, (July 15, 1982 in Adapazarı - May 9, 2008,
in Kocaeli) was a successful Turkish
motorcycle racer. Starting racing
at 15, Sinan became drag champion in 1998. He continued his
victories with championships won in Group B in 1999, and in Group A
in the years 2001, 2002 and 2004. He finished the 2003 season in
second. Sinan Sofuoğlu also won the Turkish championship in 2005.
He had a
single wild-card ride in the Turkish 250 cc round of Moto GP at Istanbul Park
in April 2006, where he qualified 26th with a time
of 2.05.532 and finished 19th (and last finisher) with an overall
time of 40.44.241. He died on May 9, 2008, aftermath of
severe injuries and traumas he suffered on the race track in
Kocaeli during a training for the Turkey
Motorcycle Championship.
References