Sinan Sofuoglu
Encyclopedia
Sinan Sofuoğlu was a Turkish
motorcycle racer.
, he started racing at 15, and 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 250cc 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
Sinan Sofuoğlu died on May 9, 2008, at the age of 25 in the intensive care unit of Kocaeli University
Hospital following a motorcycle accident. He was training for the Turkey Motorcycle Championship at İzmit Körfez Circuit
in Körfez, Kocaeli
, where he fell-off his motorcycle and suffered a broken neck, trauma at the base of his skull, and bleeding of the lungs.
The son of a motorcycle dealer in Adapazarı
, Turkey
, Sinan and his two other brothers Bahattin
and Kenan
were all motorcycle racers. His elder brother Bahattin
, died in 2002 at the age of 24 following a road traffic accident where he was hit by a car whilst crossing the street.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
motorcycle racer.
Biography
Part of the motorcycle racing Sofuoğlu familySofuoglu family
The three brothers Bahattin, Sinan and Kenan Sofuoğlu have been some of the most successful Turkish motorcycle racers. Their father Irfan Basri Sofuoğlu, a motorcycle enthusiast since 1965, ran a motorcycle repair shop in the Kuzuluk town of Akyazı district in the Sakarya Province. The family moved...
, he started racing at 15, and 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 250cc round of Moto GP at Istanbul Park
Istanbul Park
Istanbul Park , also known as the Istanbul Racing Circuit or initially Istanbul Otodrom, is a motor sports race track in Akfırat County east of Istanbul, Turkey. It was inaugurated on 21 August 2005...
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
Sinan Sofuoğlu died on May 9, 2008, at the age of 25 in the intensive care unit of Kocaeli University
Kocaeli University
The University of Kocaeli is a state university in Kocaeli, Turkey. The first step for the Kocaeli University was the Academy of Engineering and Architecture of Kocaeli founded in 1976. The electrical and mechanical engineering departments, basic sciences and department of modern languages were...
Hospital following a motorcycle accident. He was training for the Turkey Motorcycle Championship at İzmit Körfez Circuit
Izmit Körfez Circuit
İzmit Körfez Circuit is a motor sports race track about 17 km west of İzmit, in Körfez district of Kocaeli Province, Turkey. Sponsored by the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation and built by the Istanbul Motorsports Club , it was inaugurated in 1993 as the first asphalted race track in Turkey...
in Körfez, Kocaeli
Kocaeli Province
Kocaeli Province is a province of Turkey. Its capital is İzmit, which is sometimes referred to as Kocaeli itself. The largest town in the province is now Gebze. The traffic code is 41. The province is located at the easternmost end of the Marmara Sea, especially on the Gulf of İzmit. Because of...
, where he fell-off his motorcycle and suffered a broken neck, trauma at the base of his skull, and bleeding of the lungs.
The son of a motorcycle dealer in Adapazarı
Adapazari
Adapazarı is a city in northwestern Turkey and the capital of Sakarya Province. The province itself was originally named Adapazarı as well. Adapazarı is a part of the densely populated region of the country, known as the Marmara Region. As of 2010, the city has a population of 560,876 ...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Sinan and his two other brothers Bahattin
Bahattin Sofuoglu
Bahattin Sofuoğlu, , was a successful motorcycle racer for the Turkish Honda team.As the son of a motorcycle dealer, he started racing in 1997 at the age of nineteen...
and Kenan
Kenan Sofuoglu
Kenan Sofuoğlu is a Turkish professional motorcycle racer. He currently competes in Moto2 for the Technomag-CIP team, having made his debut at the end of and will remain with the team for the season...
were all motorcycle racers. His elder brother Bahattin
Bahattin Sofuoglu
Bahattin Sofuoğlu, , was a successful motorcycle racer for the Turkish Honda team.As the son of a motorcycle dealer, he started racing in 1997 at the age of nineteen...
, died in 2002 at the age of 24 following a road traffic accident where he was hit by a car whilst crossing the street.