The recent death of American 600cc Novice motorcycle racer Rory Partin is a grim reminder of the risks rising star Jevaughn Simons takes every time he shows up at the race track.

Competing at the WERA Bridgestone National Endurance and Michelin National Challenge Sprints in Folksville, Georgia last weekend, the 30-year -old Partin died from injuries sustained in an accident on the first lap of the 600cc Superstock Novice Race that was eventually won by Bermudian Simons.

Partin's unfortunate death put a damper on an otherwise glorious weekend of racing for Simons, who now sits proudly atop the WERA Motorcycle Roadracing standings after chalking up two wins with new team owner Aaron Brown, a past fabricator of late NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt.

"It's always hard at the time when someone gets killed. But it's also something we love to do and everybody knows the risk, everyone knows it can happen to them as well. But we don't allow that to instil fear in us," Simons told The Royal Gazette.

"You don't know how or when you are going to die and I can be walking across the street and get hit by a car. So is that to say that I am now going to live in fear of crossing the street? Of course not. Racing is just something we enjoy doing and I just don't let it get to me."

Only last year Simons' friend and team-mate Marvin (Skinny) Robinson was killed practising at Clearwater race track in St.David's.

"I spoke to him (Robinson) just before he went out," he vividly recalled. "But at least he went out doing something he loved to do and as riders we take death differently. We don't stop racing because we fear we may die."

Fortunately, Simons managed to avoid the pile up in Georgia last weekend that resulted in the death of Partin.

"I immediately turned away from the accident and focused on my racing line instead and made it around. I was fortunate to get around pretty quickly," he recalled.

"We actually didn't find out (about Partin's death) until the end of the day. He died on the way to the hospital but the race officials didn't announce anything because they didn't want that to play on our minds. We were actually told about it at the prize presentation where we had a moment of silence for Partin."

That aside, Simons is "ecstatic" having impressed new team owner Brown and quickly established himself as one of the top contenders in his respective class.

And the 24-year-old motor mechanic now looks forward to solidifying his lead atop the standings when he returns to Georgia early next month to compete.

"I'm pretty ecstatic at the moment," Simons smiled. "And my aim to is to win the championship."