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CEV Buckler Stock Extreme Championship – A good way to end the 2011 season! Having made all of the final preparations to the ZX10R for the CEV Spanish Championship the bike was delivered to the Quelch PGS Racing base in Royston for the long journey to Valencia. I was confident that the bike in its current form would allow me to battle for points at the very least. The Stock Extreme Championship was still wide open heading into the final two rounds. The two main protagonists were Ivan Silva, former MotoGP rider, and Santiago Barragan, who has competed strongly in top European Championships. On the morning of practice I wanted to get a lap of the circuit on foot to familiarise myself with the circuit again having ridden there in 2006 taking part in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup selection. I could recognise certain reference points but it would be a different story once practice started. I headed out with a base setting we had been working with since I first rode the bike at Cadwell Park. The Bitubo suspension service provider at the CEV meetings was very helpful and assisted us with the shock alterations we required. I felt comfortable with the circuit early on in the session and was working on finding the braking points and lines around the technical flowing corners. Unfortunately there was a fuelling issue that was linked to the electronic system. The quick shifter had also stopped working, which I had to get used to having used one for so long. This prevented me from making much progress but I did what I could to learn as much as possible about the settings. The gearing was way too short so that would be addressed for the next session. The bike was stripped before the second session in an attempt to find the issue. It was discovered that the regulator had burnt out, which was unusual. We didn’t carry a spare one so a replacement was sourced from the Kawasaki Palmeto PL Racing team and they were very helpful in trying to diagnose the cause. There was nothing obvious found so all we could do was replace the regulator and hope for the best! The fuelling/electronic issue was causing the bike to misfire and it worsened during the second session and I couldn’t continue. Although this time the regulator was OK. Nothing obvious was found but we did try something relating to the fuel breather. The problem continued in first qualifying but I just got on with it to try and post a respectable time and learn more about the set-up and the circuit. I ended up in 17th, which I was fairly pleased with but would have liked to have been a bit higher up the order. The quick shifter had stopped working again during the session so we decided to remove it for the second session. This solved the misfire and the bike ran faultlessly and I matched my times in the first but the track was slower in the warmer conditions. Having said this I slipped back to 19th, which set the grid for the 19 lap race. Again the Kawasaki Palmeto PL Racing team assisted us with a new quick shifter, which worked well straight away in warm-up. I ended warm-up in 9th which was held in damp conditions but the skies were clearing for the race. The race was dry and I got a good start moving up to 16th on the first lap. I found a good rhythm straight away and I was posting times consistently quicker than I had in qualifying. I passed a couple of riders but got passed by another Kawasaki rider a few laps later. I was feeling more comfortable on the bike with every lap and I started to maintain the gap to the riders in front. Towards the end of the race the BMW rider in front started to struggle with tyre issues and I reeled him in. I made a pass immediately moving into 15th, which I held to the finish scoring my first point in the CEV Stock Extreme championship first time out. I was happy with this result considering the problems over the weekend, which made things much more difficult. I enjoyed riding at Valencia which is technically demanding for the rider and set-up. Over the weekend I learnt a lot and was already looking forward to Jerez the following weekend.
We arrived at Jerez early to have a look around and familiarise myself with a circuit I had never visited before. It looked awesome and like the type of circuit I ride best at. I was confident that the bike would run faultlessly with all of the issues resolved from Valencia. At Jerez I immediately felt comfortable on the bike and found a decent pace during the first session. The circuit was awesome and there were some great places to get the rear tyre spinning to turn the bike tighter! I made good progress over the two sessions and put in a consistent run of respectable times considering that the tyres had covered a lot of miles. I had made a few changes to the settings but nothing major as the base setting was getting closer to being where it needs to be. I was looking forward to qualifying with a new set of Dunlop slicks at my disposal although rain was forecast. Sure enough the rain came and it looked as if it was in for the day. I made the necessary changes to the settings and we were using soft compound Dunlop wets, which I last used on the KTM RC8 in 2009 and they are the best wets I’ve ever used. I had heard that the Jerez circuit has good grip in the rain and the first session I spent building up to a good pace in the damp conditions. My time was good enough for 5th with 20 minutes remaining. I came in and the rear tyre pressure was too high and the Dunlop technician took a lot of pressure out. I headed back out but the rain had started to fall again. I managed to improve my time within a couple of laps to secure my 5th position overall and 1st privateer. I was really pleased with this result and my lap time but it would all depend on the conditions for the second session. The second session started wetter than the first so I decided to sit tight not expecting the conditions to improve. Both the 125 and Moto2 second qualifier was slower than the first. As time went by it was clear other riders were improving their times. I headed out and took a few laps to build up to my times from the first session but with around 10 minutes remaining I went quicker and moved back into 5th overall. Unfortunately I got pushed back to 7th and 2nd privateer in the final minute. Nevertheless I was happy with this result and it would give me a good chance to fight for a top 5 finish.
The race was originally scheduled to be held over 17 laps but due to an incident at the start the race had to be restarted and the race distance was reduced to 9 laps. I got a good start making a move around the outside of two riders into the first corner. This put me in 5th and I was right amongst the leading group. I managed to stay in touch with them for the first lap but got passed by Enrique Ferrer on the Ducati into turn one at the start of the second lap. I was determined to stay with him as he started to close on the riders in front. This dragged me away from the rider behind who in turn had an even bigger gap behind him to the next rider. I was feeling comfortable and was confident that I could stay with the riders in front and potentially battle for the podium. I was having problems with rear traction so I was starting to run into the corners faster to make up for it. Going into the hairpin at the end of the back straight I braked late to close on the Ducati but I ran into the apex a bit faster than I had on the previous lap and I lost the front. I tried to re-start the bike but it wasn’t having it so that was the end of my race. I was disappointed to have slipped off but I was happy with the race and weekend as whole up until that point. I didn’t want to settle for a 5th or 6th place finish being so close to the podium.
I really enjoyed racing in the CEV Buckler Stock Extreme Championship and I learnt a lot. It was a great way to end the season and I am already looking forward to next year. No decision has been made as to which championship I will be competing in next year but the CEV Buckler series is definitely worth considering. Big thanks to all my supporters who made it happen, Mark Quelch and John Coventry for getting us out to Spain and Anne and Tony Dunn for putting us up between races.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
CEV Buckler National Spanish Championship & ZX10R Now the 2011 National Superstock 1000 championship has come to an end I can now concentrate on a new challenge! I am pleased to announce that I will be riding in the final two rounds of the CEV Buckler Stock Extreme championship on a 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R. The CEV Buckler championship is the premier motorcycle championship in Spain and the Stock Extreme class is there equivalent of Superbike. The bikes are restricted to European Superstock specification with the allowance of an open choice of slick tyres. The riders at the front of the championship are very competitive and there are a number of factory backed teams. The main Stock Extreme championship includes a privateer’s cup for teams without factory support. The final two rounds will be held at Valencia on 13th November and Jerez a week later on 20th November, both of which are awesome circuits. I will have to learn the circuits quickly during practice although I have ridden at Valencia in 2006 as part of the Red Bull Rookies MotoGP selection programme. The ZX-10R I will race has been prepared to the full Stock Extreme specification except for the engine work permitted. When I last rode the bike at Silverstone I had my first opportunity to test the Dunlop slicks. Instantly they performed better and I improved my times significantly. Throughout the day we made set-up changes to the bike to make it more stable due to the angular profile of the tyres and larger diameter rear tyre. We made progress but there is more to come and I hope to find a good setting in order to maximise the potential of the ZX10R and the slicks in practice for Valencia and Jerez. For the two CEV rounds I am teaming up with the Quelch PGS Racing team who currently run Sam Coventry on a Honda CBR1000 in the championship. I am looking forward to racing with them and adding to the British contingent amongst a field of mainly Spanish and French riders. I am looking forward to this opportunity and am working hard to make the most of it. I would like to thank everyone who has helped to make this happen and hopefully I can make it all worthwhile with two good results. Live timing and race coverage can be viewed by following the links below. Live timing - http://www.rfme.net/web/default.asp Race coverage - http://www.cevbuckler.com/en/galeriaVideo.htm?temp=2010&idVideo=201.flv
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Final BSB meeting of the year at the Brands Hatch GP circuit Due to noise restrictions the Indy circuit had to be used for practice on Friday, so there was little to be gained from the first session although I did complete the most number of laps and made a few changes to the front suspension settings. Both qualifying sessions were scheduled for Saturday on the GP circuit. We had set-up data to work from having ridden the Aprilia there on a couple of occasions previously but the base setting had been developed since I last rode there. In the first session I had a good run of laps with little traffic and I managed to do a 1:31.2, which was just a couple of tenths off of my personal best. I came into the pits to make a few adjustments and headed back out but the traffic was far worse and I couldn’t get a single clear lap. I therefore made no further improvement in time but the changes were better. The second session was held in similar conditions. This time I decided to come into the pits early to check things over and make any adjustments so I could spend the rest of the session trying to post a fast time. With around 10 minutes to go I posted my best time, which put me 22nd on the grid. I had managed to do a 1:30.8, my best ever time around the GP circuit. I was pleased with this but would have liked to have been a bit higher up the grid.
There were a few handling issues that I would like to have resolved in warm-up on Sunday morning. Unfortunately we awoke to wet weather which prevented us from trying any set-up changes. I completed the session on wet tyres and got into a decent rhythm to post the 11th quickest time. The circuit was dry for the race but damp patches were still visible off of the racing line but cement dust had to be used earlier in the day to highlight areas on the circuit where the earlier rain water was coming to the surface due to the heat from the sun. I had a good look around on the sighting lap but couldn’t see anything that would affect the racing line.
I continued my starting form from Silverstone and I got good drive off the line. I was determined to make up places on the first lap and passed a few riders around the outside at Druids and passed another couple into the next two left handers. The pack started to settle down but on the run through Dingle Dell two riders went down with many riders having to take avoiding action. Inevitably the safety car came out at the beginning of the second lap and I crossed the line in 14th position. As I exited Druids I saw the red flags and the race had been stopped, which I assumed was for the incident at Dingle Dell. When I returned to the pits I was told that two riders had collided on the pit straight. There was going to be a long delay and the organisers decided to cancel our race due to the fact that the championship had already been decided.
My thoughts are with both Marshall Neill and John Crockford who were seriously injured in the accidents and hope they have a full and speedy recovery. This was clearly a disappointing end to the season and it would have been good to add to my points tally. Nevertheless I am pleased with my run of form towards the end of the season. My thanks go to the IN MOTO Corse team and all the people who have supported me this year. They include Roberto and Cristian Ingignoli, Steve Hamilton – IN MOTO Corse, Paul English – Bohn and HBC, Martin Landmann, Giovani Carrino – Carrino Flooring Ltd, Simon Neal – Piaggio Group, Simon Taylor – AutoMoto Racing, Mike Edwards – GPR Stabilizers, Robin Milton and Simon Radcliff – RS Workshop Equipment, Colin Sowter – AGIP, Ian Walker – Cleanagain Ltd, Laura Stephenson, Sasha Fowler and Jason Beauchemin – Spyke, Weise, Natalie Gittins – Oxford Products, Rich Austin – Austin Racing, Brent Gladwin – GR Motosport, Darren Wnukoski, Nick Railton, Nigel Hall – machining, Dave Carter – Cyclops Helmets, Eddie and Sarah Roberts – Complog, and all of the marshalls and medics.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
I was looking forward to Silverstone my home race particularly as I missed the race last year which was cancelled due to poor weather. Conditions were good for Free Practice and I posted some reasonable times early on and managed to find a good tow, which was difficult with such a long lap even with 40 riders out there. At this stage I was happy with how the bike felt and needed to push harder in qualifying. No changes were made for the first qualifying session, which turned out to be a mistake. As I started to push harder the bike wouldn’t hold a line around the fast sweeping corners, which is crucial around a circuit like Silverstone. It was holding me back and I couldn’t get the drive off most corners. The session was stopped twice for a crash and a blow up, which needed a lot of cement dust! I went quicker but it wasn’t enough and I dropped back to 27th, which I was obviously disappointed with. Overnight the bikes geometry was changed lowering the front end to speed up steering along with damping changes. I headed out and instantly the bike felt better and held much tighter lines, which meant I could get on the power much sooner. I got into a good rhythm and was getting quicker with every lap. I managed to do a lap time two seconds faster than my best in first qualifying which is a big difference even on a 3.66 mile lap. This at one stage was good enough for 16th but as the session went on I slipped back to 24th. I was pleased with the progress that had been made but I would have been happier starting a bit further up the grid.
For warm-up I decided to try a shorter wheel base to improve the turning even more, as the stability was still OK. I got some good clear laps in and the changes felt good and I went almost as quick as I had in qualifying. I was looking forward to the race and after my run of poor starts I had practiced them 10 times over the weekend at the end of each practice and qualifying session. Photos courtesy of Glyn Richardson The practise starts paid off as I crossed the line in 21st position at the end of the first lap. I was trying to tag onto the back of the group in front but got passed at the end of the hanger straight by Michael O’Brien. I tried to pass him back as soon as possible but I was finding it difficult to get into a position to pass. As the race went on he started to hold me up and Connor Cummins passed me in the same place. I was trying hard to find a way back passed and they started to battle amongst themselves. I knew there was another rider behind and needed to pass the riders in front as soon as possible knowing I had the pace to get clear. I made a pass into Brooklands and was immediately looking to make another pass. Half a lap later I made another pass into Village Corner. I was determined to pull a gap on the group behind and pushed hard. I watched my pit board and monitored the gap as it grew. I pulled a two second gap with a couple of laps remaining, which I held to the finish. I had no idea where I had finished until I saw my pit board which showed 15th scoring my first point in the Superstock 1000 class. This was a great end to the weekend and I had set myself the goal of scoring points in the final three rounds of the season. Having just missed out at Donington Park due mainly to a poor start I was determined to score points at Silverstone and I will be aiming to continue that form at Brands Hatch. Thanks again to the In Moto Corse team for their help and support.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Donington Park is a circuit I enjoy racing at and I was confident that the bike would be strong around a circuit with such a flowing set of corners. The base settings were left after Cadwell as I felt as though the overall balance of the bike had been improved. Free Practice was a chance to understand how the new base settings worked. I did a couple of medium length stints and the bike felt good throughout the session although the grip levels were low, which was most likely due to the lack of rubber laid down and the track surface demands fresh rubber for fast times. No changes were made to the set-up for the first qualifying session just a set of new tyres. I was expecting the tyres to make a difference but they really improved the turning ability of the bike which is crucial with so many long corners to string together. A got into a good rhythm and managed to complete a couple of clear laps and posted a best time of 1:34.9, which provisionally put me 17th on the grid. Second qualifying was held in similar conditions but the wind was strong. Again a completed a couple of clear laps and I got close to my best time before entering the pits for a few checks. I headed back out with around 5 minutes to go but I couldn’t improve. This meant that I slipped back a few places to 19th but his was my best qualifying since round one at Brands Hatch.
My race was last on Sunday so there was plenty of
time to prepare. I knew a good start was crucial so I practiced
them at the end of warm-up. Unfortunately when it came to the
race my start wasn’t good enough and I slipped back to 24th at
the end of the first lap. I was following Michael O’Brien for a
few laps and I had worked out that my best chance to overtake
would be in the final third of the lap.
As always thanks to the team for their hospitality and efforts over the weekend. Silverstone is up next and it is one of my favourite circuits so I will be going all out for points there.
I would like to thank Dave from Cyclops Custom Helmets for designing and airbrushing my HJC R-PHA 10 helmet. As can be seen from the photos it looks great, is original and stands out really well! www.cyclopshelmets.co.uk
Also, thanks to Mike Edwards for supplying a GPR V4 steering damper. With a wide range of adjustment I could fine tune it for the best setting with ease. It is a quality product and it looks good too www.gprstabilizer.com
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Having used similar settings for the last two rounds I decided to go in a different direction in terms of the set-up. Cadwell is a circuit that requires fast turning and good stability under hard braking. In free practice the bike felt strong but not well balanced. A lot of weight was on the front tyre so for qualifying the front ride height was increased. The change made the bike feel more stable and consequently I could run more corner entry speed. The engine was now revving out in 6th gear so the gearing needed to be altered. I ended the session in 23rd but was confident I could improve in the next session. Also, the track conditions weren't perfect due to the earlier rain so the circuit was still damp under the trees over the mountain.
The conditions were good for the 2nd qualifying session although there was a strong head wind, which affected the gearing change. I improved my time but the bike felt harder to steer through the tight sections. My faster time put me 21st on the grid. The gearing was changed back for warm-up which gave a shorter wheelbase and the result was positive as I lapped nearly as fast as I had done in qualifying on old tyres.
In the race I managed a good initial start but had to shut off as a rider in front missed a gear. As a result I lost several places to end the first lap in 26th place. Just as I was recovering a rider fell at the top of the mountain causing several riders including me to take avoiding action which lost me further time. This opened up a gap to the riders ahead. I managed to pass a rider into the hairpin which was close but we both stayed on. I couldn't bridge the gap to the pack in front and on lap 10 the race was stopped. I posted my best time of the weekend but this wasn't enough to improve on my qualifying position. I am now looking forward to Donington Park where I had a strong test at the start of the season.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
I was looking forward to racing at Brands Hatch GP circuit and hoped the weather would be significantly improved after the very wet Oulton Park race last month. Due to the limited number of days that the GP circuit can be used the organisers had to run the first day on the Indy circuit, which meant we had a 25 minute free practice session to understand how the bike was performing on the same first three corners that make up both circuit layouts. I made a few changes during free practice and felt that the bike was turning well but had poor rear traction. My fastest time was around a second slower than my best around the Indy circuit but I was happy with that considering it was my first time back on the bike since Oulton. For the first qualifying session I left the settings that I found worked best around the Indy circuit during free practice. I got up to speed quickly around the GP circuit and the settings felt good. The drive off the corners was good but this caused the bike to wheelie, which needed to be reduced to improve my speed. I was pleased with my lap time, which qualified me provisionally in 23rd out of the 48 riders. I found it difficult to improve in the second session but had a good rhythm posting consistent times, which put me in a strong position for the race. Having analysed the data the decision was made to change the gearing to reduce the rpm for warm-up. It was hoped that this would reduce the front lifting as easily and the engine braking into the corners. I got out in warm-up at the front to maximise the time available. I followed a couple of rider’s for a few laps and the bike felt better on corner entry and exit. I then found some clear track and managed to produce a reasonable lap time and I was confident that the new settings were the better option for the race. he race was due to run over 15 laps, which was good for me as the tyre life during the practice and qualifying sessions had been good and my consistent times would allow me to maintain a strong pace to the very end. The start was important as the lap times in qualifying were very close. Unfortunately I had an average get away which left me with work to do. I tried my best to make up as many places as I could in the first half of the lap without taking too bigger risks. At the end of the first lap I was 29th having fought for position with a couple of riders. I was in a long train which must have included at least 15 riders. It wasn’t until the fourth lap that the field started to spread out. I was battling for 25th and made a move into the fast Hawthorns bend at the end of the back straight. The other rider fought back and held onto the position. Determined not to get held up for any longer I was trying to make a move at numerous corners and eventually made the pass stick at Hawthorns. This released me into clear track and another rider wasn’t far ahead. With six laps remaining I was confident I could make up another position.
As expected the bike felt strong heading into the final third of the race and I was catching the rider in front quickly. There had been a sprinkling of rain during the first part of the race but not enough to worry about. On the eleventh lap I was almost in a position to make a pass but the red flags came out to stop the race in response to the heavy rain shower passing over the circuit. The race was declared and I had finished 24th. I was pleased with this result having felt as though I had ridden well and if it hadn’t been for my poor start I might have been a few places higher. I am now looking forward to Cadwell Park where I hope to build on this performance with the aim as always to score points. I would like to thank the whole IN MOTO Corse team for their continued support and hospitality at their home circuit. Good Italian cooking, just what a rider needs.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
I was looking forward to Oulton Park despite my recent run of incidents at the Cheshire circuit. Having missed valuable track time at the previous two rounds held at the circuit I wanted to make the most of the available sessions. It would be interesting to see how the changes we made for Snetterton would work around the undulating Oulton Park circuit. Despite the poor weather forecast free practice was dry and I worked at understanding how to tackle the avenue/cascades section of the circuit without making the same mistake I have made before. Brent Gladwin of GR Motosport cycled the circuit with me the day before and gave me some pointers, which helped me understand where I might have been going wrong. I felt more comfortable through this section but there was room for improvement. The bike felt unstable and lively especially on corner exit in a number of sections around the circuit. To improve the stability we increased the length of the wheelbase for the first qualifying session. The rain continued to hold off during the afternoon, which meant I could build on the session before and understand whether the changes we had made had improved the overall balance of the bike. I felt much better on the bike and which resulted in improved lap times. I ended the first qualifying session in 27th position and my lap times were within a second of my best but I was disappointed not to have gone faster. I was confident that I could improve in the second qualifying session.
A new engine bolt was borrowed from GR Motorsports Camier show bike ready for warm-up that evening. The session was only eight minutes but it gave me time to get into a decent rhythm and post a time within half a second of my best all weekend and I felt as though there was more to come in the race. On race day the rain, as forecast, was heavy and persistent throughout the morning. We prepared the bike for wet conditions as there was no sign of it clearing up. Sure enough the race was going to be wet and the rain was still coming down heavy and with no warm-up it was going to be an interesting race.
Post race scrutineering revealed that two machines breached the regulations which promoted me to 17th, which is my best result so far in the Superstock 1000 championship. Once again many thanks to the team for their support this weekend particularly for braving the elements on Sunday including Laura for holding the brolly on the line in such atrocious conditions – well beyond the call of duty. Also big thanks to GR Motorsport for use of the awning over the weekend. I am now looking forward to the Brands Hatch GP circuit in a few weeks time where I am confident of a good result having gone well there last year and on the Indy circuit earlier in the year.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
After Knockhill the standard engine was removed and replaced with the original engine rebuilt by Tim Radley. Once the engine had been fitted the bike went on the dyno to check for any leaks before Snetterton. Fortunately the bike ran OK and was ready for the 6th round of the championship where it would be put through its paces on the long straights!
I arrived at Snetterton optimistic of a good result having been there twice before on the new 300 layout but I knew improvements would have to be made judging by the lap times. The weather was looking dry and consistent throughout the weekend allowing for maximum set-up time before the race. After Knockhill Brent Gladwin of GR Motosport had been analysing the data they collected at Knockhill to discover a few areas where improvements could be made to the handling of the RSV4. He passed on this information to us and we made some changes where appropriate in an attempt to reduce the wheelies and increase stability. My plan for Free Practice was to understand the changes that had been made and what affect they had on the bikes behaviour. On the whole the bike felt improved but there is always a compromise and I felt that the bike lacked rear grip and stability over bumps. I managed to lap a second faster than I had previously. The changes needed to improve the rear grip and stability were made for first qualifying. These changes and a new set of tyres made the bike feel more planted and I was consistently lapping faster. This time I managed to lap over a second faster than I had in Free Practice posting a time of 1:55.9. I was pleased with the progress that had been made but I was determined to get into the 1:54’s. Minor damping changes to the rear shock were made for second qualifying and the conditions were very similar to first qualifying. I went out for four laps to get into a rhythm before a new rear tyre was fitted. The new tyre, as expected, made a noticeable difference and I could hold a line much better especially in the faster corners. I posted a fastest time of 1:55.2, which I was pleased with but it was only good enough for 24th on the grid. I felt as though there was more to come from my riding as the bike has good grip and I felt as though I could push harder in a few sections of the 3 mile circuit.
Race day if anything was the warmest day of the weekend and there was plenty of time to prepare, as this time round the Superstock 1000 class had drawn the short straw and we were the final race of the day. Warm-up went well without any issues and I was looking forward to the race. The race was scheduled for 14 laps, which was the longest race of the year so far. After a few delays during the day the race got underway. I got a decent start and latched onto a large group in front, which for the first couple of laps dragged me along. Unfortunately as the race progressed I dropped back a little from the pack and I lost the tow. This coupled with the tyre degradation I started to be hunted down by a couple of riders. At half race distance I had to give best to the riders that caught me and I couldn’t quite retaliate, which meant I would have to settle for 22nd at the finish. I was a little disappointed with this result but it was another finish without any dramas. Thanks go to Tim Radley for rebuilding the engine that never missed a beat all weekend and the team and sponsors for their continued support. The next round at Oulton park will be a good test for the set up changes we used at Snetterton although there will undoubtedly be some changes required due to the different nature of the track.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
With the race engine away being re-built after the problems experienced at Croft IN MOTO were able to supply another engine that could be used in the meantime, which meant I would be able to return to action at Knockhill. As planned I completed a track day at Snetterton on the Monday before Knockhill to ensure that the bike ran OK and to find a good setting in preparation for round 6 of the championship. As forecast the weekend started with heavy rainfall. The first practice was my first full wet track time I’ve had in over a year. Nevertheless I concentrated on getting a feel for the grip levels and a good wet set-up. Knockhill has a good level of grip in both wet and dry conditions but there are a few sections that can catch you out. I was happy with my progress and was looking forward to qualifying. The conditions were very similar in second qualifying and a lot of riders were making progress. I managed to improve significantly and with 10 minutes to go in the 30 minute session I was lying in 10th position. I came in to check things over and with only 5 minutes left it would be difficult to improve. I headed back out at the very end to practice my start. In the last 5 minutes I was pushed back to 15th, which was frustrating knowing that if I had stayed out I might have been able to improve, as the track conditions were more favourable. I found it difficult to improve in the second qualifying session. The conditions were similar again but I didn’t feel comfortable on the bike. However I did improve by around half a second but this wasn’t enough and I slipped back to 22nd. The conditions changed for race day and the track dried for morning warm-up which was the first dry session we had all weekend. With only 8 minutes it was important to make the most of the session and find a good setting for the race. I was happy with the set-up finishing 18th overall. The track was completely dry for the race and it didn’t look as if it would be interrupted by rain. At the start there was a coming together and at least 5 riders crashed at the second corner. I was fortunate to avoid the incident and made it back for the restart as the race was red flagged. I got a good start and ended the first lap in 14th place. I struggled in the early laps to get into a rhythm and lost out to a couple of riders. As the race progressed I clearly didn’t have the pace to run with the group in front and was battling to maintain 17th. With 10 laps to go I was passed by Geoff Lapworth but he made a mistake at the hairpin and I got back through but it wasn’t long before he had another attempt and this time I had no response. I tried hard to stay with him but couldn’t quite hang on, which left me in a safe 18th position. With a few laps remaining the race was stopped due to the light rain that had started to fall. All in all it was a good weekend and I was able to complete my first race of the year, albeit a short one! Many thanks go to IN MOTO for providing a spare engine and Brent Gladwin of GR Motosport for his hospitality and use of awning which was particularly welcome in view of the bad weather on Friday and Saturday.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Racing Batteries - www.racingbatteries.co.uk Manor Farm Café - www.manor-cafe.co.uk Carrino Flooring Ltd - www.carrino.co.uk Bohn Body Armor - www.bohnarmor.com Huntingdon Business Centre - www.huntingdonbusinesscentre.co.uk RS Workshop Equipment - www.rsworkshopequipment.co.uk Weise Leathers & Gloves - www.thekeycollection.co.uk HJC Helmets supplied by Oxford Products Spyke Boots - www.spyke.it Raptor Superpaint - www.raptorsuperpaint.co.uk Kent Holiday Cottages - www.kentholidaycottages.co.uk Ian Walker SES Race Products - www.sesraceproducts.com MCT Suspension - www.mctsuspension.com Auto Moto Racing – www.automoto-racing.co.uk AGIP – www.motoworlduk.co.uk
Due to unexpected work to the engine being required I and the team have been forced to sit out round 4 of the National Superstock 1000 championship at Thruxton. The technical issues that hampered our progress at Croft have resulted in a more thorough inspection in order to resolve the problem. At the time of writing the issue has been identified and should be resolved shortly. I am expecting to test the bike at Snetterton in a couple of weeks before heading to Knockhill for the next round of the championship.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Racing Batteries - www.racingbatteries.co.uk Manor Farm Café - www.manor-cafe.co.uk Carrino Flooring Ltd - www.carrino.co.uk Bohn Body Armor - www.bohnarmor.com Huntingdon Business Centre - www.huntingdonbusinesscentre.co.uk RS Workshop Equipment - www.rsworkshopequipment.co.uk Weise Leathers & Gloves - www.thekeycollection.co.uk HJC Helmets supplied by Oxford Products Spyke Boots - www.spyke.it Raptor Superpaint - www.raptorsuperpaint.co.uk Kent Holiday Cottages - www.kentholidaycottages.co.uk Ian Walker SES Race Products - www.sesraceproducts.com MCT Suspension - www.mctsuspension.com Auto Moto Racing – www.automoto-racing.co.uk AGIP – www.motoworlduk.co.uk
Firstly I have to thank the whole team who did a massive job getting the bike ready for Croft after my big crash at Oulton. In Moto and Austin Racing managed to get most of the parts and the remainder were provided by GR Motosport and Splitlath Motorsport. Thanks also go to Nigel Hall for the machining work and Aprilia for the technical support. With no time to test the bike beforehand we set off for Croft on Thursday with free practice scheduled for first thing on Friday. I was destined not to ride this weekend with technical issues arising which were not discovered during the rebuild. I only completed a handful of laps but managed to qualify for the race. The team worked tirelessly to resolve each problem as it arose but the final issue could not be overcome at the circuit. At the end of the day without going to Croft we would not have discovered the problems as they needed the bike to be under load either on track or on the Dyno. It is intended to resolve the problem and attend a track day as soon as possible to ensure there are no further setbacks on a race weekend.
I would like to welcome the following new partners to the team: Racing Batteries Racing Batteries manufacture a range of lightweight direct replacement batteries for motorsport applications, replacing the standard heavy lead acid unit with the latest in lightweight lithium nano phosphate·technology. Not only are Racing Batteries much lighter, they're also more powerful than lead acid units, starting your engine faster and more reliably time after time. Further details can be found on their website: Manor Farm Café The Manor Cafe is a new purpose built biker’s cafe in the Yorkshire Dales. Located just outside Bellerby, near Leyburn in the Yorkshire Dales with hundreds of miles of motorcycle touring roads on their doorstep, the Manor Cafe is the ideal place to meet and eat when visiting North Yorkshire. The Café is run by Simon Taylor who also operates Automoto-Racing on the same site. AMR supply and fit car and motorcycle tyres along with Motorcycle servicing, Motorcycle MOT’s, Motorcycle parts and a Dyno rolling road facility. Further details can be found on their website: Photo courtesy of Nigel Shearing
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Racing Batteries - www.racingbatteries.co.uk Manor Farm Café - www.manor-cafe.co.uk Carrino Flooring Ltd - www.carrino.co.uk Bohn Body Armor - www.bohnarmor.com Huntingdon Business Centre - www.huntingdonbusinesscentre.co.uk RS Workshop Equipment - www.rsworkshopequipment.co.uk Weise Leathers & Gloves - www.thekeycollection.co.uk HJC Helmets supplied by Oxford Products Spyke Boots - www.spyke.it Raptor Superpaint - www.raptorsuperpaint.co.uk Kent Holiday Cottages - www.kentholidaycottages.co.uk Ian Walker SES Race Products - www.sesraceproducts.com MCT Suspension - www.mctsuspension.com Auto Moto Racing – www.automoto-racing.co.uk AGIP – www.motoworlduk.co.uk
Promising but difficult start to the 2011 season! I was confident heading to Brands Hatch for the first round of the championship following positive testing. The lap times were a good indication of the progress that has been made over the winter and I had set myself some goals before the start of the meeting. The weather was looking good all weekend, which meant that all of the riders had plenty of time to get their bikes dialled into the circuit before the race. With 49 entries and such a short lap the practice and qualifying sessions were split into two groups. Free Practice was a long 45 minutes which allowed me to complete a good number of laps and continue where I left off the previous week on the track day. I matched my best lap time and knew that there was more to come. I made no changes apart from fitting new tyres for the first qualifying session and just concentrated on improving in the areas of the circuit where I felt weaker. I immediately began to improve on my times in free practice and on my sixth lap I posted a 47.6s lap, which was my fastest lap around Brands Hatch by half a second. This put me 9th in Group B and 11th overall out of the 49 riders. I was pleased with this performance but the times were very close and I knew that I would have to improve to maintain my position. It was looking as though the weather might affect the performance in second qualifying, as it was even hotter with temperatures reaching almost 30 degrees. I couldn’t quite improve my lap time and a few riders improved in group A which meant that I slipped down to 16th. I wasn’t too disappointed with this result as I was confident that I could improve in the race and that a points scoring position was on the cards. I made a few changes to the bike for warm-up just to try and improve the bikes performance under heavy braking and gearing. I was happy with the changes made and they were left for the race. I was looking forward to the 24 lap race. I got an average start but maintained my position around Paddock Hill and on the way up to Druids. Unfortunately I braked a little late trying to pass a rider into druids and another rider was turning into the corner and I couldn’t quite avoid clipping his rear wheel, which took us both down and out of the race. Two other riders where involved that couldn’t avoid the accident. This was a disappointing end to the race weekend especially as it had started so well.
Oulton Park was less than a week later so it meant that the time we had to repair the bike was limited. I was looking forward to this meeting, as I knew that if the progress from Brands Hatch could be continued then a points scoring position was a strong possibility. The conditions were similar to Brands Hatch so a good dry set-up was important. I got into a good rhythm during Free Practice and was happy with the set-up. My 1:42.9 lap time put me 16th out of the 53 riders. Qualifying was a few hours later and I was again concentrating on improving my riding in certain areas of the track, as the bike set-up felt good. I spent the first couple of laps clearing the traffic and as I started my 5th lap I had a clear run. I was determined to get a good lap under my belt. As I was heading towards Cascades down the Avenue I lost the front on the brakes and couldn’t save it. It was a big accident. Fortunately I was uninjured, which is testament to the quality of the Spyke leathers and boots, and HJC helmet. Unfortunately the bike didn’t do so well and was damaged heavily. Once the bike was returned to the paddock it was clear that it would be difficult to repair for the next qualifying session so we headed home to assess the damage. Again this was a frustrating way to end the weekend especially with the progress that has been made. We are now working towards the next round, which is in a fortnight’s time at Croft where I hope to get a decent race result under my belt. Many thanks to all the team for the support at Brands and GR Motorsport for letting us share their hospitality at Oulton Park. Photos courtesy of MotorsportFanMedia & Nick Railton - http://www.flickr.com/people/motorsportfanmedia/
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Pre-season testing complete – next stop Brands Hatch! The final modifications had been completed by Austin Racing at their headquarters near Brighton. They had fitted their full GP2 exhaust system and Power Commander. After numerous runs on the dyno the bike was pushing out more power than last year and the real improvement has been made lower down the rev range. The power delivery is now very linear and is showing good torque. Brands Hatch track day was important as this was my opportunity to get the bike dialled in before the first round. Traffic was expected to be an issue with such a short lap at 1.2 miles. In total I completed 90 laps of the Indy circuit, which allowed me to develop a good understanding of the set-up, where the bike felt strong and where I could improve my riding. I made good progress during the morning sessions and felt comfortable on the bike. A new rear tyre was fitted for the afternoon sessions as the original tyre had completed over 200km. The new tyre immediately felt better, as you would expect, and I continued my progress throughout the afternoon. The midrange definitely felt stronger and around a circuit like Brands Hatch you can really use that to your advantage, as there are no straights! The set-up data from last year paid off and the bike felt really good all day and the tyre life was good which bodes well for the first round. Also I had improved my lap times by nearly a second over last year’s pace, which is encouraging especially with the constraints of a track day. A track day at Donington Park was my last chance to make the final preparations to the bike before the first round of the championship this weekend. The weather was almost perfect for what we wanted to achieve how the day went and only a change to the gearing was required, which will give me a bit of a head start when we return to the Derbyshire circuit in September. The base setting of the bike has only been modified slightly from last year and I am happy that it is where it needs to be prior to the first round. I am now looking forward to Brands Hatch and the first race of the season. Practice and Qualifying are due to be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the race on Monday.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
A test day at the new Snetterton 300 circuit would be my first opportunity to put some miles on the clock. The bike was collected the weekend before and turned from a road going RSV4 APRC into the Superstock specification RSV4 APRC that I will ride in the National Superstock 1000 Championship. I looked forward to riding the new layout at Snetterton having watched a number of different on-board videos on YouTube to get an idea of what to expect. Fortunately the weather was on our side and the dry conditions would allow me to get on with running the bike in and to get used to riding the Aprilia again, as it was the first time since October. Over the winter we revised the riding position on the bike by moving the footrests back. I found the bike instantly more comfortable and it needed very little adjustment. The day was split into seven twenty minute sessions, which meant I had plenty of time to run the bike in. For the first few sessions I limited the revs to 12,000 rpm and turned all of the electronic aids off to ensure that I could apply the throttle progressively. We used the settings from last year with the only difference being the slightly heavier rear spring to reduce the amount of sag in the shock. Darren at MCT Suspension prepared and serviced the suspension for this season, as he did last year. The handling felt good straight away and the bike turned well around the new infield section of the circuit. The new tarmac is very abrasive and consequently the rear tyre wore significantly. A new rear tyre was fitted for the afternoon sessions and with some solid running in miles completed the decision was made to start using the quick shifter and electronic aids. To get the most out of the traction control and wheelie control the system needs to be calibrated for the tyres and gearing used. I spent the afternoon getting used to the electronics and continuing to experiment with lines and braking points around the new section of track. I also upped the revs slightly to give the engine more of a work out. Now that the bike is run in the real test will be at Brands Hatch in a couple of weeks. The remaining modifications to the bike will be made before then and it will go on the dyno to establish how much horsepower it is producing. I am looking forward to riding the bike in full Superstock trim and to work on the set-up ahead of the first round of the championship at Easter. It is with great regret that I have to report that Steve Wilson of Raptor Superpaint passed away last Monday. Steve has supported me for the last two years and was looking forward to another year following my progress. My sincerest condolences go to Angie and the family. Steve will be missed by all in the racing world that knew him but never forgotten. RIP Steve. A test day at the new Snetterton 300 circuit would be my first opportunity to put some miles on the clock. The bike was collected the weekend before and turned from a road going RSV4 APRC into the Superstock specification RSV4 APRC that I will ride in the National Superstock 1000 Championship. I looked forward to riding the new layout at Snetterton having watched a number of different on-board videos on YouTube to get an idea of what to expect. Fortunately the weather was on our side and the dry conditions would allow me to get on with running the bike in and to get used to riding the Aprilia again, as it was the first time since October. Over the winter we revised the riding position on the bike by moving the footrests back. I found the bike instantly more comfortable and it needed very little adjustment. The day was split into seven twenty minute sessions, which meant I had plenty of time to run the bike in. For the first few sessions I limited the revs to 12,000 rpm and turned all of the electronic aids off to ensure that I could apply the throttle progressively. We used the settings from last year with the only difference being the slightly heavier rear spring to reduce the amount of sag in the shock. Darren at MCT Suspension prepared and serviced the suspension for this season, as he did last year. The handling felt good straight away and the bike turned well around the new infield section of the circuit. The new tarmac is very abrasive and consequently the rear tyre wore significantly. A new rear tyre was fitted for the afternoon sessions and with some solid running in miles completed the decision was made to start using the quick shifter and electronic aids. To get the most out of the traction control and wheelie control the system needs to be calibrated for the tyres and gearing used. I spent the afternoon getting used to the electronics and continuing to experiment with lines and braking points around the new section of track. I also upped the revs slightly to give the engine more of a work out. Now that the bike is run in the real test will be at Brands Hatch in a couple of weeks. The remaining modifications to the bike will be made before then and it will go on the dyno to establish how much horsepower it is producing. I am looking forward to riding the bike in full Superstock trim and to work on the set-up ahead of the first round of the championship at Easter. It is with great regret that I have to report that Steve Wilson of Raptor Superpaint passed away last Monday. Steve has supported me for the last two years and was looking forward to another year following my progress. My sincerest condolences go to Angie and the family. Steve will be missed by all in the racing world that knew him but never forgotten. RIP Steve Photos courtesy of Jane Ward
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
This is the ideal situation heading into the new season, as I already understand the characteristics of the bike and everyone in the team works well together. The set-up data that we collected last year is available for all circuits apart from Donington Park and the new Snetterton 300.
As I’ve mentioned the 2011 model comes with an advanced electronics package. The system is called Aprilia Performance Ride Control (APRC), which includes traction control, wheelie control, launch control and a quick shifter. Recent reports have described the APRC system as being one of the best packages available for a production motorcycle and descend directly from the system used by 2010 Superbike Champion Max Biaggi. The system is explained in the following videos - http://www.aprilia.com/en-US/PowerNews/65642/aprc_system_en.aspx . The official Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC video can be viewed via the following link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GonMUFENmSg
I am looking forward to the start of the season
and cannot wait to get back on a bike again after the long
winter layoff. My first opportunity to test the bike is
pencilled in for the end of February at the new Snetterton 300
circuit, which is another exciting development in the racing
world. The first round of the season is at Brands Hatch on the
Indy circuit at the end of April. With this being an unusually
late start it means that we have extra time to prepare and
perfect the bike. I am also very grateful to my personal sponsors and product partners who will be continuing their support into 2011 and I look forward to working with everyone again this year. I have recently received the new Spyke Raptor leathers, Spyke Totem 2 boots and Weise gloves, which have been supplied by The Key Collection.
Oxford Products are providing the latest HJC R-PHA 10 helmet, as used by Ben Spies, in the BE ONE graphics.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
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The
safety car was deployed in response to an accident at the
Melbourne hairpin. I got a decent get away when he race was back
underway but I couldn’t get into a position to pass. On lap 9
the safety car was deployed again as there were a number of
riders down around the circuit. With three laps to go the safety
car entered the pits and racing resumed. By this stage I was
No
changes were made for second qualifier as I felt that I could
improve my riding in sections of the circuit. The rain had
cleared but the circuit was still damp in places at the start of
the session so I decided to pull into the pits after one lap to
save the tyres for later in the session once the circuit had
dried completely. Unfortunately on my return to the pits it was
found that the head of the rear engine bolt had sheared off
leaving us with no option but to sit out the remainder of the
session. I closely monitored the positions as I slowly slipped
back a couple of places. The cut-off point for the shoot-out
race was 30th and I ended up in 29th with my time from the first
session. I was frustrated but these things happen.
We
had two warm-up laps to get a feel for the conditions and riders
around me were having some moments but I felt OK. I got an
average start and was over cautious through the first few turns.
I ended the first lap in around 32nd position but I was
determined to make up positions in conditions that I enjoy
racing in. I started to pick people off and there were a lot of
riders making mistakes. I was getting quicker and more confident
and was up to 19th on the 5th lap when the red flags came out to
stop the race. This was due to a rider falling at turn one.
After a while in the pits the race director decided that the
result would be declared as of lap 4, which left me in 19th
place. I was a little disappointed as I was catching a group of
3 riders and within a few laps I would have caught and hopefully
passed them.
