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Before getting too carried away with plans for next season I wanted to reflect on the 2012 season. Pre-season testing went well following my performances in the last two rounds of the Spanish championship at the end of last year. I had no problems adapting to the Kawasaki ZX-10R having ridden the Aprilia RSV4 for two seasons. The first part of the season was up and down but I had proved I had the pace to run consistently within the top ten. I qualified on the second row at round one at Brands Hatch and managed to get high as second in the race before unfortunately crashing out. A week later I achieved my best qualifying position at this level with second place at Thruxton. This helped my confidence and I went onto finish of 5th, which was a big improvement over my previous best of 15th
I then went on to finish numerous times within the top 10 to maintain my top 10 position in the Championship. Unfortunately I had a poor run of results mid season due to a technical issue that was only resolved after a few rounds, which cost me valuable points that moved me out of the top ten. A highlight mid season was competing in the inaugural Silverstone 200, which supported the British MotoGP round. I qualified 6th in amongst some top British Superbike, World Supersport, British Supersport and National Superstock riders. I went onto finish 8th in the wet from the back of the grid and 5th in the dry. Once the technical issue had been resolved I managed to regain my early season form and although the result doesn’t reflect the performance the race at Donington Park was one of my best battling through from 30th to 13th having been run into at the first corner. At Silverstone, which was the penultimate round, I had one of my most consistent weekends having qualified 6th, despite crashing out during the session. In the race I had a good battle with a number of riders and fought hard to finish in 5th equalling my best.
I was still outside of the top 10 in the championship and was determined to pull out a season’s best result at the final round. The Brands Hatch GP circuit is one of my favourites although in qualifying I struggled but knew I had the set-up for the race. I got a poor start and was running in 14th on the first lap. However I had the pace and kept passing riders every lap. I was setting fastest laps and felt confident that I could keep moving through the pack. I got as high as 4th place right behind the first 3 but I got collected by a rider who fell whilst trying to pass me into Druids. This ended my race and season, which was disappointing to say the least, especially as I felt I was in a strong position to fight for a place on the podium.
However my performance in that final race has given me the belief and confidence that I can challenge for the title in 2013. Having summarised the success in 2012 I want to thank all of the people that have made it possible. Without your support the reality is that I couldn’t race competitively at this level so your support is greatly appreciated and I look forward to working with everyone again in the future. Alex Johnson – Supporting INMOTOCorse Barry Clay – Photography Brent Gladwin – GR Motosport Darren Wnukoski – MCT Suspension Dave Carter – Cyclops Helmets Giovani Carrino – Carrino Flooring Ltd Glen Coombes – Photography Grant Wagstaff – Grant Wagstaff Building Contractors Ltd Ian Walker – Cleanagain Ltd Ian and Phil – Camtec Jason Beauchemin – Key Collection, Weise, Spyke, Nissin Lee Smith – SFS Performance – Silicon Hoses Martin Landmann – Carrino Flooring Ltd, Ducks Cross Racing Mike Edwards – GPR steering dampers Natalie Gittins – Oxford Products, HJC helmets Neil Fisher – TrackTanium Nick Railton – Website, photography Nigel Hall – Engineering Nigel Shearing – Photography Paul English – Bohn Body Armor, Huntingdon Business Centre Rich Austin – Austin Racing Roberto Ingignoli & family - IN MOTO, South London Kawasaki Robin Milton – RS Workshop Equipment Sasha Fowler - Key Collection, Weise, Spyke, Nissin Shaun Northcott – HEL – brake lines Simon Radcliffe - RS Workshop Equipment Simon Taylor – Auto Moto Racing – Translogic Quickshifters Steve Hamilton - For maintaining & driving the IN MOTO truck Stuart Bennett – GB Racing Tim Bourne – Kent Holiday Cottages Tim Radley – Race Developments
I am keeping busy over the winter to prepare myself as well as possible for the 2013 season. I am competing in the Thetford Winter Series, which is a 4 round Mountain Bike Cross Country Championship held in the Thetford Forest. I enjoy the competition and it is a great motivator to train hard during the winter months.
Also, I have been given the opportunity to race a kart over the winter by Robin Milton of RS Workshop Equipment who has lent me his FA Alonso Kart Chassis and Rotax 125 engine to enter four rounds of the Hunts Kart Racing Club Championship who hold race meetings the second weekend of every month at the Kimbolton circuit. This is where my motorsport career began 14 years ago and I still really enjoy racing a kart. It’s great for developing race craft and keeping the mind sharp over the winter. There has been a lot of work behind the scenes since the end of the season to secure the best package possible for next year. There are still a number of options across various classes and championships. I hope to be in a position to confirm my plans for next year by Christmas so watch this space!
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Hottrax National Endurance Round 8 – Snetterton 200 I was looking forward to the final round for the Hottrax Endurance Championship at Snetterton. It was my first endurance race since 2009 and the first time I was riding a 1000cc bike to battle overall victory although we did come close in my last endurance race at Silverstone only to be let down by a mechanical failure. I teamed up with Grant Wagstaff and the Ducks Cross Racing Team. We qualified pole in the wet conditions and were looking forward to the race. The track was drying fast for the race so we would start on Dunlop slicks. We had no chance to test the slicks as the test day on Friday had been wet. I got a good start and got away in the lead. I led for a number of laps but the circuit was damp in places and I was being cautious, as it would have been easy to slip off. I was getting used to the slicks and managed to pull a 15 second lead before the safety car came out which closed everyone back up again. Once the safety car pulled off I got my head down to open up a 10 second lead but the safety car was deployed again. I had to pit during the safety car period for fuel and handover to Grant.
Grant did a great job moving through from 5th back into the lead during his stint. He was setting good and consistent times pulling out a comfortable lead. He pitted at the 1hr 30minute mark and I took over with a new rear tyre. Unfortunately the pace car came out again but the rules state that it doesn’t have to pick up the leaders. This meant that I lost nearly a lap as it was deployed between me and the leaders. I worked hard to reduce the gap and was closing in but it was going to take my stint to catch them given that I had to make up nearly a lap. As I crossed the line to start the 93rd lap the bike started to misfire and as I entered the left hander at the end of the back straight the dash went blank and the bike cut out. I got the bike back to the pits and it was discovered that the battery terminal had come detached from the battery. This was easily solved but a quick check of the bike found that the brake pads were too worn to continue. A disappointing way to end the season but that’s Endurance racing and we did what we could to continue but the lack of dry track time meant that we weren’t fully prepared for the race. Thanks to Grant Wagstaff, Ducks Cross Racing and all of my personal sponsors.
On Friday I tested a Ducati 848 as I had been offered the opportunity to test it by Mike Green of Boast Plumbing with a view to racing it in the 2013 Ducati 848 Challenge. I started by adjusting the controls to get the best riding position. I found the limits early on in my second session and high sided out of the last corner in the wet. It was a minor setback, as the bike was repaired and I got straight back out there. I used the remaining sessions to understand the bike and get a feel for it in the tricky conditions. It was a shame that I didn’t get a run out on it in the dry but I enjoyed riding a V twin again. I also did not have any difficulties changing between the 848 and ZX10r, which was one of the main purposes of the test. Photos courtesy of Barry Clay Our partners for the 2010 season include:
The final round of the Metzler National Superstock 1000 Championship was upon us and it was the last chance to get on the podium! Free Practice was a chance to assess how the ride height change used at the last round at Silverstone would work at Brands. The bike was difficult to ride on the firmer settings used for Silverstone so it was softened off for Q1. The bike felt much better as I had more control over the crests onto the straights. I got into a good rhythm but I was struggling on the brakes and kept running on into the corners. I did what I could and was setting a consistence pace but my time put me down in 15th a second off of my best so I knew that there was more to come. Overnight the team worked hard to rectify the brake issue. The weather was looking good for the second qualifying session on Saturday. Having changed the master cylinder the brakes worked as well as they ever had and I managed to post a faster time on the part worn tyre from the first session. I knew that I could improve with the new tyre having pitted with around 20 minutes of the session remaining. I improved straight away and posted a 1:29.4, which was my fastest ever time around the GP circuit. I continued to post consistent times throughout the session so I knew I had good race pace. My best time was good enough for 12th place on the grid. Two tenths of a second improvement would have moved me up to 6th so it was shaping up to be a close race. I went out in warm-up to make sure everything was ready to go for the race. I was second quickest and looking forward to the race. The 12th place grid position is on a good part of the pit straight as it is downhill whereas the first two rows are on the uphill run to Paddock Hill bend. However I got a poor start and dropped a couple of places. I fought hard at Druids to make up places and settled into 14th place on the first lap. I started picking off riders and was battling with several riders every lap. I was really enjoying the race and the leaders were not getting away. I felt comfortable and continued to move up the order and was inside the top ten within 5 laps. I made up a couple more places into Paddock, where I was strong on the entry so it made a good passing place. I moved into 5th place as the pace car came out. The safety car entered the pits with 4 laps remaining. I got up to 4th place behind PJ Jacobsen on the Tyco Suzuki but got re-passed by Howie Mainwaring. With 2 laps to go I passed Lee Costello into Paddock but he tried to pass me back into Druids. He lost the front and could not avoid taking me out. A disappointing end to the season but I was pleased to be on the same pace as the leaders with a podium in sight. A big thanks to the IN MOTO Corse team, my personal sponsors and all of my supporters for making this all possible in 2012.
  Photos courtesy of Barry Clay and MotorsportFanMedia
@jonrailton
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
I always look forward to the Silverstone round of the championship, as it is one of the best circuits in the world. It’s also my local round so there’s usually plenty of support. I changed some settings to improve the ZX-10R’s turning ability and riding position. My circuit knowledge is good especially having finished 5th in race 2 of the inaugural Silverstone 200 race meeting earlier in the year that supported the British Grand Prix. Free Practice was held in dry conditions but the circuit had only just dried out from earlier rainfall so the track was very green. However the new settings seemed to have the desired affect and the bike turned well especially through the technical sections like Maggots and Becketts onto the long straights. The performance of the part worn rear really dropped off towards the end of the session. On inspection the tyre was cold tearing badly so adjustments would be needed to the suspension to rectify for the first qualifying session. In addition the gearing was shortened and new tyres would be fitted. All these changes improved the bike dramatically as I reduced my Free Practice times by several seconds. The conditions were good and the wind wasn’t really an issue around the majority of the lap. I was posting consistent times that were good enough for the top 12. I came into the pits with 10 minutes remaining. I left the pits with enough time to post two full laps. I matched my best time on the first flying lap and went on to better that on the second flying lap improving by two tenths, which moved me up to 9th.
I was confident that I could improve in the second qualifying session. I started the session with the rear tyre from Q1 to get up to speed. After three laps I came in for the new tyre which immediately gave me confidence to push hard after the first lap out. On my second flying lap I moved up to 4th position with a 2m 10.9 lap a tenth of a second off the lap record which was unknown to me at the time as my lap timer wasn’t working. I was pushing and felt confident that I could improve again but as I was exiting Chapel the rear tyre lost traction and it tried to throw me over the top. I held on but couldn’t save it and fell awkwardly. Fortunately I was just a bit battered and bruised and hadn’t sustained any substantial injuries. The bike was OK apart from a broken footrest and cosmetic damage to the bodywork. The time set on my second flying lap was good enough to put me 6th on the grid, which is one of my strongest qualifying performances of the year. Big thanks to Richard Sangwin for providing physio treatment after my crash and to Wesley Pearce for providing the Hot Tub that I used to help reduce my aches and pains! Warm-up was used on Sunday morning to check that everything was OK after the crash which it was as I posted the 7th quickest time. I have changed my starting technique for the last few races which has improved my starts. In the race I again got a good start and held my own on the first lap crossing the line in 5th position. Victor Cox passed me on lap 2 but the safety car was deployed after a crash on lap one as several riders went down at the final corner. On the re-start I stayed glued to the back of Victor’s ILR Kawasaki and he was all over the Ducati Panigale ridden by Lee Johnston. He passed the Ducati but I found it more difficult to pass Lee who was strong on the brakes. I was passed by Lee Costello and Joe Burns who also got by the Ducati. I was becoming more frustrated but eventually passed Lee into the Becketts section and immediately concentrated on closing the gap to Victor and Joe in 4th and 5th places respectively. I closed in quickly but Joe had already made a move into 4th and pulled a gap. I managed to pass Victor into Stowe on lap 8 moving into 5th. I started to close the gap on Joe in 4th but as the last lap approached the tyre started to drop off and I couldn’t bridge the gap. I was surprised when Victor passed me into the Arena but he over ran and I re-passed him on the exit. I held onto the position to the finish equalling my best finish of the season.
I was happy with the performance and was glad to be back in the top 5. My aim now is to improve on my career best and score my first podium in the National Superstock 1000 class at Brands Hatch. I want to thank the IN MOTO Corse team for all their efforts throughout the weekend especially to repair the bike after the crash in qualifying and to my personal sponsors for their continued support.
@jonrailton
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
It was good to return to Cadwell for round 9 of the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship after the five week summer break. I was confident having completed a successful test there a few weeks before. Based on feedback from the test I made a couple of changes to the set-up to make the bike more stable under braking and took a tooth off the rear sonsors for their continued support Free Practice at the Leicestershire circuit got off to a bad start, as I could only complete a few laps due to a slipping clutch. The clutch was replaced for the first qualifying session and I knew that I would need to make up for the lack of track time. I chipped away at it but by the time I was comfortable to start pushing the tyre had past its best therefore I was going to struggle to set a competitive time. I managed a 1:34.1 which was good enough for 18th. The weather had been good all weekend and conditions for the second qualifying session were no different and I opted to run a scrubbed rear tyre for the first part of the session to give myself the opportunity to try different settings without using the best of the new tyre. Having completed a handful of laps managing a sub 1m 34s lap in the process I pitted for the new rear tyre. I immediately went quicker and kept improving to post a time of 1m 33.5s leaving me in 14th. I was happy with the time but felt I could improve and looking at the times there was very little between the top 15 riders. Two tenths of a second covered the riders from 7th to 15th
The race was early on Sunday and I did what I
needed to in warm-up to prepare for the race without taking
unnecessary risks as less than an hour later we would be lining
up on the grid. As the lights went out I got a good start and
moved up a few places but as I tipped it into turn 1 I was
struck from behind and was lucky to stay on. This dropped me back to 28th as I completed the first lap having passed a couple of riders. The safety car was deployed at the end of the first lap which gave me a chance to check the bike for any signs of damage (the photo of the underside of the seat unit shows the extent of the damage caused in the collision at turn 1). As the pace car came in I managed to pass several riders over the next few laps to get up to 20th by lap 7 and was lapping consistently faster than those ahead. I continued to pass riders and by lap 12 was up to 13th place. By this time the riders in front where out of reach with only three laps remaining. I had enjoyed the race battling through the pack but would have liked to have run up the front with the group battling for the podium. I am now looking forward to Silverstone in three weeks time where I hope I can a strong result and close on those ahead of me in the championship. Thanks again to the IN MOTO Corse team for all of their efforts throughout the weekend and to all of my sponsors for their continued support.
Photos courtesy of Motorsportfanmedia
@jonrailton Our partners for the 2010 season include:
It was good to return to Cadwell for round 9 of the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship after the five week summer break. I was confident having completed a successful test there a few weeks before. Based on feedback from the test I made a couple of changes to the set-up to make the bike more stable under braking and took a tooth off the rear sprocket to improve the pick up out of the slow speed corners. My best time on used tyres was slightly better than my best at the test. The first qualifier was affected by rain. I came in early to adjust the tyre pressures on the wet tyres as the track was beginning to dry. After a few laps I was starting to move up the order and was as high as 6th with around 5 minutes remaining. Unfortunately I had missed the window to change to a dry rear tyre. I was punished for this mistake as I dropped from 7th to 21st in one lap. This was disappointing but I was confident I would be competitive if the second session was dry.
The second qualifier started dry and I was in a strong position as I had two new rear tyres to use during the session. I knew that the new rear tyre was good for half a dozen or so laps so I pushed hard for 6 laps before entering the pits to have the new rear fitted. I was confident that I could improve on the new tyre but as the rear wheel was being changed the rain came, which brought the session to a premature end. I had qualified 9th, which I was happy with after the disappointment of the first session. In warm-up I wanted to prove to myself that I could have improved so I got out in front and with a clear track managed to lap faster than I had in qualifying and ended the session 5th fastest.
It was looking dry for the race but as we headed
out for the sighting lap the heavens opened again and the race
was declared wet. We changed to a full wet set-up as the rain
looked as though it was going to stay. I got a good start and
held 9th for the first couple of laps. It took me a while to get
a feel for the grip levels as the rain began to ease. I didn’t
have the confidence in the grip as the wet settings were
overheating the tyres in the drying conditions. I tried to hang
onto riders as they passed me but just couldn’t run their pace.
The group in front started to slow with a few laps remaining and
I pushed hard to catch them to put myself in a position to pass
on the last lap. I lined up the rider in front into the hairpin
but wasn’t close enough to make a pass. I crossed the line in
18th place which was disappointing in view of my qualifying
pace.
I am looking forward to Donington Park next weekend where I scored two top ten finishes earlier in the year. Thanks to the whole IN MOTO Corse team and all of my sponsors for their continued support
@jonrailton Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Testing at Cadwell Park – Cadwell is one circuit where it is important to get it right from the off as it is very narrow and has no run off except onto the grass. To be fast you have to be precise which means more than most other circuits it is important to test there before a race meeting. Cadwell was the circuit where I first rode the Kawasaki ZX-10R almost exactly a year ago. The best opportunity I had to get out on track was a track day. This always restricts the amount of decent track time available but it is still worthwhile. Surprisingly I felt comfortable straight away and found a good rhythm. After a couple of sessions I felt strong and the new base settings were working really well. My speed was good and I was managing to find some decent clear track to string a few quick laps together. A second part worn rear tyre was used for the afternoon sessions, which helped with rear traction but the Metzeler Racetec Interact tyres are really consistent therefore the difference was marginal. It allowed me to maintain a decent pace and assess the settings during the final couple of sessions. I ended the track day feeling confident and looking forward to the championship round there over the bank holiday weekend. There are a few small set-up changes that I want to try which will hopefully improve lap times further along with new tyres. Having resolved the main brake issue at the last round of the championship Cadwell was the ideal opportunity to try Nissin sintered racing brake pads supplied by The Key Collection. I started the day using the pads I have been getting on best with up until now before changing to the Nissin pads for a direct comparison. The Nissin pads worked really well providing strong braking power and good feel through the lever. Cadwell is hard on brakes so this was a good test. I didn’t suffer with any brake fade or excessive lever movement in any of the sessions, which was particularly good considering the high air temperature. As a result of the positive test The Key Collection will be supplying the team with Nissin brake pads for the remainder of the season. As well as testing I have been trying to use the time in between race meetings to work on my fitness to ensure that I am in the best shape for the next round. I also attended Silverstone for the British round of the World Superbike Championship with IN MOTO as guests of Kawasaki. During the day I was treated to the Kawasaki Riders Club hospitality, exclusive grandstand access and other attractions during the day. I had an interview with Paul Musselle, who is the voice of BSB Radio, on stage in front of the 600 Kawasaki Riders Club members, which was a good opportunity to share my season so far and my expectations for the remainder of the season. Last weekend I attended the Ben Gautrey Foundation charity event organised by Laura Stephenson, which was held at the Manor Cafe in North Yorkshire where I met a few old friends from the BSB paddock and new ones who attended the event which raised £2000 for the charity. With a week to go I am looking forward to getting back out on track at Cadwell again where I will be aiming to improve on my best result to date.
@jonrailton Our partners for the 2010 season include:
I always look forward to riding the GP circuit at Brands Hatch, as it has some of the best corners in the country and you have to be committed to get the best lap time! Free practice on Friday was held on the Indy circuit due to the limited number of days that can be run on the GP circuit. The session was simply to dial myself in but more importantly discover if the changes we had made to the brakes resolved the previous problems. Unfortunately the brakes were still losing performance and had no feeling especially when they got hot. The only option now was to change the master cylinder. Fortunately we had a brand new one ready to go and immediately the lever operation felt more positive. Q1 would be the first opportunity to get a feel for the bike around the GP circuit and I felt good after only a few laps using settings form the previous meeting at Oulton the bike felt more stable but still turned as I wanted it too . The brake issue had been resolved and I was experiencing no fade and subsequently I had a much better feel for the brakes, which helps especially when trail braking. My time of a 1:30.1 was good enough for 10th but this was expected to change as it was the first opportunity to set a time around the GP circuit.
I was feeling much more confident about my chances leading into the second Qualifying session now that the brakes felt as good as they ever had. The new base settings from Oulton Park were working well and I knew, if I used the best of the new tyres early on in the session, that I could post a fast time. I waited at the start of the session to give myself some space to post a couple of fast laps without traffic. I took a couple of laps to make sure everything was dialled in and then I went for it. The lap felt good and I kept the pace up for the entire lap and I didn’t make any big mistakes. I crossed the line and posted a 1:29.5 lap time, which was good enough for the front row at the time. As the other riders pitted for new tyres I slipped down the order as expected. Although my time was good enough for 7th and a second row start for the race. It was good to be back at the sharp end and I was confident I had the pace to run with the top eight riders. The race was scheduled for 14 laps and it was going to be hot with the air temperature reaching almost 30 degrees. I had been practicing my starts at the end of each session to ensure that I got the best getaway possible. As the lights went out I got a good start and drove hard away from the line. I closed in on the riders in front as we tipped into Paddock. I held my position for the first half of the lap before I was passed along with Dave Johnson down the back straight by the Tyco Suzuki of PJ Jacobsen.
I crossed the line at the end of the first lap in
10th
The car pulled in with 4 laps remaining and I was keen to move passed some of the riders in front to move towards the top 5. On the first flying lap after the safety car Daniel Johnson lost the front into Surtees and a couple of corners later Dave Johnson ran off the track. This moved me up to 7th but I had lost ground on the pack in front. I was riding hard to maintain the gap to the riders behind but Lee Costello was closing in. I was struggling to hold a line with a couple of laps to go and was forced to reduce my corner entry sped to avoid running on and gifting the position to the rider behind. On the last lap Lee made a move into Hawthorns and he just passed me but I was immediately trying to get a run at him into the next corner. I felt stronger over the second half of the lap but I couldn’t find a way through and had to settle for 8th. I was happy with this result and to be back in the top 10 where I expect to be every weekend now that we have resolved the issue that has plagued me for the last few rounds. I am now looking forward to testing at Cadwell Park on 4th August in preparation for the next round. Many thanks to the team and my sponsors for their continued support and hospitality throughout the weekend!
@jonrailton Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Heading to Oulton Park I was hoping that the brake problems I had experienced at Knockhill had been resolved by fitting PFM discs and Ferodo pads. Free practice on Friday was held in extremely wet conditions with a lot of lying water on the track. I spent the session building my confidence in the difficult conditions and felt as though I could go quicker if necessary should qualifying be wet. With 50 entries free practice was split into 2 sessions. On combined times I finished 9th overall. Both qualifying sessions on Saturday were held in warm sunny conditions a complete contrast from Friday. For the first session changes were made to the suspension settings used during the last visit to the track. Immediately the bike felt more stable, which around a circuit like Oulton gave me more confidence to push harder over the bumpier sections of the circuit. I got into a good rhythm and managed several clear laps. My best lap time during the session was a 1:41.0, which was just half a second off of my personal best and was good enough for 14th.
In the second session I was able to get out in front of the pack to give myself as much clear track as possible whilst the tyres were at their best. My lap times dropped quickly and my third lap was a 1:40.3, which was good enough for 9th. As the session progressed I struggled to go any quicker but I held 9th until the end of qualifying. I was jumped by three riders who had put a new rear tyre on during the session, which just gave them the edge. This put me 12th on the grid for the race, so I was happy with a third row start and a new personal best lap time. There was no warm-up session on Sunday so we were straight into the race.
Starting from the inside I was confident I could make up places into the first corner as I had done previously. I got a decent start and moved to the inside of the rider in front but he blocked into the first corner and hesitated as riders from the outside turned in. This baulked me and riders swept around the outside which cost me several places and I ended the first lap in 17th place. I was getting frustrated behind the other riders as I was getting held up in the corners, which affected my drive out. Also the brake problem returned as the race developed. This made me run on into the corners and I just couldn’t run the pace of the riders around me and I started to drop back. It felt unsafe to follow anyone too closely into the braking zones, which made it difficult to pass anyone. The safety car came out on lap 7 after a rider had high sided out of Druids. The race got under way again on lap 9 but two riders fell at the Shell Oils hairpin bringing out the red flags. I finished 18th which was disappointing considering the pace I had shown in qualifying. Frustratingly the brakes had been fine all through qualifying but only showed up in the race as before. The brake issue needs to be sorted for the next round at Brands Hatch and there are things still to try in order to resolve the brake lever coming back to the bar. The Brands Hatch GP circuit is a track I enjoy and have gone well at in the past so I am hoping to improve on my best result of the season! Big thanks to the team for all their efforts throughout the weekend!
@jonrailton Our partners for the 2010 season include:
I was looking forward to racing at Knockhill, as it is a circuit I enjoy racing at and it has a good mix of corners. The circuit layout couldn’t be more different to Silverstone and changes were made to the set-up to allow the bike to change direction quickly. Considering the poor weather forecast the rain just about held off for free practice and first qualifying on Friday. I felt comfortable throughout both sessions and only minor changes were made to the settings. These changes worked really well with the new rubber and I posted a time good enough for 8th. For the first time at Knockhill there would only be 3 riders per row on the grid therefore this would put me in the middle of the third row. I entered the pits for a few checks but it was clear that nobody could improve, as the tyres started to go off. Therefore I used the remainder of the session to work on my race pace. I was still struggling with brake fade as the sessions progressed and we were trying to find a solution but nothing seemed to be working at this stage. The second qualifying session on Saturday was held in wet conditions therefore nobody could improve so the times were set for the grid from the first session.
I knew, as always, a good start was important to
get away with the front group of riders. I got a slow get away
off the line but made up for it at the first corner. On the
first lap I made a move on Josh Day into the last corner but got
poor drive out and Marshall Neil drove past both of us up the
hill and passed me into the first corner. Not wanting to lose
touch with the front group I passed Marshall back at the end of
that lap and got a better drive and managed to hold onto the
position. I was running in 8th behind John McGuiness and posting
consistent times, which helped to maintain a small gap to the
riders behind.
I was feeling comfortable until half race distance and the different brake pads we tried for the race seemed to be making a difference. I moved up to 7th at the expense of Jason O’Halloran who crashed out of the leading group. Frustratingly the brake started to fade just past half race distance and I was struggling to maintain the pace. As I struggled on the brakes into the hard braking zones I was passed by the pursuing pack. As the tyre started to wear I was trying to make up for the lack of drive by running into the corner faster but that seemed to make the brake worse so I had to find the best compromise. I was passed again by Marshall Neil but I managed to hang onto him with a couple of laps remaining. I knew I had a chance to pass him into the last corner so I waited until the final lap to make the pass. He moved to the inside of the circuit to block but I managed to make a pass but we both ran deep into the hairpin. I ran wide and found three riders including Marshall driving passed me on the run to the line. I out drove one of them but had no response to the others and I crossed the line in 13th position. I enjoyed the racing but was disappointed not to maintain the early race pace. There are things we can try to resolve the braking issue and I am working on some set-up changes to improve stability for the next round at Oulton Park. Thanks again to the team for all their efforts throughout the weekend and to Brent Gladwin of GR Motosport for providing awning space and hospitality.
@jonrailton Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Mixed fortunes at the Inaugural Silverstone 200! I was looking forward to competing at the British round of the MotoGP World championship at one of my favourite circuits, Silverstone! It was also an opportunity to compete against some of the British Superbike “Elite” teams and test myself against them. The Free Practice session was held on Friday afternoon and I used it to get a feel for the Dunlop slicks and the PFM brakes, which could be used in the “open” formula. I completed a good number of laps in the 30 minutes and posted a 2:13.1 lap time. I was happy with that and it was good enough for 7th fastest in that session. Although I did make some changes to the geometry to improve the bikes stability to suit the aggressive profile of the Dunlop’s. Limited tyre availability forced me to use the same set of tyres in qualifying that I used in Free Practice. I knew I had to post a fast time early on in the session before the tyre lost noticeable grip. The settings felt better and I got a good tow, which helped me to post a 2:11.5 lap time. This put me 6th overall on the grid behind Shane Byrne, Stuart Easton, Sam Lowes, Jules Cluzel and Christian Iddon but ahead of many BSB and British Supersport riders. The first race was scheduled for Saturday afternoon and weather was looking good but as we set off on the warm-up lap it started to spit with rain. The race started as normal but was red flagged on the first lap. We entered the pits and waited for a decision to be made for the re-start. It was unclear what way the weather was going to go but with a few minutes remaining before pit lane opened the rain came down and it was clear that wets were needed. Unfortunately I didn’t make it out in time to complete the sighting lap and as a result I had to start from the back of the grid. I wasn’t too disheartened; as I was confident that I could move through the pack and that the Dunlop wets would give me the grip needed to outpace the other riders. I managed to move up from 27th on the grid to 12th after 2 laps. I settled down but I was having moments trying to catch the riders in front. I was surprised by the lack of grip and tried to ride around the problems I had to improve my speed. I battled with other riders for a top ten finish before a few of the riders fell from the top five, which showed how slippery the circuit was. This moved me up to 8th and I held onto the position until the 7th lap when the race was red flagged due to an accident that left the bike and rider in a difficult position to be recovered. I was happy with the result considering where I had to start. I was looking forward to a dry race on Sunday and working through the pack from 11th on the grid, which was set by the best lap times from race one. The weather for the second race was better than it had been all weekend and it was to be run over the scheduled 16 laps, which is longer than most BSB races. I got an average start I crossed the line in 13th position after the first lap. I was keen to move forward as quickly as possible to prevent the riders up front getting too far ahead of the pack. I passed a few of the Supersport and Superbike riders before battling with Florian Marino, Aaron Zanotti, Tristan Palmer and Lee Costello.
I was happy with my performance but would have liked to have started further up the grid to get away with the riders in front. It was a good experience battling with the BSB riders and to race at an event with the profile of MotoGP. I am now looking forward to getting back to business in the National Superstock 1000 Championship at Knockhill this weekend, which is a circuit I enjoy riding at. I will be giving it my all to achieve my first podium finish and to move up the order in the championship.
@jonrailton Our partners for the 2010 season include:
The Silverstone 200! I am pleased to announce that I will be competing in the inaugural Silverstone 200 races this coming weekend (15/16/17 June), which supports the British round of the MotoGP World Championship at Silverstone. The Silverstone 200 concept has been put together for the first time this year and the “200” refers to the format of 2 100km length races, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday after the MotoGP track action. The regulations should make for great racing, as it allows for BSB Superbike, open 1000cc an d open 600cc specification machinery! The entry list includes some top names from the British and World Superbike paddocks (Shane Byrne, Stuart Easton, Sam Lowes and Jules Cluzel) who will make an appearance alongside a handful of other British Superbike, British Supersport and National Superstock 1000 riders. Silverstone is one of my favourite circuits and it’s my local circuit so I am really looking forward to racing this weekend against some of the best riders in the world. I will be riding a similar spec ZX-10R to the one I race in the National Superstock Championship, which has just returned from the Isle of Man TT, as ridden by Grant Wagstaff. Congratulations to Grant for being awarded a Bronze Replica for his performance in the Superstock TT and for completing a 120mph + lap! With there being no tyre restrictions this weekend I am pleased to confirm that I will be using the latest Dunlop slicks and wets. I would like to thank Dunlop for their support and I look forward to extracting the most out of the tyres around the high speed Silverstone circuit.
@jonrailton Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Snetterton Having raced at the Hottrax Motorsport race meeting at the Snetterton 300 circuit a few weeks ago we had a base setting that would work straight away. There were a few changes I wanted to try, to make the bike more stable under braking. The weather was forecast to be dry and hot all weekend. I used free practice to get up to speed and evaluate the new settings. It was a longer session than usual so it gave me time to experiment and understand if the new settings had made an improvement. The bike definitely felt better and I was happy with my pace at that stage of the weekend. First qualifying was held in the afternoon on Friday and the conditions were similar to free practice in the morning. The new tyres made the improvement we expected and my lap times were improving every lap. Once the tyres had pasted their best I continued to post consistent times to understand the tyre life over race duration. The tyre lasted well but my pace would have to improve if I wanted to qualify on the first two rows. Provisionally I had qualified 13th, which would put me on the outside of row 4.
We decided to use the same rear tyre for the first part of Q2 and then go for a quick lap on a new rear in the second part of the session. I equalled my best time from the first session on the old tyre, which left me feeling confident that I could improve my time on the new tyre. Due to the long lap length I was left with four laps to post a time. Frustratingly I was stuck in traffic for a couple of laps and I only managed to find some clear track on my last lap. Unfortunately a rider entering the pits underestimated the speed at which I was closing in on him and I was bulked into and out of the final corner. This cost me a lot of time and prevented me from improving my time on the new tyre. This put me in 19th on the grid for the race on Sunday. I was disappointed and I knew that the start was really important if I was going to work my way through the pack.
I was keen, in warm-up, to prove to myself that I had the pace to run inside the top ten. I had a good run of laps and I posted a time 0.5 seconds faster than my qualifying time and my ideal time was significantly faster than that. I was 5th quickest and feeling confident for the race but knew it would be difficult from 19th. I got a good start and made a few moves on the first lap. At the end of the first lap I had moved into 17th and I was determined to work my way through past the group of riders in front before those ahead got away. I passed 3 more riders and on lap 5 I was in 14th and chasing the group in front. Unfortunately I began to experience brake fade due to the high temperatures and slipstreaming. This forced me to adjust the brake lever but it knocked my confidence into the heavy braking areas. At the end of the back straight I was finding it hard to slow the bike down and had to rush the gear changes into the right hander. I changed down to 1st gear which nearly threw me over the bars but I hung on and recovered but lost three places in the process. This affected my rhythm and I was again battling with the riders I had passed earlier in the race. I managed to move up to 14th position on the penultimate lap. I was riding hard to maintain that position and there was no possibility of challenging the riders in front. Struggling with the brakes I was passed at the end of the back straight and was unable to make a move before the finish and crossed the line in 15th position to score a single point. Big thanks to the team again for all their efforts over the weekend.
Many thanks to Bohn Body Amor for providing their latest armour which includes the Euro RR Chest Protector, Tribal Armored Shorts and ProRacer Carbon Black Magic Back Protector. I have used this armour ever since I started racing and along with the Spyke leathers and boots and Weise gloves they have provided excellent protection from gravel rash and broken bones.
I would like to welcome support from TrackTanium who manufacture high quality captive wheel spacers. The spacers allow for much faster wheel changes as they don’t fall out when the wheels are removed or installed. TrackTanium will be manufacturing more products so watch this space. Information regarding their products will be available shortly on TrackTanium.com however if anyone is interested in obtaining the spacers they can contact me through my website for further information.
I’m looking forward to the trip across the border to Knockhill for the next round of the championship. Knockhill is a short but technical circuit that I enjoy racing at and I’m confident that I can get the ZX10R dialled in around there. I hope to maintain my top ten position in the championship and challenge for a top five finish in the race.
@jonrailton Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Round 3 Oulton Park Round 3 of the National Superstock 1000 Championship at Oulton Park would be a challenge as we had not tested at this circuit this year. Oulton was a circuit I hadn’t got on well with during the past two seasons. In fact I had only completed four racing laps due to crashes and race cancellations. In free practice the bike felt good straight out of the box and I was pleased with my lap times at that stage of the weekend. We made a few changes to the set-up for qualifying and I improved my times, as I started to feel more comfortable with the bikes behaviour around the undulating circuit. Stability became an issue as I started to push harder and a set-up change for the second session would need to be made. The bikes geometry was changed to make the bike more stable and the conditions for the second session were very similar, which meant I would have reliable feedback from the bike. I did feel more comfortable on the bike as I completed more laps during the second session but this was influenced more by the fact that I was learning more about the circuit. I improved on my time from the first session but this wasn’t enough and I dropped back to 16th position. This meant that I would have to start the race from the fourth row of the grid. The changes we made for warm-up didn’t make much difference and if anything my pace wasn’t as good as it was in qualifying. Therefore I changed the settings back for the race and I knew it would be down to me to find the extra needed to give me any chance of finishing in the top ten.
Photos courtesy of Nigel Shearing I knew how important the start would be and I got a good drive away from the line and gained several places into the first corner diving up the inside and by the end of the lap I was up to 12th right behind John McGuinness. At the start of the second lap I was determined to stay with the leading pack but I made a mistake and ran wide into Cascades and lost touch with the group ahead. I tried my best to get back on terms with them but the gap was increasing bit by bit every lap. This was frustrating but in pursuing the riders in front I had pulled a 5 second lead over the chasing pack. With a third of the race remaining I was lying in 11th position and setting consistent times, which helped to increase the gap to the riders behind. With around 4 laps remaining Adam Jenkinson came off at Island bend and as a result his bike damaged the air fencing which called for the race to be red flagged leaving me in 10th position. It was good to come away with a positive result and score more championship points. I am looking forward to coming back to Oulton Park later in the year where I hope I can and improve on this result.
Round 4 Donington Park
Photos courtesy of Nigel Shearing The fourth double header round at Donington Park was scheduled for the following weekend and it is one of my favourite circuits. I was confident that I could run at the sharp end in free practice. The track conditions were good but the wind was strong, which affected the stability and braking on the second half of the circuit. I set a decent time which was good enough to put me 11th fastest. I knew that a fresh set of tyres would allow me to lap considerably faster around a circuit that demands good side grip due to the length of time spent on the side of the tyre around the 4km lap. I gave the tyres a lap to get up to temperature and bed in but as I tipped it into the first turn and lost the front and down I went. With a tight schedule on the first day of the meeting the team immediately started to repair the damage to ensure that the bike would be ready for the second qualifying session later that afternoon. The bike was repaired in good time but I wanted to take my time and build up to a fast pace early on in the session to check the bike was OK. Everything seemed to be going well and I was feeling confident after a nervous start to the session. I entered the pits just before the half way point of the session for a new rear tyre. I felt as though there was a lot more to come as I completed my out lap and started my first flying lap on the new tyre. My times improved immediately and I was improving every lap. Unfortunately my session was cut short as I ran low on fuel. This was frustrating and it left me in 16th position on the grid for race one but I knew I had the pace to run higher up the order.
Photos courtesy of Nigel Shearing In warm-up I set a good pace to prove to myself that I had the speed to run nearer the front in the races. I was 7th fastest and my ideal best time was even stronger so this gave me a boost for race 1. Similarly to Oulton Park I knew I had to get a good start and I managed to move up the order again. A few riders fell at the start of the lap and I made a few moves towards the end of the lap, which I made stick and I crossed the line in12th place. I went quicker than I had in qualifying and I was consistent, which kept me close to the group of riders in front as I pulled an ever increasing gap on the riders behind. It was a similar race to Oulton Park, as I was trying to make inroads into the gap in front with a comfortable gap behind. I couldn’t quite challenge the riders in front and felt as though I was struggling for drive out of the corners. I crossed the line in 9th position, which I was happy with and I had improved on my qualifying time by over three quarters of a second. This was good enough for 11th on the grid for race 2. I decided to gear the bike shorter for the second race to improve the drive out of the slower turns. Apart from that the bike felt good and the conditions were almost perfect as in race one. In the second race I again got good drive off the line and made up a couple of places at turn 1. I was determined to stay with the leading group and crossed the line in 10th place. On the second lap I passed Joe Dickinson for 9th place going into McLeans. This put me on the back of the group battling for 4th position but over the next few laps the leaders started to stretch the gap. I was under pressure from a rider behind but I could tell that the gap wasn’t decreasing from my pit board so I could focus on the riders in front. As the laps passed I felt comfortable and my times were consistent. I could see a few riders in front were having tyre issues, which gave me confidence. With two laps remaining I closed in on Victor Cox and was lining him up for a move on the last lap. He was riding well and used defensive lines into the key overtaking places. This made my job difficult but I stuck right behind him and out of the Melbourne Hairpin he made a mistake and the front wheel of his bike came off the ground enough for him to lose drive up to the last corner. I passed him on the way up the rise and rode defensively around the last corner and managed to hold the position to the finish. I crossed the line in 8th position 6.5 seconds behind the winner. I was pleased with my race pace and to have scored more points. After my two ten finishes I have now moved up to 10th place in the championship. I am now looking forward to the next round at Snetterton where I hope to score more points and close in on the top five in the championship. Again I would like to thank the team for all their efforts over the weekend particularly for getting the bike ready after the crash in Q1. Big thanks also to my personal sponsors for their continued support.
@jonrailton
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Topsy-turvy Start to National Superstock 1000 Championship! I was confident of getting a good result at the first round of the National Superstock 1000 Championship following my performance at Brands hatch a couple of weeks earlier. The weather was forecast due to be changeable all weekend but I felt confident whatever the weather. Due to the high number of entries 65 riders 65 in all free practice and qualifying were split into two groups. First practice went well and I ended up 3rd in my group. The first qualifying session was damp but wet enough for wet tyres. I felt comfortable in those conditions and the bike felt good with only minor changes made to the base settings. I ended the session 3rd again in group A. The second group of riders had more favourable conditions and the circuit became dry enough for a dry rear tyre. In the interests of fairness the groups weren’t to be combined based purely on overall times due to the changeable conditions. Therefore the grid positions were allocated alternately; the fastest rider from the fastest session would start pole and the fastest rider from the other group would start second and so on. Second qualifying was held in slightly drier conditions and late on in the session I fitted dry tyres. I had to get up to speed quickly and was running as high as second. The rain started to fall again but very lightly, which made it difficult to improve my time. I slipped back to 4th in the final few minutes of the session, which would put me 8th overall on the grid for the race. I was happy with this as this was a big improvement over my previous best qualifying position. My speed on the Kawasaki was starting to show and I was starting to build more and more confidence as the weekend progressed.
Race day turned out to be very wet. This gave everybody the opportunity to fine tune their wet settings in morning warm-up. I felt comfortable immediately and set the 2nd fastest time, which gave me a lot of confidence for the race. I knew I had to get away at the front as it would be difficult to close down any advantage without making a mistake in those conditions. I got a good start and tried my best to move through the pack on the first lap. I crossed the line at the end of lap 1 in 3rd, which set me up nicely. The track conditions had been treacherous all day so I sat behind John McGuiness and Steve Brogan to get a feel for the conditions. I was passed by Keith Farmer into Druids but I remained calm and tried to stay with him. As Keith moved passed the riders in front I made my move passed John back into 3rd. We started to break away from the riders behind and I still felt comfortable running at that pace. I started to get frustrated behind Steve, as I couldn’t run my own lines so I passed him into paddock at the start of lap 9. I started my pursuit of Keith in the lead but as I tipped it into Graham Hill bend the rear tyre let go off the throttle and I low sided into the mud! I couldn’t believe it and tried to get the bike going again but the kerb had taken its toll and broken the clip on. It was a disappointing end to what had been a successful weekend but a big step forward racing at that level. All in all I was happy with the speed I’d shown and looked forward to Thruxton where I hoped to continue the good form. Having missed Thruxton last season due to bike problems after my big off at Oulton Park I wasn’t sure how I’d fair but it is a circuit I like. I immediately clicked with the circuit again and I was reminded how hard the abrasive surface is on tyres! I was happy enough with 8th in free practice and knew there was more to come on new tyres. I made a few changes to the settings but nothing major. The new tyres made a big difference and I managed to string a few good laps together early on whilst the tyre was at its best. I posted a time good enough for 2nd and was just over a tenth of a second off pole, which I held to the end of the session. This was my best performance in qualifying to date and I was really happy with how the bike was running. I had also been consistent throughout the session, which put me in a good position for the race. The weather was completely different for the second qualifying session with heavy showers falling throughout the morning. I opted to sit the session out; as there was obviously no chance that anybody would improve their time and the forecast for the race was dry therefore I decided that there was nothing to be gained! Sure enough the weather conditions for the race turned out to be dry. I was looking forward to the race and I was confident that I could run the pace of the front runners. I got a good start but was too cautious into the first complex which dropped me down to 7th by the end of lap 1. I knew I had the pace but knew that tyre life would be a factor. I wasn’t concerned but knew I had to stay with the pack to stand any chance of moving through towards the end. The safety car came out on lap 2 which bunched the pack right up and stayed out for a couple of laps. This upset my rhythm a little but I soon got back into it as I was passed by Jason O'Halloran before I re-passed him a lap later to hold 7th. As the race progressed it was clear that everyone was struggling with rear end grip and a group of nine riders started to break away from the others. I maintained 7th position until lap 8 when I passed Danny Buchan into 6th. The first nine riders were still together with passes being made every lap. I came together with another rider on lap 9 but held it together in 6th. I was then passed again by Jason moving me back to 7th. Then on lap 13 I passed David Johnson for 6th into the first corner. Over the final two laps we passed each other a few times battling for 6th but I managed to make a move on the final lap and held him off to the finish. I crossed the line in 5th as Steve Brogan came together with Keith Farmer battling for the lead. This was my best finish by far in the National Superstock 1000 Championship and I had scored some decent points towards the Championship. These performances have given me a lot of confidence for the remainder of the season and I hope to continue to improve as the season progresses. I am currently lying 12th in the championship having failed to finish at Brands Hatch but having achieved a top 5 finish in the second race of the season my next goal is to finish on the podium. I am now looking forward to the second round of the Hottrax Motorsport Championship at Snetterton this weekend at Snetterton. This will give me important set-up time at the Norfolk circuit in readiness for the National Superstock round there later in the year. From there it’s onto Oulton Park for round 3 of the National Superstock Championship where I am looking forward to seeing how the ZX10R performs. Big thanks to the whole team and my supporters who have played a massive part in giving me the opportunity to run at the front. I look forward to rewarding everyone with more top five results in the coming races.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
Successful Start to the Season! Firstly, I would like to welcome support for the coming season from Grant Wagstaff Building Contractors, Kent Holiday Cottages, HEL Performance and GB Racing which is much appreciated. Grant (Wag) Wagstaff has provided a spare ZX10r which is being prepared for him to ride at the TT. Wag had an extremely successful Manx Grand prix in 2011 where he finished 2nd in the Senior race only 3 seconds behind the winner and was leading comfortably the Junior race when cruelly the generator packed up. Kent Holiday Cottages (www.kentholidaycottages.co.uk) offer an extensive range of Beautiful Country Cottages, Barn Conversions, Oast Houses, Farm Houses, Seaside Apartments and more. Tim Bourne who owns and manages Kent Holiday Cottages was a very successful racer in the eighties and nineties riding factory Kawasaki’s and the Norton Roton.
HEL Performance (www.helperformance.com) manufacture high quality motorcycle and automotive stainless steel brake lines and hoses. GB Racing (www.gbracing.eu) are specialist manufacturers of secondary engine covers, frame sliders/crash mushrooms, paddock stand bobbins and lower chain guards. Their products are the best looking on the market and offer protection that works.
I couldn’t wait to get back out on the ZX10R having not ridden since the end of November at Jerez. The bike had been fully prepared for the first round of the Hottrax Motorsport Championship at Brands Hatch. This would be a good opportunity to test the new MCT prepared Ohlins TTX gas fork internals and shock, and to fine tune it to suit the Brands Hatch Indy circuit in preparation for the first round of the National Superstock Championship. I spent the first two sessions on Friday getting back up to speed after the winter break and I felt comfortable on the bike after only a few laps. Once I was up to speed and setting some respectable lap times it was time to start making changes. I made a few adjustments to the riding position and to the bikes geometry. This made it steer better which is important around the 1.2 mile Indy circuit, where on a big bike you are always on the side of the tyre! As the day progressed my lap times were constantly improving which was encouraging. I continued to make changes to the set-up including the shock preload to again improve the bikes turning ability. I noticed an improvement so continued to move in that direction with the set-up until no further improvement was felt. By the end of the day I was happy with the settings and lap times considering it was my first outing of 2012.
The gearing was changed for the second race. It was a similar start to the first race as I followed the Honda into Druids. The gearing felt better and I could hold much better lines. I went quicker again and I was closing in on my fastest time around the Indy circuit.
The weather had been good all weekend and Sunday
was the best of all. I went out in qualifying with the tyres I
used on Saturday and posted a good time early on. This was good
enough for pole position, as Steve had not entered the races on
Sunday. With a new set of tyres fitted for the first race I was
determined to post a fast lap time. I got away well but got
passed on the run to Paddock Hill bend. I made my move at the
end of the first lap to take the lead and I set about setting
some good times. I strung a couple of fast laps together before
I posted my fastest ever time around the Indy circuit. I went on
to consistently post fast times and crossed the line in first
place. I was pleased with this performance at this early stage
of the season. I was looking forward to the second race to
continue this pace. I was happy with the settings and the bike
was performing well. I got a good start this time round and I
led the pack into the first turn. I felt the tyre moving
straight away but I pressed on in an attempt to close in on my
time from the first race. I couldn’t match the time but I was
again setting consistently fast times. The overall performance that weekend is really encouraging and a test day at Silverstone on Sunday confirmed my speed. I can’t wait for round 1 of the National Superstock 1000 Championship at Brands Hatch, which will take place over the Easter weekend.
Our partners for the 2010 season include:
2012 Season Announcements! With the 2012 season fast approaching I am pleased to announce that I will once again be riding for IN MOTO Corse in the Metzler National Superstock 1000 Championship. IN MOTO the highly successful multi brand motorcycle dealer in Croydon, London has recently opened the official South London Kawasaki dealership. Having got on well with the Kawasaki ZX-10R at the end of last season competing in the final two rounds of the CEV Stock Extreme Championship we have decided to stay with the Kawasaki ZX-10R for this season. This will be my third consecutive season in the class and I hope to use what I have learnt over the course of the past two seasons to my advantage in 2012. The bike is currently being prepared for the first test which is scheduled for the beginning of March. Tim Radley of Race Developments is re-building the engine to Superstock specification. I can also announce that the following sponsors will be continuing their support into 2012 Carrino Flooring Ltd, Austin Racing, The Key Collection, Weise, Spyke, Oxford Products, HJC Helmets, RS Workshop Equipment, Huntingdon Business Centre, Bohn Body Armor, MCT Suspension, GPR Stabilizers, Cyclops Helmets and Cleanagain Ltd. The Key Collection will once again be supplying Weise Vortex gloves, Spyke Raptor Race suit and Spyke Totem 2.0 boots. I used these products in 2011 and they have stood up to everything thrown at them whilst remaining very comfortable when riding. My helmets will again be supplied by Oxford Products and I will be using the HJC R-PHA10. The artwork on the helmets is created by Cyclops Helmets.
I would like to welcome SFS Performance onboard who will be supplying the team with high performance silicon hoses. SFS Performance manufacturer and distribute high performance silicon hoses of all shapes, sizes and colours for race teams, road bikes and cars. To visit their website please follow this link - http://www.sfsperformance.co.uk/index.asp. My preseason training has been going well. I have taken up XC mountain bike racing, which is helping my fitness with the added benefit of racing in competitive events. I have also signed up for “Park Run”, which is a free officially timed 5km running event. They have runs all over the country in most towns and once you’ve signed up you can attend any “Park Run” event. I’m looking forward to the first test where I will be testing the latest generation Ӧhlins TTX suspension which will be set up by Darren at MCT Suspension. I would like to thank all my supporters and sponsors for what I hope will be a successful 2012 season. Our partners for the 2012 season include:
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From
around half race distance we were passing one another every lap
and I was enjoying the hard but fair racing. As the race
progressed I broke away from the pack with Tristan Palmer and
Lee Costello. With a few laps remaining I was confident that I
had the grip to make a pass stick on both of them. I
passed Tristan into beckets and repeated the move a lap later on
Lee. I pulled the pin and set personal best times on the final
two laps of the race and pulled a comfortable gap. I crossed the
line in 5th overall and 3rd in the Superstock class. Shane Byrne
won the race from David Johnson, Luke Jones and Sam Lowes.
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I
qualified second behind Steve Mercer who was on good form riding
his well sorted slick shod Superbike Honda Fireblade. Brands is
a good place to practice starts, especially from the front row,
as the start is uphill so you have to be strong off the line. I
got a good start and stayed in second around Paddock Hill. I
tried to stay with Steve but he and the Honda were too fast so I
used him as a tow for as long as possible and paced myself
trying to improve every lap. My times were consistently faster
than any session before so I was moving in the right direction
and I finished the race in second. I felt that the gearing was
slightly too long, which affected the drive and engine braking
into and out of most corners. 
