NEWS Archive 2013

Round 8 - Silverstone

 “I always look forward to riding at Silverstone with the longest lap on the calendar. My aim remained the same as it had all season which was to finish on the podium getting in amongst the 899 Panigales. I also needed to have one eye on the 848 Championship which was far from over with only 15 points separating me and my nearest rival.

Practice went well and I ended up third fastest overall and fastest 848 by a comfortable margin. I was happy with the set-up and I knew where I could improve. It was all change for Saturday as the heavens opened which at one point delayed track action by over two hours. Qualifying was held in full wet conditions which were always going to be difficult given the disadvantage the 848 riders have due to the harder tyre compound that must be used. On the final lap of the session I had a good target ahead of me and I managed to improve as the rain got heavier which moved me up to sixth overall and fastest 848. I was pleased with this result and it set me up well for the race.

The first race was held in very similar conditions to the qualifying which had been a reoccurring theme with at least one race of the weekend being held in wet conditions at every round of the championship. I got a good start and held my position for around half a lap. I then lost a few places whilst I was feeling for the grip. I was determined to hold onto the 848 lead but I was soon passed by Mark Cheetham who was riding well. As I crossed the line at half race distance I was shown the pit board by my team that told me Dave Ferns was out of the race, which meant I would win the Championship if I stayed in second place. Knowing this I decided to maintain my pace but it wasn’t worth pushing hard to catch the leader. I crossed the line in eighth position overall and second in class taking the 848 Championship.”

“With the pressure of the championship off I could fully concentrate on taking on the 899 Panigale’s. Dry weather dawned on Sunday and I set a good pace in warm up. I made a good start in the final race of the series moving form 11th on the grid up to 7th by the end of the first lap. Unfortunately on the first lap there was an incident that broke up the pack which meant I had a lot of work to do in order to close down the top 4. The safety car came out on lap 2 which bunched everyone back up and I knew this was my opportunity to move through the pack. I fought my way through to 4th within half a lap and then into 3rd before the end of lap 4 and closing on Marty Nutt in 2nd. I battled with Marty over the remaining 4 laps. I led onto the last lap but Marty passed me on the Hanger Straight. I tried hard to find a way back passed but couldn’t quite make it. Nevertheless I finished in 3rd place overall and 1st in class which was a good way to end the season. This had been my ultimate goal since switching back to the 848 back in June.

I would like to say a massive thanks to the whole Boast Plumbing team for all of their hard work all season and to all of my personal sponsors for their continued support.”

Photos courtesy of Nigel Shearing

Round 7 – Assen

 I was looking forward to my second visit to Assen with a typical continental layout with many high speed corners. It’s a circuit you have to attack by using all of the track and kerbs to set a fast lap time.

 The weather for Free Practice and Qualifying was perfect. I felt good as did the Boast Plumbing Ducati 848 which has a great base setting which works at most circuits. My times were improving with every lap and I posted a time good enough for a top five position in qualifying but was still some way off of my best time from last season. Towards the end of the qualifying session I struggled to improve as the tyre went off and I was pushed back to 8th in the final stages.

The first race was scheduled for 10 laps of the 2.8 mile circuit. I got a good start and moved up to 5th at the first corner. Struggling for top speed against the 899 Panigale’s I was pushed back to 7th. I fought my way back to 6th before the end of the first lap and concentrated on closing in on Alistair Fagan in 5th. The gap closed but I couldn’t maintain his pace even though I had improved my lap time by half a second over qualifying. I was really enjoying riding as hard as I was to find the speed but this wasn’t reflected in the lap times. Nevertheless I was happy with my performance and crossed the line in 6th over 10 seconds clear of the second 848.

My lap time in race one improved my grid position to 7th.. A downpour before our race left half the circuit wet and half dry. Knowing the advantage we had in terms of a harder compound rear wet tyre compared to the 899’s I made the choice to stay on wets front and rear, as did my main 848 competitors.  The front running 899’s decided to run dry rears.  I got a great start and moved up to 3rd at the first corner.

I closed in on the top two through the wet sections at the back of the circuit but this was short lived. By the end of the second lap I had dropped back to 4th as the track was drying quickly. I just concentrated on maintaining my pace as once the track dried enough the dry rear tyre’s were the obvious choice. Then it became a race for the 848 win as I started battling with Dave Ferns and Mark Cheetham for 7th overall. They both passed me with only a couple of laps to go but I was determined to fight for the position. I stayed right with them and was lining up a move into the final chicane. Dave hit the white line approaching the fast left before the chicane and Mark didn’t take advantage of the mistake and I managed to pass them both into the left hander and defended into the chicane. I crossed the line in 7th overall and took my second win of the weekend in the 848 class. The weekends results moved me to 15 points clear at the top of the 848 Cup standings and to within 2 points of 5th overall.

Next up is Silverstone and final round of the championship. I am hoping to continue my run of wins in the 848 Cup and challenge at the front overall.  

Big thanks to the whole Boast Plumbing team and all of my personal sponsors.”

rs

Photos courtesy of Aaron Scott/Londonbike

Round 6 – Cadwell Park

“I was looking forward to round 6 at Cadwell Park following a successful test there the week before. Having only ridden a 1000cc bike in recent years around Cadwell it was good to ride the more nimble 848, which especially suited the mountain and hall bends section.

Free Practice went smoothly but I didn’t have the pace I had during the test. However we did try totally rethinking the gearing which was OK in some areas but too much was lost in others therefore we reverted back to the optimum gearing. No changes were made to the settings as I was happy with the base setting which works at most circuits.       

Qualifying went better and was running in the top 3 for most of the session. Unfortunately I couldn’t quite match my time from the test but got within a couple of tenths and I slipped back to 5th. I wasn’t too disappointed as I knew I had the pace to improve.

The conditions for race 1 were ideal and I made a good start and moved straight into 4th place behind Marty Nutt. There was an incident behind on the first lap which gave me a bit of a gap over the rest of the pack. I was staying with the leading group and my times were improving every lap. I bettered my qualifying time by half a second and felt better than I had all season. By half race distance I couldn’t quite hang on to the leading three but by this time I had pulled a gap of over 5 seconds to the rider in fifth. Knowing I had a safe 4th and as the rear tyre was starting to go off  I decided not to push too hard trying to close down the leaders. I crossed the line in 4th and top 848 maintaining my 100% run of wins. 

Race two held on Bank Holiday Monday was to be held in much different conditions as the rain had arrived earlier than expected. I was fastest in warm-up which had stayed dry so was feeling good about the race.”

“4th fastest overall in race 1 put me 4th on the grid for race 2, and I made another good start. I held 4th for the first lap but then the 899 Panigale’s started to pass me. The Panigale’s are permitted to use the softer SC1 rear wet tyre which is a big advantage in full wet conditions. Nevertheless I was eventually passed by Dave Ferns and Mark Cheetham on 848 machines. I was struggling to feel comfortable with the wet settings but eventually my pace improved and was almost as quick as the top 848. I was too far back to challenge the leading 848’s and finished 3rd (11th overall). I was disappointed knowing had I got up to speed quicker I might have had a chance to challenge the leading 848’s but I was pleased to have scored decent points towards the championship, which I now still lead by 5 points.

 Assen is next up in three weeks time followed by my local race at Silverstone. Assen is an awesome place to race bikes and I am hopeful that I can really start to mix it up with the Panigale’s and challenge for overall honours.

Big thanks to the whole Boast Plumbing team and all of my personal sponsors.”

Round 5 – Oulton Park International

“Oulton Park is not one of my favoured circuits however I was looking forward to riding the Boast Plumbing Ducati 848 after a three week break. A few minor improvements to the bike and more riding on the 848 set me up well for a competitive weekend.

Free practice went well although my lap times were a little off my previous best I still managed to run in the top 5 for the whole session. Nothing was changed to the bike for qualifying held in similarly dry and sunny conditions. My times improved and I was running fourth for most of the session and I managed to use the tow to good effect. I was just beaten to 5th in the final stages but I was pleased with a second row start and was the top 848 by some margin.

Race 1 was held in good conditions and I got a good start and was right in there with the top 5. Marty Nutt made his move quickly at Cascades. I got straight on the leading pack but started to lose ground over the first couple of laps. As the raced progressed I was under a bit of pressure at the start from Chris Northover, Superbike Magazine journalist making a guest appearance, but managed to pull a two second gap by the end of the race. On the 8th lap Rob Guiver’s bike had a huge blow up which left oil over a large section of track. The organiser’s red flagged the race bringing it to a premature end. With the demise of Rob I was promoted to 5th place overall and top 848 maintaining my 100% run of class wins.

Sunday would however proved to be a completely different day in terms of weather. The rain came and at one point it was thought the racing may have to be called off. However the sun did appear briefly and the rain stopped improving track conditions greatly. I would start the second race from 6th. I made a poor start and lost a few places into the first corner. The 899’s have a distinct advantage in the wet conditions as they are allowed to use softer compound wet tyres.”

Photos courtesy of Aaron Scott & Nigel Shearing

“Early on I was struggling to find a feel for the conditions but as the race progressed my pace improved. I was passed by a couple of fellow 848 riders including my team mate Dan Fowler. Mark Cheetham, who was leading the championship, crashed so I knew it was important to score good points. During the final few laps of the race it was between me and Dan for the 848 win. We swapped places two or three times but I managed to hold him off on the final lap to take my 6th consecutive 848 class win and finish 11th overall.

This result was the first 1-2 for the team and also meant that I had taken the lead in the 848 Cup championship. I’m now looking forward to the next round at Cadwell Park where I will be testing beforehand.   

Big thanks to the whole Boast Plumbing team and all of my personal sponsors.”

Round 4 - Brands Hatch GP

“The Brands Hatch GP circuit is one of my favourites so I was looking forward to getting back there on the 848. This was also a key round of the championship as it was a circuit I had raced at previously on the 848 so knew what potential the bike had.

The first day was held in red hot conditions. Practice in the morning was a good opportunity to try a few adjustments carried over from Knockhill with different gearing to that we had used previously. All of the changes were positive so I felt confident of a strong performance in qualifying. I settled into a good rhythm early on in the session and set the provisional pole time with around half of the session left. I held onto the position with only a few minutes remaining but Dennis Hobbs managed to improve on my time taking pole. I finished the session in second, my best qualifying of the season but well down on last year’s times set by the 848.

The first race was held late on Saturday and the conditions were very similar to qualifying. I took a bit of a gamble, with no warm-up, to try shorter gearing to improve drive. I got a poor start and dropped back to 5th after the first lap. It took me too long to get going and I lost touch with the leading group. I kept up my pace and tried to close them down but couldn’t match my pace from qualifying and I couldn’t close the gap. I was gifted 4th place as Rob Guiver had a mechanical failure. I finished in 4th holding off an attack from Darren Fry. This was my best result of the season but I knew there was more to come.

The gearing was a backward step so changed it back to that used in qualifying. My speed in race one was only good enough for 6th on the grid for race two but knew I could have a go from there.

I got a decent start and battled hard to stay with the leading group. I stayed in touch for a couple of laps and held 6th behind Sean Neary. My pace was faster than I had managed all weekend but the others had upped their game also and I couldn’t close them down. I finished 6th but as close as I’d been to the front runners. Although I improved my lap time it was still down on last year’s .”

“This made it four wins from four in the 848 Cup and closed me to within 16 points of the championship lead. Overall it was a positive weekend and progress is being made. My main goal still remains to win races overall ahead of the 899 Panigale’s. I am determined to make this happen sooner rather than later and my next opportunity will be at Oulton Park in a few weeks.

Big thanks to my whole team and personal sponsors!

Following the Brands Hatch round I attended the inaugural Oakley Bike Festival alongside some well-known motorcycling celebrities, amongst them Troy Corser, Niall Mackenzie and Steve Plater. The weather was great which helped bring in a large number of bikers and families alike who attended the festival that had a diverse and interesting range of machinery on display including a Carlos Checa 990cc Desmosedici and Superbike, and Mike Hailwood’s Honda 4.”

Round 3 – Knockhill

“In the break between Round 2 at Donington Park and Round 3 at Knockhill the team and I made the decision to revert back to using the Ducati 848, the same model used in the championship last season by all competitors. Lacking development time and based on current performance the results expected were not being achieved on the new 899 Panigale. With limited rounds it made more sense to make the switch back to the 848 which is a bike the team and I know well. Based on lap times last year the 848 should be more than competitive.

I was looking forward to Knockhill a circuit I have gone well at in the past. It’s tight, undulating, a real challenge and great fun to ride. The Ducati TriOptions Cup had never visited the circuit previously so it was important to find a good setting early in Practice and Qualifying.

Practice went well as I familiarised myself with the characteristics of the 848 again and the circuit. I finished in the top ten but knew there was more speed to come.

A few minor changes were made for qualifying, held in overcast and cool conditions, which were to be the norm throughout the weekend. I improved to finish seventh overall and the fastest 848. I felt even more comfortable on the bike but wanted to try different gearing in warm-up prior to the 1st race.

Unfortunately the gearing change didn’t work out as the single sided swing arm has limited adjustment and there was not enough clearance to run the larger sprocket. I would have to make the original gearing work.

I was confident of making a good start as the 848 is good off the line. I managed to get away well and moved up during the early stages of the race. I didn’t have the speed to run with the front pack of 6 but had a good battle to finish 7th overall and 1st in class (848). I didn’t improve my lap time as expected probably due to the track being green after heavy rainfall as most times were down. I tried a new setting in warm-up on Sunday prior to the 2nd race which worked.

I got a better start in race 2 and moved up to 5th by the end of the first lap. I got passed into the final corner and dropped back to 6th. I settled into a decent rhythm and closed in on 5th not too far adrift of 4th place. One of the riders challenging for the lead crashed at around two thirds distance moving me up to 5th. I couldn’t quite get close enough to challenge for 4th position but was pleased to finish in a strong 5th and the top 848 for the second time.”

“Overall it was a good weekend and the most successful of the season to date. I can now build on this result for the next round at Brands Hatch  which is a track raced at previously on the 848 so should be an advantage. I will be aiming for two podiums and to move up the order in the overall and 848 Cup championships.  

Big thanks to my team and personal sponsors for the continued support during the challenging start to the season. The season starts here!”

Round 2 – Donington Park (WSBK)

“Hopes were high heading into the second round of the Ducati TriOptions Cup at Donington following a recent test at the circuit.

I managed to post the 5th quickest time in free practice in the dry. Qualifying was held in full wet conditions which would normally suit me but a small brake issue prevented me from improving beyond 9th place.

The first race, held on Saturday following the World Superbike Qualifying, would be run over 10 laps on what turned out to be a drying track. The race started in damp conditions with all bar one rider opting for wet tyres. I made an average start and quickly didn’t feel comfortable in the conditions with the same turning issues that have hampered me all season. I started to drop back eventually crossed the line in 14th which was a disappointing result for the whole team.

As the times from race 1 set the grid for race 2 I would have to battle through from 14th. The conditions were much improved for race 2, which meant I could revert to the set-up I knew worked in testing. I got a poor start and could only recover a few places on lap 1. I was trying to pass riders as quickly as I could. I was finding it difficult to pass and my pace wasn’t where it needed to be. After a few battles and hitting a wall in terms of lap times I crossed the line in 11th. Again not the result we were hoping for or needed but scored some more points. Although improvements have been made with the set up of the bike they are not enough to be competitive. Compared to the Ducati 848 I used last year the 899  does not have the same feel or performance.”    

              
Photos courtesy of Bonnie Lane Photographic

“Again the team and I will be reviewing the situation regarding how best to improve the situation and get the championship back on track. I am as determined as ever to resolve the issues and get back on top in the next races. Watch this space.
Big thanks to the whole Boast Plumbing Team, Moto Rapido and all of my sponsors for your continued support.”
 

Round 1 – Brands Hatch Indy

“Round 1 turned out to be a difficult start to the season. The Brands Hatch Indy circuit is a good circuit for me and one I enjoy riding at. It was a great round for me last year and I was hoping to start the season in the same way.

Practice and qualifying were held in similar dry conditions and I managed a good number of laps to try the changes we had made. They made little difference so it was debateable whether or not to revert to the settings from the earlier test at Brands. With limited track time it made the decision much harder. I qualified 7th using the new settings and was disappointed not to have been faster and higher up the order.

The conditions changed considerably on Easter Sunday and I would normally favour the wet weather. The first of the two races was held in very wet conditions and I made a good start moving into 2nd by Druids (Turn 2). Still not comfortable on the bike I dropped down the order as the race progressed crossing the line in 6th.

Making comparisons between the bikes in Parc Ferme there was an obvious difference in geometry compared to the other machines. It was decided to take a gamble on set-up for the race on Monday in an attempt to move things forwards.

Unfortunately the warm-up was held in damp conditions and there was no way of telling if the set up was better. In the race I got an average start but immediately knew the set up was wrong. Struggling to hold a line I did what I could to ride around the issues but the pace just wasn’t there. I finished the race in 11th place which brought an end to a difficult and frustrating weekend.”   

“The team and I are currently reviewing the situation regarding how best to improve the situation and get the championship back on track. Watch this space.

Big thanks to the MotoRapido/Millsport Ducati team for the use of the garage, the whole Boast Plumbing Team and all of my sponsors for your continued support.”

 
Photos courtesy of Bonnie Lane Photographic

2014 Pre-season Testing  

“Pre-season testing has gone well and as expected with a brand new bike there was a lot of things to try. A couple of setbacks early on slowed progress but the team worked well to overcome them and move things forward. Changes were made at the Donington test to make the riding position comfortable but despite that I was struggling to find the speed we expected.

The main complaint was the bikes ability to turn. Constant adjustments were made to improve the turning at every part of the corner. By the end of the test the settings were maxed out, particularly the rear shock.

For the next test at Brands Hatch a new part was available to try which increased the length of the shock significantly. This instantly transformed the bike and the turning was much improved. The pace then came much more easily and I could make the most of the track time to make changes to improve the overall handling.  Front end feel whilst trail braking and initial turn in were much improved.”

“By the end of the day the bike was feeling good and I could start to push for lap times. The second day was the first round of the BMCRC championship and I was racing in the Powerbike class against more powerful 1000cc bikes. Qualifying went well and I was happy with the lap times and to qualify 8th amongst the bigger bikes. The races were difficult but good fun battling in the corners to make up for the lack of straight line speed.

Overall I am happy with how pre-season testing has gone. I feel prepared now for the start of the season particularly as there are more improvements to be made which will again improve lap times.

I can't wait for Round 1 at Brands Hatch this coming weekend and  fully expect to start the season as strongly as I did last year.

Big thanks to the team for their hard work to improve the bike during testing and to all of my personal sponsors.”

2014 Race Season Plans Announced

“I am pleased to announce that in 2014 I have agreed to again ride for the Boast Plumbing Ducati Team. After a strong first season together I am confident that we will have the package to once again fight for the Championship that we narrowly missed in 2013.

The biggest change for this season is the introduction of the new 899 Panigale which is Ducati’s new mid range sports bike which will race alongside the Ducati 848 in the Ducati TriOptions Cup. For more information follow the link - http://www.britishsuperbike.com/ducati-challenge.aspx .

Boast plumbing have teamed up with Moto Rapido who will provide valuable technical support. Day to day they are a Ducati dealer based in Winchester but in recent years have been involved with the development of the Panigale Superbike in BSB.

I am also pleased to announce that the majority of our partners from 2013 have continued their support into 2014 which is gratefully received. The plan for this season is to repay their loyalty with race wins and to go one better in the Championship!”

Termigoni slip-ons improve performance and sound.

Steve “Wilf” Moore – Moto Rapido Ducati (left),
Jon Railton – Rider (centre) and Mike Green – Boast Plumbing (right)