Uribe Wins Titanic Battle To Claim Maiden BSB Podium
The Easter Weekend brought a mixture of weather conditions to the Brands Hatch Indy circuit it in Kent but that didn’t stop record numbers of enthusiastic fans from turning up to witness the opening round of the British Superbike Championship.
After encouraging winter testing Jayson Uribe is back for another crack at the BSB Motostar Championship with his new FPW Racing Team and after an almost perfect weekend, the American teen impressed with an emphatic 3rd placed podium finish after a titanic battle from start to finish in the shortened 16 lap race.
Topping one of the practice sessions before eventually qualifying on the second row of the grid, Uribe rode superbly all weekend to claim a historic maiden podium finish at the flag on race day.
A variety of weather conditions allowed Uribe to demonstrate his skills in both the wet and the dry, with the talented teen challenging for top spot in every session. The only blemish to an almost trouble free opening round was a small spill in the morning warm up.
A delay of almost an hour due to an incident in the earlier British Superbike race may have phased some, but Jayson remained calm and composed and as the lights went out he slotted into a comfortable top five position where he would remain for the race duration, exchanging places with immense commitment.
With the leader slowly edging away, Jayson dug deep and together with the other riders within the leading group of five had the crowd on their feet with some incredibly close on track action.
The nature of the small Indy circuit meant the passing of back markers would be inevitable and with two laps to go Jayson was unlucky to get held up slightly meaning a determined ‘Patriot Pub’ defended hard in the final couple of turns to fend off Ed Rendell to claim a historic 3rd place in the Moto 3 category.
Jayson Uribe – FPW Moto 3 Honda: “I am so proud of my FPW team and family for helping me pull everything together and claim my first ever podium in BSB! I had a small crash in the morning warm up damaged the bike, but everyone pulled together and we got the bike ready for the race. I am grateful to everyone who worked so hard and gave up their other responsibilities to help me with my bike so that I could race.
I felt strong all weekend. I was in the top 3 consistently and in Qualifying 2, I was the fastest Moto 3 so I was actually hoping for a wet race on Monday. The bike handles really well in the rain and I felt really confident in the wet conditions.
The FPW Racing pit awning is very open to its fans and it was fun to watch the fans young and old come through the paddock checking out the replica bike, chatting and getting to know us all better. That is what I enjoy the most about the English racing culture. The kids and parents are regulars at BSB meetings and I have built a strong relationship with some of them. It’s awesome!
It feels great to be with the leaders of the pack. I enjoyed knowing I could keep up these guys and I feel confident that I have more podiums in my future at BSB. It was also great to catch up with all the friends I made last year.
See you all at Oulton Park in two weeks. I hope that everyone had a great Easter holiday, I know I did!”
After a ‘learning’ year in 2013, and after such an impressive weekend to kick start his 2014 campaign Uribe could well be a title contender in only his second full season of racing outside of the US.
Round 2 of the Motul BSB Motostar Championship will take place at the undulating Oulton Park circuit near Chester in a fortnight.
More, from a press release issued by Marty Nutt’s publicist:
Nutt opens title defence with solid top five results
Castlerock’s Marty Nutt got the defence of his Ducati TriOptions Cup up and running at Brands Hatch over the Easter weekend and the Nutt Travel/Ducati Coventry/JHP Racing rider did so in solid fashion with strong fourth and fifth place positions.
Running with the number one plate on the new 899 Ducati Panigale, an excellent qualifying performance saw Marty claim second place on the grid, just 0.016s adrift of pole position man Dennis Hobbs, but the dry sunny weather of Saturday was replaced by wet and murky conditions come Sunday’s opening race and the 15 laps would be treacherous to say the least.
Marty slotted into fifth place at the end of the opening lap, as Hobbs immediately opened up a sizeable gap at the head of the field, but by half race distance he’d moved up to fourth place, overhauling his main rival from 2013 Jonathan Railton. With considerable spray being thrown up by the bikes, visibility was reduced and with a long season ahead Marty opted for caution over valour, bringing the bike home for a solid fourth place.
The fine weather returned for Monday’s race and with a superb start, Marty went from fifth on the grid to first at the end of the opening lap. Here he remained until lap three when Leon Morris went ahead and by half race distance he’d slipped out of the top three, braking issues at Druids hairpin causing him to run ever so slightly wide. There was little to choose between the top five but the brake problems, combined with a lack of rear grip, meant Marty crossed the line in fifth place and with 24 points on the board, he ended the weekend in fourth place in the early Championship table.
Marty Nutt: “Conditions were pretty awful for the first race and as well as it being wet, it was cold too and you couldn’t get any temperature into the tyres at all. We’ve 16 races this season and a long way to go so there was no point risking anything but once I’d settled into a nice rhythm I felt strong and was ready to push hard in the second half of the race. However, a few yellow flags came out so I opted to settle for a solid fourth place and get my season up and running.”
“Monday’s weather was the complete opposite and the start couldn’t have been any better but I had a few wee issues with the front brake around mid-race distance and it was just enough to hold me back. I’m still learning with the new bike and was also struggling a bit with rear grip so I think the way forward will be to stiffen the rear suspension and I’ll try and get a bit of testing done prior to the next round just to fine tune the set up. Overall though, I’m happy with two top five positions and we’ve got some good, solid points on board so it’s onwards and upwards from now on.”
The next round of the series takes place at Donington Park alongside the British round of the World Superbike Championship, the meeting taking place on May 23-25.
More, form a press release issued by Gavin Hunt’s publicist:
Hunt narrowly misses points in season opener
Gavin Hunt got his 2014 National Superstock 1000cc Championship campaign underway at Brands Hatch at the weekend and the NEI Motorsport rider was unlucky to miss out on scoring points as he finished in 17th place after a typically hard fought race.
With qualifying spilt into two groups, the Manxman posted a time of 47.173s in the opening Group B session to take an excellent seventh place despite being held up by traffic on more than one occasion. However, the pace in Group A was quicker and when the times from the two sessions were combined, he ended up in 21st overall. Any chance of improving on Sunday was then thwarted by rain and so he duly lined up for Easter Monday’s 24-lap race on the seventh row of the grid.
The race was only three laps old when it was flagged due to an incident and it proved to be a blessing for Gavin as he’d been pushed wide in the early stages and found himself at the back of the pack. When the re-started 20-lap race got underway though, he immediately slotted inside the top twenty and here he stayed for the remainder of the race. As expected, it was incredibly frenetic around the 1.2-mile Indy circuit and whilst Gavin lay in 19th place, there was, at one stage, less than two seconds separating 12 riders from 11th place downwards.
With all the riders lapping at a similar pace, overtaking opportunities were limited and try as he might to move up inside the points Gavin eventually crossed the line in a hard earned 17th, less than three seconds adrift of 11th place, further proof of how competitive the class will again be in 2014. The solid result bodes well for the rest of the season, particularly as the Championship moves on to some of Gavin’s more favoured circuits.
Gavin Hunt: “It’s a bit disappointing to miss out on some points but the Brands Indy circuit is a strange old place and with it being so short, it’s very difficult to advance forward so a top 20 finish is a solid enough start. I was pleased the race got re-started after being pushed wide in the initial start but all the riders were running at a similar pace and it was difficult to run my own lines. I needed to be quicker out of Clearways onto the start and finish straight as that would have allowed me to make a few moves going into Paddock Hill.”
“Other than that, overtaking opportunities were hard to come by so it was a bit of a tough race. It was pleasing though to run with riders who regularly finished inside the top ten in 2013, including some podium finishers, and that’s more than encouraging for the rest of the year. The bike’s working really well and with a few little tweaks here and there I know it will be better still so I’m really looking forward to Oulton now as it’s much more of a rider’s circuit and one I enjoy a great deal.”
The second round of the series takes place at Oulton Park, Cheshire in two weeks time on May 3-5.
More, from a press release issued by Jake Dixon Racing:
Dixon – Brands Hatch Indy Round 1
www.facebook.com/JakeDixonRacing
Jake Dixon moved up into the main Motorpoint British Supersport Championship this weekend at Brands Hatch, with the Appleyard Macadam Doodson Yamaha team from the Supersport Cup Championship last year, where he finished third. He was eager for some good results at his local circuit and was unfortunate to crash our of third place in race one and finished seventh in race two.
18-year-old Dixon has been working hard over the winter to get fit and ready for the opening round of the season after injury ruled him out last season. The youngster was riding well all weekend and was not far off the front runners times. The conditions took a turn for the worse on Sunday and qualifying and the Sprint race were declared wet. Jake had a few set up issues in wet qualifying and was only able to secure 10th place on the grid.
In the short Sprint race he gained a fantastic start and was up to fourth place by turn one and he was keen to push hard for a podium. All was looking well as he made the move on Gowland for third and he was soon away with the leaders and challenging all the way for the win. He was in a strong third place on the last lap when he got on the gas too soon on the exit of Druids corner, catching some water on the track and spitting him over the bars, uninjured but a race time good enough to put him on the front row in third place for race two on Monday.
In the main race Jake started on the front row but was not able to get off the line well and slipped back to fourth place after the opening lap. Despite his best efforts he was not able to push the front runners and had to settle for seventh place.
Jake Dixon – “The sprint race went really well yesterday and I was really pleased with my pace and running up at the front in the wet conditions. The Appleyard Macadam Doodson team got my Yamaha dialled in really well for race one and although I crashed out I was still in third place when that happened. I thought I was able to make a move and push for the lead but I got caught out on a very wet bit of track and that was my race done.
I was looking forward to racing here in the dry and was eager to see my pace in the dry at Brands, we made a few changes on the bike but I was struggling in certain places and therefore I lost time and had to settle for seventh. It is some points in the bag before Oulton and hope we can make amends there and be back at the sharp end.”
2014 Personal Sponsors
Shoei – Daytona – RetroGravity Clothing – Feridax – anyone wishing to sponsor Jake this season with product or funding please get in touch – [email protected]
Team Sponsors
Appleyard – Macadam – Doodson – Yamaha
Facebook – www.facebook.com/JakeDixonRacing
Twitter – @DixonJake
More, from a press release issued by Trik Moto Kawasaki:
21st April, 2014
2014 National Superstock 600 Championship
Brands Hatch Rd1
Mason Law Racing News:
DEBUT PODIUM FOR THE OUTLAW ON TRIK MOTO KAWASAKI AT BRANDS HATCH
Trik Moto Kawasaki rider Mason Law grabbed his debut podium earlier today, with a fine second place in the Pirelli National Superstock 600 Championship during the 2014 season opener at Brands Hatch in Kent.
The youngster impressively qualified on the front-row and challenged throughout; firstly with pole man and early race leader Andy Reid, and eventual winner James Lodge, also Kawasaki mounted – with just 5/100ths of a second separating the duo after 14 pulsating laps in the re-started encounter.
Mason’s pace was consistent throughout, setting the fastest lap of the race on lap three that was eventually bettered in the closing stages. The 18-year-old Benfleet lad also topped his lap three best to set the second best time overall on his way to 20 very valuable championship points.
Mason Law:
“We had a bit of a plan worked out for today and one of those approaches was trying to go for the race win if it was on. I was happy to sit behind at the start and watch Andy [Reid] and do the hard work at the end. As it turned out it wasn’t Andy I was scrapping with for the win, but I’m very happy and over the moon with the result. We had really good pace all weekend and if I’m honest I’m not used to seeing so much clear track in front of me! To come away with second place and the second fastest lap time was very pleasing. We had good speed in the race and the aim is to carry that effort on to Oulton Park now. It was good to get the Trik Moto branding up at the sharp end and thanks to all the boys for their help.”
Team Manager – Andrew Pitt:
“If I’m honest I would have been satisfied with top four or five for Mason today to start the season off, but he rode a strong race and deserved his podium. We had a game plan that he stuck to and he kept his head and his cool throughout, which was impressive. It’s a bit of a reward for all the hard work and preparation over the winter that Mason has put in, so I’m pleased for him.”
Results
Winner – James Lodge [Kawasaki] 11:21.666; 2nd – Mason Law [Trik Moto Kawasaki] +0.050sec; 3rd – Joe Collier [Kawasaki] +1.176sec; 4th – Andy Reid [Yamaha] +1.426sec; 5th – Kyle Ryde [Yamaha] +2.266sec; 6th – Tom Oliver [Yamaha] +2.311sec
More, from a press release issued by Luke Mossey’s publicist:
Luke Mossey – Injured
Brands Indy – Round 1
www.facebook.com/LukeMosseyRacing
It was a disappointing weekend for Luke Mossey and his Teccare Profile Triumph team this weekend at the opening round of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Brands Hatch. Mossey was having a good weekend at Brands and was setting consistent times during the testing and practice sessions.
The weather took a drastic turn for the worse on Sunday and the heavens opened, around 17 riders crashed out of qualifying and sadly for Luke he was one of the few to sustain an injury, dislocating his right shoulder. The medical staff quickly realigned it and put it back into place but he was declared unfit to ride for the rest of the weekend at Brands.
He will now undergo physiotherapy until Oulton Park and will be back on the bike there in the hope to get his season kick started. During testing on Friday Luke was fifth fastest, fourth in both practice sessions and still managed to qualify in sixth place despite only completing 12 laps.
Luke Mossey – “I’m totally gutted that my season has started like this, I have been training so hard over winter to get myself fit for the season and just feel so dis-heartened now not riding. The Teccare Profile Triumph felt brilliant all weekend and Brands is a track I really enjoy riding but I always seems to have a bit of bad luck here. The doctors in the medical centre were brilliant and were able to put my shoulder back in quickly and without too much pain. I went for a medical this morning but they declared me unfit to ride. I would much rather be fit for Oulton than injured for the rest of the season so although I am gutted I know the right decision was made.
I was riding well all weekend and setting some really good times which would be in the running with the front runners. I know we have the pace and we found a great set up it’s just unfortunate I took the injury. Rest for me now and I’ll be back for Oulton, sorry to let everyone down but thank you to all my sponsors and family who continue to stand by me.”
Personal Sponsors 2014
Sidi, Shoei, GB Racing, SMV, Teccare, Motul, Hel, Samco, Brembo, Gi Moto, Doodson, Sabre Sport, K Tech, JMC
Twitter – LukeMossey12
Facebook – www.facebook.com/LukeMosseyRacing
More, from a press release issued by Gearlink Kawasaki:
Fantastic Opening Weekend for Gearlink Kawasaki
Round 1 – Brands Hatch Indy
www.facebook.com/GearlinkRacing
It was a fantastic weekend at the opening round of the MCE British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch this Easter for the Gearlink Kawasaki team. The team were making their debut in the British Superbike class with their rider Ben Wilson and had two superb results with a fourth and 10th place in the races. In the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Glenn Irwin took a fantastic win and fifth place and Luke Hedger gained a sixth place and was unfortunate to crash out in race two.
The Gearlink team have no previous data for any of the tracks so each visit will be a new challenge for them to collect as much technical date as possible for the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. The weekend was challenging for the team and in the dry they struggled to find a good set up to suit Ben’s distinctive riding style on Friday and Saturday.
The heavens opened for qualifying on Sunday and Ben upped his game and went through both first and second qualifying to finish in a very creditable seventh place in the final third and final qualifying session for the opening race on Monday in horrendous weather conditions.
In the first race Ben shot off the grid and was up to third by turn one and fighting off the challenges from former World Superbike and MotoGP rider John Hopkins. On lap 16 the race was red flagged to clean up a riders blown engine and the re-start was delayed. The riders re-grouped on the grid for the 12-lap sprint race. Ben once again got a fantastic start and was up to third by turn one, only Ellison got past him and Ben had to fend off the attacks from John Hopkins, Stuart Easton, Tommy Bridewell and Richard Cooper.
The second MCE British Superbike race was more challenging for Ben and he was not able to make the break off the line that he got in race one. He sat in 10th place for the majority of the race and left Brands Hatch with a comfortable bag of points lying in sixth place in the Championship standings.
Ben Wilson – “To be honest, although sometimes I was a little frustrated at times trying to find a suitable set up we got there in the end and by the end of today I’m pretty pleased with how things turned out. The rain actually played in our favour in qualifying and to end up in seventh on the grid I was really pleased about as we had been struggling up to that point.
I was able to get two fantastic starts in race one and in the re-start of race one and if you had said to me on Friday I would be finishing in fourth place I don’t think I would have believed it. Everyone at Gearlink have worked really hard over winter and over this weekend to get things right for me and I really appreciate it. I wasn’t able to make a decent start in race two and lost time on the front runners and rode a bit of a lonely race out there. I’m so pleased with the weekend and can’t wait to get to Oulton Park and get back out there again.”
Motorpoint British Supersport
In the Motorpoint British Supersport class it was a fantastic opening day for Ulsterman Glenn Irwin who took his debut win in Supersport and also the opening win of the Championship for the Gearlink Kawasaki Team. Glenn had been riding well all weekend and during the very wet qualifying session on Sunday morning he put the Kawasaki on pole position. He battled hard throughout the race with Luke Jones and Jake Dixon and took a stunning win for the team. Luke Hedger who is making his first appearance in the fiercely competitive Supersport class this season rode a fantastic first race and secured a great fifth position.
In the main race on Monday the two Gearlink Supersport riders had a mixed bag of results; Glenn started the race in second place on the grid and just was not able to keep the pace he set on Sunday during the sprint race and dropped to a creditable fifth place. Luke Hedger was also having another strong race but was unfortunate to crash out of the race on the final lap whilst lying in sixth position.
Glenn Irwin – “This weekend has gone really well at the first round with my new team Gearlink Kawasaki. To take my first British Supersport win yesterday was such an awesome feeling, everything just felt right and the Gearlink team got my bike working perfectly in the wet. I was nervous with my first pole position but I was also keen to have a good strong race, I pushed hard the entire race and Luke Jones was challenging me on several occasions for the win but I was so keen to be up at the front. It was a real confidence boost going into the main race on Monday and I was starting on the front row again. The second race I knew would be hard in the dry and I just wanted to use my head and try and ride a mature race. We know what we need to work on now to progress and move things forward at the rest of the races. I’m happy with fifth place and I am leaving Brands lying in second place in the Championship standings which is brilliant, thanks to everyone who is helping me this season.”
Luke Hedger – “This was a huge learning weekend for me and now I’m out there playing with the big boys. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed my riding and in every session I was learning something new. Everything seemed to get better as the weekend progressed and I was just pushing a bit too hard on the last lap when I crashed but I am looking forward to the rest of the season. A big thanks must go to 1st Choice Flooring and all my sponsors for their support and the entire Gearlink team for working so well all weekend.”
Team Manager Michael de Bidaph – “It was an amazing weekend and amazing start for us. We had a lot of problems in Superbike testing with Ben so he has not had much track time at all or to get a feeling for the Kawasaki Superbike. As the weekend progressed we, very quickly, found a good set up in the dry and in the wet and this showed from the results we were able to gain today. The majority of the credit this weekend has to go to Ben, he dug deep and proved what an awesome rider he is to have no testing and to run with the top boys.
The Supersport riders had a fantastic weekend also, Glenn rode a very mature race on Sunday and we are delighted he was able to take his debut Supersport win on a Gearlink Kawasaki. We knew it would be tough in the main race today but he was clever and took some very strong Championship points. Luke has stepped up into Supersport well and his first race result of fifth yesterday was great. He was trying hard today when he was unlucky to crash out but he is ok and was pushing hard.
We are really happy with how things went this weekend and hope it will carry on for the rest of the season. The entire Gearlink team have worked really hard over winter and especially this weekend and I thank everyone for that including the riders.”
More, from a press release issued by MWR Kawasaki:
MWR Kawasaki
Round 1 – Brands Hatch Indy
It was a tricky start for the MWR Kawasaki team at the opening round of the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch this weekend. Their best result came in the Pirelli National Superstock 600 class with Andrew Irwin who secured 10th place, James Mutton finished in 19th.
In the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship the two riders James Egan and Nicolas Grobler had a difficult weekend and the weather conditions played havoc with track time. With different elements needed to be tested during a dry session the team were unable to put this into play as the rain fell heavily on Sunday. In the wet session both riders set very good times but the dry times counted. This put both riders into the final shoot out race and each were unlucky not to get through to the main race with James finishing in 11th and Nicolas in 14th.
James Egan – “It has been a difficult for us in the MWR camp and we have not had much testing time to get the bike set up correctly. We ran out of dry time this weekend as I had some new things to try but the wet session put a stop to that. We found a good wet set up and we were running well in the wet but knew race day was set to be dry. I used this weekend as a test weekend and will hope that my season is kick started at Oulton Park in a few weeks time.”
Nicolas Grobler – “This year is a huge learning year for me and riding for the MWR team, everything is new for me including all the circuits. Each one I will learn when I get to, I’ve only tested at Snetterton so far. I like it over here it’s a new experience and new challenge for me. I’ve never ridden in the wet before so I was surprised to be able to do the fastest lap in the shoot-out race but it’s a good sign that things should keep improving as the season progresses. I’d like to thank Mark at MWR for this opportunity plus my Dad and girlfriend for their support and Mum who is back home in South Africa. We are testing at Oulton Park next week then racing there the week after so I am really looking forward to that.”
In the Pirelli National Superstock 600 Championship the MWR team struggled with the lack of dry testing but worked hard to ensure Andrew Irwin and James Mutton had a good set up for the race. Andrew qualified in 13th place on the grid and James in 28th. The race was action packed and a red flagged was shown after only two laps, this forced a full re-start. Both riders got off the line well with Andrew moving up to ninth and James to 21st. Andrew was locked in a six bike battle for ninth place and just missed out dropping to tenth on the line by 0.2 from Levi Day. James worked his way through the field and got up to 19th at the end of the 14-lap race.
Andrew Irwin – “It was a good positive start to the year for me and the MWR Kawasaki team and I have left the first round with some points in the bag which I am pretty pleased with. The MWR Team did a great job to get the bike set up right for the race and everyone worked really hard over the weekend so I’m looking forward to getting to Oulton and hopefully improving my results for the rest of the season.”
James Mutton – “It was a tough weekend and we slowly made progress as the weekend went on and I was able to make up some places during the race after qualifying in 28th place. I managed to get a good set up for race day and made up nine places which I’m pleased with. I hope we can continue to make progress as the season goes on.”
Facebook – www.facebook.com/MWRKawasaki
Twitter – @MWRKawasaki1
More, from a press release issued by Be Wiser Kawasaki Team:
Be Wiser Kawasaki Team
Round 1 – Brands Hatch Indy
The Be Wiser Kawasaki team had a strong start to their season campaign at the opening round of the Championship at Brands Hatch this weekend. In the Pirelli Superstock 600 class Joe Collier picked up the team’s first podium of the season finishing in third place and his team-mate Nick Anderson finished in the points in 12th. In the Superstock 1000 class Josh Day worked hard to get in the points and also finish in 12th place.
Josh Day rode a fantastic race in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championships at Brands. With a lack of dry set up and only one dry qualifying session Josh was only able to put the Be Wiser Kawasaki in 18th place on the grid. He got a good start and was 17th after the opening lap before the race was red flagged on lap two to see to an injured rider.
On the re-start from their original grid positions Josh secured a good start and pushed hard from the off to move up to 11th after the opening lap. For the remainder of the race he was locked in an eight bike battle for tenth place. Swapping places on each lap Josh rode fantastically well and held off the challenges from those behind him to finish in a strong 12th place and in the points.
Josh Day – “Everything is all good, in the first start I got away really well but on the re-start it wasn’t as good. I knew I had to be aggressive in the opening laps to defend my place and I wanted to ensure I was able to run in a strong position. I was up to 11th and after around lap eight I started to struggle with a grip problem so had to adjust how I was riding slightly and get used to it. I knew I was involved in a freight train of riders and I tried to make myself as big as possible in the closing stages of the races as I didn’t want to lose out on any positions. We lost a bit of time with set up this weekend but I am happy and know where we have to go for the rest of the season to make sure things are right.”
In the Pirelli National Superstock 600 Championship it was an opening podium for Joe Collier and the Be Wiser Kawasaki team, the youngster fought hard to the end and secured a solid third place. His team-mate Nick Anderson also rode a strong race at the opening round of the Championship and finished in 12th place.
Joe Collier – “I’m over the moon to take a podium on my debut appearance with the Be Wiser Kawasaki team, things have been difficult over the weekend with the weather but I knew I had a good race pace. It’s a competitive class again this year and I knew I had to be on my game, I qualified in seventh place but luckily got a good start during the race and on the re-start. I pushed hard and worked my way through the pack and had the front runners in my sights. It’s tough to pass round such a small circuit but I knew my times were quite good. I was close with Andy Reid on the final lap but I had the inside line and pushed for the podium. I’m really pleased with the result at the first round and hope the rest of the season will go well. I’d like to thank Be Wiser and also all my personal sponsors for their support and glad I can repay them with a podium. I’m looking forward to getting to Oulton Park in a couple of weeks’ time.”
Nick Anderson – “I’m a little disappointed with myself for not being further up in the results as I really wanted to be in the top ten this weekend. With the times being so close and only one dry qualifying session it was difficult to get things right straight away. The Be Wiser team worked really hard and I know we have more to come in the next races so I am looking forward to that now and taking all the positives from here and we’ll work on any negatives. Thanks again to everyone for their help.”
Team Owner/Manager Alan Greig – “It’s been a long winter of preparation and new developments with Be Wiser and Tommy Hill but this year is all about the Superstock 600 and 1000 Championships.
With the mixed weather over the weekend for us this limited our time for testing new components and ensuring everything was perfect but it was the same for everyone and I’m really pleased with the results the riders have achieved this weekend.
Josh Day had a good start in the race and worked his way up, he set himself a target this weekend of top 12 and that is what he got. I’m sure at each round the target will move but he rode very well today, aggressively and confidentially which paid off and he gained some good solid points.
We took on a new team member this year with Joe Collier, he had high expectations over the winter for himself and he fought an epic battle today to take third place and our first Be Wiser Kawasaki podium of the year, a huge congratulations go to all the team for the hard work they have put into achieving that this weekend.
Nick was locked in a good battle for 10th place and a few mistakes towards the end of the race saw him slip back to 12th place at the chequered flag. It’s only the first round and sure they all have plenty more to come as the season moves forward
We also took on Andy White from Kais Suspension over the winter and he has played a huge part in the development of the bikes and getting the correct set up so we must thank him. Tommy Hill played a big role over the weekend at Brands Hatch and helped the riders with his knowledge and experience and it paid dividends and the results have shown.
All three riders have done mega and it’s a good confidence for all the team for the rest of the season. I must thank all our loyal sponsors for their continued support and we look forward to working with you again this year.”
2014 Sponsors
Be Wiser Insurance – Kais Ohlins – Kawasaki Motors UK – B&C Express – Renthal – Britool Expert – Dickies – Activ 8 – Anglia Interiors – Cups Direct – Eazi Grip – Foulger Transport – Garnell Nutrition – GR Race Graphics – GB Racing – HM Quickshifter – HM Racing – University of Lincoln – No Limits Track Days – PR Trackbike Hire – Samco – Sani Clad – Tanker & General – The Shires Inn – Venhill – Direct Distribition – SBS – Saville – Jarbtech
More, from a press release issued by Tyco Suzuki:
TOUGH OPENING WEEKEND FOR TYCO SUZUKI AT BRANDS HATCH
British Superbike Championship – Round 1, Brands Hatch Indy Circuit
John Hopkins made a solid start on his return to the British Superbike paddock over the Easter weekend with Tyco Suzuki. The Californian put the Northern Ireland based team’s GSX-R1000 on the front row in third position; then went on to take a best placed finish of fifth in the opening encounter on Monday.
Hopkins goes into round two at Oulton Park in fortnight’s time holding seventh place in the championship standings. His new team-mate at Tyco Suzuki Josh Waters had a tough weekend at Brands taking a solitary point from the opening race at the Kent venue. In the Supersport class Taylor Mackenzie took eighth place from Monday’s second race after finishing seventeenth in Sunday’s sprint race.
John Hopkins:
“It’s no secret that the Brands Indy circuit wouldn’t be one of my favourites on the British calendar, but we can take a lot of positives from the weekend. Qualifying was tough in the wet conditions, but to put the Tyco Suzuki on the front row was pleasing. Fifth place was a solid enough result, but in race two I made a small uncharacteristic mistake and lost a few places that I couldn’t get back. Oulton Park was good to me last time I was here in British Superbike so it’s a circuit I’m looking forward to racing at next time out.”
Josh Waters:
“I’m obviously disappointed with my results this weekend, but along with the boys in the team we worked hard to find a suitable set-up and did make progress. I just need to dig deep now and move things forward at Oulton.”
Philip Neill – Team Manager:
“After a long winter it’s good to get the season underway, even though the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit is not the ideal place for us. The weekend didn’t quite return what we had hoped for in terms of results, but we have a strong team spirit and we will be back fighting at Oulton Park for round two.
A front row qualifying position and a strong ride to fifth in race one for Hopper were the highlights from the weekend, and it was also pleasing to see Josh improving his lap times as we continue to find the optimum set-up for him.
Supersport is always a difficult race around the Indy Circuit and Taylor’s second race from seventeenth on the grid to eighth was pleasing. In reality his weekend was made much harder after a bad qualifying position in very difficult conditions on Sunday.
It was also great to see all our sponsors again this weekend. Hopefully we can give them more to celebrate in the upcoming races.”
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