Highs and lows once more for sorrymate.com/SMT Honda It was another weekend of highs and lows for the sorrymate.com/SMT Honda team at Oulton Park but from the disappointment of Karl Harris crashing out of the opening British Superbike Championship race on Saturday, they ended the weekend, and season, on a high when Adam Jenkinson and Christian Iddon finished second and sixth in the final round of the Metzeler National 1000cc Superstock Championship. The weekend couldn’t have got off to a better start for the hard-working team when Harris posted the quickest time in both of Friday’s free practice sessions and he carried that form over to qualifying, when he took a fighting third place, the team’s first ever front row start in the premier Superbike class. Saturday’s opening race saw Karl slot into third place and, embroiled in a terrific five-man battle for the win, the Sheffield rider was in with a great chance of a podium place. However, on the fourth lap he got tangled up with the Hydrex Honda of Tommy Hill at Shell Oils Corner and suffered a nasty-looking crash. Thrown in to the trackside barriers, Harris suffered severe bruising to his back and having also been knocked out in the fall, his weekend was over. From that huge blow, the team had to pick themselves up for Sunday’s Superstock race and they did exactly that. Regular rider Jenkinson was joined for the weekend by former World Supermoto ace Christian Iddon and having qualified in 2nd and 14th, confidence was high going in to the 14-lap race. Adam didn’t make the greatest of starts and was back in sixth at the end of lap one but he moved steadily forward and by half race distance he was up to second. However, Marshall Neill wasn’t about to let him have the position with ease and the outcome was only decided on the last corner of the last lap when ‘Jenko’ slipped by to not only take second but also move up to 4th overall in the Championship. Iddon, meanwhile, was a revelation on the spare sorrymate.com Honda and he had moved himself up in to the top ten by the end of lap five. Dicing with riders with vastly more experience, the 24-year old wasn’t overawed and he was rewarded for an impeccable ride with a brilliant sixth place. Speaking immediately afterwards, team owner Robin Croft said; “It’s been a classic weekend of ups and downs for the sorrymate.com/SMT Honda team and it’s fair to say we’ve been through a whole range of emotions here at Oulton. We came expecting great things with Karl’s previous form here and he didn’t disappoint being fast throughout. He gave us our first ever front row and was challenging for the lead, a huge boost for all of us, when it all started to get a bit heated. He simply found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and in the blink of an eye, we went from being ecstatic to completely the opposite. Saturday night was certainly a major downer for the team.” “That meant it was down to the Superstock boys to give us a result and they didn’t disappoint. Adam was strong throughout the three days and he gave the team a great end to the weekend, fighting it out right until the very end, fully deserving his podium position and 4th place overall. I’m sure he won’t mind me saying though that the ride of the day was by Christian. It was his first time on a 1000cc Superstock and to go from 14th on the grid to 6th was simply brilliant and I can’t speak highly enough of what he achieved today.” “The boss is happy, the riders are happy, the mechanics are happy and the whole team’s happy and whilst we’re all a bit disappointed that we didn’t get to show what we could do in the Superbike class, we’ve ended the season in a strong frame of mind. Tomorrow is when we start planning for 2010 and we’d like to run a rider in the both the Superbike and Evo classes so that’s exactly what we’ll be aiming to do. I just want to finish by saying a big thank you to everyone involved with the team throughout this season – we’ve never stopped trying and, hopefully, next year will see us back stronger than ever.” More, from a press release issued by Tom Tunstall Racing: Tunstall Ends the Season on the Rostrum The final rounds of the illustrious 2009 British Superbike Championships took place at Oulton Park over the weekend. And for Hardinge Doodson Motorsport rider Tom Tunstall another impressive performance saw his season drawing to a close with another pair of podium finishes. For the second time this year the British Superbikes headed to Oulton Park in Cheshire, and off the back of a great penultimate round at Silverstone Tom and his Hardinge Doodson Motorsport Team were determined to keep their strong progress going and end the season well. Oulton Park is one of the most technical and physical circuits on the calendar and since the Teams previous visit in May the significant improvements were clear. Circulating over 1.6seconds a lap faster during the practice and qualifying sessions Tunstall claimed 3rd of the Superbike Cup riders. “I’m really pleased we’re continuing the momentum and with all the top four cup guys on the same row of the grid it should make for some interesting racing!” With the final event staging three races the first being only two hours after qualifying made it a tight schedule to get the teams Honda CBR1000RR prepared for the race one. The first contest proved eventful with a number of crashes in the opening laps bringing out the red flag stopping the race whilst marshals’ tended to riders and also recovered one bike from the lake next to the track! On the restart Tunstall lost a couple of places but recovered well passing Dan Linfoot, Howie Mainwaring and Cup rival Martin Jessop to take 4th place by lap seven which he held to the flag. “I got held up early on and by the time I’d cut my way through the other guys had disappeared, in fairness they’re lapping very quick so I need to get away with them to battle for the podium.” Rain showers on Sunday morning meant the track conditions for race two were very tricky with only a narrow dry line around the 2.69 mile circuit and riders choosing slick tyres it wasn’t for the faint hearted. A good start saw Tunstall get away with Championship runner-up Peter Hickman and the pair both got past Linfoot on lap two, before catching Yamaha backed Graeme Gowland four laps later. Hickman crashed out at Hizzy’s Chicane a lap later and the following lap Tunstall passed Gowland at the same corner. As the track continued to dry the pace quickened with the pair vying for position. Gowland managed to take it at the flag but the assured ride had earned Tunstall a rostrum place with third in the Cup. The season finale was delayed briefly as light rain showers passed over and the tarmac was dry as the lights went out at the start of the 16-lapper. However a crash on the second corner brought another stoppage. When the riders finally got underway Tunstall was again riding well cutting past both Jessop, and Tommy Bridewell on lap two taking the Hardinge Doodson racer up to 2nd place. Linfoot was next up and as Tunstall lined him up Bridewell edged back though. Tunstall disposed of Linfoot on Lap six, but Bridewell had pulled out a gap. Despite a resilient ride lapping ever faster than during qualifying Tunstall couldn’t close him down, crossing the line third in the cup and only 0.2seconds behind James Ellison to take very respectable 13th overall. After climbing from his tenth podium of the season Tunstall concluded; “It was a good race, it was a shame I couldn’t hang onto Tommy but I was really pushing hard. It’s great to finish the season on the podium and in some respects it’s a shame it’s the end of the season. “We started the season with a bang [referring to the massive crash at Round 1] which set us back big time. Throughout the season we’ve worked hard on a very limited budget & we’ve learnt an understanding of the set-up and how to get the best from the bike now, as a rider I’ve also learnt a lot about riding Superbikes this year which shows not only with the fastest lap and qualifying performances but the podiums and consistently lapping around two seconds faster than before with fantastic progress which I’m looking to carry through to 2010. “I owe a massive thank you to Hardinge Machine Tools and Doodson Broking Group for their support this year and along with the team who’ve been great the success we’ve enjoyed has been a true team effort.” Tom and the team will be working hard to ensure 2010 is their strongest season yet aboard a superbike, watch this space! More, from a press release issued by Steve Plater’s publicist: STEVE PLATER BRITISH SUPERSPORT CHAMPION 2009 Woodhall Spa ace Steve Plater claimed victory in the final race of the season at Oulton Park on Sunday to not only take the race win but also seal the British Supersport championship with a 36 point advantage over his nearest rival, Billy McConnell. In the battle for the championship it was a two horse race as no other rider could overhaul the two front runners. Plater went into the race with an 11 point advantage over his rival and proved a point in qualifying when he set the fastest lap in the dying seconds of the session with a flying lap of 1m 38.706 98.18mph well inside the existing lap record. “The team has done a mega job for me this weekend as we have been working on a different set up from the last time we were here in May so we have been hard at it, both in the garage and riding the bike getting it all dialled in,” explained Plater. “They must have done a good job as I have gone faster than ever before here on a 600cc bike. To be honest I don’t really care about pole position because it’s the race that matters so as long as I was to be on the front row or at worse the second row that’s fine. I just hope the weather is kind to us, either really wet or dry so we don’t have to worry about tyre choice.” Starting from pole position Plater settled into second place behind fellow Lincolnshire rider Ben Wilson. The pair were swiftly followed by McConnell and James Westmoreland and all four steadily pulled away from the pursuing pack. On lap three McConnell took the lead with Plater in his tyre tracks but Westmoreland was also anxious to claim a victory and followed through. McConnell pulled clear but as the race worn on Plater began to claw back the deficit taking over a second out of him on lap nine before snatching the lead one lap later. Westmoreland stayed in close formation and as McConnell dropped back it was left to Plater and Westmoreland to battle it out for the win. With two laps to go the pair were head to head as they exited Druids but Plater got the racing line and held station for the remainder of the race to claim the victory and the championship. “I really wanted to win the race – more than anything – as well as to win the championship,” said the newly crowned British champion. “It’s ok to finish in the points or on the podium but it’s not really my way. There is nothing better than to stand on the top step and obviously Billy had three wins, I had three and Westy had two so if Westy won it would have given us three wins apiece. As it is now I have had more podiums than anyone else, more wins and now the championship so that’s nice. “Its mega to put the championship to bed here at Oulton Park and it’s a big relief as much as anything else as for the last four or five rounds its been a closely fought affair. It’s a big sign of relief and its mega for HM Plant Honda and mega for me, all my family and the fans and all the people who have been ringing and texting me this last few weeks. To say I am pleased is an understatement!!” This fine result concludes Steve Plater’s racing season for the 2009 season which has also seen him take victory at the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT where he secured the historic victory for HM Plant Honda in the Senior TT. More, from a press release issued by Team Naturally Best: SEVEN UP FOR BRILLIANT BRIDEWELL “Ollie can have his bike back now, that’s the old girl’s work done…” Wiltshire rider Tommy Bridewell scored his sixth and seventh wins of the season with another superb double at the final round of the 2009 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli at Oulton Park this weekend. Despite not racing at the Cheshire track since 2007, the 21-year-old from Etchilhampton near Devizes gradually upped his pace as the weekend progressed aboard the four-year-old Team NB Suzuki GSX-R1000 K6 although re-familiarising himself with the track and a return of some gearbox problems hindered his progress on Friday. However, during Saturday’s Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole, Bridewell had to dig deep to make the second part which he did with his final lap of the session whereby he went on to improve to 17th fastest at the end of the session. For the opening race of the triple-header weekend, Tommy made a poor start and had to battle his way through the field on Saturday afternoon after the initial race was red-flagged due to a crash involving Karl Harris, but he scrapped his way to 15th place overall and with it, claimed third in the Mirror.co.uk Cup class for privateers. With some radical changes made to the machine, Bridewell was in confident mood for Sunday’s two races although the showery and blustery autumnal conditions didn’t bode well but as it turned out, they proved to be no problems for the youngest rider in the series. In the first race of the day, again a mediocre start didn’t help but he scorched his way through to finish in eleventh overall after a superb battle with fellow Cup competitor Gary Mason (Quay Garage Honda) and in doing so claimed the Cup victory but it was in the final race of the season that Tommy saved his best performance. Targeting a top ten placing to round off the season, Bridewell was in the mix in the early stages but then nearly threw it all away as he took to the damp grass at high speed on lap four of the twelve-lap race but recovered and started to chase down the pack. Lap after lap, he clawed back the deficit and with two laps to go, passed Mason for the lead of the Cup class and despite Mason’s gallant fight back, it was Tommy who held on to take his seventh win of the season and with it, a career-equalling best result of ninth overall. As a result, despite not contesting eight races of the season and thus missing out on a potential 200 points, Tommy ended up fifth in the Mirror.co.uk Cup class and 18th overall in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship. Tommy commented: “I’m delighted to get another double victory and that last race was the hardest I’ve ridden all season. We weren’t at the races on Friday or Saturday and I had to go and have a word with myself as I didn’t want to end the season on a downer so we made some changes to the bike and I got my head into gear and it worked out. I so wanted that win in the last race and fair play to Gary, he really made me work for it but it’s been another good weekend and we’ve come away with two more wins.” Summarising the season, he continued: “We started out with high hopes in the World Championship paddock and it didn’t work out so we thought we’d come back home to race so we dusted off Ollie’s old bike from the display cabinet to see how we’d do. It has been a lot tougher than I was expecting and after Snetterton, I realised that if we were to succeed, I had to up my game considerably and that’s what I’ve done. The old girl has done us proud and as the season has gone on, a few people have sat up and taken notice of our results so hopefully, we’ll be getting a phone call or two as I can’t do anything more now to put myself in the shop window.” As well as acknowledging the devoted help of his family, dad Marcus, mum Liz and sister Charlotte, as well as race mechanic ‘Thick’ Jason Cochrane, in a final tribute to his much-missed elder brother Ollie, who lost his life at Mallory Park in 2007, Tom concluded: “Old Ginge has kept me safe and the way I’ve had to ride to get these results, I think he’s been on the back once or twice this season as I’ve never crashed once! We’re putting the old girl back in the showcase now, and that’s her work done, Ollie can have his bike back now and hopefully, I can ride someone else’s next season….” MCE Insurance British Superbike Race 1 Result 1, Stuart Easton (Honda) 2, Leon Camier (Yamaha) 3, Tommy Hill (Honda) 4, James Ellison (Yamaha) 5, Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki) 6, Simon Andrews (Kawasaki) 7, Julien Da Costa (Kawasaki) 8, Ian Lowry (Suzuki) 9, Chris Walker (Yamaha) 10, John Laverty (Kawasaki) 11, Glen Richards (Honda) 12, Michael Rutter (Ducati) 13, Gary Mason (Honda) 14, Peter Hickman (Yamaha) 15, Tommy Bridewell (Team NB Suzuki) MCE Insurance British Superbike Race 2 Result 1, Leon Camier (Yamaha) 2, Stuart Easton (Honda) 3, James Ellison (Yamaha) 4, Tommy Hill (Honda) 5, Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki) 6, John Laverty (Kawasaki) 7, Josh Brookes (Honda) 8, Michael Rutter (Ducati) 9, Simon Andrews (Kawasaki) 10, Glen Richards (Honda) 11, Tommy Bridewell (Team NB Suzuki) 12, Gary Mason (Honda) 13, Alastair Seeley (Suzuki) 14, Chris Walker (Yamaha) 15, Graeme Gowland (Yamaha) MCE Insurance British Superbike Race 3 Result 1, Leon Camier (Yamaha) 2, Tommy Hill (Honda) 3, Josh Brookes (Honda) 4, Ian Lowry (Suzuki) 5, Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki) 6, Julien Da Costa (Kawasaki) 7, Chris Walker (Yamaha) 8, Glen Richards (Honda) 9, Tommy Bridewell (Team NB Suzuki) 10, Gary Mason (Honda) 11, Graeme Gowland (Yamaha) 12, James Ellison (Yamaha) 13, Tom Tunstall (Honda) 14, Howie Mainwaring (Yamaha) 15, Dan Linfoot (Yamaha) Mirror.co.uk Cup Points after Final Round 1, Gary Mason (Honda) 535.5pts 2, Peter Hickman (Yamaha) 381pts 3, Martin Jessopp (Honda) 326pts 4, Tom Tunstall (Honda) 315.5pts 5, Tommy Bridewell (Team NB Suzuki) 300pts 6, Kenny Gilbertson (Kawasaki) 85pts 7, Alastair Fagan (Honda) 74pts 8, Matt Bond (Suzuki) 68pts 9, Brian McCormack (Kawasaki) 30pts 10, Richard Cooper (Yamaha) 25.5pts More, from a press release issued by Hydrex Honda: Easton and Hill ensure winning end of year for Hydrex Honda Final Round 10/11 October Oulton Park MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli Stuart Easton and Tommy Hill ensured Hydrex Honda’s 2009 British Superbike season ended on a high note at the weekend when the duo recorded a win and four podiums at Oulton Park. The second ‘triple header’ meeting of the year saw Easton take his first ever pole position and he carried this form over in to the races taking his, and the teams, second win, also claiming yet another second place. Hill, meanwhile, was equally strong throughout the three days of action and he took 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the three races season to firmly prove what a valuable addition to the team he’d been. In what was without doubt the race of the season, Saturday’s first race saw Stuart and Tommy go head to head with the Airwaves Yamaha pairing of Leon Camier and James Ellison throughout the 12 laps. Hard overtaking manoeuvres were taking place with frequent regularity and it all came down to a last lap showdown. New champion Camier looked like he had seized control but a determined Easton wasn’t to be denied and he dived up the inside at Hizzy’s chicane, holding on for his second win of the season. In a truly memorable race for the Hydrex Honda team, Hill also moved past Ellison on the final lap to take third, the first time in their history that the team had had two riders on a BSB podium. The opening race on Sunday saw damp conditions after consistent morning drizzle but a dry line got bigger as the race progressed and, after being pushed back to third and fifth respectively, the appearance of the pace car on lap 10 allowed Stuart and Tommy to close right back up to Camier and Ellison. Hill was soon back up to fourth and, on lap 13, Easton overhauled Ellison, once more at Hizzy’s, to set up another final lap showdown. He attempted the same manoeuvre as what he’d done the previous day but, on this occasion, Camier was able to hold his line and he had to settle for second, albeit just 0.08s adrift at the end of the 16 laps. Meanwhile, Tommy held on for fourth, less than two seconds behind at the chequered flag. With typical autumn conditions greeting the riders in the final race of the year on late Sunday afternoon, it looked like two more podium positions would be heading the way of the Hydrex team. However, on the fifth lap, with Tommy in second and Stuart in third, the Scotsman clipped the kerb at the Britten’s chicane and he crashed out, amazingly his first crash of any description of 2009. That left Hill unchallenged and he was able to take his best result for the team in second. There wasn’t as much joy in the British Supersport 600cc Championship class for Tom Grant when he had to take a ‘ride-through’ penalty for jumping the start. The infringement dropped him from inside the top 10 to outside the top 20 but he gamely continued and had managed to fight his way back up 17th by the end of the race, just missing out on the points. Speaking afterwards, race winner Easton said: “On the whole it’s been a good weekend I got pole position, won the first race and then pushed Leon extremely hard in the second so it’s only the final race that let me down. I could see Leon was edging away and I was desperate to pass Tommy, which led to me getting a bit frustrated. When you’re so close to someone through that chicane, you can’t see the kerb and I just got caught out when the bike decked out. It’s a bit disappointing to end like that but I can’t complain too much as it’s been a great year with wins and podiums along the way so a big thank you to everyone connected with the team.” Team manager Shaun Muir added: “It’s been the team’s most successful year ever and for a moderately funded team, we can all be extremely proud of what we’ve achieved. It’s been a tough championship once more but our results have been higher than expected and, like we did in 2008 with James Ellison, we’ve re-launched the career of Stuart Easton and he’s moved on to a whole new level. He’s done so much for the team and I think it’s fair to say we’ve both complimented each other throughout the season and together we’ve reaped the rewards.” “Tommy deservedly won the ‘Rider of the Day’ award and for him to take two podiums at the final round, and be in contention throughout, was very, very pleasing. I think the decision to bring him in for the final third of the season raised a few eyebrows but that decision has been fully vindicated and he’s proved that in the right team and environment, he can be a serious challenger for the BSB title in 2010.” “I’ve got to say a massive thank you to all of our loyal sponsors and to the entire team, particularly to Mick Shanley and Pete Jennings for jointly managing and coordinating the team, and collectively we’ve proved that with dedication and support, it is possible to achieve results of the highest order. The challenge now is to get the riders, mechanics and funds all in place for 2010 so we can maintain the level we’ve got to now and improve our standing even further the number one plate is what we’ll be firmly aiming for.” More, from a press release issued by British Superbike Championship Organizers: Steve Plater wins final round and the crown Fuchs-Silkolene British Supesport Championship Steve Plater and the HM Plant Honda team have secured the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship crown after winning the final race of the season at Oulton Park. “It was a mega race and I knew I wanted to win it. Me and Billy had taken three each until this round and I wanted to win in style and I could only do that by winning the race,” explained Plater. “It is all credit to the HM Plant Honda team and it has been a great season-long battle between myself and Billy and I am just so happy to be the new champion,” he added. It was Gearlink Kawasaki’s Ben Wilson whole stole the whole shot off the line from Plater’s main rival Billy McConnell on the MAP Raceways Yamaha, but McConnell hit the lead when both him and Plater went side-by-side into Old Hall on the third lap with the pair both passing Wilson. Wilson lost another place to James Westmoreland when the A1 Moto Services/ JT Performance Triumph forced his way down the inside at Island. Westmoreland then had Plater in his sights for second and made a move at Shell Oils corner on the brakes, but carrying too much speed he ran wide allowing Plater to retake second on the exit. On the tenth lap Plater was attacking his championship rival and a brave move on the brakes into Lodge, with the pair touching on the approach but the HM Plant Honda was back at the front. McConnell had a moment on the exit of the corner and later dropped down through the order after gambling on tyre choice for the race. He ended the race 19th after a big moment at Cascades on the penultimate lap. “I had been struggling with the track time all weekend as I had been really ill before the weekend and I knew I had to come up with something special to beat Steve,” reflected McConnell. “I gambled on a different tyre and unfortunately it didn’t pay off, which was my mistake but we had to try it as it could have been a different story. It has been a great season and Steve deserved the win so congratulations to him,” he added. Plater was coming under increasing pressure from Westmoreland but despite his best efforts the HM Plant Honda rider was not going to be fazed and he took the emotional win before celebrating his maiden crown in the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship on the podium. Wilson took third from team-mate Hudson Kennaugh who improved throughout the race, with the second MAP Raceways Yamaha of Lee Johnston in fifth place. Sam Lowes was also crowned as the 2009 Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Cup champion. Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship, Oulton Park, race result: Steve Plater (HM Plant Honda) James Westmoreland (A1 Moto Services/ JT Performance Triumph) +3.496s Ben Wilson (Gearlink Kawasaki) +7.910s Hudson Kennaugh (Gearlink Kawasaki) +8.089s Lee Johnston (MAP Raceways Yamaha) +11.942s Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship final standings: Steve Plater (HM Plant Honda) 215 Billy McConnell (MAP Raceways Yamaha) 179 James Westmoreland (JW Racing Triumph) 171 Ben Wilson (Gearlink Kawasaki) 137 Dan Cooper (Centurion Racing Honda) 104 More, from a press release issued by Conor Cummins: Cummins clinches top ten Championship position Team Blackhorse Yamaha’s Conor Cummins extended his points scoring sequence to 8 meetings when he finished in 13th place in the final round of the 2009 Metzeler National Superstock 1000cc Championship at Oulton Park on Sunday. The three points ensured that he finished in 10th place overall in the series and also meant that he finished in the points in every single round contested, his only no-score coming due to missing the Thruxton meeting in May when on Isle of Man TT duty. With typical autumn conditions greeting the riders throughout the weekend, the opening qualifying session on Friday came to a premature end when rain began to fall half way through the session and no-one was able to go quicker than what they had done in the opening handful of laps. That left Conor in 15th place going into Saturday’s final qualifying session where he promptly took over a second off his lap time in the dry conditions. However, he was bumped back a place to 16th overall and so the Manxman lined up on the fourth row of the grid. The weather was at its kindest when Sunday’s 14-lap race got underway and Conor maintained his starting position on the opening lap before being relegated to 17th a lap later. However, lapping half a second quicker than what he’d done in practice, by half race distance he’d moved up to 13th, again embroiled in a big fight for the final top ten positions, no less than 9 riders battling it out for 8th place. Briefly up to 12th place, fellow road racer Gary Johnson edged him back to 13th on the ninth lap and Conor took the chequered flag in that position for three more hard earned points. The result moved him on to a total of 68 points for the season, which meant he finished 10th overall in one of the most fiercely fought Championships and it also meant he was the second highest placed Yamaha rider. Speaking later, the 23-year old Manxman said; “Once again, I pushed as hard as I could and did the best I could so it was good to finish in the points once more and finish inside the top ten of the Championship. It’s been a hard season but I’ve loved every minute of it and working with Ian and the entire Team Blackhorse Yamaha squad has been truly fantastic. We’ve had a solid, consistent year and I’m happy enough with the results and to finish as the second highest Yamaha rider shows what a good job we’ve all done. I’ve got two more meetings, in Australia and Macau, to look forward to now and I’ll be aiming to finish the season on a high note there.” Conor now has a two week break before heading to Australia for the ‘Kings of Wanneroo’ meeting, which, in turn, is followed by the Macau Grand Prix where he’ll be riding for the Paul Bird Kawasaki World Superbike team. More, from a press release issued by John McGuinness’ publicist: McGuinness secures third place in 2009 Superstock Championship Morecambe’s John McGuinness rode through the pain barrier at Oulton Park on Sunday as he successfully clinched an excellent third place overall in the 2009 Metzeler National Superstock 1000cc Championship. The Padgetts Honda ace was nursing a broken hand and damaged ribs, the legacy of a practice crash at Darley Moor a week earlier, but he dug deep and the 6 points he scored at the final round were enough to claim the number 3 plate. Clearly suffering with his injuries, both on and off the bike, John found himself in a lowly, and highly unusual, 14th place at the end of the opening qualifying session although damp conditions meant only a handful of laps were completed. With fine weather for final qualifying on Saturday, a time of 1m40.612s saw John jump up to seventh place for a second row start and with team-mate Steve Brogan on pole position and Ian Hutchinson, drafted in to the class to help Steve and John secure 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Championship, in fifth it was a good day for the Padgetts squad. The 14-lap race on Sunday saw dry conditions and it was Brogan who led the way from Richard Cooper whilst John slotted in to ninth place at the end of the opening lap. That meant John had to get in to 7th place to be sure of third overall and this he duly did on lap 6 as he fought tooth and nail with Luke Quigley, Sam Warren and Daniel Hegarty. Brogan had to take a ride through penalty for jumping the start but Hutchinson took over in the lead to ensure the status quo remained and when Cooper went out on lap 8, John was safe in the knowledge that third place in the Championship would be his. With this on his mind and with his injuries taking their toll, he was able to relax in the final stages and he crossed the line in tenth place to end a terrific season on the short circuits. Speaking afterwards, a stiff and sore John commented; “The crash at Darley really took the wind out of my sails and it was bloody tough this weekend! My hand was quite swollen and the ribs were very sore so it was all about getting the job done and clinching that third place overall. I dug deep for qualifying to get as close to the front as possible and that helped a lot although the race itself was one of the hardest this season – I lost count of how many riders I was battling with!” “Brogie and Hutchy were doing a superb job at the front so once I got into 7th I was able to breathe a bit easier and when Richard dropped out the pressure was off. It’s a shame the run of podiums and momentum in the Championship fell away here but overall I’ve had a brilliant season on the circuits and with a win and six podiums I’m really happy. It’s been a pleasure working with the team again, everyone has worked incredibly hard all year and for me and Steve to finish 2nd and 3rd overall is testament to all of our efforts.” John now has a 6-week break before making his annual visit to the Macau Grand Prix, where he’ll be riding for the Hydrex Honda team. The race takes place on Saturday 21st November. More, from a press release issued by Team Velocity Racing: Dual Championships Highlight 2009 Season for TVR/EBC Brakes Yamaha BRASELTON, Ga.””TVR/EBC Brakes Yamaha concluded the 2009 WERA National Endurance Series season on Friday with two class victories during the four-hour finale at Road Atlanta. The Heavyweight Superstock and Mediumweight Superstock wins capped a championship year as the team clinched both titles. For the finale, Jamie James, James Vanderhaar and Brett Champagne rode the TVR/EBC Brakes Yamaha YZF-R1, finishing fourth overall and first in Heavyweight Superstock. The R1 team started 2009 on a high note with multiple wins. Shortly after introducing their new 2009 R1, though, Ivey had a violent crash that broke both bones and the bike. Things only got more difficult when team rider Zac Chapman crashed in a sprint race at Virginia International Raceway. Chapman’s critical medical condition deeply affected the other TVR riders. Nevertheless, the team soldiered on, continuing to earn top finishes en route to their championship. “The adversity we had this year was extraordinary,” said Ivey. “It feels good to say we stuck to it and finished the season. Every championship we’ve earned has been special, but this one is special in its own way. It’s been all about teamwork, trusting each other and getting the job done together. Our sponsors””like Michelin, Arai Helmets, EK Chains and Vortex””have proven to be a big contributor to our longevity, as well.” “This season was exciting, it was adventurous, and it was a lot of fun,” said Champagne. “I knew TVR before, but I knew them as competitors. They’re a great group, and I’ve really enjoyed the year.” At Road Atlanta, damp conditions at the start of the race meant that both TVR bikes were equipped with Michelin DOTs. The extra grip combined with the R1’s dominance allowed James to run up front. “The conditions just fell into our hands because the motor of the R1 is so smooth and predictable through the damp, sketchy areas. That smooth delivery allowed me to get up there and have some fun,” said James. The riders of the TVR’s No. 136 Yamaha YZF-R6 had their own set of challenges this season. The year got off to a bad start, with two crashes in the first two races of the season. The shaky beginning prompted the team to rethink their strategy, and they were able to come into their own in subsequent races. Soon, instead of crashing, they were winning the Mediumweight Superstock class. Reuben Frankenfield, James Dellinger and Ethan Ellis rode the VP Fuels-powered R6 at Road Atlanta, finishing fifth overall. A longtime TVR rider, Frankenfield piloted both the R1 and the R6 this year, giving him a hand in both championships. “I just really admire they way Chuck stuck with the race program this year, despite everything we had to deal with. Most people probably would have hung it up for a while. It just shows how dedicated he is as a team owner,” Frankenfield noted. Vanderhaar had the opportunity to race at the Michelin U.S. Motorcycle Championship and the Isle of Man this year. He lists competing at the historic Isle of Man as one of the highlights of his racing career. “This was my first full season on an R1, and it was a lot of fun. It was great representing TVR at the Isle of Man and the Michelin Championship. I’m glad they gave me an opportunity to ride at those events,” said Vanderhaar. TVR’s sponsors include EBC Brakes, Michelin, Yamaha, Aiken Motorcycle, XES Leather, MotoHeaven.com, Arai, Vortex, Repsol, EK Chains, VP Fuels, and Dyno Jet. Keep up with the team’s season and find pictures online at www.TeamVelocityRacing.com. More, from a press release issued by Pirelli: Pirelli Dominates WERA GNF Championships at Road Atlanta Rome, Georgia: Pirelli racers racked up win after win and podium after podium at the annual WERA Grand National Finals (GNF) at Road Atlanta, outside Braselton, Georgia, taking three wins and more than a half-dozen podiums positions in Sunday’s National Challenge Sprint Championships premier classes. After a win on Saturday in the Sportsman class of C Superstock, and second place finishes in A Superstock and Formula 1, Cory West started out Sunday’s National Challenge races by winning Open Superstock, and he closed out the WERA event with a second place finish in final race of the day, Formula one. West’s win and second place finish won him championships in both A and C Superstock. In between those races Taylor Knapp earned the win in 600 Superstock with Cory West taking second, while Tray Batey was joined in his win in 750 Superstock with Cory West earning third. Staying with the “West” theme, West-Coast teenage sensation, Elena Myers again proved her skills by taking second place in 600 Superbike in this invitation-only championship final. In all, Pirelli riders in the GNF National classes, using its latest Diablo Supercorsa DOT race tires and Superbike Slicks, racked up three wins, six seconds, and three thirds. In the Sportsman classes run on Saturday of the GNF, the results were equally impressive; Pirelli riders took 12 of the top three places in the GNF’s Sportsman races. These podium finishes included Katie Carney earning the win in Women’s Superstock, adding to the Expert’s score of Batey’s and West’s wins. In action of a different sort taking place on Friday at the GNF, Vesrah Suzuki put the ribbon on their package of a perfect season, winning every round of the 2009 WERA National Endurance Series, adding to the championship that they had wrapped up prior to the last race of the season on their Pirelli shod Suzuki GSX-R1000, using the new 190/60-17-sized rear Diablo Superbike Slick. Chris Jensen, Pirelli Racing manager, said, “Although we are the spec-tire from the Parts Canada Superbike Series to World Superbike, I really get a kick out of how well our tires perform when we compete directly against other brands. With Vesrah Suzuki totally dominating season in the WERA Endurance by winning every race, to our winning so many of these eight- and ten-lap sprints this weekend, we’ve shown how our tires have it all in terms of speed, reliability, and feedback. From six hour races to 20-minute races we have conquered the competition.” Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures, and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets, as well as marketing tires for motorcycles and race cars. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets. For more information please visit: www.us.pirellimoto.com.