A second place on home tarmac was sufficient for Woodhall Spa star Steve Plater to hold on to his series lead but his advantage is cut to just two points over Billy McConnell who won at Cadwell Park on Monday. Plater was competing in round nine of the Fuchs/Silkolene British Supersport championship at the Lincolnshire circuit of Cadwell Park and knew he had to produce a top result to maintain his championship lead over McConnell who was only a handful of points away from him. There are only three machines per row on the starting grid instead of the usual four, which resulted in Plater, who was seventh in qualifying, starting his campaign from the third row. “Qualifying didn’t really go to plan for me, in the first session I finished seventh and as we had a few problems with set up we changed things for the final session,” explained Plater. “But we had a little bit of rain, nothing much but enough to slow us down a tad and I wasn’t able to go any faster, so ended up in seventh place. Billy is only seven points behind me so I realise the need to bag the points today I love Cadwell Park and it would be nice to get the win in front of my home crowd. I will be trying hard so we will just have to see what happens” Not getting the best of starts, Plater completed the first lap in sixth place before making his way through to fourth on lap three. When Dan Linfoot had an out of seat moment at Mansfield on lap three Plater was quick to power the HM Plant Honda through to snatch his third place. He gradually reeled in James Westmoreland and finally forged ahead at Park Corner to chase after McConnell who had a commanding lead. Once he had a clear track ahead of him, Plater stepped on the gas and once he had McConnell in his sights set about reducing the gap. But although he got to within striking distance he ran out of laps and crossed the finish line in second place, just two seconds away from his target. “Billy McConnell has been on fire all weekend,” said Plater. “In fact I was thinking about calling the fire brigade to put him out,” he quipped. “I realised that Billy was on the pace and in reality I was riding for second, unless he had a problem. I struggled to get past Westmoreland but once I got by I knew I could push on and pull a gap, which is what I did. I am happy enough with second but it is very tight now with only two points separating us so I need to finish the remaining three races ahead of him to be sure of the title.” The next round is at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire on September 13 when Plater will be striving for a top result to maintain his series lead. More, from a press release issued by Tom Tunstall Racing: Progress and points for Tunstall The latest round of the British Superbike Championships proved to be a testing encounter for both Tom Tunstall and his Hardinge Doodson Machine. Despite a series of niggling issues great progress was made throughout the challenging weekend. Held at the spectacular and picturesque Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire the event once again pulled a massive crowd of enthusiastic race fans with nearly 50,000 people in attendance. Following practice and the single qualifying session Tunstall was placed 6th of the Superbike Cup contenders and Tunstall explained; “Coming here I knew I had room for improvement around Cadwell on a Superbike especially through the woodland section and I’ve been determined to turn it around. “We’ve had a few issues with the bike and I lost some track time in practice which is a shame as I’m still learning around here it’s a strange place, if you try too hard and get too aggressive you just go slower it’s a case of being precise, keeping the momentum and getting the right balance of aggression and smoothness. “I got blocked on my fastest lap in the first sector when James Ellison sat up, but my qualifying lap was still 1.3 seconds faster than last year so we’re going in the right direction”. In the first of the days two 18-lap outings Tunstall continued to make progress as he drove up the field. Having avoided [Kenny] Gilberston’s crash on lap four he claimed fourth place after passing [Martin] Jessop a lap later. Lapping consistently faster than in qualifying he caught and passed Suzuki backed [Atsushi] Wantanabe and latched onto the back of Yamaha rider Graeme Gowland. However before he could make his move his machine cut out completely as he started the 12th lap. Afterwards an obviously frustrated Tunstall commented; “It’s a real shame the bike stopped, I was racing well, my times were coming down, I was really enjoying catching and passing the rider ahead, but these things happen and hopefully we’ll resolve the issue for race two”. The fault was traced to a broken fuel pump relay a rare failure from an inexpensive part adding to the team’s frustration. Race two saw Tunstall make a great start but seemed to struggle initially to match the pace shown in race one. Having passed Wantanabe at the start of the race Tunstall lost the position just before the safety car was deployed following Michael Howarth’s MV Agusta dropping oil on the track on lap five. At the restart Wantanabe made a mistake in the final corner and as Tunstall wasn’t allowed to pass before the start line it meant the pair lost ground on the pack ahead. The pair quickly regrouped and Tunstall caught and passed Jessop on lap 15 taking the chequred flag fourth of the Cup competitors. The cause of Tunstall’s issues was clear as he returned after the race having lost the toe slider protection off his boot he had ground through the boot, and sock and therefore catching his foot on the tarmac. “It was difficult to keep concentration at first as I had to lift my foot out of the way on all the right hand corners rather than just race but I still managed reasonable lap times and got through to fourth. It was annoying really. “I’ve enjoyed racing at Cadwell more than ever this weekend but I think some of the issues we had meant that the results didn’t show what we were capable of. I’m already looking forward to Croft and hopefully if things run a bit smoother there we should certainly be back on the podium”. With the next round at Croft in North Yorkshire on the 13th of September Tom and the Hardinge Doodson Motorsport team shouldn’t have too long to wait. More, from a press release issued by Bridgestone: Indianapolis Grand Prix debrief with Tohru Ubukata Round 12: Indianapolis GP Post-race debrief Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tuesday 1 September 2009 Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Medium, Hard. Rear: Hard, Extra hard (asymmetric) The Indianapolis Grand Prix was again struck by mixed weather, but the outcome was far more favourable than last year. After rain for the first practice on Friday, the following two days were fine and dry, with a track temperature that reached a peak of 42 degrees Celsius. Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa qualified on pole with a new pole position record, but he and Fiat Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi both fell during the race, giving Jorge Lorenzo his third win of the season and halving his points deficit to championship leader Rossi. Alex de Angelis scored his career first podium with the San Carlo Honda Gresini team, and Ducati’s Nicky Hayden made a welcome return to the podium at his home grand prix. Q&A with Tohru Ubukata – Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department It rained on Friday for the first free practice session but the track temperature was still high. How did this affect the performance of the wet tyres? “I am pleased with the performance of our hard compound wet tyres because they showed good durability and grip in what were very tricky conditions. The circuit uses part of the famous oval, which is not designed to be run in the rain, mixed with sections designed and built for Formula One and of course MotoGP, so areas of the track are better at draining water than others. This meant that areas of the circuit were wet, but some drained so well, especially at the back of the track, that they were just damp and so generated higher temperatures and therefore wear in the tyres, especially given the high track temperature. Normally in wet conditions we can expect the track temperature to be around 20 degrees Celsius, whereas on Friday it reached almost 30 degrees. “In other areas of the track there was a lot of standing water mid-corner which is when the tyres are under their peak load, so for the riders it was very tricky to get a consistent feeling for the whole lap. The only other circuit at which we have used the hard compound wets so far this season is Sachsenring, where again we saw a great deal of standing water, and from both race weekends I can say they are performing well. “The objective of our tyre design for this season as the Official Tyre Supplier was to maximise the operating range of each compound, of both wets and slicks. I think this was a great factor in the performance of our wet tyres on Friday as they have been designed and engineered to deal with a wide range of conditions, from wet to damp, anyway.” Indianapolis is an abrasive circuit but the weather was cooler on race day. How did this affect slick tyre compound choice? “The weather and more specifically the track temperature was a big factor in tyre choice on Sunday as it was significantly cooler than during Saturday’s qualifying session. In the end, most riders chose the harder option front and the softer option rear slick tyres, but I was pleased with the pace that our softer front tyre enabled the Ducati Team pairing of Nicky and Mika to ride. “The track surface of the first sector that was newly laid for last year’s inaugural Indianapolis Grand Prix has matured, so wear rate was lower. The durability and consistency of the softer option were reasonable over a race distance, and the battle between Nicky and Andrea gave us a good demonstration of the crossover in performance of the two compounds.” We saw some leading riders fall during the race. What is it about Indianapolis that makes it a tricky track? “There are no elevation changes at Indianapolis, and it is often described as a flat track, but actually it is quite bumpy. There are sections in particular around turn two and turn six, just at the point the bike is changing direction or entering a corner, and the bumps can unsettle the balance of the bike and reduce the contact patch of the tyres on the track surface, and this is what caught out some riders during the weekend.” More, from a press release issued by Indianapolis Motor Speedway: MotoGP RACE REPORT: RED BULL INDIANAPOLIS GP Lorenzo wins unpredictable race as Pedrosa, Rossi crash; American Hayden third INDIANAPOLIS, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009 Fiat Yamaha Team rider Jorge Lorenzo won the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 30 after pole winner Dani Pedrosa and MotoGP points leader Valentino Rossi crashed early in the race. Alex de Angelis finished second for his first career MotoGP podium result, while American Nicky Hayden earned his first podium finish of the season in third. Pole sitter Pedrosa led from the start of the race but slid out of the lead with a low-side crash in Turn 15 on Lap 4 of the 28-lap race. He was unhurt and soon rejoined the race on the No. 3 Repsol Honda Team entry, but more than a half-lap behind. He finished 10th. Rossi assumed the lead on his No. 48 Fiat Yamaha Team machine. But the lead was short-lived, as his teammate, Lorenzo, dove underneath Rossi in Turn 1 on Lap 9. One lap later, Rossi’s bike became unstable exiting Turn 2 and slid out from under him. Six-time MotoGP World Champion Rossi remounted his bike but retired from the race on Lap 12. After Rossi’s crash, Lorenzo cruised to victory, winning by 9.435 seconds. He rode a wheelie, to the delight of the fans, from the exit of Turn 16 nearly a half-mile through the finish line. He also performed an Helio Castroneves-like fence climb in Turn 1. The victory trimmed Rossi’s lead over Lorenzo to just 25 points with five races remaining this season. Lorenzo crashed out of the lead at two consecutive races entering this event. “If you want to win, you have to always be at the limit, and in the last two races I was at the limit to try to win and I crash, so I was a bit disappointed,” said Lorenzo, a native of Palma de Mallorca, Spain. “Today the situation changed completely. “Today I feel great on the bike, riding in (1:) 42 quite easily. I think if Valentino doesn’t crash, I could ride maybe in the 39.9 or 39.8 because I felt very good on the bike. But when Vale crash, I focus and try to finish.” Besides his first podium finish, de Angelis also recorded a significant “first” for a motorcycle at Indianapolis. On Lap 19, he became the first motorcycle rider to eclipse the 200-mph mark at IMS with a trap speed of 201.3 mph on the main straightaway on his San Carlo Honda Gresini machine. Hayden’s third place on the No. 69 Ducati Team entry is his second consecutive Red Bull Indianapolis GP podium after he finished second to Rossi in 2008. But Hayden, from Owensboro, Ky., had to work hard for the podium. Repsol Honda Team rider Andrea Dovizioso pushed Hayden for the last eight laps of the race. Hayden beat Dovizioso to the finish by .531 of a second. “It’s great to be on the podium; I’m really happy,” Hayden said. “This (riding this season with Ducati) has been the biggest challenge of my life. We hung in there and caught a couple of breaks today and was able to get on the podium. Just happy to be on the podium and spraying a little bubbly today. Hopefully we can just keep building on this.” Fellow American MotoGP rider Colin Edwards, from Houston, rounded out the top five on the No. 5 Monster Yamaha Tech 3 entry. Marco Simoncelli won the 250cc race on the No. 58 Metis Gilera by 1.943 seconds over series points leader Hiroshi Aoyama, who finished second on the No. 4 Scot Racing Team Honda. Spaniard Alvaro Bautista finished third on the No. 19 Mapfre Aspar Team Aprilia. Simoncelli, of Italy, earned the pole for the 250cc race at the 2008 Red Bull Indianapolis GP but never had the chance to claim victory at the inaugural event because adverse weather conditions caused by remnants of Hurricane Ike forced cancellation of that race. Simoncelli struggled with crashes during practice but made the most of his race, leading 21 of the 26 laps. “Today it was very difficult race because yesterday I crashed three times,” he said. “I wasn’t sure my start was good for today. But today, in the warm-up, we made some modifications. In the last laps, I tried to do 100 percent. I had to do three laps like it was qualifying.” Pol Espargaro won the 125cc World Championship race on the No. 44 Derbi Racing Team entry after an intense five-rider duel for the lead. Espargaro, of Spain, qualified fourth and was part of a pack of riders led by No. 18 Jack & Jones Team rider Nicolas Terol. 2008 Red Bull Indianapolis GP 125cc race winner Terol led the first 21 laps of the 23-lap race until Espargaro passed him entering Turn 1 after slipstreaming behind him down the main straightaway. Bradley Smith, from Great Britain, and Simone Corsi, from Italy, passed Terol on the final lap and finished second and third, respectively. Pole winner Julian Simon rallied from a poor start, which saw him drop to 10th by the Turn 4 on Lap 1, to finish fifth. The 2010 running of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP is provisionally set for Sunday, Aug. 29. *** RESULTS INDIANAPOLIS Results of the 28-lap Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP race, with position, rider, country, motorcycle, time behind winner. All riders on Bridgestone tires: 1. Jorge Lorenzo Spain Yamaha 2. Alex de Angelis San Marino Honda +9.435 3. Nicky Hayden United States Ducati +12.947 4. Andrea Dovizioso Italy Honda +13.478 5. Colin Edwards United States Yamaha +26.254 6. James Toseland Great Britain Yamaha +32.408 7. Loris Capirossi Italy Suzuki +34.400 8. Mika Kallio Finland Ducati +34.856 9. Toni Elias Spain Honda +45.005 10. Dani Pedrosa Spain Honda +45.377 11. Chris Vermeulen Australia Suzuki +45.478 12. Randy de Puniet France Honda +52.294 13. Aleix Espargaro Spain Ducati +1:03.552 14. Gabor Talmacsi Hungary Honda +1:15.086 NC Marco Melandri Italy Kawasaki +3 laps NC Niccolo Canepa Italy Ducati +5 laps NC Valentino Rossi Italy Yamaha +16 laps NC Not classified Fastest lap: Lorenzo, 1:40.152, Lap 4; Pole lap: Pedrosa, 1:39.730 POINTS Riders: Rossi 212, Lorenzo 187, Casey Stoner 150, Pedrosa 141, Edwards 123, Dovizioso 120, de Angelis 88, Capirossi 86, de Puniet 84, Melandri 79, Vermeulen 77, Hayden 73, Toseland 72, Elias 70, Kallio 42, Canepa 32, Sete Gibernau 12, Talmacsi 10, Yuki Takahashi 9, Espargaro 3. Manufacturers: Yamaha 280, Honda 204, Ducati 182, Suzuki 109, Kawasaki 79. *** PODIUM QUOTES JORGE LORENZO (Fiat Yamaha Team, winner): “This is fantastic for me and for my team. I’ve had two crashes in a row but now I’ve won, and my closest rivals have crashed instead. Of course, I’m sorry for them, but these are the highs and lows of racing and it’s an amazing result for me. I was strong all weekend, and I really want to thank my team for giving me a great bike. I had a hard start and I had to try very hard to pass people and get back to third, but then I had a good rhythm and I was able to go with Valentino and Dani. Once Dani had gone, I knew it would be a hard fight between me and Valentino and in fact when he crashed, I didn’t realize for a while, because I misread my pit board and thought it said plus-0! Anyway, my bike was great, and from then on it was quite easy. I just stayed focused. I had great fun on the slow-down lap with the fans, and I am so happy to win here at this amazing track. The championship was almost gone, but in one day things have changed a lot. It will be hard but we won’t give up!” ALEX DE ANGELIS (San Carlo Honda Gresini, second): “It’s a great satisfaction. I started not very well and lost a lot of time with (Colin) Edwards at the beginning. Then I overtook him, went with my pace, and saw the others were struggling. I tried not to make mistakes and to push. It was a difficult and complex race; however, it’s great. I come from five positive races. I’ve always improved, and we’ve found the ideal setup for this bike. We struggled a lot at the beginning (of the season), but I’ve never stopped believing in myself, and the same goes for the guys working with me. So with this result, I want to thank them because at difficult times you can feel who really is with you and who isn’t.” NICKY HAYDEN (Ducati Team, third): “It feels great to be on the podium here at Indianapolis, and I want to thank all the team, my friends, family and fans for their support because this has been a tough season and I’ve needed every one of them. I was really careful at the start because I watched the 125cc race earlier on, and the guy in my grid position made a jump start. It made me think that I really didn’t want to do that today. As a result, I didn’t get a great start but I saw Lorenzo charge past a few guys, making a hole in the pack, so I tried to follow him. I pushed hard and in the middle of the race I went as fast as I have all weekend, but I didn’t have any more than that. Dovizioso came on strong at the end, so I gave myself a little pep talk and made sure I was ready for whatever he had. He was going to have to come up with something special to keep me off the podium here at Indy. Thankfully I kept it together and brought it home. We don’t have long to the next race at Misano, but I’m in the mood for a little party tonight. My buddies have seen the sun come up every day since Friday, but hopefully they’ve got something left in the tank for me!” *** OTHER AMERICAN RIDER QUOTE COLIN EDWARDS (Monster Yamaha Tech 3, fifth): “It wasn’t as much fun as thought it was going to be, to be honest with you, I had hopes of better result at my home race. I did the same times I did all weekend, but I struggled with some grip issues. It just felt like everything was pivoting on the rear. It was like speedway (motorcycle racing). As soon as I got the bike on the side, the rear came around, and that is not the fast way. I couldn’t put any load on the rear. At the end of the day, we had the same tires as the guy who won the race so whether it was something in our setup or riding style, I don’t know. All I could do was watch Nicky and Andrea walk away from me, and I took some big risks on the brakes. Once Nicky got by, it became hard to manage, and I think we turned a tire on the rim. I had a lot of vibration over the final 10 laps.” *** MotoGP SUPPORT CLASS WINNERS 250cc: Marco Simoncelli, Metis Gilera, Italy 125cc: Pol Espargaro, Derbi Racing Team, Spain *** NEXT RACE Grand Prix of San Marino, Misano, San Marino, Sept. 6. Round 13 of 17. More, from a press release issued by Team Naturally Best Racing: DOUBLE PODIUM AT CADWELL FOR BRIDEWELL Following on from the disappointment last time out at Brands Hatch, Team NB rider Tommy Bridewell got back on the podium trail with a pair of runner-up placings in round nine of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire today. Riding the four-year-old 1000cc Suzuki GSX-R1000, which had been totally rebuilt following on the engine problems in the previous round, Bridewell suffered with electronic dramas during Saturday’s free practice sessions and the team only managed to rectify the situation in time for Sunday’s Swan Combi 50 Roll for Poll whereby he qualified in 17th position. In front of a capacity crowd who were enjoying the Bank Holiday sunshine, Bridewell got a good start in the opening 18-lap race and was holding third position in the Mirror.co.uk Cup class going into the final lap, however a smart move on rival Peter Hickman saw him snatch runner-up spot in the class and in doing so claimed 13th place overall after a determined ride. In the second 18-lap encounter, again Bridewell made a decent start and such was the pace he circulated within the leading bunch who were battling for the final podium place. As the race progressed the 21-year-old from Etchilhampton near Devizes in Wiltshire gradually closed in on runaway leader Gary Mason and recorded his second podium placing of the weekend claiming tenth overall for good measure. As a result Bridewell has consolidated fifth position in the Mirror.co.uk Cup going into the next round at Croft in North Yorkshire whereby he is confident of more success. “If anybody can ride this old girl any harder than that then they’re welcome to give it a go!” exclaimed Bridewell afterwards. “We just need to make sure we have the budget to do Croft as the engine blow up made a big dent in it but after this weekend I’m pretty sure that given half a chance we can get inside the top ten once again overall and take the game to Gary Mason and the Quay Garage Honda team. It’s been a good weekend at Cadwell and our intention is to continue our strong results towards the end of the season but I’m looking at wins rather than podiums from now on,” concluded Tom. Race One Result 1, Leon Camier (Yamaha) 2, Stuart Easton (Honda) 3, James Ellison (Yamaha) 4, Ian Lowry (Suzuki) 5, Simon Andrews (Kawasaki) 6, Julien Da Costa (Kawasaki) 7, Karl Muggeridge (Honda) 8, Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki) 9, John Laverty (Kawasaki) 10, Gary Mason (Honda) 11, Chris Walker (Yamaha) 12, John McGuinness (Honda) 13, Tommy Bridewell (Team NB Suzuki) Race Two Result 1, James Ellison (Yamaha) 2, Stuart Easton (Honda) 3, Simon Andrews (Kawasaki) 4, Julien Da Costa (Kawasaki) 5, John Laverty (Kawasaki) 6, Chris Walker (Yamaha) 7, Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki) 8, Karl Harris (Honda) 9, Gary Mason (Honda) 10, Tommy Bridewell (Team NB Suzuki) Mirror.co.uk Cup Championship Positions (after round 19) 1, Gary Mason (Honda) 400.5pts 2, Peter Hickman (Yamaha) 289pts 3, Martin Jessopp (Honda) 244pts 4, Tom Tunstall (Honda) 217.5pts 5, Tommy Bridewell (Team NB Suzuki) 148pts 6, Kenny Gilbertson (Kawasaki) 85pts More, from a press release issued by Hydrex Honda: HYDREX HONDA AND EASTON TAKE TWO MORE PODIUMS Hydrex Honda’s Stuart Easton continued his strong run of form at Cadwell Park on Bank Holiday Monday and two second places made it five podiums from the last five races for the Hawick rider, consolidating his third place overall in the Championship table. The 25-year old had been strong during practice and qualifying, running in the top four throughout, and he lined up for the two 18-lap races in fourth place for a second row start. As in previous rounds though, Stuart again proved to be the best starter in the BSB field and he grabbed the holeshot in both races. In the first, he led for the opening three laps before being pushed back to second by runaway championship leader Leon Camier, but from there he battled manfully to fight off the close attentions of James Ellison and Ian Lowry. Utilising the speed of the Hydrex Honda, Stuart put together a faultless race and successfully kept his rivals at bay, also pulling back four points on Ellison in the race for second place in the title race. Race 2 saw a repeat performance with Stuart again leading the field into the first corner before Camier and then Ellison overhauled him. When the pace car was deployed for four laps due to an oil spill, he was behind Simon Andrews in fourth but when the race resumed on lap 9, the places were exchanged with frequent regularity. However, on the penultimate lap, Stuart made an overtaking manoeuvre at Park Corner stick and he held on for third at the chequered flag. However, that soon became second once more when race ‘winner’ Camier was disqualified after he ignored a black and orange flag on the final lap due to his bike smoking. Team-mate Karl Harris had a mixed weekend after his qualifying performance looked like he was back to his best. The Sheffield rider lined up in sixth and on the second row but a sluggish getaway in the opening race saw him back in tenth at the end of the first lap and it was a start he ultimately never recovered from on. As the race progressed he slipped further back in the pack and 15th was certainly not was expected after a second row start. However, he battled back in the second race for a solid eighth place, restoring confidence and consolidating fourth place overall in the Championship, ensuring the team maintain their 3rd and 4th positions. The team were also represented in the British Supersport class at Cadwell with Tom Grant having a one-off outing on the 600cc Honda campaigned on the roads this season by Guy Martin and the youngster put in a fine performance finishing in 10th. Speaking afterwards, team manager Shaun Muir said: “Stuart’s been under the weather this weekend with a virus and has been patched up by the team of medics so I’ve got to be pleased with two runner-up spots. He made strong starts in both races and rode faultlessly in the first to keep the guys behind him and then dug deep in the second to get back on to the podium after being pushed back to fourth. It’s a bit of a shame that we didn’t take any points back off James but, overall, I’m very pleased with both the results and with how Stuart rode.” “Karl qualified fairly strongly but to finish so far back in the races, especially the first one, was disappointing. It’s just not working for him at the moment and I don’t think it’s unfair to say he under-performed, we expect better. I’m not quite sure what we do or where we go from here so I’ll have a think over the next few days and take it from there.” “To end on a positive note, I’m really pleased with how Tom performed and he made a great contribution to the team this weekend. He’d never seen the bike before Saturday and had a few problems to overcome but he ironed those out and qualified well. In the race itself, he put together a fine race and by the end, he was running the same pace as the guys in 6th and 7th so, overall, very pleasing indeed. We thought we’d give him a run and see how he went so we’ll sit down over the next few days and see if we can put something together for the last three rounds.” The next round takes place in just under two weeks time, with the Championship heading to Croft, North Yorkshire on the weekend of September 11-13. More, from a press release issued by JW Racing: 3rd place for JW Racing at Cadwell. The Bank holiday weekend not only brought a massive crowd of 40,000 spectators but a 4th podium of the season for James Westmoreland moving him up to 3rd place in the Championship. The weekend started slowly with the team working hard on a good set up to allow James to challenge for the race victory on Monday afternoon. Qualifying went very well with James only one of two riders in the 1.29’s under the lap record and he gained a front row start in 2nd position. James and the team knew it was imperative to gain a great start as it would be very hard fighting mid pack and keeping out of trouble would be the key to the race. 21 year old Westy got a great start and took the holeshot before Ben Wilson made a move into Charlies but James responded immediately and did a fantastic job of leading the race for the first 4 laps. Billy McConnell passed the 675 Triumph on lap 5 and James fought very hard to hang onto the back of him but he gradually pulled away. A few laps later James came under pressure from Steve Plater and he passed him with a few laps to go and James had to settle for 3rd place and 16 championship points. “That was a good race to be honest. We have struggled to get the bike working perfectly for this track all weekend and we had to use the hard compound tyre instead of the soft compound which our rivals could make work. To be still on the podium at my home race is a great result and it has moved me into 3rd place in the Championship. The gap to Steve in the Championship has increased but there are still 3 rounds to go, and anything can happen so I will go to Croft and try and win the race. I would just like to thank all my team, sponsors, family, friends and supporters. Roll on Croft! ” commented James. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing’s BSB rookie Ian Lowry was back to ‘fighting fit’ at the Cadwell Park British Superbike round after a bout of dreaded Swine Flu – and the Moira rider didn’t disappoint with a season-best fourth place in race one on his GSX-R1000. Lowry showed top form at the start of the Bank Holiday weekend during free practice and qualifying, and even though a slight clutch problem saw him drop through the field in the opening turns in race one, the 22 year old wasn’t intimidated, making a number of hard but clean moves, taking him back into a potential podium position. A race-long battle with Stuart Easton and James Ellison around the tight, narrow and twisty Cadwell Park circuit ended with a fourth-placed finish, but the Moira lad had the consolation of taking the second fastest lap time in the race on his 2009 GSX-R1000 Superbike, behind series leader Leon Camier. In race two, Lowry again suffered with a niggling clutch problem off the line, getting swallowed up by the field. He then made a concerted effort to push through the pack but unfortunately slid off without injury on lap 16 of 18. Ian Lowry: “We are now so, so close to running at the front on a regular basis and even though we had an issue with our starts at Cadwell, I would have to say it probably cost me a podium. No ones fault; just one of those little problems that we can iron out, but hats off to the team as they gave me a great bike with a very strong engine low down for those tight turns at Cadwell. I didn’t want to make a Kamikaze move in race one but without sounding cocky – there were places that Ellison and Easton were holding me up. “In race two I got stuck behind Chris Walker and a load of other guys, which was so frustrating as the race pace was so much slower than race one. I could have been right up there. “The last three circuits of the year are some of my strongest, so if we can keep moving forward, I know I can do the business and get that podium we all deserve.” Philip Neill – Team Manager: “Ian deserved a whole lot more for his efforts than a single fourth place. He was never outside the top five all weekend and I would also say we had one of the best race bikes on track at Cadwell. “Ian was possibly a bit cautious in race one as he had the pace to run in front of Easton and Ellison, but to come through the pack after a sluggish start was impressive. His clutch didn’t seem to react the way it should have and we’ll check the Telemetry to see what went wrong. “In race two he had no chance from 15th place after the same clutch problem at the start, and trying to push through probably caused him to crash, but I can’t fault his effort. He was faster than the guys in front, but unfortunately he had some experienced riders in that bunch who are hard enough to pass anywhere, never mind at Cadwell, which is so narrow. “He really is coming of age and we have to keep reminding ourselves that he is still a series rookie. His championship position is not what it’s all about for us, but to be up there fighting for fourth place with Harris and Andrews is where he deserves to be.” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Team Joe Rocket Suzuki rider Josh Waters kept his championship challenge on track at the fifth round of the Australian Superbike Championship at South Australia’s Mallala Motorsport Park on Sunday. A drama-packed event started positively with Waters continuing his, and the all-new GSX-R1000K9’s form, by topping the timesheet in Friday’s practice with the first sub-1:06 lap for a Superbike. Qualifying also bode well for Team Joe Rocket Suzuki with Waters and reigning New Zealand Superbike Champion Robbie Bugden securing front row starts, and three-time Australian Superbike Champion Shawn Giles leading row two in fifth place. Sunday’s main event looked set to demonstrate the pedigree of Australia’s Superbike talent and the racing did not disappoint: Race one saw Waters set a new Superbike lap record for the 2.6km South Australian circuit, clocking 1:05.803 on lap four and underlining the pace of the new GSX-R1000K9s in only their second race meeting since debuting at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway just three weeks previously. However, the depth of the domestic series’ talent pool was demonstrated with Wayne Maxwell claiming victory over his team mate Glenn Allerton by 0.291sec. Team Joe Rocket Suzuki riders Waters, Bugden and Giles finished third, fourth and fifth respectively. In race two, Waters set out to reverse the race one results and was challenging Maxwell for the lead when a hi-tensile aftermarket bolt in his Suzuki GSX-R1000’s gearshift linkage broke with less than two laps remaining. With his Suzuki stuck in second gear and revving to the limiter, the 22-year-old continued to circulate, hopeful of collecting enough championship points to stay in touch with series leader and defending champion Allerton. Waters was able to cross the finish line in third place, behind Maxwell and Allerton, and thus minimise any points’ damage. The top five was rounded out by Bugden and Giles who repeated their race one order. With a 36pt tally from two third placings, Waters finished the day third overall and maintained second in the championship points table, 11 adrift of series leader Allerton. Waters, who is in his first season of Superbike racing, had entered the round just seven points adrift of Allerton, so the eventual 11-point gap keeps him in contention for the Superbike Championship. “The new bike is awesome and I felt I was riding well enough to take a win today,” said Waters. “I made a small mistake in the first race which let Wayne and Glenn open a gap, but I was ready to have a go for the win in race two. “It’s been a positive day to be only 11 points off the Championship lead – I can’t thank the team and my team mates enough.” Allerton leads the seven-round series with 217 points to Waters’ 206. Maxwell lies third on 198, with Giles fourth (165) and Bugden fifth (154), giving Team Joe Rocket Suzuki three riders in the top five. In the Australian Supersport Championship 22-year-old Troy Herfoss, on his first visit to the circuit, put in an astonishing performance to qualify his Team Joe Rocket Suzuki GSX-R600 second-fastest alongside reigning champion Jamie Stauffer, and then recorded two fifth placings to finish fifth overall for the round. Herfoss, the 2008 US Supermoto Champion and in his first full season of road racing, proved how quickly his learning curve is developing by running at the front of the field in both Supersport races against far more experienced opposition. Stauffer took overall round honours in the Australian Supersport Championship from Bryan Staring, courtesy of the bonus point for pole position, with Shannon Johnson third. Stauffer and Staring shared a win and second apiece. The next round of the 2009 Australian Superbike Championship is at Victoria’s Phillip Island Circuit on October 16-18 where the sixth round of the national championship will run alongside the MotoGP World Championship. Phil Tainton – Team Manager: “It’s been another great weekend for the team – and could have been even better if not for the bolt holding the gearshift linkage on Josh’s bike breaking. It was a brand new hi-tensile bolt so you can’t plan for those sort of things. “A new Superbike lap record to Josh, our three riders in the Superbike top five, the pace of the new GSX-R1000K9s in only their second race meeting, and Troy proving he can mix it at the front of the Supersport field made for a pretty good weekend all round. “Troy’s performances continue to impress, as he’s only in his first full season of road racing and still learning every time he goes out there. The four riders who ended up finishing ahead of him in the Supersport races have all won Australian road racing championships, so to lead all of them at some stage needs to be acknowledged.” Joshua Waters: “I couldn’t believe it when I went to change gear and the lever wasn’t there. The linkage bolt must have broken as I went into Turn One with two laps remaining because when I came out of Turn Two and tried to select third there was no lever. “I was comfortable on the bike all weekend, and was going to have a go at Wayne Maxwell out of Turn Three and up the back straight. There were parts of the circuit where he was stronger than me, but there were parts where I was faster. “We’ve come away with a lap record and I’ve only lost four points to the championship lead – it could have been a lot worse.” Shawn Giles: “I’m happy to come away with two fifths and remain fourth in the championship, but the bike was capable of more than me this weekend. “To be honest it was a bit frustrating for me as I struggled with race fitness across the weekend. It’s the first time I’ve been to a physically demanding track since my crash at Queensland Raceway last year, and Mallala caught me out a bit as I wasn’t expecting it to be so hard on my body. “I had a bit of trouble with my ankle on Thursday and Friday, but the guys at Racesafe strapped that for me and it was a lot better on Saturday and Sunday. Then I got some arm-pump due to the heavy braking, which I never get. The Racesafe guys sorted me out again, so I owe them big thanks. “I’m looking forward to Phillip Island now, as it’s a track that flows and is a track I enjoy riding at. The new K9 will be awesome there – just as it’s been at Eastern Creek and Mallala.” Robbie Budgen: “The new 2009 bike is fantastic. Last round at Eastern Creek I got faster and faster across the weekend and this weekend it’s been even better as we continue to dial it in. “Qualifying third fastest, and running at the front in both races in only my second outing on the K9 proves the bike is up to the job. I feel really comfortable on the new bike and fourth overall is a great result. I feel I can run with the leading group now. Bring on the Island.” Troy Herfoss: “I was happy with my qualifying result and with my lap times, and my race pace was good. I could run with the leaders in the early laps, but it was hard to stay with them for the full race distance. “I’m happy with two fifths in the two races and fifth overall, but I know there’s more to come. The team gave me a bike that was capable of winning this weekend, and I feel I’m able to run with the front guys on circuits I know. “It was my first time at Mallala and it took me a little while to get up to speed. Mallala is quite a tricky circuit with lots of hard braking. I just need to get some more experience, but that’s coming with every outing – it was only my sixth road race meeting. “I’m looking forward to the next two rounds at Phillip Island, as it’s a track I’ve raced at before.” AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS: Superbike Overall Results: 1 Wayne Maxwell; 2 Glenn Allerton; 3 Josh Waters (Suzuki GSX-R1000); 4 Robert Bugden (Suzuki GSX-R1000); 5 Shawn Giles (Suzuki GSX-R1000); 6 Craig Coxhell; 7 Jamie Stauffer; 8 Dan Stauffer; 9 Grant Hay; 10 Chris Trounson. Superbike Championship Points (after 5 of 7 rounds): 1 Glenn Allerton 217pts; 2 Josh Waters (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 206; 3 Wayne Maxwell 198; 4 Shawn Giles (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 165; 5 Robert Bugden (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 154; 6 Craig Coxhell 146; 7 Jamie Stauffer 135; 8 Dan Stauffer 126; 9 Kevin Curtain 116; 10 Chris Trounson 87. Supersport Overall Results: 1 Jamie Stauffer; 2 Bryan Staring; 3 Shannon Johnson; 4 Scott Charlton; 5 Troy Herfoss (Suzuki GSX-R600), 6 Ben Attard; 7 Cole Odendaal; 8 Chas Hern (Suzuki GSX-R600); 9 Chris Quinn; 10 Ben Burke. Supersport Championship Points (after 5 of 7 rounds): 1 Bryan Staring 230pts; 2 Jamie Stauffer 213; 3 Ben Attard 157; 4 Shannon Johnson 140; 5 Troy Herfoss (Suzuki GSX-R600) 128; 6 Scott Charlton 123; 7 Chris Quinn 115; 8 Christian Casella 114; 9 Cameron Keevers 105; 10 Jed Metcher 99. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing’s Alastair Seeley clinched the National 1000cc Superstock Championship title at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire; the Ulsterman doing so in fine style on his 2009 GSX-R1000, taking win number nine of the season to maintain his one 100% record in the Championship. This is TAS Racing’s second British Championship title in only three years, having won the Supersport series in 2007 with yet another Irishman, Michael Laverty. Seeley’s season in Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing livery can be described without fear or favour, as faultless and masterful. The County Antrim rider has recorded 15 race wins without defeat since joining the Moneymore-based Suzuki team at the end of April, again proving the pedigree of Suzuki’s current range of GSX-R machinery. Seeley has recorded clean sweeps at three rounds this season on the 2009 GSX-R1000: Donington Park, Brands [2] and Cadwell Park – topping the time sheets in all three qualifying sessions whilst adding six fastest laps and four circuit lap records to his CV. He can also boast an outright circuit lap record at Kirkistown in Northern Ireland, again recorded on his Superstock GSX-R1000 Relentless Suzuki during an Irish Superbike round. Seeley has recorded six wins from six starts in the Irish series to date, again, all posted on his Superstock machine. Alastair Seeley: “I really didn’t expect that this weekend and I didn’t expect Brogan to DNF. I didn’t even know he was out of the race, which I suppose wasn’t a bad thing as I was just concentrating on reeling the laps off. It’s been a great year so far and I just couldn’t fault the effort of the team or the 2009 GSX-R1000. I’m well chuffed for Philip and Hector Neill as they gave me the chance at the start of the year, and also a big thanks to Ian Glen, Suzuki GB and Relentless for putting their faith in me.” George Cheeseman – Suzuki GB Marketing Manager: “We knew that Alastair was in command of the National 1000cc Superstock Championship, but we didn’t expect to be clinching it today at Cadwell Park; that really is an absolutely fantastic result for Suzuki. We have always known how good the 2009 GSX-R1000 is out of the crate, but Alastair has done a sterling job for Suzuki this season and his results and overall performance are the icing on the cake.” Philip Neill – Team Principal: “Obviously, it goes without saying, that without the support of Suzuki GB and our title sponsors Relentless, we just couldn’t contemplate this type of success. Ian Glen from Beacon Security also played his part, digging deep when we needed him to, so that Alastair could join our team – so thanks Ian. Thanks also to all the boys in the team, as that’s what this sport is: a team effort. “It has been very pleasing to work with Alastair this year. His youthful enthusiasm and great attitude for the job is a rare trait in a motorcycle racer and I very much believe he can now go all the way. “People are now going to get excited, wondering what we will do next with Alastair. Basically we need to take stock of the situation and make sure we now make the best decision for both parties, but yes it has been a wonderful season. It’s not the time to be throwing Alastair into any deep water, as the only way to go racing is fully prepared. We have a lot of thinking to do.” More, from a press release issued by TwoThree Public Relations: On Two Wheels Motorsports rider Mitch Pirotta remains in contention for the 2009 Australian Superstock 600 Championship after finishing a solid fourth overall at Mallala in South Australia on Sunday. The New South Welshman qualified fourth for the round with a 1:11.939sec lap time to secure a front row starting position for the three races, before going on to score 4-6-3 results in an action packed weekend of Superstock racing at the fifth round of the Australian Superbike Championship. A wet opening race of the weekend saw Pirotta lead the field away from his inside starting position on the grid, settling into fourth place and remaining there for the entire eight lap duration to kick off the weekend on Saturday afternoon. The second outing was held in dry conditions on Sunday morning with Pirotta again featuring amongst the front runners in the early laps, but his race was spoiled into the Turn Five hairpin on lap three when he was hit from behind and run off the circuit. Pirotta bounced back from outside of the top 10 to slice through the field to finish the race in sixth, salvaging a good haul of points despite the incident that could have forced him out of the race and the title chase. The final race of the weekend was the best for Yamaha YZF-R6 mounted Pirotta, battling for the lead throughout the race to eventually cross the finish stripe in third position, securing him fourth overall after narrowly missing out on the overall podium. One round remains in the Superstock 600 title, to be held at Phillip Island in Victoria on 27-29 November, where Pirotta will enter the round with a legitimate shot of the championship in just his second full season of road racing. Mitch Pirotta Superstock 600 #19 I’m pretty happy with the weekend and we came out of the round with good points, it could have been a lot worse after a few of the race incidents. It was the first time I’d ridden in the wet in the first race, but I still felt pretty comfortable, and then in the dry races on Sunday I felt like we put together some good races too I managed to go a second quicker than last year. In race two on Sunday I was running in the top three before I got run off the track in the hairpin, which moved me back to outside of the top 10, but I was able to salvage some points and finish in sixth. After that I was pretty confident heading into the final race of the weekend and I felt as though I rode like I should have at the beginning of the weekend. I thought I was able to win, but I was struggling a bit in the hairpin, so I ended up third for the race and fourth overall. Heading into the final round I’m looking forward to it, we have a good set-up for Phillip Island so I’m looking forward to getting out there come race time. More, from another press release issued by TwoThree Public Relations: Defending Australian Superbike Champion Glenn Allerton extended his lead in the 2009 series at Mallala Motorsport Park in South Australia on Sunday, finishing the weekend with second overall for the round. The Oleon Motologic Racing rider qualified in second position during mixed conditions in Saturday’s qualifying session before going on to score a pair of second place finishes in Sunday’s two 20-lap premier class races. In a round won by Allerton’s teammate Wayne Maxwell, Allerton was able to stretch his series lead from seven to 11 points over arch-rival Josh Waters in yet another podium result for the ultra consistent Allerton. Race one saw Allerton lead the field away before engaging in a battle with Maxwell and Waters, eventually crossing the line in second position just 0.291sec in arrears of Maxwell at the race’s end after a thrilling battle. The second race saw Allerton suffer from a fogging visor in the mid-stages of the race while also battling with a set-up change that didn’t improve the bike, finishing the race 2.477sec behind Maxwell once again. With just two rounds remaining in the championship chase, 28-year-old Allerton remains in the box seat to take out his second Superbike title, hopeful of finishing out the year with strong results at Phillip Island’s final two rounds. Allerton’s next event will be at the non-championship Australian Superbike Open to be held at next month’s Phillip Island V8 Supercar round on 11-13 September, while the next round of the Australian Superbike Championship will take place at Phillip Island in Victoria on 15-18 October as a support race for the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. Glenn Allerton Superbike #1: It wasn’t too bad this weekend, just a lot of seconds in qualifying and both races. I felt as though the first race was pretty good for me, but in race two I was lacking drive and it was killing me against those guys. I’ve still got the championship lead and actually extended it this weekend even though we didn’t manage to win, so all in all it wasn’t too bad. We have a lot of work to do heading into Phillip Island and I still have a lot of things I want to try with the bike, so it should be a good finish to the season. I felt as though we had the pace this weekend, but a few changes to the rear shock in race two sent us backwards, and a fogging visor kind of held me back mid-race too. Hats off to the guys, both Wayne and Josh, they were riding good and I was just trying hard to hang in there. I’m confident for Phillip Island and look forward to racing for this championship to the end. Australian Superbike Championship Mallala, SA Round Five Results: Superbike Round Overall 1 Wayne Maxwell; 2 Glenn Allerton (Oleon Motologic Racing Honda CBR1000RR); 3 Josh Waters; 4 Robbie Bugden; 5 Shawn Giles; 6 Craig Coxhell; 7 Jamie Stauffer; 8 Dan Stauffer; 9 Grant Hay; 10 Chris Trounson. Superbike Championship after round 5 of 7 1 Glenn Allerton (Oleon Motologic Racing Honda CBR1000RR) 217pt; 2 Josh Waters 206; 3 Wayne Maxwell 198; 4 Shawn Giles 165; 5 Robert Bugden 154; 6 Craig Coxhell 146; 7 Jamie Stauffer 135; 8 Dan Stauffer 126; 9 Kevin Curtain 116; 10 Chris Trounson 87. More, from another press release issued by TwoThree Public Relations: The Woodstock Bourbon-sponsored Evolution Sports Group team had yet another solid outing at the fifth round of the Woodstock Bourbon Australian Superbike Championship and Insure My Ride Australian Supersport Championship at Mallala Motorsport Park in South Australia on 28-30 August, with Supersport star Shannon Johnson scoring his fourth overall podium in succession. Johnson has been in superb form since joining the ESG team at round three of the series, working his way up the championship ladder to sit in fourth position overall following the Mallala round, just 17 points out of a podium placing with two rounds remaining. It was another third place podium for Johnson in South Australia, qualifying fourth on the grid for his first front row starting position of the year and then going on to score third in both 20-lap races after displaying the aggressive riding style that he has quickly become recognised for since joining the series mid-season. Former Supersport champion Johnson battled amongst the Yamaha Racing Team duo of Jamie Stauffer and Bryan Staring in another step forward for the CBR600RR-mounted Victorian, again taking out the honours in the Privateer Cup in the class a series that he also currently leads. In the premier Superbike category, young gun Chris Trounson continued his steep learning curve to finish in 10th position overall for the round and also scoring a podium result in the Superbike Privateer Cup with third for the weekend. Trounson slotted his CBR1000RR Fireblade into 11th position on the grid following qualifying in mixed conditions on Saturday afternoon, before contesting both 20-lap races on Sunday in a battle with former double Australian Superbike Champion Marty Craggill and Grant Hay. A pair of 11th place finishes for Trounson saw him score a top 10 result overall for the round, again working hard to gain experience in hope of closing the gap to his more experienced opponents in the field. Team owner Wayne Hepburn also had a successful weekend in the Australian Superstock 1000 Championship, qualifying 14th after featuring second in the wet opening qualifying session, and then finishing the three races with 6-13-13 results for 12th position overall for the round. Shannon Johnson Supersport #42 The weekend was actually far better than I expected for this circuit, as I thought it was going to be our most difficult round for the series, so to come away with our first front row start, third place overall and top privateer is another good result for myself and the ESG team. It’s amazing to think that less than six months ago I wasn’t racing at all, so now to be competing with the best guys in the country on an amazing motorcycle is a great feat for us as a team. It’s nice to be able to put one lap together for one point if you get pole, but it’s another to put two full races together and that’s what I work for. The development and new structure is moving forward in massive leaps and bounds, so to evaluate where we were weak and strong after Eastern Creek’s round is a great step forward for us. I think Phillip Island’s final rounds will be good for us and the CBR600RR will suit the flowing nature of the Island hopefully I can complete the job and win some races. Chris Trounson Superbike #26 This weekend was a step up from Eastern Creek, for sure. We made some great improvements after the previous round with the bike, although I still wasn’t as fast as I was here last year. We need to keep making small revisions with the bike, but I’m learning a lot. In the first race we had a bike that was good under brakes, and then in the second race we sacrificed the braking to make it better through the corners, so I was unable to fight as hard. We are learning a lot, which is great, and everybody is really positive with the weekend so I’m happy. Heading into the final rounds we’ll be at my home track at Phillip Island, which is perfect for me, so I’m confident we can bring it home strong. ESG will now compete in the non-championship Insure My Ride Australian Superbike Open event to be held at next month’s Phillip Island V8 Supercar round on 11-13 September, while the next round of the Woodstock Bourbon Australian Superbike Championship will take place at Phillip Island in Victoria on 15-18 October as a support race for the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. Australian Superbike Championship Mallala, SA Round Five Results: Supersport Round Overall 1 Jamie Stauffer; 2 Bryan Staring; 3 Shannon Johnson (ESG Honda CBR600RR); 4 Scott Charlton; 5 Troy Herfoss; 6 Ben Attard; 7 Cole Odendaal; 8 Chas Harn; 9 Chris Quinn; 10 Ben Burke. Supersport Championship Points after round 5 of 7 1 Bryan Staring 230pts; 2 Jamie Stauffer 215; 3 Ben Attard 157; 4 Shannon Johnson (ESG Honda CBR600RR) 140; 5 Troy Herfoss 128; 6 Scott Charlton 123; 7 Chris Quinn 115; 8 Christian Casella 114; 9 Cameron Keevers 105; 10 Jed Metcher 99. Superbike Round Overall 1 Wayne Maxwell; 2 Glenn Allerton; 3 Josh Waters; 4 Robbie Bugden; 5 Shawn Giles; 6 Craig Coxhell; 7 Jamie Stauffer; 8 Dan Stauffer; 9 Grant Hay; 10 Chris Trounson (ESG Honda CBR1000RR). Superbike Championship after round 5 of 7 1 Glenn Allerton 217pt; 2 Josh Waters 206; 3 Wayne Maxwell 198; 4 Shawn Giles 165; 5 Robert Bugden 154; 6 Craig Coxhell 146; 7 Jamie Stauffer 135; 8 Dan Stauffer 126; 9 Kevin Curtain 116; 10 Chris Trounson (ESG Honda CBR1000RR) 87. More, from a press release issued by KTM: Marquez hangs on to sixth place in 125 cc GP at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Red Bull KTM Moto Sport’s 16-year-old talent Marc Marquez overcame a lack of front end grip to put in a valiant race to hang on to sixth place in the 125 cc GP on the famous, sweeping Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Marquez started ninth on the grid and had a good start to immediately move up the order. But despite a tenacious and determined effort to hang onto the tail of the front group of five riders, he had to be content to settle at the front of the second group. After some lonely laps out in the open, Marc successfully fended off attacks by both Stefan Bradl and Sergio Gadea to eventually cross the line in sixth place. Harald Bartol, the Red Bull KTM Moto Sport’s Technical Director praised the young Spaniard’s ride and said the team was working hard to deliver some additional engine power to enable him to ride at his full potential. Marc Marquez: “It was a tough race, because I was not really comfortable with the bike. I had a lack of front end grip. But at least we managed to finish the race, and sixth isn’t too bad even though I would have preferred to battle with the front runners. We just didn’t have enough rhythm and I didn’t have anyone in front of me to follow. I was pleased to be able to get past Stefan Bradl in the last lap. Now we’re looking forward to the next race in Misano and we know we have to be fast there as well.” Mixed home GP for Beaubier It was a mixed weekend for the team’s young American rider, the 16-year- old Cameron Beaubier, who has been recovering from a cracked shoulder blade since the race in Brno, Czech Republic. He started at twenty third on the grid and crossed the finish line in nineteenth place. Cameron Beaubier: “In the beginning I got a good start but in the first corner everybody was bunching up and I wasn’t aggressive enough. I dropped back and I lost touch with the group. I slowly started to catch up in the middle of the race but then I had a slide and it jarred my shoulder. After that I couldn’t brake hard and I couldn’t change direction fast, it was just a battle to get through the race.” Beaubier said he was looking forward to the race in Misano, Italy and to the break in the race program after that. “Hopefully it will give me enough time to recover and to be fully fit for the remaining races this season,” he said. Bartol commits to more engine power for Marquez The team’s Technical Director, Harald Bartol said Marc Marquez “¦.rode a fantastic race. “Now it’s up to us to take the next step and help him with some additional engine power. We probably won’t be able to do something for Misano, but surely for Portugal. In fact, we already had something for this race, but unfortunately it seized.” Results 125cc GP 1. Pol Espargaro Spain, Derbi, 42’07.925 2. Bradley Smith, Britain, Aprilia, 42’08.045 3. Simone Corsi, Italy, Aprilia, 42’08.373 4. Nicolas Terol, Spain, Aprilia, 42’09.538 5. Julian Simon, Spain, Aprilia, 42’09.726 6. Marc Marquez, Spain, KTM, 42’27.270 Other KTM 19. Cameron Beaubier, USA, KTM 43’09.104 Championship Standings 1. Julian Simon, Spain, 185 points 2. Nicolas Terol, Spain, 132.5 3. Bradley Smith, Britain, 131.5 4. Sergio Gadea, Spain, 111 5. Andrea Iannone, Italy, 109.5 Other KTM 8. Marc Marquez, Spain, KTM, 74 27. Cameron Beaubier, USA, 3 More, from a press release issued by Miles Thornton’s father Richard Thornton: Miles Thornton’s race on the Veloce Aprilia in the 125 GP race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway came to an early end when he grabbed too much front brake trying to avoid another rider in turn one on lap two. His bike then “ghost” rode too far away and the corner marshalls would not allow him to retrive it and continue. Miles had a great and exciting weekend in spite of not finishing the race. Miles would like to thank the Veloce Aprilia team for the opportunity and for their hard work: Team Owner/Manager Spiros Gabrilis; Crew Chief Nobi Iso; Technicians Michael Ost, Yasumi Sato, Akira Matsumoto; Specialist Masa Izuka; and Logistics Jay Bernard. Miles would also like to thank his teammate Ben Young and his family along with the team sponsors and Miles’ personal sponsors: Fast from the past, Arai helmets, Sidi boots and his WERA family for their support.