Persistence Starts to Bring Progress for Tunstall The Second round of the 2011 British Superbike Championship saw Tom Tunstall start to make inroads with his new BMW gaining confidence and points with the new machine. The picturesque and undulating Oulton Park circuit in Cheshire is renowned as a technical and physical track, which presented a formidable challenge for the Yorkshireman who was still suffering the effects of his foot injury and lack of track time after crashing at Cartagena in Spain in March. Tunstall and his Doodson Motorsport backed team were keen to pick up from the tough opening round the previous weekend and the consistent dry weather gave plenty of opportunity to hone the S1000RR. Heading into race day the search for a satisfactory bike set-up continued and each of the two 18-lap races were preceded by radical changes to the bike as Tunstall explained: “Obviously in standard spec the BMW is a fantastic bike, but we aren’t able to run a lot of the standard parts so we have to start from scratch. On a superbike there are many variables and each effect and compromise each other which makes the job complicated.” “We made some massive changes to the bike geometry for race day as we know we’re far from our potential at the moment. It means the races are test sessions with points for us! Race one was hard work for Tunstall and despite lapping eight tenths faster than qualifying he was rewarded seventh place in the EVO class. More changes to the bike geometry and front fork springs in the second outing brought progress, and once familiar with the way the bike handled with the new setting he was able to lap consistently at his best pace. After passing Aaron Zanotti on lap nine a crash by Josh Brookes brought out the safety car at the half way point and closed the grid back together. After the restart Tunstall passed fellow BMW rider Barry Burrell to claim sixth place at the flag. “It’s far to say we still have a lot of work to do to get to the level we know are capable of and be fighting for the podium. Although it can be very frustrating at times we must take heart from the fact we are heading in the right direction. “We desperately need to test away from the races to minimise the disruption to the race weekend so we can turn up and get on with racing rather than bike development, something I’m certainly looking forward to!” The next round see the British Superbike Championship visit Tom’s home county of Yorkshire over the weekend of the 13th-15th of May. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Team Suzuki rider Brodie Waters celebrated his 19th birthday by claiming pole position, overall victory and a new lap record aboard his Suzuki GSX-R1000 in the Prostock category at the fourth round of the Australian Superbike Championship at Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway on Sunday. Waters, competing in the Prostock Challenge – run in conjunction with the Superbike class – won both 15-lap races at a circuit he’d never raced at before, giving the Team Suzuki GSX-R1000 a debut win in the category and Waters a first-up win at the circuit. The round – the first of three Australian Superbike Championship rounds to be run alongside the V8 Supercars in 2011 – attracted a crowd of 33,000 to the 2.42km Perth circuit with both Superbike/ Prostock races broadcast on Channel Seven across the weekend. In the premier Superbike class, Team Mack Trucks Suzuki rider Robbie Bugden brought his Suzuki GSX-R1000 home in fifth overall, with Team Suzuki riders Troy Herfoss and Scott Charlton seventh and eighth respectively. Both Superbike races were won by Glenn Allerton who took the overall round win from Wayne Maxwell and Jamie Stauffer, second and third overall respectively. Charlton, who is fourth overall in the 2010 Australian Superbike Championship, was deputising for 2009 Australian Superbike Champion Josh Waters, who missed the Barbagallo round due to Superbike World Championship commitments in the USA. The result sees Team Suzuki’s Troy Herfoss only 58 points adrift of Allerton on 188pts after eight of 16 races. The Australian Superbike Championship next heads to Queensland Raceway at Ipswich on June 3-5 for round five in the eight-round series. Phil Tainton – Team Manager: “It’s been a great weekend for Brodie in the Prostock class with the round win, pole position and a new lap record. We didn’t get an opportunity to test before this meeting so it shows how good the Suzuki GSX-R1000 is straight out of the crate. “It was a challenging weekend for the Superbike riders and the team, so to come away with Troy still second overall in the points in his rookie season and Robbie fifth for the round is a satisfying result. “Troy is only in his third season of road racing and his first season on a Superbike and it was his first time at Barbagallo. Six riders went under the Superbike lap record in race two, including Robbie, so it shows just how competitive the class is this year. “Scott did a great job substituting for Josh this weekend. It’s not easy jumping on a Superbike after a five-month break from racing, and he should be pleased with his results. “It’s been great to showcase the Superbike category in front of a big crowd this weekend alongside the V8 Supercars.” Brodie Waters: “Two race wins and pole position is a great result for first time on the new bike at a circuit I’ve never raced at before. We didn’t get a chance to do any testing beforehand with the Prostock GSX-R1000, but the bike was great straight out of the box. I’m looking forward to the rest of the ‘2 plus 4’ meetings at tracks I’ve raced at previously. “The Barbagallo circuit is awesome; technical in the first part and then two long straights.” Robbie Budgen: “I felt good this weekend and it’s good to be back to full race fitness. Fifth overall for the round and equal on points with fourth is okay, but I really thought I could have run with the front guys this weekend. I’m happy with my lap times, but my starts were pretty ordinary and by the time I made up the time I was into the backmarkers. “Third fastest time in race two and under the old lap record proves we have the pace to run at the front. I’m looking forward to the next round at my home track in Queensland.” Troy Herfoss: “After race one I was confident I could run with the leaders if I could get away with them. It was my first time at Barbagallo and it took me a while to learn the bowl (Turn Six), but my bike had the pace to win. “To be honest, I’m pretty disappointed with how things finished up. I just didn’t have the pace in race two, even though my lap and overall race times were quicker. We made some set-up changes for race two, but the pace was hotter at the front than in race one. I want to race for the win, not just points. To be still second overall in the Championship is a positive way to start the second half of the series.” Scott Charlton: “I’m really grateful to Team Suzuki for the opportunity this weekend. When I got the call three weeks ago to fill in for Josh I didn’t hesitate in saying ‘yes’. “I haven’t raced since early December last year, but I felt good straight up. The bike is just like the one I raced last year. I got a little lost with the set-up in race one, but we got things sorted for race two. I was happy to get into the 55s and lap nearly a full-second faster in the second race.” 2011 Australian Superbike Championship – Round 4: Superbike Overall Results: 1 Glenn Allerton; 2 Wayne Maxwell; 3 Jamie Stauffer; 4 Craig Coxhell; 5 Robbie Bugden (Suzuki GSX-R1000); 6 Ben Attard; 7 Troy Herfoss (Suzuki GSX-R1000); 8 Scott Charlton (Suzuki GSX-R1000); 9 Cole Odendaal; 10 Daniel Stauffer. Superbike Championship Points (after 4 of 8 rounds): 1 Glenn Allerton 188pts; 2 Troy Herfoss (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 130; 3 Ben Attard 129; 4 Craig Coxhell 123; 5 Jamie Stauffer 119; 6 Wayne Maxwell 101; 7 Cole Odendaal 98; 8 Robbie Bugden (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 90; 9 Josh Waters (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 88; 10 Ben Henry (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 75. Prostock Challenge Overall Results: 1 Brodie Waters (Suzuki GSX-R1000); 2 Linden Magee; 3 Brett Simmonds; 4 Ryan Yanko; 5 Andrew Schrape; 6 Mark Gill; 7 Daniel Moulton; 8 John Phelan; 9 Brett Kitchin. Prostock Challenge Points (after 2 of 4 rounds): 1 Linden Magee 73pts; 2 Ryan Yanko 65; 3 John Phelan 65; 4 Daniel Moulton 55; 5 Brodie Waters (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 51; 6 Brett Kitchin 48; 7 Cru Halliday 44; 8 Brett Simmonds 34; 9 Andrew Schrape 33; Mark Gill 31. More, from a press release issued by Fogi Racing: It was all good fun for Fogi Racing’s young racer Ben Young at the R.A.C.E. Canadian Regional Championships opener at Shannonville, Ontario, Canada at the weekend. Young went back to his roots and was reunited with his 2006 Honda RS125 which he learned his GP race craft. Onboard the slightly tuned motor and standard suspension Honda, Young came close to taking the lap record which was set in 2002. Unfortunately due to 9 hard Canadian winters, the track has too many bumps which gives good resistance in claiming the new record. Scott Young, father and Fogi Team manager said “I haven’t seen Ben ride a 125 so hard, he was flying. Folks at the track were amazed at the performance he showed. It shows his development within the team is working. He rode so hard and fast because of riding the 250GP bike last season and the now the 600cc machine in the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport class. The 125 became a toy, something he could play with and make it go as fast as it go. He would have felt he was going too slow after being on the bigger machines”. Ben took pole position in both 125GP and 250GP classes on the 125 machine and won both races. Ben Young and the Fogi Team would like to thank his sponsors for their continued support and to be affiliated with – Lean Angle, Motul, Arai, EBC Brakes, K&N, TechSpec Gripsters, MICS (Medical Information Carrier System), Turn2 Sportbike School, Arlen Ness, Vortex, Goodridge, AirTrix Paint Store, BCL Motorsports, Renthal, Infinet Designs, GPTech and Scot-Build Developments