BURNS BACK ON THE BOX WITH A THIRD AT OSS CHRIS Burns continued his run of podium finishes as he crossed the line third in Monday’s ONK Dutch Superbike Championship race at the Oss street circuit after a last corner move. The Geordie was making his first visit to the industrial estate track in the South of The Netherlands with the GS Racing team, fresh from his second place finish at Hengelo just a week earlier. Having never raced at a street circuit before he arrived at Hengelo, Burns had very little time to get a feel for his second in as many weeks before he took to the track for first qualifying on Sunday afternoon. Ending the session fourth overall, he had been upbeat with the result and had hoped to climb higher up the grid during second qualifying on Monday morning. With no riders improving their times in Q2, Burns lined up fourth on the grid for the 16-lap race. But disaster struck on the warm-up lap when his quickshifter broke, and the former MotoGP rider realised it could potentially cost him dearly. “As soon it went I knew it was going to be a much harder race for me,” he said. “It cost me a lot of time but I just had to get on with it. “I sat in fourth place all of the way, but I was right behind Danny De Boer’s Honda for most of it. On the very last corner I saw a gap and went for it and made it stick. It was almost like the perfect race if I’m honest, and I was so pleased to get third and be the first Honda home. “The guys who finished first and second were way ahead, but I think had we not had the quickshifter problems then I could’ve been a lot closer to them. “It’s been another great job for the team and a good result for us this weekend. To come here to another new street circuit and get a podium is much more than we’d expected so it’s really good.” The race was won by series leader Arie Vos ahead of Raymond Schouten, but the result has propelled Burns up to fourth in the championship, just three points behind De Boer in third. Team Manager Gijsbert Spilt was delighted to be celebrating a third podium in as many races. “Chris did a perfect job in Oss,” he said. “He showed character because there were some problems with the bike and this really was a rider’s effort to get the podium. “We are very happy with this result” More, from a press release issued by Vesrah Suzuki: A SIZZLING WEEKEND AT TALLADEGA GRAN PRIX RACEWAY FOR VESRAH SUZUKI’S NICK MCFADDEN. Vesrah Suzuki Development Rider, Nick McFadden, competed in the WERA Sportsman Series this past weekend at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway. The weekend started with valuable practice sessions during the Ed Bargy Riding School day on Friday, June 10. Nick was able to take his Suzuki GSX-R 600 and SV 650 out for many laps, to practice for the weekend’s races. Saturday’s race schedule slated him in back-to-back races – the 20 lap Expert Mediumweight Solo, competing on his Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R 600 machine, and the 20 lap Expert Lightweight Solo, on his Suzuki SV 650. He finished 5th in the Mediumweight Solo and 3rd in the Lightweight Solo races. Sundays schedule had the team again slated in back-to-back competition. In the C-Superstock Expert race he finished 4th on his GSX-R 600, and immediately returned to the track to finish 3rd in the Formula 2 Expert class, on his SV 650. One race later, the team had him rehydrated and back to the track for the C-Superbike Expert race, finishing 5th on his Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R 600 machine. Nick McFadden #18 Vesrah Suzuki “It was a good weekend for us. We came down for Friday’s practice day and we were able to ride a lot of laps with the Ed Bargy Riding Day. Travis (Smith) and Danny (Freels) were monitoring my tires all day because the track was very hot and I was not going to get new tires on until Saturday. I would like to thank Danny for bringing me down for the track day as my Dad could not get here until Friday night because of some work appointments. On Saturday, it was still very hot – a track official told us he had a reading of 126 degrees. I had some fresh tires and felt good on the track. Something just clicked with me and I started lowering my times as I found a faster line through turns 3 & 4. Sunday was pretty much the same and I was having a good time during the races. I lowered my times about 2 seconds a lap from my last trip here. I even felt like I had more speed in me but I was seeing guys’ tires shredding from the heat and I definitely did not want to end my weekend like that, especially since I am still learning on these bikes. I am happy with my improvements in times and lines and had a great weekend.” “I am going back to Jefferson City, Missouri, with Travis and will train there riding my dirt track bike and cycling. I will have my 14th birthday this week and can race my Vesrah Suzuki RM-Z 250 bike in the Peoria TT next weekend, before heading to Road Atlanta for the June 24-25-26 WERA Sportsman Series race. It will be my first time riding the bigger bikes on that track and learning some more about them.” Vesrah Suzuki and Nick McFadden want to thank all of their sponsors for their support for the 2011 season Vesrah, American Suzuki, Rockstar Energy Drink, Nielsen Enterprises Suzuki, West Side Heavy Hauling Inc, Pirelli Tires, Traxxion Dynamics Fork Components, Arai Helmets, Pilot Leathers, NextMotoChampion, Yoshimura, Catalyst Composites, Sudco Int., Bazzaz, Factory Pro, Maxima Racing Oils, Vortex, DID Chain, Penske Racing Shocks, Pit Bull Stands, GPR Stabilizers, Trek Bicycles, GP Tech, Active & Road Rage Designs