STEVE PLATER FOURTH AT OULTON PARK HM Plant Honda rider Steve Plater took a ninth and then a fourth place in his two races at Oulton Park in the Superstock 1000 championship over the weekend to retain his sixth place in the overall standings at the end of a gruelling and drama filled season in which he was sidelined for over three months of the year nursing injuries sustained in a qualifying crash at the North West 200 back in May. The first of the two races was the postponed event from Silverstone where the Woodhall Spa ace had already completed his qualifying in 11th place prior to the race being postponed because of bad weather. As he set off on lap one he maintained his 11th place but then had to run down the slip road after going in too hot at the chicane. He rejoined but found himself down in 19th position at the end of the first lap and a lot of work to do to get back on terms with the leading group. He eventually caught the group of riders disputing sixth place and crossed the finish line in the middle of the group in ninth position. “A few people ran wide at the first corner so I remained where I was in 11th place,” said Plater. “But coming down the back straight towards the chicane I got a four bike slipstream and although I braked at the same place I was going too fast and went straight on! I pulled my way back up to ninth at the flag so really I am well happy with that. My lap times were good, as was my race pace so I was really pleased.” Earlier in the day qualifying took place as normal for the final round of the series and Plater rode well to finish the session in eighth position for a second row start. He said: “I felt better as the day went on really, in the middle section of the course I was struggling a little bit with fitness but that was down to me trying to hard and wearing myself out. I am satisfied with P8 and hopefully if I can get a good start I will be in contention for a top five finish.” As Sunday’s season finale got underway Plater was cautious off the line and dropped down to 12th place on the opening lap. But he soon found his form and began to make up ground passing a rider on each lap until he reached seventh place on lap seven of 12. He entered into a battle within a group of four riders disputing fourth position and on the penultimate lap he headed the group. But although he was able to retain his position the leading trio were long gone and a 12 second deficit was impossible to reduce on the final lap so the Lincolnshire ace had to be content with fourth place at the chequered flag. “I am quite content with fourth,” said Steve. “Especially after everything that’s gone on this season. I had a podium in my head before I came here but just before the race I said I wanted a top five. “I was a little bit tentative in the first half of the first lap and lost a bit of time but I came through, my lap times were very good and I was well happy with the way I rode and so I am happy with the end of the season. It’s now all about building up for next year and I am happy with the way things are going.” Steve will continue his training throughout the winter layoff in order to prepare for the 2011 season when he should be fully fit and raring to go. More, from a press release issued by Bridgestone: Malaysian Grand Prix debrief with Tohru Ubukata Round 15: Malaysian Grand Prix Post-race debrief Sepang International Circuit, Tuesday 12 October 2010 Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Hard, Extra Hard. Rear: Medium, Hard With his third position in the Malaysian Grand Prix, Jorge Lorenzo secured his first premier class MotoGP World Championship title. Having slipped to 11th from the start, a resurgent Valentino Rossi powered to the front and took just his second victory of the season, ahead of Andrea Dovizioso who once again fought very hard for the lead and pushed Rossi until the flag. Conditions were sweltering over the weekend, and remarkably every session was held in the dry despite the typically humid weather and presence of thunder clouds for much of it. The race was a demanding test for riders and tyres as the ambient temperature reached 33 degrees Celsius. Q&A with Tohru Ubukata – Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department What can you say about track conditions over the weekend? “On Friday the circuit was very slippery as it normally is for the first session when we first arrive there, whether on the race weekend or during the pre-season tests. On Friday a lot of riders experienced some spinning, but this was because of the greasy surface. By Saturday the track conditions had improved and it was much easier for our tyres to work efficiently, and immediately the laptimes dropped by over one second. Finally, in the race Valentino was just 0.009seconds from the lap record, set on our tyres back in 2007 so I am quite happy with this.” Again it seemed that even the softer tyre options worked well over race distance? “Firstly, it is important to note that the softer option front tyre we selected for Sepang is still our hard compound rubber, so it is not a soft option. We chose our softer options carefully based on the demands of the circuit, the speed and of course the heat and the tyre temperature generated. Our objective this year has always been to select two compound options front and rear that are both suitable for the race, giving riders a choice for Sunday. I am pleased that at Sepang tyre choices both front and rear were the most mixed of the season, which means that we have done a good job in developing and selecting the slick tyre options for this race. “Four of the top five riders used the softer front in the race, and Álvaro in fifth also used the softer rear to good effect and with reasonable consistency so I am happy about this. From sixth to tenth, all riders used the harder front slick, and in actual fact the top six riders used four different tyre combinations which is a clear sign of how different bike and rider packages prefer different tyre compound options in the same conditions.” More, from a press release issued Tom Tunstall Racing: Seasons Best for Tunstall The British Superbike Season Finale saw Doodson Motorsport racer Tom Tunstall take his best results of the year, with a 12th and 13th place finish for the Yorkshireman… Oulton Park in Cheshire hosted the illustrious British Superbike Championship for the second time in 2010, with three races over the weekend bringing the series to a climax. After qualifying Tunstall concluded: “I’m happy with the progress, and to get into the 1m 37’s is great and my consistency is good. I was a tenth or so off in the second phase which put us back a couple of places but I’m on the same row so I’m not too concerned. A good start and we’re away…” Tunstall held position at the start of race one before cutting his way past BMW mounted Steve Brogan and Adam Jenkinson. In the meantime Chris Walker had worked his way through the trio and Tunstall made chase of the former world superbike race winner, but unable to close the gap took 17th at the flag. “I lost the tow from Chris trying to get passed Brogan and Jenkinson. My times are good enough to put us 17th on tomorrow’s grid so I’m confident we can build from there”. A record breaking 45,000 race fans were bathed in late summer sun for Sunday’s final races. The first of which saw Tunstall fly off the line and was up to 16th when eight laps into the race, title fighter Tommy Hill crashed heavily bringing out the red flag. Restarted over only 7 laps the Doodson backed rider was 15th after lap one. The progress continued as he climbed up to 13th on lap two and then 11th. Relentless Suzuki rider Michael Laverty got passed on the fourth lap giving Tunstall 12th place. Despite his best efforts Tunstall held 12th at the finish but was only 0.3 seconds from an elusive top 10 finish. “Another lap or two and I’m sure I’d have got tenth but with only seven laps I didn’t have time… Still it’s our best result of the season and I’m well happy to get a top 12 finish, it’s my best result yet on a superbike. My times have got me up to 14th for the final race and I want to make the most of it!” Jenkinson and [Simon] Andrews got passed Tom on the opening 2.69mile lap which he completed in 16th. Tunstall then passed Dan Linfoot to 15th before the Safety Car was deployed after Gary Mason crashed out possibly leaving oil on the track. When the race resumed Linfoot got back passed. By lap eight Tunstall was up to 13th and battling with Japanese Worx Suzuki rider Yukio Kagayama. Along with Jenkinson the trio scrapped for 11th after passing Andrews on the penultimate lap. Despite setting his fastest time of the weekend on the final lap Tunstall couldn’t find a way past and crossed the line in 13th only a second off Kagayama in 11th. “I made a mistake when the safety car came in, the group in front bunched up and I got caught in the wrong gear. I did all I could to catch Yuki and Adam and try for 11th as you can see from the times but it wasn’t to be. It’s been a great day though and by far our strongest weekend of the year. “It’s been a tough season for us, we’ve had our fair share of bad luck and it’s no coincidence that this has been our smoothest meeting and therefore most successful. The whole team deserve today’s results for the hard work we’ve put in this year and for that I’m very grateful”. “I’d also like to extend my sincere thanks to Doodson Broking group and all our sponsors, supporters and partners who’ve helped make this year happen. With the 2011 British Superbike calendar released we’re already looking to build and come back stronger next year” More, from a press release issued by British Superbike Championship organizers: MCE INSURANCE BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP New BSB Showdown format vindicated by record breaking crowd at Oulton Park 45,000 fans witness Kiyonari crowned 2010 BSB champion The much-anticipated final round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park yesterday drew a record-breaking crowd as 45,000 fans descended on the Cheshire circuit for the final Showdown to decide the new champion. It was the biggest ever attendance at Oulton Park for a BSB round and fans lined the 2.6-mile circuit in the sunshine as the title fight went down to the wire. Tommy Hill led the standings going into the final two races of the season, but after a dramatic crash in the first race of the day, HM Plant Honda’s Ryuichi Kiyonari took a sensational double victory on his way to securing a third BSB title crown. MotorSport Vision Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer said: “To have such a huge record breaking crowd at Oulton is great testament to the appeal of the new 2010 Showdown format, in which the top 6 championship runners have their points closed right up for the final three events. The Showdown concept is similar to that of the safety car coming out briefly in the latter part of a race the order stays the same for the re-start but the frantic final stages provide both pressure and opportunity. The fans love a championship to go to the wire and voted with their feet, turning out as never before. And BSB delivered magnificently at Oulton Park, with the champion only being decided on the final lap of the last of 26 races. The first half of race two was absolutely stunning with a four bike lead battle until Tommy Hill and James Ellison clashed fighting for first place. But in the end no one could dispute that Ryuichi Kiyonari and HM Plant Honda deserved the crown.” For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com More, from a press release issued by CRP Racing: CRP Racing wins at Brands Hatch and becomes the European Champion A weekend of great racing and emotions. Despite the bad weather and heavy rains on the English circuit of Brands Hatch, the eCRP 1.2 won, beating the odds and becoming a true champion. Starting from a clean sheet only a few months ago CRP Racing and the eCRP 1.2 entered the TTXGP EU series. At Brands Hatch the team capped off two weeks of competition winning the 3rd and 4th rounds of the TTXGP European Championship, securing the EU Cup of the premier Electric Motorcycle racing series. Three victories, a second place and a pole, this is the plunder that CRP got in only two weeks and only in 4 races”¦this is the F1 class and the heritage of a company that knows the motorsport world deeply with all its rules at the highest level and they can praise the experience to have the capability to put on track a two wheel torpedo. Working in motorsports highest levels helped prepare the team for the new challenges faced in this next generation of motorcycle racing. CRP Racing worked in collaboration with other CRP Group companies such as CRP Technology to quickly create the eCRP 1.2 for competition. Utilizing the many skills available they have created an excellent example for this new motorcycle category. With great passion and energy they targeted this new arena of racing and have scored a great success. Italy wins at Brands Hatch CRP Racing in an amazing weekend hoisted the Tricolor, with a burst of pride for made-in-Italy. Giving a clear demonstration of how Italian industry is able to cross the finish line first. A winning strategy was key to their ability to overcome the challenges and triumph. The choice of Alessandro “Branna” Brannetti to pilot the eCRP 1.2 is only one example of this strategy. Brannetti showed his skill early at the first race in Assen, quickly adapting his excellent riding style to the new bike and earning the respect of his team with his performance. At Brands Hatch the hard work of the team and Branna’s skills were needed to face not only the strong competition, but also the weather. The first round of the weekend became a sparring match between Italy, German and Belgium. As the laps wound down it became a duel between Allesandro Brennetti on the eCRP 1.2 and German rider Himmelmann with the Allesandro coming out as the victor. Round two found the three riders Brannetti, Fastro, and Himmelmann out in front and pushing hard for the win. Brannetti worked the eCRP out in front to bring the team their second victory of the day, and to become the European Champions. Now the Modena based team has turned its focus for the Final at Albacete on the 23rd and 24th of October. This is the championship race that will bring all the TTXGP series competitors together from North America, UK, and Europe for the exciting conclusion of the 2010 season. Beyond the goal of winning is still the greater ambition of bringing the green technology of the track to the streets. To deliver a high performance machine to riders who have a passion for performance and technology. More, from a press release issued by Simon Low’s publicist: Disappointing final round for Low Twickenham’s Simon Low had a disappointing end to his 2010 British 125cc Championship campaign on Sunday when he was forced to retire at the final round at Oulton Park. The Team Shop4Bikers/Dutch-2-UK Racing rider was working his way through the pack after a lowly qualifying performance but it was all to no avail as he retired on the fourth lap and so he ended the year parked up beside the track. Friday’s free practice sessions had gone well for Simon and the team and, once they’d got the suspension correctly set up for the undulating Oulton circuit, he was able to reduce his times considerably, a lap of 1m52.936s placing him 22nd fastest at the end of the day. Saturday morning’s first qualifying session looked like it would be even better still as Simon replicated that lap time on just his third lap but as he entered the Shell Olis Corner for the sixth time, his entry speed was too quick and he crashed out, also taking out Shaun Horsman. The bike was extensively damaged and although the team were able to repair the bike in time for final qualifying later in the afternoon, the crash damage had affected the performance of the engine and Simon was, literally, powerless to respond as he slipped back to 31st on the grid. With the bike stripped, cleaned and re-built overnight, Sunday morning warm-up showed the bike’s speed had improved considerably and, with conditions again perfect, Simon made his usual trademark start in the 12-lap race to leap up to 25th and this soon became 23rd as he overtook more riders on the second lap. As he started his fourth lap, he was already knocking on the door of the top 20, with Championship points again looking a possibility, only for disaster to strike as he approached the Hizzy’s chicane. Feeling the engine ‘nip up’ Simon managed to negotiate the corner but no sooner had he exited the final right hand bend, the bike seized completely and his race was over. Speaking later, Simon commented: “It’s been a disappointing end to what’s been quite a disappointing season. It’s been my first season in the British Championship and whilst I knew it was going to be tough, I never realise we’d encounter all the problems that we have done. The crash on Saturday was completely my fault and it set us back a long way and from that moment on we were struggling. The bike was last through the speedtraps on Saturday afternoon although the guys in the team did a great job of improving it in time for the race and everything was going pretty well, all things considered, in the early stages. I’d passed a fair few people and was almost in the top 20 when the bike seized and I was lucky that Jamie Hodson didn’t ram me from behind. I enjoy riding at Oulton and it’s a great circuit but, for some reason, I don’t seem to be able to string it all together for the lap and it was another hard weekend.” “Like I say, it’s been a tough year and a steep learning curve but, when everything’s gone right, I’d like to think I’ve shown people what I’m capable of with the top ten result at Snetterton being the obvious highlight. It’s a really competitive class but I’ve learnt an awful lot, both on and off the bike, and am determined to come back stronger next year and put it all in to practice and be in the points consistently. Finally, thank you to all my sponsors for all their commitment and support this season .” More, from a press release issued by MIST Suzuki: More Positive Results for MIST Suzuki Racing at Oulton Park After missing nearly two thirds of the British SuperBike season due to the last minute loss of vital pre-season sponsors MIST Suzuki opted to return to the championship for the final round. For the triple header at Oulton Park the team drafted in Australian Chris Seaton as early season regular Dave Anthony was had other commitments. Facing the complex Cheshire circuit for the first time was daunting enough but it became clear after the first track session that something was amiss with the bike. After several long conversations with the Ohlins suspension experts some significant suspension changes were tried but Chris bravely struggled on with a major handling problem all the way through practice and qualifying. After being left in 9th place in the Evo class after qualifying there was little time to try more settings with under two hours before the first race. Chris continued to improve as his circuit knowledge improved and he managed a lonely ride to 7th place in the class despite the problems. With no other options the team worked with Ohlins to investigate the high quality gas forks only to find the problem, a distinct lack of gas. To compound the problem a damaged oil seal was also discovered in one fork preventing the suspension from giving the necessary support to allow the bike to hold a line or turn accurately. Team Manager Mike Edwards: “Chris and the team worked extremely hard to resolve the handling issues that plagued the first couple of days. Once we found the problem it was obvious that when Dave had slid off the bike in practice at Cadwell Park at the last round in April he must have damaged the suspension but without anyone else riding the bike there was no way to know. As this was his first time Chris wasn’t able to pin point the issue so we were all extremely relieved when the guys at Ohlins eventually found the problem.”. The warm up on Sunday morning was a much more confident affair but eight minutes before the first race of the day didn’t give enough time to get a good direction on the suspension settings for the race. The fact that the forks were now working well meant that all the set up data from the first two days was wasted so Chris took a gamble and took his place on the grid. A great start saw Chris battle through the pack until he was comfortably in fourth place. As the laps went on he was soon chasing down the third place rider and everyone was hopeful of a podium finish. Championship leader Tommy Hill was having a disastrous race that ended with his bike depositing oil on the track causing the next four Evo racers, including Chris, to crash in the unexpected slippery conditions. A great team effort saw the bike repaired in time for the restart but this time Chris has to settle for fourth place. The opportunity to change the suspension based on some good feedback from Chris and the data logging system improved the bike once again and, coupled with an excellent start, soon saw Chris up in third place in the second race of the day. Soon settling in to a strong rhythm Chris was able to lap at the same speed as the race leaders and once eventual race winner Hudson Kennaugh gapped champion elect Steve Brogan Chris was soon closing on second place. A small error let James Hillier past only for Chris to wisely tail him for a lap to work out the best place to pass. On the last lap Chris made his move around the outside at Island Bends only for Hillier to sit his bike up hitting Seaton and pushing him right to the edge of the track and on to the rumble strip. This allowed Gary Johnson to also come through relegating poor Chris from third to fifth position. Mike Edwards said: “We all felt so sorry for Chris not to get on the podium when he had two strong chances to do so. He improved every time he got on the bike and once the fork problem was fixed he was able to demonstrate just how good a rider he is. I am sure had we identified the problem on the first day that Chris would have been challenging for the lead in the races.”. He added: “Despite all the set backs and financial issues we have had a great season in the Evo class. We’ve completed races on three different circuits, still hold two lap records, secured two race wins and had other podium finishes along the way. I like to think that we could have won the championship had we been able to secure the funding to contest the whole series and are already working hard to secure the necessary sponsorship for the 2011 season”. The team would like to thank Chris for working so hard over the weekend and always putting on a brave face despite some of the issues we faced. Thanks must also go to our main mechanic, Graham Ledger, plus all the other people that have helped us along the way. Thanks also to Tim Seed for the help and advice on the electronics at each round. Also thanks to those sponsors that did stick by us all season, including GPR for their steering dampers, Silkolene for the oil, HEL Performance for the brake and oil lines, Stomp for the tank grips and Moto GB for their help with the Leo Vince exhausts. Roll on 2011. More, from a press release issued by Gerloff Boys Racing: Gerloff Boys Racing Team Finishes Strong! Braselton, GA — October 2010 The Gerloff Boys Racing Team traveled to Road Atlanta for the 2010 WERA Grand National Finals. Sunny skies and unseasonably warm temperatures set the scene for some of the hottest racing action of the year. Fifteen-year-old, Garrett Gerloff, began the team’s weekend of racing by qualifying his 2007 Suzuki GSXR 600 in second position at a time of 1:30.531. Gerloff continued to increase his pace as the weekend progressed. Saturday saw Gerloff’s lap-times drop by over a second as he battled for race wins. Gerloff completed Saturday’s races with a pair of close fought second-place finishes. The tightest championship battle of the year was in 600 Superstock. Coming into the final race of the year, Gerloff held a slim two-point lead over Benny Solis. When the green flag flew, Solis jumped out-front to a sizeable lead. Over the course of the 10 lap race, Gerloff rode to the limit slowly reeling-in Solis. Incredibly, both riders put in a spectacular last lap that saw each rider turn his fastest lap of the weekend (1:28.716 Solis vs. 1:28.832- Gerloff). Solis was able to cross the line first with Gerloff just nine-tenths of a second behind. Although relegated to second position in the championship, Gerloff was pleased with his race: “I’m not (upset). I rode as hard as I could. Benny put in a really good last lap.” Gerloff and Solis were at-it-again in the 600 Superbike race. This time Gerloff was able to lead the most laps with Solis following closely. As the pair entered the final turn, Solis was able to dive in front of Gerloff and win by two-tenths of a second. With his second-place finish, Garrett Gerloff became the 2010 WERA 600 Superbike class Champion! The team’s race mentor and Crew Chief, Brian Stokes, used the first part of the weekend to familiarize himself with the Fast Frank Racing BMW S1000RR. Stokes was quick to learn the machine and brought home first place finishes in two regional finals– Formula 1 and A Superbike. Stokes was impressed with the machine’s abilities and was eager to improve the setup of his own Honda CBR1000RR for Sunday’s race. After a few adjustments to the Ohlins rear shock, Stokes was ready for the race. On the second lap, Stokes powered past Pat Clark Yamaha-mounted Christopher Clark, into the lead. Over the course of the 10-lap race, Stokes was able to extend his lead and cross the finish line first! Although he had mathematically clinched the championship at the prior round, a very excited Stokes was elated with the race victory. At the winner’s circle celebration, Keith Dowdle, Assistant Manager Honda Rider’s Club of America, presented Stokes with a big bonus check for winning the WERA Superbike championship aboard a Honda motorcycle. Stokes commented, “Thank you very much, Keith and Honda. At the start of the year, at Roebling Road, with Ohlins suspension, Dunlop tires, and a stock Honda 1000, we were seven-tenths off the track record! Obviously, the bike is very good right-out-of-the-box! This has been a great weekend and a great season.” The results of this championship-winning season have been made possible with tremendous support from several companies. Garrett Gerloff and Brian Stokes would like to thank the following sponsors for their support: Arai Helmets; Big Onez; Drippin Wet; Duponte & Lipton Attorneys at Law; Dunlop Tires; Galfer Brakes; G Behavior; Leo Vince Exhausts; Maxima Oils; Motorex Oils; Ohlins Suspension; Pit Bull Stands; Pro-flow; Rev-it Leathers; Scorpion Helmets; Sharkskinzs bodywork; Sidi Boots; T2 Tire Warmers; Vesrah brakes; Vortex; and XT Laptimers.