GO BIG RACING’S MILLSON AND GLENN SECOND IN ST CLASS AT HOMESTEAD Homestead, Florida – The Canadian duo of Ross Millson and Paul Glenn pulled off an impressive second place finish at the SunTrust MOTO-ST, Homestead 500K, at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The team used Friday’s practice session to familiarize themselves with the Homestead-Miami Speedway layout, make suspension adjustments and work on the handling of the bike. “Paul and I got up to speed quickly “¦the track was actually really fun to ride!” said Millson. “Early in the session I put in the fastest lap, but in the end the Pair-A-Nines bike went a little faster, “¦we were on old tires so we weren’t overly concerned” he added. Saturday morning’s practise went extremely well for the team, posting a 1:36.260 early in the session. At the halfway point, Millson, on the No. 79 Go Big Racing Suzuki SV650 was fastest in the ST class and 16th overall with a 1:36.242. The SunTrust MOTO-ST, Homestead 500K, began with Millson getting off to a great start and managed to lead the ST class for the first few laps. Pair-A-Nines rider, Jay Springsteen and Go Big Racing’s Ross Millson had some trouble working through the slower GST bikes. Springsteen eventually got past the No. 79 Suzuki SV650 on the inside, while Millson tried to go around the outside of some slower bikes and ultimately ran out of track. “It was just a small off – not a big deal. I didn’t want to risk a fall so I hit the grass.” said Millson. Although losing some valuable ground, Millson managed to keep the gap constant and finished the first stint with no further drama. “Ross ran really hard in the first stint and put us in a good spot.” acknowledged Glenn “Our first pit stop was flawless!” Glenn took to the track focused on trying to put in some consistent laps to make up some time and eventually was able to increase the gap back to third while hunting down the Pair-A-Nines Racing riders, Springsteen and Filice. Millson re-mounted and was able to close the gap pretty quickly, gaining up to two seconds per lap. The No. 9 Pair-A-Nines bike pitted, presenting an opportunity for the No. 79 Suzuki SV650 to get back on the same lap as Springsteen and Filice. With the heat and humidity starting to take its toll, Millson rode the final stint as hard as he could, but eventually ran out of time. At the three hour mark, the checkered flag dropped finding the Go Big Racing Suzuki SV650 crossing the finish line in second place in the ST class and 14th overall. Millson and Glenn would like to thank the crew for working extremely hard on strategy during the race and for successfully delivering two incredible pit stops. Background Information Go BIG Racing Go BIG Racing is an all-Canadian motorcycle road racing team comprised of Ross Millson from Hamilton, Ontario and Paul Glenn from Keene, Ontario. Millson and Glenn will enter the 2007 Parts Canada Superbike Championship as rookies. Millson, as a Pro on a Suzuki GSX-R600 in the Hindle Pro 600 Sport Bike class and GSX-1000 in the Superbike Pro class. Glenn will compete in the International Motorcycle Supershow sponsored Amateur 600 Sport Bike class aboard a Suzuki GSX-R600. In 2007, they will also be competing in the regional R.A.C.E. Super Series and the US-based Moto-St Endurance series. For additional information please visit: www.gobigracing.ca SunTrust MOTO-ST MOTO-ST is for production based four-stroke twin cylinder motorcycles, ridden by teams of rider’s in longer distance events. Rules enforcement will involve straight-forward parameters including machine weight and engine output, as monitored by the official series Dynojet Dynamometer. The series is organized and sanctioned by Professional Motorsports Productions (PMP) of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and the Grand American Road Racing Association, based in Daytona Beach, Fla., provides the series with administrative and commercial support. The MOTO-ST advisory board features some of the most respected individuals in the world of motorsports, including Hall of Fame members, respected motorcycle racing journalists and renowned officials from various forms of road racing. Learn more about MOTO-ST at www.moto-st.com More, from a press release issued by Centurion Racing: Inspiring Weekend for Centurion British Supersport Thruxton Circuit www.centurionracing.net The Centurion Race Team continued their successful season in the British Supersport Championship this weekend at Thruxton Circuit. James ‘Westy’ Westmoreland took a stunning fourth place in the overall Championship and another victory, following on from the one he gained last weekend at Brands Hatch in the Supersport Cup race. His team mate Dan Cooper also took an incredibly strong result in eighth place in only his second race on the 600 Honda. The two racers had looked fierce throughout the weekend and despite it being their rookie year in the Supersport class after the move up from the 125 series. The two youngsters are settling in well to the rhythm of things and are already proving a powerful team to be reckoned with for the 2007 season. Westy qualified in a comfortable eighth place on the grid with Cooper in 16th place. The two converted these good qualifying positions into a set of fantastic results for the Centurion Team. Westy got off the line well and held his place in eighth after the first lap with Cooper moving through the field up to 13th. Young 18-year-old Westy was battling with extremely talented and well established riders such as TT Star Ian Hutchinson and ex Superbike rider Billy McConnell for sixth position. Meanwhile team-mate Cooper was battling with former Supersport Champion Stuart Easton for 12th. A delighted Westy said “I am really happy with the days performance and the weekend as a whole. The bike worked really well and I must thank the entire Centurion team for a fantastic job. It was a hard race but to come away with fourth, just off the podium at the second round is awesome. We are only going to get stronger, roll on Silverstone!” His 19-year-old team mate Cooper from Stroud commented “Thruxton is certainly not one of my favourite circuits despite it being my local track. I wasn’t happy after first practice when I was lying down in 26th place and I knew then that I had my work cut out. As the weekend progressed my times got better in each session until I finally qualified in 16th place, which I was reasonably happy with. I managed to get a great start in the race and just tried to work my way up the field, I was good to follow Easton for a few laps as I know how experienced he is on a 600. Once again I’d like to thank the whole Centurion Team for all their help and support over the weekend.” Gary Stubbington, Centurion Team Manager was over the moon with the performance of their two riders saying “To have got such positive results at only the second round of the Championship is a dream start for us and proves that hopefully as the riders develop they will have more to come. They have both done extremely well and Westy has already equalled our best result from 2006 and long may it continue. To have two top ten places is just a great achievement.” The next British Supersport race is at Silverstone Circuit on 27th 29th April. British Supersport Result M Laverty Suzuki J Robinson Honda B McConnell Yamaha J Westmoreland Centurion Honda S Easton Kawasaki I Hutchinson Honda M Jessopp Ducati D Cooper Centurion Honda J Kennedy Honda A Lowes Honda More, from a press release issued by Steve Plater’s publicist: STEVE PLATER SCORES MORE POINTS AT THRUXTON Lincolnshire Superbike star Steve Plater added to his points tally at Thruxton over the weekend when he rode the Team AIM Yamaha R1 to a brace of 13th places on Sunday. Qualifying was a testing time for the 34-year-old rider from Woodhall Spa as the R1 Yamaha is still being developed but none the less Steve managed to post a time quick enough to claim a sixth row start to the set of two races from 21st position. As race one got underway in the searing heat at Thruxton Steve made a fantastic start moving up from 21st to 14th within six laps. He continued to make progress eventually crossing the finish line in 13th position at the end of the 22-lap race. Race two went much the same way with Steve making another lightening start and picking up places to 14th in the space of four laps. Steve was reeling in the riders ahead and was looking good for a top ten finish but the pace car halted his progress when it was brought out onto the track for a crash further down the field. Steve was caught out at the re-start and was unable to maintain his earlier momentum. With few laps remaining there was little Steve could do to catch the riders ahead and he had to be content with a second finish of 13th to collect a further three championship points. “I got a mega start each time,” said Steve. “And made up loads of places in the first couple of laps but was struggling for grip in both races. I was doing ok in race two and made the most of the time when the pace car was on the track to make up the ground to the riders ahead. But what I didn’t realise is that they had changed the rules regarding the restart and even though I saw a board saying zero I didn’t realise that meant that the pace car was going in at the end of that lap so really I missed the restart and lost three or four seconds on the riders in front of me. “Although I made up the time by the end of the race I didn’t have the opportunity to pass anyone. But for that I would have been looking at a top ten finish; that’s how it goes sometimes. I have had a good weekend and the bike is getting better, although we still haven’t found a good base set-up, but we are getting there and we can continue the development work at Silverstone in two weeks time.” As soon as racing was over at Thruxton Steve headed off to catch the ferry to France where he will compete in the Le Mans 24-hour race next Saturday for Team Kawasaki France. His team mates are fellow Superbike rider Scott Smart and Frenchman Gwen Giabbani with the riders taking turns to ride for two hours continuing throughout the night to finish on Sunday afternoon. Testing is on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with the race set to commence at 3pm on Saturday ending 24 hours later on Sunday at 3pm. More, from a press release issued by Hawk Kawasaki: Solid Finishes for Hawk Thruxton 13th 15th April The Hawk Racing Team had some solid finishes at the second round of the British Superbike Championships this weekend at Thruxton race circuit. In front of a huge 35’000 people in the baking sunshine the two Superbike riders Peter Hickman and Scott Smart gained two strong finishes in the two 22-lap races. The team were eager to gain two confident results at the ultra fast 2.4-mile circuit. Scott Smart, who was still feeling the effects of the 167 mph crash he had at Brands Hatch last weekend rode two comfortable races and secured a 14th and 11th placing respectively. Still battered and bruised the Maidstone ride, still adjusting to the Kawasaki ZX10 was pleased with two point scoring races saying “It’s been a pretty good weekend and we have definitely made some progress in the right direction. I am still learning the bike and working and building on some minor issues that we have found. I haven’t had much testing time on the Hawk bike and I know we can certainly make a lot of progress as the season progresses. I’m still pretty sore from Brands and so I’m pretty happy that I’ve managed to get some points in the bag.” His young team-mate Peter Hickman also scored two solid race results with two 12th places. The 20-year-old worked well throughout the weekend and after qualifying in 15th place he battled well in the two tough races. Locked in a tight battle with his older and more experience team-mate Smart in race two, Hicky fought hard to the end and finished only a second behind Smart and just in front of experienced rider Steve Plater. Speaking with Hicky he said “I’m happy with the results I got as it’s put me 12th in the Overall Championship. I, like everyone else struggled with grip in both the races. It seems everyone I have spoken to were struggling with tyres all weekend. Hopefully I can improve on these results at Silverstone and Oulton Park in a few weeks times. The Hawk Junior Team are making progress with their race season. Jak Wright qualified for his first race this season after just missing out at Brands Hatch, the youngster gained a sturdy 22nd position in the Supersport Race which placed him eighth in the Supersport Cup race. David Hallett qualified in 38th position in the Superstock Cup and finished in a strong 32nd place after being locked in a four-way scrap. The two young riders had never ridden at the scarily fast circuit before and spent a lot of time finding their way round this demanding track. Both are making huge progress and are looking forward to going to some of the circuits that they both know. More, from a press release issued by Tom Tunstall Racing: Tunstall Turns It Around The second round of the highly competitive 2007 British Superbike Championship took place at the bumpy & ultra fast Thruxton circuit over the weekend. And Huddersfield Superbike racer Tom Tunstall had his resolve tested to the full with torrid technical problems throughout practice and qualifying however the plucky Yorkshireman turned it around with two excellent races and finished the weekend leading the British Superbike Cup Championship! For Superbike rookie Tom Tunstall in only his second ever event on the 1000cc machine the first day of practice was spent acclimatising with the fastest circuit on the championship “It’s been another day of learning, this circuit is so fast and the superbike spins up so much around its incredible. We’ve had a few problems with the bike that hasn’t helped. But I need to modify my riding style to get the bike more upright so when it does spin it pushes the bike forwards rather than just stepping the rear out” However the second day of action saw a series of chronic technical problems hamper any chance of allowing Tunstall to continue his learning. After only three corners his machine spluttered to a halt. Tom immediately started running with his bike back to the pits. The intermittent problem resurfaced again after only a lap. With no problems found, Tunstall again took to the track. The bike lasted nine laps before any hopes of further track time went up in smoke when the engine terminally expired. Having only a couple of hours before the single qualifying session the whole team, with valuable support from the Hydrex Honda Team, worked relentlessly to prepare the Honda Fireblade. With minutes to spare the Hardinge Ice Valley backed machine was back on track. Unfortunately the bike still wasn’t running cleanly and frustration was obvious as having only one bike Tunstall was forced to sit out the session with no more than a handful of laps completed. “I don’t know what to say everyone has put in so much effort but it’s just been one of those days. With the little experience I have, I need as many laps as I can, but it just didn’t happen today. On the positive side I’m on the grid last, but at least we’re there. Believe me after the day we’ve had that is a positive!” Yet another engine change overnight meant the team’s committed worked continued, and proved successful as the bike didn’t miss a beat during the short Sunday morning warm-up. In race one Tunstall’s determination was evident as he launched his CBR1000RR off the line, and immediately started picking up places. Within three laps he had improved his best laptime of the weekend by nearly a second. It was with relief that Tunstall saw the chequered flag taking 3rd place in the Superbike Cup. “I was glad just to finish!! I’m really happy with my start and the tyre Dunlop provided was faultless throughout the race. I know I can run faster, I’m still learning how to get the best from the track” It was with revived confidence that the Hardinge – Ice Valley rider took to the grid for race two. Another cracking start saw Tom mixing it with riders starting two rows ahead, battling with former cup champions Chris Martin and James Buckingham. His pace again improved consistently, highlighting the ex-world supersport rider’s progress. Lap 12 saw the pace car brought out as Buckingham crashed out of the race. On the restart Tunstall lost time exiting the final chicane, but again grafted his way to close down a two second gap and onto the back wheel of Aaron Zanotti and Irishman Marty Nutt. Tom just ran out of laps missing out on his first Cup win by one second, crossing the line with an average race speed of 104.9mph. His hard work and excellent ride was rewarded as the 2nd place result saw Tunstall take the lead of the Cup championship by a single point. “Another lap and I’m convinced I’d have passed Marty as I was able to keep my pace higher thanks again to the tyres. The race was a lot fun and I was starting to get to grips with how much these bikes spin and slide. We’re making great progress and after all the problems we’ve had this weekend the champagne tasted that bit sweeter”. The next stop on the calendar is the Silverstone over the weekend of April 27th-29th. More, from a press release issued by Hydrex Honda: Points all round for Hydrex Honda at Thruxton. The Hydrex Honda team had a productive day on track at a scorching hot Thruxton in Hampshire, with all three team members scoring points. Karl Harris on the Hydrex Superbike pulled in two good top ten finishes, with a tenth in race one and a ninth in race two, despite a tough time in qualifying for the Bennetts British Superbike Championship. “We had a bit of a nightmare in qualifying as the bike was cutting out on me. I ended up on the third row which wasn’t ideal,” he said. Once the race got under way Harris dug in, “I found the bike hard to get off the line but that was because of the high gearing you need to run at Thruxton. The pace out there was just stunning, it really has picked up since last year. The pace I was doing compared against last year’s times I would have won! We need a bit more power and some more work on the suspension but we are going the right way.” Harris’ road racing team-mate, Guy Martin also had a hard time in qualifying but like Harris he improved during the races, achieving an eighteenth in race one and a fifteenth in race two. “Qualifying didn’t go great for me, my Gran could have pushed me round faster than that!” he joked, “The racing went better than qualifying and I must admit I still have a lot to learn. The bike is great it’s just me getting up to speed with everything. I really am enjoying it though and the team are working great.” The youngest member of the team, Allan Jon Venter competiting in the Metzeler National Superstock class followed the same pattern of his Superbike team mates hard qualifying but a solid race result. He qualified in a lowly twenty ninth but he gave it his all in the race to finish fifteenth and score a point. “It didn’t go too bad considering where I qualified. I didn’t help myself either by getting a terrible start,” lamented the young South African, “I was second last into turn one! I finished fifteenth as I just worked my way through everyone. The bike was really good. I loved the track it is so fast it is awesome I loved every minute of it.” The team are now regrouping and getting ready for the third round of their respective Championships at Silverstone in two weeks time. “I’m now looking forward to Silverstone as it usually levels the playing field there. Should be a good one,” concluded Harris. The third round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship and the Metzeler National Superstock Championship will take place on the 27th 29th April at Silverstone in Northants. British Superbike – Thruxton Race One Result 1 – Gregorio Lavilla – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 27.52.872 2 – Leon Camier – Honda – Honda – 27.56.398 3 – Ryuichi Kiyonari – Honda – HM Plant Honda – 27.59.705 4 – Shane Byrne – Honda – Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport – 28.00.008 5 – Tom Sykes – Honda – Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport – 28.05.671 6 – Leon Haslam – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 28.08.965 7 – Cal Crutchlow – Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki – 28.11.436 8 – Tommy Hill – Yamaha – Virgin Media Optoma Loans – 28.12.431 9 – Chris Walker – Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki – 28.14.315 10 – Karl Harris – Honda – Hydrex Honda – 28.19.636 11 – Michael Rutter – Kawasaki – Isilon MSS Discovery Kawasaki – 28.22.145 12 – Peter Hickman – Kawasaki – Hawk Kawasaki – 28.26.575 13 – Steve Plater – Yamaha – AIM Racing – 28.28.088 14 – Scott Smart – Kawasaki – Hawk Kawasaki – 28.31.752 15 – Tommy Bridewell – Suzuki – Team NB – 28.39.555 16 – Dean Thomas – Suzuki – Samsung Superbike Team – 28.39.730 17 – James Haydon – Yamaha – Virgin Media Optoma Loans – 28.40.095 18 – Guy Martin – Honda – Hydrex Honda – 28.42.908 British Superbike – Thruxton Race Two Result 1 – Gregorio Lavilla – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 29.01.593 2 – Ryuichi Kiyonari – Honda – HM Plant Honda – 29.01.706 3 – Shane Byrne – Honda – Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport – 29.01.842 4 – Jonathan Rea – Honda – HM Plant Honda – 29.02.085 5 – Leon Camier – Honda – Honda – 29.02.957 6 – Leon Haslam – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 29.10.413 7 – Tom Sykes – Honda – Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport – 29.11.960 8 – Michael Rutter – Kawasaki – Isilon MSS Discovery Kawasaki – 29.12.671 9 – Karl Harris – Honda – Hydrex Honda – 29.15.077 10 – Tommy Hill – Yamaha – Virgin Media Optoma Loans – 29.17.202 11 – Scott Smart – Kawasaki – Hawk Kawasaki – 29.17.224 12 – Peter Hickman – Kawasaki – Hawk Kawasaki – 29.18.382 13 – Steve Plater – Yamaha – AIM Racing – 29.18.490 14 – Cameron Donald Honda – Uel Duncan Racing – 29.25.789 15 – Guy Martin – Honda – Hydrex Honda – 29.26.040 More, from a press release issued by Buell Motorcycle Company: RICHIE MORRIS RACING BUELL THIRD AT MOTO-ST HOMESTEAD 500K Higbee and Bilansky Battle Back to Podium Finish from Three Laps Down HOMESTEAD, Fla. Richie Morris Racing/Daytona Harley-Davidson/Buell riders Shawn Higbee and Dan Bilansky raced a Buell XB12R Firebolt back from an early three-lap deficit to place third in the Grand Sport Touring (GST) class at the Homestead 500K, the second round of the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series. Six laps into the race, the Richie Morris Racing Buell was forced to make an early pit stop to bleed their brakes, putting the team three laps behind the GST class leaders. Hard riding by Bilansky and Higbee and smooth pit work allowed the team to climb back onto the podium. The Richie Morris Racing Buell team completed 108 laps and finished 16th overall. They continue to lead the GST point standings. The James Gang Racing/Hoban Brothers Buell XB12R sponsored by Hal’s Speed Shop and Buell of Appleton and ridden by Paul James and Jeff Johnson raced at the front of the GST class and battled for the lead until a warped rotor forced the team to make several unscheduled pit stops in the final 40 minutes of the event. This dropped the team back to fifth in GST and 21st overall with 105 laps completed. The GST class was won by the RPM Motorsports/Keesee Racing Ducati shared by the father-and-son team of Todd and Kyle Keesee, who completed 110 laps of the 2.21-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway road course to finish 12th overall. Second in GST and 15th overall went to the Touring Sport Ducati Racing team of Pete Friedland, Phillip Green and Frank Shockley, who completed 109 laps. The Roadracingworld.com Suzuki SV1000S shared by Chris Ulrich and Michael Barnes was the overall winner of the event and of the Buell Motorcycle Company Super Sport Twins (SST) class, completing 117 laps at an average speed of 89.563 mph. The Sport Twins (ST) class was won by the Pair-A-Nines Racing Kawasaki EX650 shared by Jimmy Felice and Jay Springsteen, who finished 13th overall. The next race on the 2007 SunTrust MOTO-ST schedule is the VIR 500K, April 27-29 at Virginia International Speedway, Alton, Va. Buell Motorcycle Company, a subsidiary of Harley-Davidson, produces sport motorcycles, motorcycle parts, accessories and apparel. To learn more about Buell motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style and performance only found on board a Buell. For the Buell dealer nearest you, pull into www.buell.com. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office: Yoshimura Suzuki continues to dominate the All Japan Superbike Championship following Atsushi Watanabe’s third position at the weekend’s second round at Suzuka in front of 30,000 fans. The GSX-R1000-mounted rider, who claimed overall victory at the opening race at Twinring-Motegi two weeks ago, was unlucky not to have finished higher after being hit by another rider in the final chicane on the final lap. Watanabe, who qualified fourth fastest on Saturday, started the race well and held off Rizla Suzuki MotoGP rider Kousuke Akiyoshi (Wins Suzuki) and Honda riders Tatsuya Yamaguchi, Kazuki Tokudome and Takashi Yasuda for several laps before being reeled in a passed mid-race by slow-starter Chojun Kameya (Honda). Kameya took the lead and held it to the end of the race as Nakasuga dropped out with machine problems. Then, just as Watanabe looked set for the second step of the podium, he was hit by another rider which allowed Yasuda through just before the finish line. Said Watanabe: “I planned to follow Nakasuga in the first part of race and watch what his Dunlop tyres were doing then catch up to the leaders towards the end, but my GSX-R was feeling sensitive and I couldn’t push too much. In the middle of the race I stayed with the second group of riders to save my tyre as I was planning to go faster towards the end of the race. I feel a bit disappointed not to take second position but to take a second consecutive podium is not so bad for me and the team as we are still leading the championship!” All Japan Superbike Results: 1: Chojun Kameya (Sakurai Honda CBR1000RR) 2: Takashi Yasuda (HarcPro Honda CBR1000RR) 3: Atsushi Watanabe (Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000) 4: Tatsuya Yamaguchi (Moriwaki Honda CBR1000RR) 5: Kazuki Tokudome (Dream Honda CBR1000RR) 6: Shogo Moriwaki (Moriwaki Honda CBR1000RR) 7: Kousuke Akiyoshi (Wins Suzuki GSX-R1000) 8: Norick Abe (Yamaha YZF-R1) 9: Nobuyuki Ohsaki (SpTadao Yamaha YZF-R1) 10: Yusuke Teshima (HRC Honda CBR1000RR) More, from a press release issued by Aim Yamaha: MORE POINTS IN THE BAG AT THRUXTON Team AIM Yamaha scored more points at Thruxton when Steve Plater rode the R1 to a brace of 13th place finishes in round two of the 2007 Bennetts British Superbike championship but Richard Cooper was unable to add to his points tally after being forced to retire on lap 11 of 20 in the Maxxis British Supersport round. Qualifying was a testing time for the 34-year-old rider from Woodhall Spa as the R1 Yamaha is still being developed but none the less Steve managed to post a time quick enough to claim a sixth row start to the set of two races from 21st position. As race one got underway in the searing heat at Thruxton Steve made a fantastic start moving up from 21st to 14th within six laps. He continued to make progress eventually crossing the finish line in 13th position at the end of the 22-lap race. Race two went much the same way with Steve making another lightening start and picking up places to 14th in the space of four laps. Steve was reeling in the riders ahead and was looking good for a top ten finish but the pace car halted his progress when it was brought out onto the track for a crash further down the field. Steve was caught out at the re-start and was unable to maintain his earlier momentum. With few laps remaining there was little Steve could do to catch the riders ahead and he had to be content with a second finish of 13th to collect a further three championship points. STEVE PLATER I got a mega start each time and made up loads of places in the first couple of laps but was struggling for grip in both races. I was doing ok in race two and made the most of the time when the pace car was on the track to make up the ground to the riders ahead. But what I didn’t realise is that they had changed the rules regarding the restart and even though I saw a board saying zero I didn’t realise that meant that the pace car was going in at the end of that lap so really I missed the restart and lost three or four seconds on the riders in front of me. Although I made up the time by the end of the race I didn’t have the opportunity to pass anyone. But for that I would have been looking at a top ten finish; that’s how it goes sometimes. I have had a good weekend and the bike is getting better, although we still haven’t found a good base set-up, but we are getting there and we can continue the development work at Silverstone in two weeks time.” Although Richard Cooper qualified in 17th place he, like many other riders at Thruxton, was struggling for grip and after 11 difficult laps returned to the garage to retire. Team AIM Yamaha move on to Silverstone in two week’s time when bike development will continue. Both Steve and Richard will be hoping for good results at the Northamptonshire circuit to add to their respective points tally.