Roller coaster weekend for promising Tunstall After much anticipation the 2009 Visk British Superbike Championship finally kicked off over the Easter weekend. And for Superbike Cup contender Tom Tunstall and his Hardinge Doodson Motorsport team it was to prove an eventful season opener showing great potential for a very successful 2009 campaign. With a winters worth of preparation and positive tests completed in Spain and the UK, the team headed to the iconic Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, with their new Honda CBR1000RR fireblade, in confident mood. The extended race weekend started well with Tunstall completing the opening session setting new personal best lap times around the short 1.2mile “Indy” circuit layout. However only three laps into session two, a mechanical problem caused the Yorkshireman’s bike to cut out, and before he could pull off the track Suzuki rider Ian Lowry hit the back of Tom’s bike at well over 100mph. Tunstall managed to stay aboard following the collision but the damage to the bike was immediately apparent. The Hardinge Doodson team all worked long hours and travelled the country to get the required parts to repair the bike and get Tunstall back on track. By the time the single F1 style qualifying session started on Easter Sunday afternoon Tunstall had done less than two of the six free practice sessions. However the race machine was back together albeit in an unfamiliar guise with a brand new Fabrication Techniques Swing Arm. With only 25 minutes to get check the bike, get a feel for the new chassis, and set a fast time Tunstall had his work cut out but immediately impressed with a run of consistently fast laps and provisionally in 14th overall and a close 2nd in the Superbike Cup and chose to sit out the rest of the session to save the bike. For the first time since its conception into British Superbike Tunstall made it through to the second phase of qualifying. Showing it was no fluke Tunstall not only posted an identical time but also a succession of laps that highlighted an impressive consistency which boded well for a strong race performance. With only one tyre at his disposal he again sat out the remainder of the session. Having occupied a top 10 position for much of the time he was eventually nudged to 17th and in front of established superbike riders and teams like Buildbase Kawasaki and both Relentless Suzuki riders. Tunstall remarked; “It’s been one hell of a weekend so far but the team have worked endlessly to prepare the bike brilliantly for qualifying. I’m really happy with the feeling from the bike and to be anywhere near to top 15 after all the issues and the track time we’ve missed is incredible. The great thing is I still feel I can go faster and I’m really can’t wait to get stuck into tomorrow’s races” Unfortunately Tom didn’t get chance to show his potential and that of the new Hardinge Doodson Honda in the races as exiting the fast Clearways right-hander on lap one of the first race the rear on Tom bike slide out from under him and although he fought hard to stay aboard the 1000cc machine it was not to be and he was thrown clear at around 85mph. The accumulation of issues over the event meant that no matter how hard the team worked it would not be possible to start the second race. A disappointed Tunstall commented; “Of course I’m gutted not to come away with the results we were capable of and the team deserved but, as the phrase goes That’s racing!!…. Even though it’s been a tough weekend I have proved what I am capable of and I’m already looking forward to the next round to show what we can do.” With the second round taking place at the picturesque Oulton Park over the May bank holiday weekend [2nd 4th May] there is no doubt that the team will be fighting for a podium finish. More, from a press release issued by Birchall Racing: BIRCHALL BROTHERS FIND MORE SUCCESS AT BRANDS HATCH Mansfield brothers Ben and Tom Birchall rode to a splendid second and fourth place finish in the second round of the 2009 Yokohama/ACU British F11 Sidecar Championship at Brands Hatch over the Easter weekend but despite breaking the lap record have relinquished their series lead and go into the next round just one point behind new leaders Nick Crowe and Mark Cox. The Mitchells of Mansfield sponsored duo were on the pace throughout the weekend posting fast lap times throughout the qualifying periods but were denied a front row start because instead of the usual three outfits to a row, Brands Hatch is reduced to two and as the pair finished in third place they were placed on row two. The first of the two 15-lap races saw Ben and Tom not get away to the best of starts and they settled into fifth position for the duration of lap one. But as they found their pace the brothers moved ahead of Coombes/Knapton to chase after Dongworth/Partridge who were holding third place. After a close battle Ben and Tom forged ahead at Graham Hill Bend and concentrated on reeling in the two leading outfits a few yards ahead. By lap seven the Mansfield pair broke the lap record, posting a time of 51.036s and one lap later shaved a further second from their lap times to establish a new lap record of 50.86s. This spurt of speed paid off as by lap nine of 15 they were right on the tail of multi-TT winners Crowe/Cox, moving ahead into second place at Graham Hill bend one lap later. With four laps remaining the Birchall Brothers began to catch the leading outfit of Reeves and Farrance but misjudged their line at Clearways and ran wide losing ground. They quickly recovered and took the chequered flag in fourth place. Race two saw Ben and Tom move straight into second place on the opening lap, following in the tyre tracks of Crowe/Cox for the duration of the race which was red-flagged and a result declared at positions on lap 10. Crowe/Cox were declared the winners and the 25 points gained meant they now hold the series lead by just one point from Ben and Tom Birchall who come away from Brands Hatch with the new lap record registered to them. “It’s been another superb weekend for us,” said Ben. “Yesterday was unfortunate, it was my own fault as I made a mistake while fighting for the lead but we brought it home in fourth place but it ultimately cost us the series lead. The second race was also a good result although I think we were beginning to make inroads on the leading outfit when the race was stopped early. “I would like to say a massive thank you to Mitchells of Mansfield and also John Lawson who provided a couple of tyres for this weekend, without them we would have been struggling. We are thrilled to bits that we have established a new lap record and we are now looking forward to Cadwell Park on May 4th and another good set of results which will enable us to regain the championship lead.” More, from a press release issued by Steve Plater’s publicist: DOUBLE PODIUM FOR PLATER AT BRANDS HATCH SEASON OPENER Two podium finishes awaited Woodhall Spa racer Steve Plater at Brands Hatch on Easter Monday, although but for a slip in the first Superbike race, the Lincolnshire ace could have made it three out of three for HM Plant Honda. Plater completed the British Supersport race in a fine second place and hopped straight onto the HM Plant Honda Fireblade to take third place in the second British Superbike event. The fine display also saw him pick up British Eurosport Rider of the day award for his sterling performance. The Kent Indy circuit played host to the opening round of the British Superbike championship with four days of track action taking place in differing weather conditions. Plater faced a hectic weekend as, not only was he contesting the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport race but also the two high profile British Superbike races, deputising for HM Plant Honda’s regular rider Josh Brookes who was unable to ride due to visa problems. Plater impressed the Bank Holiday crowd by posting some quick lap times during qualifying to earn himself a front row start to all three races and in the first of the two 30-lap British Superbike events he maintained his starting position of second for the first few laps before taking over at the front on lap 13. But his dreams of victory were left in tatters when he slipped off into the gravel at Druids on lap 16. “I’m so disappointed as I’d got into a good pace and was feeling very comfortable and in control, so to lose the front when I was in the lead is gutting. I was actually trying not to push too hard as I wasn’t sure how long the rear tyre would last, but a bit too much brake and lean angle put me in the gravel,” explained Plater. Leg two was directly after the British Supersport race, meaning a quick changeover for the County star who had to adjust from the 600cc machine to the more powerful 1000cc Honda Fireblade. But Plater is adaptable and settled straight into his race, battling it out for a podium finish. The pace was hot but Plater remained cool and this time made no mistake. He claimed a close third place behind Sylvain Guintoli and race winner Leon Camier to pick up 16 championship points for HM Plant Honda. “I had to switch my head into Superbike mode pretty quickly for race two as I’d just stepped off my Supersport bike. I had a good start and just made a charge for the first corner and tried to get into a rhythm as quickly as possible, which I did. I did have a few issues with front end chatter but I was still able to make up time and make the gains necessary to take third place for a podium finish.” Plater rode to a fine second place in the British Supersport season opener, he started from fourth place but took a couple of laps to adjust from the Superbike. Once he found his rhythm he edged his way through from fifth place to eventually move into second on the final lap, setting a new lap record of 47.047s 91.71mph on lap 20 of 25. “From the outset we set about trying some different settings in the differing weather conditions, which were good enough for me to put the CBR600RR on the front row and also lap faster on the Honda than at this circuit at the first round than I did during the whole of last year so I’m happy about that. “I had a good start in the race but it took me a few laps to get back into Supersport head mode and riding style so I gave myself a bit of a job to do to pull back a few places. With about 10 laps to go I got my head down and tried keep it as smooth as possible and thought about trying to challenge for the lead, but decided to play it safe and take a solid second place, so I’ll just have to go one better at Oulton Park.” As soon as the podium celebrations were over Plater left the circuit, heading for the ferry to France where he is to contest the Le Mans 24-hour World Endurance race for Honda France over next weekend (April 18/19.) He then returns to the UK to attend the Isle of Man TT press launch the following week before travelling to Oulton Park for the second round of the British Supersport championship where he will be challenging for his first race win of the new campaign. More, from a press release issued by Guy Martin’s publicist: Progress made by Martin Guy Martin may not have scored the points-scoring finish he was looking for at Brands Hatch on Easter Monday but the Hydrex Honda rider proclaimed himself satisfied with the progress both he and his team had made in preparation for the International Road Races. Competing in the opening round of the British Supersport Championship, Martin suffered a number of technical gremlins during the course of the weekend, none more so than in final qualifying when a broken radiator saw him stuck in the pits for two-thirds of the 35-minute session. Consequently, he only managed 9 laps, whilst most other riders did in excess of 25, and found himself back on the 8th row of the grid in 29th place. With race conditions slightly better than they had been in practice, Guy immediately gained some places in the race and had moved up to 24th by the end of the first lap. He steadily advanced forward and was lying in 18th place when he was forced to retire on the final lap. Nevertheless, he was more than satisfied with his weekend’s work and with the changes they had made to the bike. “Obviously, I’m disappointed not to have finished in the points but these early season meetings are all about me getting time on the bike and ironing out any problems prior to the North West 200. In that sense, the weekend has served its purpose perfectly. We had a number of engine problems in free practice and opening qualiying and the bike was down on speed considerably but we rectified that in time for qualifying only for the radiator to spring a leak. We did all we could in the time we had and managed to get qualified.” “The race itself was pretty uneventful but I learned a lot more about the bike in a race situation so we can go away from here with a clearer direction on what we need to do. Last year, the first time I rode the 600 was at the North West so we’re already a lot better off than we were 12 months ago and we’ll be able to go to Ireland in May with a bike that’s 100% sorted. Oulton is one of my favourite circuits so I’ll be hoping to reward all the lads in the team for all their hard work with a strong performance.” Prior to the second round of the British Supersport Championship at Oulton Park though, Guy will be in action at this weekend’s Spring National at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough. More, from a press release issued by Tim Reeves’ publicist: Reeves and Farrance chalk up another British Championship win Tim Reeves and passenger Patrick Farrance recorded their second Formula 2 British Championship win of the 2009 season on Easter Sunday when they dominated the first 15-lap race on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit. Second into the first corner, the duo sat behind arch rivals Nick Crowe and Mark Cox for the first half of the race before sweeping by at half race distance eventually pulling away to win by a commanding 2.29 seconds. Conditions during practice and qualifying saw the 1.198-mile Indy circuit shrouded in mist and a delay in proceedings meant a hectic day for all involved but when official qualifying took place on Sunday afternoon, Tim and Patrick took full advantage to put their LCR Suzuki on to pole position albeit just 0.003seconds ahead of Crowe. Indeed, it was close all the way through with 1.5 seconds separating the top ten crews as they returned to the British Superbike Championship schedule. A slightly sluggish start to Sunday evening’s race saw Tim and Patrick slip back to second with Steve Coombes and Paul Knapton looking to relegate them to third but that challenge was soon overcome and they set about pressurizing Crowe and Cox. There was little between the leading four outfits of Tim, Crowe, Ben Birchall and Phil Dongworth but Tim was putting Crowe under severe pressure and on the 8th lap he overhauled him at Druids Corner. From there on in they were never headed and gradually eased away for their second win in three races. The victory also put them at the top of the Championship table going in to Monday’s second race. However, their joy was short lived when a problem on the warm-up lap failed to clear and Tim and Patrick were reluctantly forced to retire at the end of the first lap. Speaking later in the paddock Tim said: “I made a slight mistake with the gearing in practice but we sorted this out in time for qualifying and pole position put me in confident mood for the first race. Nick managed to out-drag me into the first corner so I just sat behind him for the first few laps but the guys behind were getting a bit too close so at half race distance I decided it was time to make my move. I got by him at Druids and just got my head down for the next couple of laps to break the tow. That’s exactly what happened and with the bike working perfectly, we were able to take a great win at my home circuit.” “I felt sure a double was on the cards but on the warm-up lap the bike started to misfire and cut-out and although I started the race, I knew it wasn’t going to get any better so rather than risk any major damage we pulled in. It was a shame as I’m sure we would have extended our Championship lead but, as it is, we’re still 3rd overall and well in contention. It was great to ride at my home circuit again and be back with the full British Superbike paddock so, hopefully, the powers that be will have recognized the efforts of the full Formula Two paddock and it can become a more regular occurrence.” Tim’s next race comes in two week’s time when he’ll be switching to his F1 outfit for the opening round of the German Championship at the Lausitzring with the meeting taking place from April 24-26.