Editorial Note: Red Bull Honda recorded a lap time of 2:06.670 during Test Session One on Wednesday.

Yamaha Factory Racing Team stepped up the pace to top the times in the third and final session of private tests, ahead of F.C.C. TSR Honda France and Red Bull Honda.

Lap times are getting faster in the run-up to qualifying.

Yamaha Factory Racing Team took over control of events at Suzuka today as the only team to post a lap under 2:06. The factory Yamaha team, who have scored back-to-back race wins in the past four years, wrapped up the third session of unofficial tests with a 2:06.798 lap by Katsuyuki Nakasuga. The Japanese rider is partnering Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark for the third year in a row.

(Above) Josh Hook (1) on the F.C.C. TSR Honda CBR1000RR SP2. Photo Kohei Hirota.

F.C.C. TSR Honda France continued to improve their lap time with a 2:07.178. Josh Hook, Freddy Foray and Mike Di Meglio looked to be very strong candidates for the podium, proving quicker than Red Bull Honda’s Takumi Takahashi, Ryuichi Kiyonari and Stefan Bradl, who posted a 2:07.230 lap. 

(Above) Stefan Bradl (33) on the Red Bull Honda CBR1000RR SP2.

YART Yamaha (Broc Parkes, Marvin Fritz and Niccolò Canepa) reiterated a 4th-fastest lap (a 2:07.233) ahead of Leon Haslam, Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea for Kawasaki Racing Team (2:07.827).

(Above) Leon Haslam (10) on the Kawasaki Racing Team ZX-10RR.

VRD Igol Pierret Expériences pulled off another astonishing feat, taking 8th place behind Musashi RT Harc-Pro Honda and Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing. VRD Igol Pierret Expériences are making their Suzuka debut with riders Florian Alt, Florian Marino and Xavier Siméon.

The two teams leading the provisional championship standings kept up their progress. Suzuki Endurance Racing Team posted the day’s 10th-fastest lap (a 2:09.518) despite a minor crash involving Gregg Black. Team SRC Kawasaki France were 15th with a time of 2:10.099.

The quicker lap times came at the price of a couple of crashes. Yesterday (Wednesday), Bram Lambrechts, the stand-in for Brandon Cretu on the Monaco-based team GSM Racing’s Suzuki, had to withdraw after sustaining a broken collarbone. During the 3rd session of private tests today, Christoffer Bergman crashed spectacularly. He got away unharmed, but one of the Yamaha-mounted Wocjcik Racing Team’s bikes is a write-off.

A final test session is slated for Friday morning at Suzuka – official free practice from 8.30am to 10.30am local time – before qualifying gets underway.

Saturday will be given over to the Top 10 Trial, the Superpole unique to the Suzuka 8 Hours, where the top 10 places on the grid are redistributed on the basis of the best performances on a flying lap.

The 42nd edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours will be flagged off at 11.30am local time on Sunday 28 July.

More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:

POSITIVE FINISH TO SUZUKA 8 HOURS TESTING PROGRAMME

WorldSBK regulars Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam and Toprak Razgatlioglu have now finished their pre-race test programme as the Kawasaki Racing Team Suzuka 8 Hours official entry now looks forward to Qualifying Practice on Friday 26 July. The team placed fifth-fastest on the final day timesheets.

In the final test session today the number 10 Ninja ZX-10RR was ranked fifth overall, with concentration on race preparations taking precedent over any desire to set super-fast lap times. The best KRT lap across the two days of the test was a 2.07.614, set in the second session of day one.

All three riders, more used to the Pirelli control tyres used in WorldSBK than the Bridgestone tyres they are using this weekend, gave their feedback on machine set-up after gaining a greater understanding of both bike and tyres at these tests.

Now the important job of qualifying will take place tomorrow, on Friday 26 July, with each rider having two opportunities to ensure that team remains inside the top few places on the first official day of action.

After the Friday qualifying sessions the top ten teams can utilise special qualifying tyres in the ‘Top Ten Trial’ on Saturday, which will be the final significant action before the race takes place on Sunday 28 July, at 11.30am local time in Japan.

Jonathan Rea, stated: “We have had a positive two days of testing in preparation for race weekend. We feel quite good with the bike and yesterday we confirmed the base setting. Then we changed something today that slightly changed that feeling. This is probably the best I have felt with the bike but you can always improve. All three riders are working together to give us a good bike for the race, making step-by-step changes. I am excited about the race because there is a lot of support here for the team and riders. We have a day of official practice tomorrow and we intend to take a good result from it.”

Leon Haslam, stated: “We have finished our second day of testing and it stayed dry again, which was quite positive. We have been working on our rhythm and we also got to do some simulations with the fuelling procedure. Overall it has been a good test. There are a lot of other riders on track to overtake, which you have to get used to for raceday. It was all pretty consistent and our team is looking strong. There are some little areas we want to improve in but so far, so good. Let’s see what the weather does for tomorrow.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu, stated: “I felt good about this test because at the previous Suzuka test in June I experienced some chattering, but not this time. The Bridgestone tyres feel different, a bit harder, than the Pirelli tyres we use in WorldSBK and now I have a better feeling with them. The lap times are coming good and we always ride with worn tyres because the last few laps of each session are very important. We are fast and now I feel some stress because I cannot wait for the race! It has been my dream to ride in the Suzuka 8 Hours and I feel like I am in a dream team with Johnny and Leon. It has been an incredible few days here and I am more than ready for the race weekend.”

More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office:

SUZUKI READY FOR SUZUKA 8 HOURS ENDURANCE FINALE

The Suzuki Endurance Racing Team is at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan for what could be the most exciting showdown for the Endurance World Championship.

The 15-times World Champions arrive at the 42nd Suzuka 8 Hours just five points from the series lead with the Suzuki GSX-R1000. And following the official tests last week at the circuit, riders Vincent Philippe, Etienne Masson and Gregg Black had the opportunity to dial-in the machine and get ready for the main qualifying, that starts tomorrow ahead of Sunday’s race.

For SERT’s Team Manager Dominique Méliand, this final race of EWC 2018-2019 will also be special as the highly respected founder behind the team, will step-down and hand the reigns to a new successor.

Alongside SERT will be several GSX-R1000 mounted teams, including Yoshimura Suzuki Motul Racing, the S-Pulse Dream Racing-IAI and the TK Suzuki Blue Max teams.

Qualifying for the 42nd Suzuka 8 Hours begins on Friday July 26th from 11:50am to 01:20pm and then from 03:40pm to 05:10pm on Saturday, to determine the starting grid. 

MV AGUSTA AND LONCIN SIGN A LONG TERM PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

China, 25-07-2019 – The iconic Italian manufacturer MV Agusta Motor and the Chinese industrial giant Loncin Motor Co., Ltd., have entered a long term strategic partnership agreement that has, as a base, the development of an all new family of MV Agusta products in the 350-500cc displacement.

The vehicles, completely designed by MV Agusta to occupy the premium segment of this high growth market, will be industrialized together with Loncin, whom are the market leader in the production of motorcycles in Asia.

Like all MV Agusta products, this new 4-model family will embody the unique MV Agusta DNA, its unique sound and vehicle dynamics will spark a strong connection with all the new riders.

This strategic alliance will enable MV Agusta to enlarge its current product portfolio with the objective of increasing our riders globally, expanding access into Asia through a partnership with Loncin Motor Co., Ltd.

The collaboration marks a significant progress towards a major pillar in the MV Agusta accelerated growth plan. The company objective is to expand access of the MV Agusta brand and driving incremental sales – both of the new, smaller displacement motorcycles and of the current MV Agusta product range of 675, 800 and 1000cc.

These MV Agusta smaller and more accessible motorcycles will be available for sale in MV Agusta dealerships by the end of 2021.

MV Agusta and Loncin announce that their partnership will not be limited to the development of the new family of products in the 350-500cc range. It also includes MV Agusta assisting Loncin into entering the premium segment market with their premium range of 800cc. Through CRC, its state of the art design and engineering center, MV Agusta will develop an entirely new family of products for VOGE, Loncin’s premium high-end brand. The family of VOGE products will target the mid and large size capacity market through sharing technology and engineering with MV Agusta.

The President of Loncin, Mr. Yong Gao, announced: “The conclusion of the strategic agreement is conducive to Loncin’s and MV Agusta’s joint response to the changes in global market demand and to the coordinated development of both sides. Loncin will use advanced manufacturing resources and Chinese market knowledge to help MV Agusta expand its product line and enhance product competitiveness. MV Agusta’s technology and advanced design experience of high performance motorcycles will support Loncin’s “VOGE” brand in becoming the market leader of premium motorcycles in China. I am looking forward to our strategic cooperation based on the principles of mutual benefit and success.”

Timur Sardarov, CEO of MV Agusta Motor, said: “This strategic alliance is an important step to consolidate our vision for the future of MV Agusta. Our target is to reaffirm our leadership in the production of upper-premium motorcycles, while also enlarging our customer base by offering a broader range of products without compromising our distinctive design and performance. We are looking forward to grow with the right partners and the right products, making sure that our clients enjoy the larger choice of models, all of which share the same DNA and MV Agusta pedigree.”

About MV Agusta Motor S.p.A.:

MV Agusta is one of the world’s leading premium motorcycles manufacturers. Based in Varese, in Northern Italy, it crafts legendary racetrack-derived bikes. Iconic design and class-leading performance through advanced technologies and materials make MV Agusta motorcycles admired the world over and celebrated as unique pieces of Motorcycle Art. Since 1945, the brand has evolved to become a point of reference in the industry, having won 37 World Championship titles. A record still undisputed.

About Loncin Motor Co., Ltd.:

Loncin is today China’s leader in the premium market with over 1 million vehicles produced per year. Since 2005, the company has carried out long-term strategic cooperation with BMW in the field of motorcycles, providing BMW with about 100,000 products including 650cc, 850cc engine and 350cc scooter.

MotoAmerica At Sonoma: Racing And So Much More

Motorcycle Culture And Community In Full Swing

COSTA MESA, CA (July 24, 2019)– The on-track excitement thus far in the 2019 MotoAmerica Series has been unmatched. For the Cycle Gear Championship of Sonoma at Sonoma Raceway, August 10-11, the off-track action promises to be just as gratifying with a weekend packed with motorcycle culture and community.

Motorcyclists like to share their motorcycles and their experiences with other motorcyclists and the Cycle Gear Championship of Sonoma will provide ample opportunity to do both – while fans can also watch the most exciting motorcycle racing championship in the country.

For starters, those making the trek to the wine country of Sonoma can partake in destination rides to get there and group rides once they arrive.

MotoAmerica has partnered with REVER, the world’s largest motorcycle ride planning, tracking and share app. With REVER, you can plan rides using suggested routes, and join like-minded communities. For the Cycle Gear Championship of Sonoma, REVER has created a MotoAmerica Community where riders can find rides to and from Sonoma – from Southern California to Sonoma Raceway and numerous other routes from most points in between, including the shortest one from Cycle Gear Santa Rosa to the racetrack (89 miles). Additionally, REVER has also put together some suggested loops that start and end at the racetrack and range in distance from 150 to under 60 miles.

Do you have a motorcycle to sell? Or are you looking for your next bike? The Championship of Sonoma will also feature “Moto Swap,” a designated parking area/show area just for motorcycles that are for sale. Open to the public only (no dealers, please), MotoAmerica will offer free admittance to the races for MotoSwap participants as a thank you for sharing their motorcycles with its fans.

Do you have an older model motorcycle that you’d like to show off? If so, the Floats & Needles Run is for you. If you have a 1989 or older model motorcycle, your Saturday can begin with a 50-ish mile ride through wine country that riders can navigate through the REVER app at their own pace. After returning to Sonoma Raceway, Floats & Needles will have a show parking area, with motorcycles lined up in British, European, American and Japanese classes. Bikes will be judged, bug spatter and all, with trophies handed out before the final races of the day. Participants will be given a free pass for Saturday’s Cycle Gear Championship of Sonoma races.

The Cycle Gear Championship of Sonoma will feature all five of the MotoAmerica Championship classes – EBC Brakes Superbike, Supersport, Liqui Moly Junior Cup, Stock 1000 and Twins Cup.

To sign up for the Moto Swap, click HERE

To sign up for the Floats & Needles Run, click HERE

To discover all the rides at the MotoAmerica Community on REVER, click HERE

To purchase tickets to the Cycle Gear Championship of Sonoma, click HERE

For How To Watch, visit https://motoamerica.com/watch

About MotoAmerica

MotoAmerica is the North American road racing series created in 2014 that is home to the AMA Superbike Championship. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner. For more information on MotoAmerica, visit www.MotoAmerica.com. Also make sure to follow MotoAmerica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Honda looking to be victorious once again at the Suzuka 8 Hours

Suzuka 8 Hours

Suzuka Circuit, Japan

This weekend the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours takes place on Sunday 28 July, which also marks the final round of the 2018-2019 FIM Endurance World Championship. Honda will be looking to earn back the title of this prestigious race, after having won the event a total of 27 times, with the first Honda win dating back to the second edition of the race in 1979.

The Red Bull Honda team (#33, Takumi Takahashi, Ryuichi Kiyonari, Stefan Bradl) has already been on pace during the test sessions prior the event, and were just off the circuit record by a fraction of a second. Takahashi leads the All Japan Road Racing Superbike 1000 series, Kiyonari is a three times WorldSBK race winner and current factory rider for the Moriwaki Althea Honda team in the FIM Superbike World Championship, with Stefan Bradl being the current HRC MotoGP Test team rider and 2012 Moto2 World Champion. Red Bull Honda is one of 18 Honda teams that will compete on Fireblade machinery across the weekend.

F.C.C. TSR Honda France (Freddy Foray, Mike di Meglio, Josh Hook) arrives at Suzuka with a chance of defending their world title, which they earned at the very same track one year ago. The team have set their sights on making up ground to their EWC rivals, where they are currently sitting third in the championship standings with 109 points, just 23 points away from the leaders.

The Honda Endurance Racing team is aware of the difficulties the Suzuka 8 Hours brings and their aim is to be the best European endurance team when the race is flagged off on Sunday. Sébastien Gimbert, Randy de Puniet and Yonny Hernandez all have a good amount of experience around the Suzuka Circuit, with de Puniet reaching the podium twice already.

A strong line up has been put together by MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO.Honda too. Japanese rider Ryo Mizuno, currently fourth in the All-Japan Road Racing Superbike 1000 series, is partnered by Spanish rider Xavi Fores – currently sixth in the British Superbikes BSB standings – and Moto2 race winner Dominique Aegerter from Switzerland.

Amongst this year’s Honda riders, there are countless success thrown in the mix: 38 Grand Prix victories and a total of 128 GP podiums are shared between riders like de Puniet, Aegerter, Bradl and Co.

The 42ndEdition of the Suzuka 8 Hours gets underway at 11.30 local time (BST +8 hours) on Sunday 28 July. For all the latest news and updates on Honda at the Suzuka 8 Hours follow @HondaProRacing on Twitter.

NEW
DAYTONA Moto2^TM 765 LIMITED
EDITION

TO BE REVEALED: August
23, 2019 – GoPro British Grand Prix

Following overwhelming customer demand, Triumph
Motorcycles are proud to confirm the introduction of the ultimate edition of
the legendary, multiple Supersport Championship-winning Triumph Daytona. This
incredible, limited-production model will be officially revealed at a special
press event at the GoPro British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Friday, August
23, 2019.

• ·New
  Daytona Moto2^TM 765 Limited Edition

• ·Highest-ever
  power and torque from its new Moto2^TM-derived 765cc
  triple engine

• ·Highest-ever
  specification and rider technology

• ·Precision-perfect,
  championship-winning chassis

• ·First-ever
  official Moto2^TM Dorna Sports.SL licenced motorcycle

• ·Limited
  run of individually numbered motorcycles, with only 765 for Europe
  and Asia, and 765 for the United States and Canada.

The new Daytona Moto2^TM 765 Limited
Edition will represent both the highest specification of the British racing
legend, and a unique partnership with the FIM MotoGP^TM World
Championship.

Triumph will launch two versions of the
eagerly-anticipated new Daytona on August 23, one for Europe and Asia, and one
for the U.S. and Canada. Both will feature a new Moto2^TM-derived
765cc triple engine inside a championship-winning sports-focused chassis,
delivering the highest power and torque ever from a production 765cc motorcycle,
plus the highest specification of equipment ever seen on a Daytona, all wrapped
in a stunning limited-edition race paint scheme.

Reflecting Triumph’s position as the exclusive
engine supplier to the Moto2^TM class of the FIM MotoGP^TM World
Championship, and sharing some of the key developments from the race engine
program, both models will be revealed at a special press event on Friday, August
23 at Silverstone, where full specifications and details will be revealed. Both
bikes will also be showcased in a spectacular parade lap over the race weekend,
ridden by two former motorcycle world champions.

This new limited-edition Daytona delivers the
closest you can get to a genuine Moto2^TM factory ride for the road.

With a limited run of only 765 being built of
each model (Europe/Asia & U.S./Canada), each one individually numbered,
Triumph are anticipating strong demand for this truly unique motorcycle.

Available: March 2020

Prices and full details to be released on
August 23^rd. 

Snetterton Double For Rampant Redding

(Above) Scott Redding (45).

Round six of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship proved to be a memorable one for a Scott Reddingnumber of reasons for the Be Wiser Ducati team as Scott Redding romped to a superb double win at Snetterton today.

Making his debut at the Norfolk track, the 26-year-old ex-MotoGP ace from Gloucestershire topped every practice and qualifying session on his factory-supported Be Wiser Ducati Panigale V4 R before winning the opening race to extend his lead at the top of the standings and in doing do, gave Paul Bird’s Cumbrian team their 100th BSB victory.

Not content with that, Redding scorched to victory in race two to add more vital Podium Points to his tally whilst adding the prestigious Monster Energy Race of Aces Trophy to his collection. The only blot on his record this weekend was a hefty spill during this morning’s warm-up session, but the end result is the four-times GP winner holds a 38-point advantage going into the next round at Thruxton.

Team-mate Josh Brookes recorded a pair of runner-up positions behind Redding to get his title bid back on track after a disappointing round at Knockhill last month. The 36-year-old Australian led race two briefly before giving second best to Redding and his solid points this weekend means he has moved to within three points of Tommy Bridewell in second.

Importantly for PBM, Brookes’ results meant that in the prestigious history of Britain’s most successful motorcycle racing team, it’s the first time they have done the ‘double 1-2’ with Be Wiser Ducatis taking the top two spots in both races.

Scott Redding: “I’m really happy with how the weekend has gone and to end with a double victory is brilliant. The first race was quite difficult after the morning crash, so I needed to bide my time and let the race come to me. I was struggling a little to get out of the corners but after a good battle with the other riders I managed to come through and pull a gap to the end of the race. In the second race, I learnt an awful lot by seeing what the other riders were doing and I rode as smoothly as I could throughout and made my move on Josh when the time felt right. It couldn’t have gone much better so a big thanks to the team for doing a phenomenal job and giving me a fantastic bike.”

Josh Brookes: “I felt really strong at the end of the first race and whilst I was being a little bit conservative in the early stages, the battle I had with Tarran Mackenzie cost both of us time and it allowed Scott to make a bit of a break. By the time I got up to second, it was too big a gap to bridge but it was a good start to the day. We made a slight change in between races and it allowed me to push to the limit so with a good start, I felt comfortable out front. I felt like I was controlling the race well but when Scott came by, he seemed to have just a little bit in reserve and had enough of a gap so I couldn’t get back by. Given where I was on Friday, I’ve got to be happy with two second place finishes, so we’ll work hard to find that bit extra to try and get back on the top step at the next round.”

Johnny Mowatt, Team Co-ordinator: “It’s been a superb day and with 1-2 in both races and PBM’s 100th and 101st BSB victories, we couldn’t have asked for more. Scott’s been on stunning form all weekend and although the morning warm-up crash put him and the team on the back foot a bit given the damage to the bike, he used his head in the first race and bided his time until everything was up to working in order and it was a perfect, measured ride. Likewise race two where he shadowed Josh and waited to make his move so two wins on his first time here was brilliant. It was a more challenging weekend for Josh, and he had to work hard to get the two second place finishes, but you could see the changes him and the team made to the bike were helping him move forward all the time. He’s probably a bit frustrated to have led race two for so long but two second place finishes have given him a good haul of points and it’s been a faultless day for everyone at PBM and Be Wiser Ducati.”

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race one (16 laps)

1 Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati)

2 Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati)

3 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)

4 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki)

5 Andrew Irwin (Honda)

6 Xavi Fores (Honda)

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race two (16 laps)

1 Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati)

2 Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati)

3 Tommy Bridewell (Ducati)

4 Andrew Irwin (Honda)

5 Peter Hickman (BMW)

6 Christian Iddon (BMW)

Championship Standings (after six rounds)

1 Redding 226pts

2 Bridewell 188

3 Brookes 185

4 Mackenzie 144

5 Buchan 132

6 Fores 114

For further information, please visit the team’s website, www.pbmuk.net and the official website of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship www.pbmuk.net

More, from a press release issued by Integro Yamaha:

ANOTHER PERFECT WEEKEND AS INTEGRO YAMAHA TAKE A DOUBLE 1-2 AT SNETTERTON

(Above) Jack Kennedy (1).

The Integro Yamaha team were unbeatable at Snetterton for the sixth round of the Dickies British Supersport Championship this weekend as they extended their series lead.

Buoyed by their recent eye-catching World Supersport appearance, the duo of Jack Kennedy and Brad Jones took another battling 1-2 as they held off the attentions of fierce series rival Alastair Seeley. It was an incredible eight and ninth win for the ultra-determined Irishman Kennedy.

After the efforts to get their Yamaha YZF-R6 up to WSS spec the Colin Appleyard Macadam crew then had to reverse this process before setting up for this weekend’s Snetterton 300 at this fast, flat euro-style circuit in Norfolk.

Fast from the off, the team worked through set-up options in practice, fine tuning their Öhlins suspension for maximum adhesion from the rear, combined with front end stability and feel. They also experimented with using worn tyres with differing fuel levels to simulate late race pace, a specialism of Kennedy.

Qualifying was an exciting affair as Brad looked set for his first pole position but almost inevitably Jack slammed in a late, fast lap to take the top spot with a 1:51.511 circulation. This was half a second faster than he’d been circulating just beforehand! Brad was +0.275s in arrears for the second slot on the grid.

As usual in the Dickies Supersport 600 format, the riders qualify on Saturday and then take to the grid for the short 10 lap sprint race. It was the Irishman who grabbed the holeshot from pole position and quickly started to pull a gap over the chasing pack, with Brad in close attention before he was overtaken by Alastair Seeley. These two then had a great battle but just as it looked like Seeley had the advantage, Brad out-dragged the more experienced man to the line, to finish just 0.033 ahead.

Sunday’s longer, 15 lap race saw Brad lead the field into the opening corner and exchange places several times with Seeley. Brad also took the fastest lap of the weekend with a scorching 1:51.194 lap. Jack bided his time to move into the front and as only he could, he pushed on to break the rest of the competitors. At the flag he was a dominant seven seconds in front of Brad, who by his own later admission backed off to save his tyres but manged to stay ahead of Seeley.

With nine wins, Jack now has a strong 22 point lead and intriguingly Brad is closing the gap on Seeley , just 11 points in arrears. The series resumes in a fortnight in the tyre shredding, super-fast Thruxton circuit in Hampshire.

Jack Kennedy said: “Its been the perfect weekend to be honest and I’ve been comfortable since the get go. The lads have given be an awesome machine and its been pretty easy to ride it to the maximum. Nine wins is a good feeling and Brad’s done a great job again.”

Brad Jones added: “I could do fast laps early on but then as the second race went on and the tyre went off I backed it all off a bit. Two second places is good and we’re closing the gap to second.”

Team owner Robin Appleyard summed up: “I can’t fault the team, its been another mega weekend and no short cuts have been made from free practice onwards. Jack showed how he can up the pace on worn tyres; it’s really impressive how well he does that to be honest. Brad took the fastest lap of the weekend, battled at the front and beat Alastair in two fair fights, so he must have his eyes on runner-up in the series.”

Dickies British Supersport Championship Standings

Jack Kennedy (Colin Appleyard Macadam Yamaha) 245

Alastair Seeley (EHA Racing) 223

Brad Jones (Colin Appleyard Macadam Yamaha) 212

More, from a press release issued by Smiths Racing Team:

Snetterton Points Sees Hickman Eye Showdown Place

(Above) Peter Hickman (60).

Gloucester-based Smiths Racing BMW resumed their Bennetts British Superbike Championship Peter Hickmancampaign this weekend with round six taking place at Snetterton and two strong rides by Peter Hickman saw him move up to seventh overall in the series standings and edge closer to one of the coveted top six Showdown positions.

Lincolnshire-based Hickman was in superb form aboard the Smiths Racing BMW S1000RR during the free practice sessions and posted the third quickest time overall which put him in confident mood ahead of qualifying on Saturday afternoon, but all hopes of a front row start disappeared when he crashed out during the final minutes. It meant he lined up for the first race in ninth spot and on the third row with team-mate James Ellison ten places further back in 19th.

Today saw good conditions at the Norfolk venue and the first 16-lap race saw both riders make solid starts but on the fourth lap, James ran into technical problems as the brake issues the team have been suffering from continued and he was unfortunately forced to retire.

That just left Hickman to fly the flag and having moved up to eighth he soon became embroiled in a four-rider battle for fifth. There was little to choose between the Honda pairing of Andrew Irwin and Xavi Fores, Luke Mossey and Peter but he managed to claim seventh at the chequered flag for nine points.

It moved him up to seventh overall in the standings, but he had to start the second race later in the day from 11th with team-mate Ellison also lower down the grid on the eighth row. Ellison had a near miss at the end of the back straight on the first lap and dropped to the back of the field and although he fought through to 17th, it was another tough day for the Cumbrian.

Hickman’s race went a lot better and a good start saw him immediately gain three places and as the race wore on. he continually moved forward. When Tarran Mackenzie crashed out of fourth place on the 11th lap, he was promoted up the order to fifth which was where he crossed the line and although he still sits in seventh overall, he’s reduced the gap to sixth placed Xavi Fores to just 18 points.

Peter Hickman: “Overall, it’s been a strong weekend and after being in the top three for most of practice, it was a real shame I made a small mistake in qualifying as it cost me a second row start at least. We’re still having an issue with getting the bike stopped and we’re still running a stock engine so it was hard going in both races and although seventh in race one was a good effort, I knew I could improve upon it in race two. I was further back on the grid, but I made a good start and am really pleased to have finished fifth and also close in a little bit on Fores in sixth. Snetterton’s never been one of my best circuits but the next two rounds are Thruxton and Cadwell, places I really enjoy and go well at so I’m looking to take full advantage and claw back the deficit I currently have.”

James Ellison: “It’s been another tough weekend and we still can’t quite cure the brake issues we’ve James Ellisonbeen having all season and when we improve one area, we seem to lose in another so it’s extremely frustrating. If I brake where I would do normally, I end up missing the apex and get overtaken but if I brake early to eliminate that problem, other riders overtake me so it’s a bit of a no-win situation. It’s really disappointing as Pete is showing what can be achieved but he was running a different chassis to me this weekend which I’ll have for the next round so I’m hoping that will push me up the leaderboard and closer to where I know we should be.”

Darren Jones, Team Co-ordinator: “We had a feeling Snetterton would be a challenging weekend with the long straights hurting our stock engine so it was a shame Pete made a small mistake in Q3 as he started the races further back from where he should have been. It’s never been a favourite circuit of his, but he rode really well and had good pace in both races so to close to within 18 points of one of the Showdown positions has been pleasing and we’re confident of clawing the gap back in the next rounds. James had a really tough weekend and it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel at the moment but it’s not for the lack of trying on anyone’s part. We’ve turned the bike upside down to try and improve it as much as possible but the brake problems are affecting him more than Pete so we’ll get back to the drawing board and look at what we can do to get him closer to where we know he can be.”

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race one (16 laps)

1 Scott Redding (Ducati)

2 Josh Brookes (Ducati)

3 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)

4 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki)

5 Andrew Irwin (Honda)

6 Xavi Fores (Honda)

7 Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)

DNF James Ellison (Smiths Racing BMW)

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race two (16 laps)

1 Scott Redding (Ducati)

2 Josh Brookes (Ducati)

3 Tommy Bridewell (Ducati)

4 Andrew Irwin (Honda)

5 Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)

6 Christian Iddon (BMW)

17 James Ellison (Smiths Racing BMW)

Championship Standings (after six rounds)

1 Redding 226pts

2 Bridewell 188

3 Brookes 185

4 Mackenzie 144

5 Buchan 132

6 Fores 114

7 Hickman 96

21 Ellison 18

More, from a press release issued by Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki:

Strong Seventh for Barberá at Snetterton

(Above) Hector Barbera (80).

The Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki team were back in action at Snetterton this weekend for round six of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.

While it was a challenging meeting for the team once more, Héctor Barberá ensured it ended on a high note when he took a strong seventh place in the second race.

Despite never having ridden at the circuit before, Spanish rider Barberá, deputising for Glenn Irwin, soon got to grips with the 2.96-mile layout and qualified in 14th place which could have been higher had he not encountered a technical problem in Q2.

Team-mate Ben Currie, meanwhile, continued with his comeback to line up for Sunday’s first race four places further back in 18th.

With favourable conditions once more at the Norfolk venue, a good start to the first 16-lap race saw both riders comfortable inside the top twenty and by half-race distance it looked like the pair of them would score Championship points.

That’s exactly what Héctor did, coming through for a solid 12th place, but Ben unfortunately dropped back after running off track on lap 11 and he eventually crossed the line in 19th place.

The Australian was still suffering with the foot injuries he sustained at round two at Oulton Park earlier in the year and took the decision to sit out the second race which just left Barberá to fly the flag on the Kawasaki ZX-10RR.

The former MotoGP rider put in a superb ride and although he was down in 14th at the end of the first lap, he made good progress throughout the race to continually move forward.

By lap six he’d already moved up into the top ten and this soon became eighth where he remained until the 11th lap when fourth placed Tarran Mackenzie crashed out.

That promoted him up the order to a fine seventh place which was where he took the chequered flag and it ensured he not only ended the race as the first Kawasaki rider to finish, but it also gave the team their second-best finish of the season so far.

There were also two races on the schedule for the Molson Group British Sidecar Championship and luck was finally smiling on Ricky Stevens/Ryan Charlwood as they took a brace of third-place finishes. Team-mates Ben Holland/Lee Watson also enjoyed better fortune than they had at previous rounds with fifth and sixth.

Héctor Barberá said: “It wasn’t an easy weekend as the track and bike were so new to me. I needed more time to find a better set-up, but in the second race we had a much better feeling of the bike. The Kawasaki was very different to Ben’s and it was all very new and different for me but the team were fantastic and worked really hard to help me all weekend.

“Three days before today I was on the beach so it was difficult to come and try everything new. The Championship is fantastic, it’s incredible, and the fans are so passionate. I have a lot of experience racing but seeing the fans at the corners here is something very special and I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Ben Currie said: “It was great to get back out on the Kawasaki this weekend and ride it properly, it has been the first time I’ve done that since Silverstone. My foot was OK at the start but it got gradually worse over the weekend.

“I’m confident we’ve made a big step forwards this weekend with the bike and I hope I can make good progress with my foot and fitness for Thruxton.

“We got some good track time in this weekend and it’s still very early days in my British Superbike career; I just want to take it step by step and not make any stupid mistakes. I can’t thank the team enough for all their help and support and providing me with a great package and I have to focus on finishing the year in a strong position.”

Jack Valentine, Team Manager said: “It’s been a very productive weekend after bringing Hector in at the last minute; he’s a very experienced rider and did a good job for us at Donington. We’ve made a lot of progress with the chassis and now understand a lot more about the bike, which has paid off on Ben’s side too this weekend.

“He was not familiar with the circuit and he had a fuel pump issue in qualifying which was no one’s fault but put him down in 14th on the grid. I think if he’d been in about eighth, he would have made some good progress. It was hard being in 14th on a new track as you can put a lot of pressure on yourself to move forwards and then end up with a problem.

“In race two we made another really good step forward with the bike and his times were great. He made up nearly five seconds on the riders in front of him and had the pace to run in fourth place. He needs to work on his starts and get away with the leaders as that is the key.

“Ben is still not fully fit but did a better job than at Knockhill and he was able to compete all the practices and race one. I decided to pull him out of race two as he was in a lot of pain and it wouldn’t have benefitted anyone. Hopefully he can continue to recover for Thruxton.”

Ricky Stevens said: “We didn’t get as many laps in in free practice as we would have liked owing to a problem with the bike, but we still managed to finish third in both races.

“During the early stages at one point both sidecars were in first and second which shows we’ve got the pace. We were a little bit disappointed to only come third but hopefully we can work on getting back on the top step at the next round.”

Ben Holland said: “We were really pleased with our results this weekend especially since we’ve had such bad luck lately with the bike.

“A couple of issues with the brakes stopped us from finishing higher up in race one and in race two I developed a dead leg on my brake foot so we need to look at resolving that before Thruxton.”

More, from a press release issued by EHA Racing:

DOUBLE SUPERSPORT PODIUM FOR SEELEY AT SNETTERTON FOR EHA

(Above) Alastair Seeley.

Double podium success [3-3] in the British Supersport Championship at Snetterton in Norfolk maintained Alastair Seeley’s title challenge with EHA Racing, as the 2019 campaign reaches its halfway point.

Seeley posted a brace of third-placed finishes over the weekend, and despite being out-dragged to the line in Saturday’s Sprint Race for second place, his Sunday feature race third place was a lonely affair, as he explained.

“Yeah after a sluggish start on Saturday and the disappointment of getting out-dragged to the line in the Sprint Race, I knew what I had to do on Sunday,” said Seeley. “I got a great start but was just losing out off-the-turns, with a little lack of bite on the EHA Racing Yamaha. It’s another two podiums, number 10 and 11 of this season, so we’ve been consistent, but if we want to seriously challenge for this title – we need to find a little bit more from the package and from me personally I suppose, and get back to taking some top steps.”

David Allingham has shown great consistency as a rookie in the British Superbike Championship this season on the CF Motorsport prepared EHA Racing Yamaha, but after a double points score last time out at Knockhill, the Norfolk venue produced a DNF and a nineteenth place for the Irishman.

Speaking afterwards Allingham said: “It just wasn’t our weekend, and without pointing the finger at any one area in particular, we have gathered more information going into the second part of the season. I still love riding my bike and to have posted my fastest lap of the second race on the last lap shows that we weren’t slacking or giving up. Thruxton should be fun and wide open on the EHA Racing Yamaha. I’m looking forward to it.”

Gail Allingham – Team Manager:

“Another double podium for Alastair gave us strong consistent points in the championship hunt. Jack [Kennedy] is riding strong at the minute, so we take nothing away from him. It’s a long season and we know Alastair is a tenacious performer, so it’s a case of continuing to prepare well, look to improve, and take one round at a time at EHA Racing. David had a frustrating weekend in the Superbike class, but we must remember he is still a rookie in a very tough championship. In race two he kept the fighting spirit right until the end and we are not disappointed with his effort.”

The next round of the British Superbike and Supersport Championship classes take place during round 7 of the BSB series at Thruxton on the weekend of August 2/3/4.

More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing British Superbike Team:

Successful Snetterton for Honda Racing

(Above) Andrew Irwin (18).

The Bennetts British Superbike Championship reached its halfway point this weekend as Snetterton hosted the sixth round of the series, where the Honda team continued to build momentum as the all-important Showdown approaches. Keeping on target to remain in the top-six Xavi Forés collected further valuable points aboard the CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2, while teammate Andrew Irwin scored his best result so far this season, closing his gap to the top-six.

The Norfolk track has always been a good hunting ground for the Fireblade and this weekend both Forés and Irwin continued to make progress, showing good pace throughout all sessions and today’s opening race saw both Honda’s engrossed in a battle for fifth. Swapping paint throughout the 16-lap race the teammates defended their positions to cross the line with Irwin fifth and Forés hot on his heels in sixth.

The second race saw the Honda duo line-up sixth and seventh respectively on the grid, but it was Irishman Irwin who instantly made up places as the lights went out. Leading the charge of a chasing Peter Hickman and Christian Iddon, Irwin moved into fourth place after Tarran Mackenzie crashed out on the 11th lap. Keeping the two BMWs at bay, he crossed the line to take fourth and his best finish so far this season. The results from the weekend see Irwin edge closer to the overall top-six, where he now sits eighth – just 20 points from the Showdown-six.

Meanwhile teammate Forés dropped places at the start of the race, but it wasn’t long before he started carving his way back though the pack and was soon in the fight for eighth place. Making his move on his championship rivals, Forés took the chequered flag eighth and maintains his overall position in the series in sixth place with 114 points.

On the other side of the garage, Tom Neave enjoyed a weekend full of improvements as he bettered his Qualifying and personal best time at the Norfolk circuit, with a 1:51.023 lap in the National Superstock 1000 Championship. Starting today’s race from tenth place, he dropped back into 13th during the opening stages, but dug deep over the 14 laps and made an impressive fightback aboard the Fireblade to cross the line eighth. Holding sixth place in the overall standings, he leaves Snetterton having extended the gap to seventh place.

The Honda Racing team will now head back to its Louth headquarters and prepare all-three Fireblades for the seventh round of the 2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship, which takes place at Thruxton in Hampshire on 2/3/4 August.

Xavi Forés

#6

To be honest this weekend has been harder than I expected; I like the track and enjoyed my laps but honestly from the first day I had a small issue with the bike and was never able to solve it, and for the races it was not so easy to manage. Race 1 I was trying to defend my position and had a good battle with Andrew, but at the end I got some important points and finished in the top-six. I did expect a little more and especially in the second race, but the first part was really, really bad for me, I never felt a good grip on the apexes, especially in the first ten laps. After that I was able to manage a little more and able to almost have the same pace as the top-four, but unfortunately it was too late and sometimes it’s quite frustrating when you lose so much gap at the start. But anyway, sixth and eighth isn’t so bad for my first time here in Snetterton and I am looking forward to Thruxton in order to keep the Showdown still alive! I want to say thanks to all the team, we made a good job inside the box and see you at Thruxton!

Andrew Irwin

#18

I keep saying I want two-top sixes near enough every round we’ve been to, it’s what I wanted and we’re coming away from here with a fifth and fourth, which is a step in the right direction! At Knockhill we finished the last race in fifth and we are starting to be where we belong inside the top-six, and hopefully we can continue to close the gap to the Showdown. We took six points out of Xavi this weekend, so we go to Thruxton looking to take another set of points out of him to try and close that down. I’m really happy, the team are working so hard and the Fireblade is working well, so I’m pleased with the progress and the fourth place finish today!

Tom Neave

#68

I’m not feeling too bad this weekend, it was nice to have a good race and mix it up with a few other riders and get passing people. It was an enjoyable race but I did made it hard for myself; I got a good start and then nearly clipped someones back wheel, so had to back out of it and then got sandwiched into turn one and went from about sixth to 14th. It was then a case of getting my head down and I managed to work my way up to eighth. It was good progress, I did my fastest-ever lap round here, but I just made it hard work for myself. I feel like if I had a clean start into turn one I had the pace for fifth or sixth and that’s where I should have been really, but we have more points in the bag and we’re still sixth overall, so it’s not all doom and gloom!

Havier Beltran

Team Manager

I’m pleased for Andrew it’s his best result with Honda today and he’s making good steps, and we’ve moved into eighth in the championship, so we’re on target and he’s doing a great job. It’s a bit frustrating here as we know we have the pace and the capability to run at the sharp end but at the moment we seem to have a few little things we need to resolve, which also transpires to Xavi. He’s doing a great job with the development and the direction of the Fireblade, but again we had some issues that we need to iron out early to make further progress. Tom is also making good steps forward, but again we need to understand what is needed with the Fireblade sooner as when you’re in the race they can’t be fixed. So we have to arrive at a lap time earlier in the weekend to try and iron out a few of the problems, but I’m happy with the direction we’re moving in and we’re at the halfway point and we need to make a big effort of staying in the top-six and working hard to stay in the front group.

More, from a press release issued by Tyco BMW:

POINTS HAUL FOR TYCO BMW AS RACE FOR SHOWDOWN GATHERS MOMENTUM

(Above) Michael Laverty (7).

Iron man Christian Iddon produced a brave display at round six of the British Superbike Championship at Snetterton, scoring a brace of top ten finishes [10-6] despite nursing a fractured fibula, sustained just three weeks ago at Knockhill in Scotland.

The Stockport rider’s enormous grit and determination, helped him knuckled down and ride valiantly through the pain barrier – adding a further 16-points to his championship tally and keeping his top six hopes firmly alive as the BSB season reached the halfway point.

With Keith Farmer ruled out of action due to injury – also following a crash at Knockhill – paddock favourite Michael Laverty returned to the TAS Racing team for a one-off British Superbike appearance in Tyco BMW livery.

Having never turned a wheel on the all-new 2019 BMW S1000RR prior to the weekend, the Presteigne based Northern Irishman demonstrated his natural talent, as he wasted no time getting acquainted with the TAS Racing prepared German machinery. He delivered a convincing performance placing eleventh and ninth in the Superbike class. The combined experience and long-standing relationship between Michael and the TAS Racing team also provided a valuable opportunity to continue the development of the S1000RR.

In the Superstock 1000 class, Andy Reid showed plenty of promise throughout the weekend as his pace continued to improve session by session, resulting in a seventh place qualifying position. A great start saw the Northern Irish rider make his way up to third in the opening exchanges, and at one point set the the fastest lap of the race. Unfortunately a minor technical issue mid-race, hampered the Ulsterman’s pace, resulting in a 14th place finish.

Philip Neill – Team Manager:

“We knew this was going to be a difficult weekend with Christian riding through injury to consolidate championship points and Michael stepping in a late notice to represent Tyco BMW in place of Keith. Both riders roles where very clear this weekend and with everything considered we are satisfied with the end result, solid results from both riders. It was good to have feedback from Michael on the new model S1000RR and we look forward to showing the full potential of this great bike during the second half of the season.

Our thoughts tonight are with the young riders injured in the SST 600 race’”

Christian Iddon – #21 British Superbike Rider:

“I didn’t know what to expect coming into the weekend with my leg injury, but having the same injury once before I had an idea. Friday turned out to be worse than I anticipated, I just couldn’t ride the bike to a level that was helpful to the team. We muddled our way through Saturday and I qualified 15th, but it was only one lap pace so I didn’t really know where we were standing. Session on session we had been able to get the bike feeling better to help with my body position. Race one felt pretty good and that I had good pace but a small mistake saw me lose 1.5s and resulted in a 10th. In race two I started 8th so that helped, despite a chatter issue we came away with 6th so I was happy with that. All-in-all I’m really happy with the weekend, we’ve had a pretty decent points haul which has kept us in showdown contention. Now I have a couple of weeks to rest and continue with rehabilitation ahead of Thruxton. The race for the showdown is gathering momentum, so the focus now is to start hammering in some stronger results to really get some points on the board, but for now I’m content.”

Michael Laverty – #70 British Superbike Rider:

“I enjoyed dipping my toes back into the BSB Championship this weekend. I had a lot to take onboard with the new bike and generally getting comfortable on it. I’m ok with 11th and 9th in the races today all things considered, although I do feel slightly disappointed as my pace was actually capable of a little more.”

Andy Reid – Superstock 1000 rider:

“We made some changes in morning warm-up for the race which were definitely a step in the right direction as we took almost 0.6s off our qualifying lap time in the race. Unfortunately we had a little technical issue in the race and I just couldn’t sustain that pace until the end of the race. The result didn’t really show the potential that we had, but we have taken some more steps forward this weekend, understanding the bike more. I’m sorry to the team that we couldn’t get a better result, at the same time we have gained some more knowledge and will take that on to the next round and hopefully be up there.”

More, from a press release issued by Buildbase Suzuki:

More Superstock glory for Cooper and Buildbase Suzuki at Snetterton

(Above) Richard Cooper (47).

Buildbase Suzuki’s Richard Cooper extended his points lead in the National Superstock 1000 Championship today, winning at Snetterton on his GSX-R1000R as the season passes the halfway point.

Cooper topped every session over the weekend, including setting pole position in qualifying by a whole second. He went on to win the 12-lap race by two and a half seconds, and now holds a 42.5-point advantage in the championship standings.

Richard Cooper, “We can’t be anything other than happy with the weekend; topping every session, taking the win, and more importantly extending the championship lead. We’re in a really good place with the bike, to the point I pretty much just get on it and ride it in each session, and the team did another brilliant job this weekend. I’m really enjoying my racing and hopefully it continues now for the second half of the season.”

In the two Bennetts British Superbike Championship races Bradley Ray came away with a brace of 13th place finishes after a tricky weekend in Norfolk, while Luke Stapleford unfortunately suffered a crash in race one. He climbed into the points in race two to finish 15th.

Bradley Ray, “It didn’t quite come together this weekend as we’d hoped. We were just struggling to find the missing piece of the puzzle to give us the speed to challenge in the top-10. It’s a shame, but we’re still feeling positive after some of the progress we’ve made in recent rounds, and will hopefully pick up from that point at Thruxton.”

Luke Stapleford, “Naturally I’m disappointed with the weekend. We were hoping for more and it was a tough one. We struggled to get comfortable and then we had the crash and it compounded the problems a bit for us. But as always everyone’s working hard and hopefully we’ll be able to bounce back at the next round.”

Superstock race result: 1. Richard Cooper, 2. Lee Jackson, 3. Taylor Mackenzie

Superbike race one result: 1. Scott Redding, 2. Josh Brookes, 3. Tarran Mackenzie, 13. Bradley Ray, DNF. Luke Stapleford

Superbike race two result: 1. Scott Redding, 2. Josh Brookes, 3. Tommy Bridewell, 13. Bradley Ray, 15. Luke Stapleford

More, from a press release issued by RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki:

Vickers and RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki get back on track

(Above) Ryan Vickers (7).

After a month lay-off due to injury, Ryan Vickers and the RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki team resumed their Bennetts British Superbike Championship campaign at Snetterton at the weekend and the Thetford rider ensured it was a successful return as he took a good 12th place finish at both his and the team’s home round.

It was always going to be hard coming back to BSB after missing all of Knockhill and most of Donington Park and Brands Hatch after the injuries he received especially as he’d lost a bit of confidence due to the front end crashes. As always there was no pressure from the team although the goal was to complete both races.

It proved to be a challenging weekend for Ryan and the team though as a few issues with front end chatter on the Kawasaki ZX-10RR meant he wasn’t able to push as hard as he would have liked with the end result being 20th place in qualifying with a time of 1m49.864s.

Race day saw good conditions and the team made a number of changes to the bike ahead of race one which included the head angle, an area they hadn’t previously altered during the season. It was a move that paid dividends as Ryan immediately felt happier on the bike although he unfortunately crashed out just before half race distance whilst lying in a solid 14th place.

Thankfully there were no injuries and he was able to start race two from the more advanced position of 16th where the aim for both rider and team was a good solid finish. He was soon running inside the points although fellow Kawasaki rider Hector Barbera put a few hard moves on him which interrupted Ryan’s rhythm. Indeed, the former MotoGP rider pushed him out to the grass on one occasion which cost him five seconds and dropped him back down the order.

Undeterred, the 21-year old showed good resilience and quickly regrouped going on to set some of his best sector times of the weekend. His lap times improved as the race wore on and his pace at the end of the race was good enough for a top eight finish.

As it was, the time lost earlier in the race meant that 12th place was the highest he could climb but it was a good comeback ride by Ryan at his home round with the four points ensuring his weekend ended on a high note.

Ryan Vickers: “I was really happy to be back on the bike this weekend after a couple of bad rounds with injuries. It was just steady away really and I didn’t want to rush anything which was what the team told me too with no expectations. The aim was just to get some finishes under my belt but, unfortunately, I had a little crash in race one and after struggling a bit with the engine braking, I made a mistake and tucked the front. For race two, I was a bit higher on the grid in 16th and with a good start I was soon fighting for 12th place and beyond.”

“A top ten finish was very much on the cards but I nearly got taken out by another rider and it made me run wide and touch the grass. I lost a lot of positions and dropped back to 17th so had to do all the work all over again! I still had half the race to go so got my head down and made up some good ground on the riders in front of me and ended up finishing 12th. I was really happy with the result and my pace was good enough for the top eight so it was a real boost. It was just really good to be back so hopefully I can get some momentum going now and build my way back up the order. As always, a massive thanks to the team for all their hard work.”

Lee Hardy, Team Owner: “It was nice to be back racing although we knew it would take Ryan ttime o get back up to speed after such a long lay-off and all we really wanted to him to achieve was two race finishes. Unfortunately, he had a few issues with front end chatter which was perhaps due to his riding style on the Superbike but after the crashes he’d had, we couldn’t force him into exactly what he needed to do to alleviate the issue although he knows it’s something he needs to work on.”

“It held him back a bit in qualifying but maybe the chatter helped him not push too hard and the changes we made after qualifying looked like they’d see Ryan rewarded with some points. Starting from 23rd on a BSB grid is always going to be hard and the target was to try and score some points and have a consistent race so it was a real shame when he crashed out of 14th after getting on the power a little bit earlier than normal which unloaded the front. Race two was a lot better and I was happy, the team were happy and it was good to be back in the points not just for Ryan but for the whole RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki team.”

“It was both his and our local round with lots of support and Ryan dealt with it well, a lot better than I thought a 21-year old would! It puts us in good stead ahead of the next round at Thruxton which will be another stiff test but we’ll again have the goal of scoring some points. We know we’ve got a package that works and Ryan’s training hard so he should be at full fitness by then and we’ll be looking to have a strong second half to the season.”

The team would also like to say special thanks to their local sponsor, Andrew Martin from the Handmade Doughnut Company, for supplying 350 doughnuts to all of the MSVR staff, medics and marshals which was a thank you from him for everything they do for everyone involved in the BSB paddock.

The team now head to Thruxton, Hampshire for round seven of the series which takes place on August 2-4.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship Standings (after six rounds)

1 Scott Redding (Ducati) 226pts

2 Tommy Bridewell (Ducati) 188

3 Josh Brookes (Ducati) 185

4 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha) 144

5 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki) 132

6 Xavi Fores (Honda) 114

19 Ryan Vickers (RAF regular & Reserve Kawasaki) 22