A special thank you...

A huge thank you goes out to all the friends, family, sponsors and my team who are constantly helping me get out at each round doing all they can to help my racing dreams come true. The support I am receiving is fantastic and I hope I am doing you all proud with the results I have bought in. Thank you.

Dave and Bernadette Stewart of Thundersport GB,

Ian and Myra Newton of INCompetition (series founders),

SPRING11,

RSRmotosport, 

AF Switchgear, 

Power System Partners, 

Electro Pro Solutions, 

Holbeach motorcycle tyres, 

BMS Services, 

Harpers motorcycle leathers, 

Nitro race helmets,

Daytona Paint designs, 

Mum and Dad, 

Ami-Louise Coleman

Jamie Wilkins, 

Chris and Laura Moore, 

Photographers: Brad Cox & Martin Cox,

Medics and Marshals, 

And all of my supporters who follow me and my racing dream.

Roll on 2013!! #54

Mallory Park Finale

And the time has come, the final round of the season held at Mallory park. Everything was to play for as I was sitting third place in the Aprilia RRV450GP championship, three points from Second place Tom Oliver and seventy points ahead of fourth place David Allingham. And in the Doodson Supertwins I was in third place two points ahead of fourth place Will Hodgson. An exciting weekend up ahead and I was ready to take on the pressures and challenges I faced.

Friday testing went well; I was feeling very positive and confident that I had found a good set up for the weekend. Qualifying didn’t go as well as I had hoped with a fifth and a sixth in each class but I knew in the back of my head I can come back from it as I do on a regular occasions and the position on the grid isn’t bad as it is on the outside of the track for turn one.

Waking up to a wet race track on the Saturday morning I was ready to get on with the tricky track conditions and I kicked of the weekend with a good result in race 1 with a second place in the Doodson Supertwins behind Callan Cooper. I felt very strong in the race and I was looking forward to more.

Race 1 of the Aprilia Challenge also started off well with a third place in very tricky track conditions as the track had pretty much completely dried out while everyone opted for wet tyres. I was pleased with my race result and I finished on the right side of Oliver to bring me level with him in the Championship standings.

Doodson Supertwins Race 2 got off to a great start sitting in fourth place, with the leaders pulling away I was left to fight it out with fifth place Ross Twyman, but unfortunately on the sixth lap I took a fall at the chicane which also forced Ross to take immediate action and crashed whilst avoiding me. I felt sorry for Ross but that is racing and I am grateful he was able to avoid me.After the crash in the Supertwins race I was raring to go but I could not completely block out the crash in my head as I was not 100% sure how I crashed but we got underway. Unfortunately I was not quite able to hang on to the front group of four so I crossed the line in fifth position. I was happy with how I rode towards the end of the race and I couldn’t wait for the next day.During Saturday evening I was chuffed to work out that I had secured a top three position in the Aprilia RRV450GP championship as a minimum. A goal I had set myself from the start of the season. Now I had set my sights on second in the championship.

Sunday got underway with a wet warm up but that soon dried out and a dry Doodson race 1 was on the cards. Setting my fast ever lap time round Mallory park in this race I finished third in class and fourth overall.

Unfortunately in the next two races I felt I did not ride to the best of my ability, I do not know why this was and it got my head down a bit as I knew I could do better, my results were still not bad but I just felt I did not ride like I knew I could, crossing the line in seventh place in the Doodson Supertwins and fifth in the Aprilia Challenge. I was determined to complete my last ever race on the beautiful Aprilia RRV450GP race bike on a high.

Taking a fourth place in my last ever RRV450 race after having to close a massive gap due to me running on at the Edwina chicane on the first lap, I was able to get on to the tail of the leaders but unfortunately by the time the final lap came around I ran out of time to do any more but I was proud of how I rode and I learnt a lot throughout this race as I went out and did my thing and didn’t think about anyone or anything else. A good result and one I am very happy with.Due to Tom Oliver taking a big tumble I was able to take advantage of the points he missed out and I was able to take second in the Aprilia RRV450GP challenge championship standing and also in the Doodson Supertwins Will Hodgson took a fall so I was able to make the most of the points I lost out on from the Saturday taking third in that championship. I am very very proud of what I have achieved over the season. Second and third are both fantastic results and I just can‘t express how pleased I am with these.

I may sound like a cracked record to some and I appreciate that I thank key members often. But I want to thank Ian Newton one more time for without him and Dave Stewart I would not have sat on my Aprilia RRV450 last year, and not had the opportunity to share the RRV experience and importantly learn how to race with a grid full of hot talent. This has developed me beyond all measure. I would like to wish all the lads well in the RRV’s for the 2013 season and to everyone else who has moved on!

Next season I will be moving class within Thundersport GB to the RLR Sportsman Elite 600 championship. I am very excited for this switch made even more so by having secured a Yamaha R6 to compete on. I am really looking forward to the challenges we face next season. 

Thank-you....

I am now currently sitting 3rd place in both championships and it is all still to play for. I am excited for the final round and I hope to finish it of with a cracker. A huge thank you goes out to all the friends, family, sponsors and my team who are constantly helping me get out at each round doing all they can to help my racing dreams come true. The support I am receiving is fantastic and I hope I am doing you all proud with the results I am bringing in. Thank you.

Dave and Bernadette Stewart of Thundersport GB,

Ian and Myra Newton of INCompetition (series founders),

SPRING11,

RSRmotosport,

AF Switchgear,

Power System Partners,

Electro Pro Solutions,

Holbeach motorcycle tyres,

BMS Services,

Harpers motorcycle leathers,

Nitro race helmets,

Daytona Paint designs,

Mum and Dad,

Ami-Louise Coleman

Jamie Wilkins,

Chris and Laura Moore,

Photographers: Brad Cox & Martin Cox,

Medics and Marshals,

And all of my supporters who follow me and my racing dream.

Cadwell Park Rd 8

Round 8 of my racing adventures got under way at the ultra technical Cadwell Park based deep in the Lincolnshire wold's.

This weekend was set to be a very busy one due to the cancellation of the Sunday race day at Anglesey, We had to make up for the races that were missed. So with 10 races over the course of the weekend I knew I had my work cut out. 

Unfortunately I struggled through out the Friday test day searching for a set up that I felt comfortable to push myself around this challenging circuit. Regrettably I was not successful in gaining a great set up but I was able to stick myself on the third row of the grid in both classes. Not exactly my ideal position but I was up for a challenge and I felt good for the racing as I had learnt a little more after a track walk with Chris Moore, my suspension expert. 

Saturday race day did not get of to the best of starts due to a fast and heavy fall on the second lap of my first race of the day possibly due to a cold tyre. Unfortunately the point of circuit I crashed at is known to be a bike wrecker and it sure did live up to its reputation. With only 40 minutes in between my races it was a race against time to get the bike sorted and ready for me to get out for the first RRV race. With some massive help from, my dad, my uncle, Ian Newton, Dave Lewis, Chris Moore, Ian Morton and my Brother the bike was ready to rock in the nick of time. This seriously was an achievement as the bike was a mess. Thank you, and I am pleased to say I was able to pay them back for there help with a 3rd place a great result considering the stress before. 

The next two RRV and Supertwin races went well, unfortunately I was not able to deliver any further podium places back but still was awarded good points to add to the championship.

The next race was a double point race carried over from Anglesey. And this was probably my favourite over the whole weekend. Getting baulked up in a group of riders at the start of the race, Callan Cooper and Tom Oliver made a break, after a few laps I was able to press on and pass the group setting my eyes on Tom Oliver who had a 1.5 second gap on me with only a handful of laps remaining. I pressed on and lost out to Oliver over the line by 1000th of a second. A race I am very proud of, and not only did I close the gap I was also able to break the lap record. A great achievement in my eyes.

Sunday race day didn't get of to the best of starts due to what I can only think was my brain must have still been in bed back in the van. I just didn't have any mojo out on track for the first races of both the RRV and the Supertwins classes, notching a 5th and 6th on the score boards. I was a bit disappointed with that and I set out to make an amends. 

Race two of the Supertwins got under way and the grid soon started to split and I found myself encountering a two-way battle with Will Hodgson. Unfortunately this race didn't last long as we both had a coming together with myself coming of worse and falling off on the grass. This was a racing incident with no hard feelings.

RRV450GP race 2 I was a bit emotional before the start due to a close shave incident at the top of the mountain when I ran out to collect my bike from the middle of the track without thinking of the consequences, after my coming together with Hodgson. I think I scared all the spectators who watched while I danced around a field of bikes, it also scared me. I wasn't in the best of states to go out and race but I had a job to do and I was able to execute it with a brilliant 3rd place. One I was very proud of and I am sorry for scaring those who watched me collecting my bike in the previous race. 

The last and final race of the weekend, a double point Supertwin race from Anglesey. I sat in a great position just off the back of the close knit pack which was swapping and changing lap after lap. I was feeling very strong and I started to make my move and it was then when my exhaust became dislodged due to a broken spring, which forced an early retirement to my race. I was gutted with this but these things happen.

It was a tough weekend, and not only was it for me but pretty much the whole grid. It was full of many highs and lows but I came through and I am now very excited for the final round of the season held at Mallory on the 20th and the 21st of October. 

I would like to dedicate a section of this report to Callan Cooper who has done a fantastic job of wrapping up the 2012 Aprilia RRV450GP championship. He has ridden a brilliant championship, staying consistent all season long and very rarely making a mistake. It’s been a pleasure to race against him and I wish him all the best in his future-racing career. I'm sure our racing paths will cross again sometime in the future.

Also a get well soon to Harry Coomber who took one for the team big style and is now currently recovering from a badly broken leg, hope to see you back out on the bike soon.