Arai riders share wins, podiums and news in Germany…

LEON HASLAM, ALSTARE SUZUKI
Race 1: Sixth                     Race 2: Third                      Championship Position: Second

“I’M GOING TO BE PRETTY SORE…”
Leon Haslam defied the pain barrier in the second race at the Nürburgring in Germany, taking a podium despite a dislocated right thumb and damaged knee ligaments. The Team Suzuki Alstare rider crashed at the start of race one when he was highsided and it was fortunate that the race was red-flagged and he and the other fallers were able to make the restart. His bike was too badly damaged to take part in the restart, so he was forced to use his spare bike – one that he had only used for a handful of laps in practice and qualifying. The set-up and feel of the bike were different to that of his number one bike, but he rode superbly to take a very creditable sixth place. That was impressive enough, but in race two he surprised everybody with his grit, determination and fighting spirit to take third place.

“My crash in race one was a highside and I am sorry that it caused Troy to crash also. Luckily the race was stopped and everybody was able to have another go. I had hurt my right thumb and left knee and they were very sore, but I was determined to get out there and give my all. Once the race started, the adrenaline kicked in and I think I would’ve been much faster and more competitive if it had not been for the fact that I was on my number two bike. The mechanics weren’t able to repair my number one bike in time for the restart. I had only done a few laps on the spare bike and so the set-up wasn’t as good and it was that which prevented me challenging the front guys, not my injuries. The team repaired my number one bike in time for race two and I felt much happier. They and the Clinica Mobile staff did great jobs and it was thanks to both of them that I was able to get on the bike and take a podium. I’m sure I’m going to be pretty sore tonight and although I would’ve wanted a couple of wins today, I was happy to get on the podium and with 100 points possible in the next two rounds, anything can happen.”

JONATHAN REA, TEN KATE HONDA
Race 1: First                        Race 2: Second  Championship Position: Third

“I’M ENJOYING RIDING THE BIKE!”
Jonathan Rea enjoyed a race win, a second place finish and set a new lap record at the Nürburgring. Starting from the inside of the front row of the grid, Rea was first into the tight first corner in race one and, although pressed hard in the early stages by Haga and Carlos Checa, the 23-year-old from Northern Ireland was never headed. Race two was not quite so straightforward for Rea, who was fourth on the opening lap before passing series leader Max Biaggi and eventually finishing second to the hard-charging Haga after Checa crashed out on lap 10. However, the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider took the fastest lap in race two to go with the new Nürburgring lap record he had established in the first outing – itself almost a second inside the record he established in the process of winning race two last year.

“We were really behind the 8-ball on Friday but did a lot of work that night and came back yesterday with a bike we could challenge with. We managed to turn that into a win in the first race today by making a break at the front and controlling the race, so all credit has to go to the crew for turning things around. Nori was really fast in the second race so I’m really happy with a one-two and really think that was probably the maximum points I could get today. It was a lap of two halves really and I while I was weak in the first two splits the last two were really strong. Although I could gain a little bit there, I’d just got dropped a little bit at the start and I lost my rhythm a bit when Checa went down. But I’m really happy – I’m enjoying riding the bike and it’s fun to turn up to a racetrack and just ride the CBR. If you’d offered me a one-two on Friday I would have snapped your hand off.”

CAL CRUTCHLOW, STERILGARDA YAMAHA
Race 1: Third                      Race 2: Fourth                   Championship Position: Fifth

“I DID THE BEST JOB I COULD, AND IT’S GOOD FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP”
Cal Crutchlow kept his head down and got straight to business in Germany. Despite a challenging grid position of tenth Crutchlow fought through in both races, taking a well earned podium with third in race one and finishing just off it in fourth in race two, a mere four tenths of a second behind Leon Haslam. Despite putting in such a solid performance Cal’s mind may have been a little bit elsewhere over the weekend; his rumoured move to MotoGP, to the Tech3 Yamaha team, was confirmed on Sunday.

“Race one was really good, I was happy to be on the podium again, especially starting from tenth and considering we spent a lot of the weekend working through some different set up issues; it was a credible finish. I was also happy with the second race, I was disappointed not to be on the podium but I think if we had a better tyre we could have challenged for it, I did the best job I could. It was still good for the championship, we are pulling up on Checa a little bit so hopefully we can go to Imola and build on this”

Speaking about his impending move to MotoGP he was modest, yet excited;

“Being part of the Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team has been fantastic – when I first signed with Yamaha for the 2009 World Supersport Championship we went on to win, and the natural progression was to move to World Superbike. It was an honour to be asked to be part of the team and to remain as part of the Yamaha family. Now I’m again taking another step and I am being brought through to the Tech3 Team as they have done with other riders such as Ben Spies in the past. I first rode for Yamaha in 2003 in the R6 Cup so have a great history with them. Moving to MotoGP is a great opportunity for me; it was an honour to be asked by Herve Poncheral and for Yamaha to back me. I intend to do the best job I can with the team next year, be humble, learn and enjoy the experience.”

NORIYUKI HAGA, XEROX DUCATI
Race 1: DNF              Race 2: First  Championship Position: Sixth

“I WAS ABLE TO GET THE JOB DONE!”
Noriyuki Haga returned to winning ways at the Nurburgring, with a stunning victory in race two at the Nürburgring. Haga got away well in the restart of race one, moving up to third place through the first corner. Quickly passing Carlos Checa on the privateer Ducati, the Japanese rider held second position until the end of the seventh lap when he unexpectedly lost the front. Unhurt, he hoped to be able to return to the track and returned to the box to fix a damaged handlebar but unfortunately damaged mufflers meant that it was too dangerous to continue and the team decided to retire. For race two Haga again got off the line like a missile, projecting himself to second position at the first corner. He soon got past Carlos Checa to take the lead and, after Checa’s unlucky crash a few laps later, the Japanese rider was able to gradually increase the gap between himself and Jonathan Rea, eventually crossing the line with more than three seconds of advantage to take the 43rd Superbike win of his career. With this win, Noriyuki celebrates the 110th podium of his career, moving ahead of Carl Fogarty (109) in the all time standings. Only Troy Corser has seen more success with 129 podiums scored to date.

“First of all I want to say how happy I am to be back up here. After the crash I went straight back to the garage in the hope that my technicians could adjust the bike so that I could continue but unfortunately there was too much damage to the mufflers and I had to stop there. We made some modifications to the front suspension and the bike behaved a lot better in race two. I maintained a strong pace for the entire race and was able to get the job done! I’m sorry for Carlos because it’s always great to battle against him. Now I’d like to repeat this result at Imola, Ducati’s home track.”

Jakub Smrz and his PATA Ducati DNF’d in the first race and finished 11th in the second. He resides 14th in the championship.

The WSB paddock now heads to Imola, with racing on September 26th.

For more news / information on Arai Helmets please visit www.whyarai.co.uk

Pedrosa’s fourth win of 2010 overshadowed by sombre news

DANI PEDROSA, REPSOL HONDA
Race Position: First                         Championship Position: Second

“I WANT TO KEEP MY FEET ON THE GROUND ”
Dani Pedrosa rode a flawless race in Italy to take his second MotoGP win in as many weekends and claim the first back-to-back victories of his MotoGP career. The Repsol Honda rider led for all 28 laps of the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, recording his fourth win of 2010 and the twelfth of his MotoGP career.

“Concerning the race, I want to say thank you again to my team for doing a great job. The whole weekend has been perfect: good practices, a very high pace during the race, and the second win in a row and the fourth of the season. I want to keep my feet on the ground though and just concentrate on one race at a time. The feeling on the bike is very good now and my goal is to continue in this way. But to be honest, after the sad news about Tomizawa I’m not really thinking about that at this moment.”

NICKY HAYDEN, MARLBORO DUCATI
Race Position: DNF                         Championship Position: Seventh

“IT WAS A RACING INCIDENT”
Nicky Hayden’s run of bad luck at the Misano circuit continued on Sunday; he crashed out on the second corner of the first lap after coming together with Loris Capirossi. Qualifying hadn’t gone well, due to a number of small issues and Hayden started from 14th on the grid; he characteristically shouldered the responsibility for his poor performance, and apologised to his team at the end of the session.

“This hasn’t been a great track for me over the last couple of years. I got quite a good start and made up some positions but on the exit of turn two when I got on the gas and opened up for the next turn I touched with Loris, who was closing his line a little. I’m sorry but it was a racing incident that can happen at any time and when you start so far back you tend to cross lines. The shifter was damaged and I had to come back in. All this is irrelevant though compared with what happened to Tomizawa. At the end of the day we are all brothers here. We have lost a talented kid with a great personality. I loved his style, his determination and the smile he always wore.”

COLIN EDWARDS, MONSTER YAMAHA TECH 3
Race Position: Seventh                 Championship Position: 10th

“I THOUGHT THE OUTCOME WAS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BETTER…”
Colin Edwards rode another strong race to finish in seventh position for the third time in the last four outings. The 36-year-old is confident he could have given Spies more of a challenge for sixth had he not encountered some small front-end issues. Edwards though moved into the top ten in the standings with his latest positive result and is just one-point behind Marco Melandri heading to round 13 at the new Motorland Aragon track in Spain.

“It was a good race and another seventh has put me back in the top ten in the championship. I made a good start and managed to avoid any trouble at the first corner and I had a good early battle with Simoncelli. But I had the same problem I had all weekend and I was losing the front a bit on the brakes. I was trying to ride aggressively and I was happy with my lap times but honestly, I thought the outcome was going to be a little better than seventh. When Ben came by he was able to just pull away from me a little bit every lap. I tried my hardest to stay with him but once he’d gone I just settled for seventh. The race doesn’t count for much though when you hear the news about Tomizawa. My thoughts go out to his family and friends at this difficult time.”

HIROSHI AOYAMA, INTERWETTEN HONDA
Race Position: 12th                          Championship Position: 17th

Hiroshi Aoyama qualified 13th on the grid, with a gap of 1.338 seconds to pole and just about 0.5 seconds to sixth position. The improvement was better than expected for the 18 year-old Japanese and impressed him as much as the rest of the team. Speaking after the session he was reasonably content;

“The qualifying was interesting as we stayed with the old set up and we still were able to improve. Also the lap times improved more than I expected. The gap to the others in front of me got smaller and that is very positive for us. I don’t know how the conditions will be tomorrow, but I hope similar to today and that I can improve in the race.” 

Aoyama finished the race in 12th; his return to fitness continues.

SHOYA TOMIZAWA
As the MotoGP riders were finishing their race, the entire paddock was struggling to come to terms with news of the death of Moto2 rider Shoya Tomizawa, who had succumbed to injuries sustained in a high-speed crash earlier in the day. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and team.

The next MotoGP round is at the new circuit of Motorland Aragon, Spain, September 19th.

For more news / information on Arai Helmets please visit www.whyarai.co.uk

ARAI RX-7 GP CRUTCHLOW REPLICA ARRIVES IN UK

WSB superstar’s stunning paintwork now available

Fresh from an incredible double victory at the Silverstone round of WSB, and lying fifth in the championship overall, Yamaha rider Cal Crutchlow is now celebrating the arrival of his replica into stock at Phoenix Distribution, the UK’s Arai importer.
Cal’s bright black and green paint – designed by Nottingham-based Rich Art – is as wild as his riding style, with a full dose of Monster Energy branding giving his RX-7 GP replica the full ‘factory’ look.

 As ever, Cal’s not shy with his words; “I don’t hold anything back on the track, and neither does my helmet paint, which is absolutely mega. It’s great that it’s finally available as I’m always getting asked by fans when it would be here. It’s been a tough year, but the Silverstone result was fantastic and having my replica now available, things are just getting better and better”.

Arai’s RX-7 GP is a racing helmet considered by many as the benchmark against which all others are measured. Featuring a peripherally belted Structural Net Composite (SNC) shell, with hyper ridge strengthening in its lower section and wider aperture (plus larger visor) for better vision the RX-7 GP is the most technologically advanced motorcycle helmet Arai has ever produced. The RX-7 GP’s Air Intake Stabiliser Diffuser increases airflow through the helmet, while the Airflow Spoiler and visor brow ventilation ducts ensure suitable climate control for any situation. The five-position Air Wing reduces drag, turbulence and buffeting.

The Arai RX-7 GP exceeds ECE Regulation 22-05 and the new SNELL M2010 standard. ECE 22-05 represents the legal minimums for helmets in road use throughout the European Union while Snell M2010, introduced in October 2009, demands protective standards well beyond these legal minimums. The RX-7 GP easily surpasses ECE 22-05 and was the first helmet to meet Snell M2010, offering far superior head protection for motorcyclists.

The Arai RX-7 GP Crutchlow replica is available in sizes XS–XL and has an RRP of £589.99.

The Arai Difference

Without exception all Arai helmets offer a peerless fit; the Japanese brand’s reputation for quality, comfort and safety has recently been further reinforced as, for the 12th consecutive year, Arai came out top of the JD Power and Associates Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study. Also, Arai placed three of its helmets in the overall top ten – including the number one spot – of RiDE Magazine’s 2009 RiDER Power Survey, an exhaustive poll taken from 5000 readers, reported in the November 2009 issue.

For more information on the Arai range call Phoenix on 01782 569800, or visit www.whyarai.co.uk

CARBON FIBRE ARAI RX-7 RC NOW AVAILABLE TO ORDER

Demand guaranteed to outstrip supply for one of Arai’s rarest helmets…

Orders are now being taken for the brand new carbon fibre Arai RX-7 RC, one of the most exclusive motorcycle helmets ever produced. A maximum of 300 per year will be manufactured for export, guaranteeing rarity and only 250 will be available in Europe. Retail price in the UK for the RX-7 RC will be £2099.99.

Expensive? Perhaps, but the Arai RX-7 RC is based on the technology used for the GP-6 RC Formula 1 specification car-racing helmet; it consists of an extremely stiff and light carbon fibre outer shell, reinforced with Arai’s Peripherally Belted construction. This system uses a reinforcing belt across the helmet, just above the visor opening, giving the outer shell even more strength and stiffness.

The carbon fibre used is extremely special; for the RX-7 RC Arai development engineers searched for a superior carbon fibre quality and finally found it in the aircraft industry, where the carbon fibre material (as used by Boeing) offered the qualities and properties they were looking for. The RX-7 RC’s outer shell is a mix of carbon fibre, Arai’s own resin plus Zylon, a material used for its strength and thermal stability and, obviously, does not come cheap. It takes Arai’s most experienced and skilled craftsmen a whole working day to produce each shell, working only by hand.

If the outer shell is a work of art, so too is the inner. The EPS liner has five different densities seamlessly combined in one inner shell and the RX-7 RC marks a completely new benchmark of manufacture in this respect. The features proven so thoroughly in the RX-7 GP are present; the wide SAI visor, improved diffuser ventilation, Air Wing adjustable spoiler and supremely comfortable Dry-Cool removable interior.

The result of all the R&D effort and new technology is a helmet substantially lighter; but also with massive inherent strength and integrity. Just like the RX-7 GP the RX-7 RC exceeds ECE 22-05 and the new Snell M2010 standard – it’s also the lightest helmet approved to Snell M2010 by a large margin.

The RX-7 RC is available only in carbon with a clear coat finish, sizes XS-XXL. Each Arai 5 Star dealer will have an allocation of three only and anybody serious about owning Arai’s ultimate expression of a motorcycle helmet should place their order rapidly, as demand is already high and supply so limited.

The Arai Difference

Without exception all Arai helmets offer a peerless fit; the Japanese brand’s reputation for quality, comfort and safety has recently been further reinforced as, for the 12th consecutive year, Arai came out top of the JD Power and Associates Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study. Also, Arai placed three of its helmets in the overall top ten – including the number one spot – of RiDE Magazine’s 2009 RiDER Power Survey, an exhaustive poll taken from 5000 readers, reported in the November 2009 issue.

For more information on the Arai 5 Star dealer network, or the Arai range call Phoenix on 01782 569800, or visit www.whyarai.co.uk 

ARAI RACING NEWS-MOTOGP ROUND 11, INDIANAPOLIS, SUNDAY 29th AUGUST

Tough racing at the Brickyard, but Arai riders come out on top.

DANI PEDROSA, REPSOL HONDA
Race Position: First                         Championship Position: Second

“WE ARE DOING A GOOD JOB”
Dani Pedrosa rode to an emphatic win at the Indianapolis Grand Prix, piloting his Honda RC212V to victory ahead of home hero Ben Spies and championship leader Jorge Lorenzo. From fifth on the grid, an on-form Pedrosa was fourth into the first corner and quickly set about dispatching his rivals, starting with Nicky Hayden on lap two and Dovizioso two laps later. With only Spies now ahead, Pedrosa relentlessly closed down the Texan and passed him at the start of lap eight before easing out a comfortable gap of 5.5s – setting the fastest lap of the race on lap 11 and then controlling the race from the front to come home 3.5s clear at the chequered flag. Pedrosa’s only real threat came from the circuit’s vicious bumps, which had caught out so many riders through the weekend, and the concentration-sapping heat, but the 24-year-old Spaniard was equal to the task and recorded his third MotoGP victory of the 2010 season. His 11th victory in MotoGP closes the gap by nine points to Lorenzo in the World Championship, his countryman’s lead now standing at 68 points with seven races remaining.

“I’m really happy with this win and it was an especially tough one because of the heat. I didn’t make the perfect start but I was quite quick through the first few tight corners and stayed close to the leaders. My rhythm was good and even though Spies was strong in front, I was able to close him down and make the pass. I’m really pleased with the performance of my bike because it was fast on the straights and was also working well in the corners. When I was out in front it was quite hard to stay focused and at the end of the race I was really tired – but I’m very happy because last year I crashed when I could have won and now I have made up for it. There were many crashes this weekend and it would have been easy to make a mistake in the race – you only need to go a little off line and you can be on the ground immediately, especially towards the end of the race when the tyres are worn. I’ve gone past the barrier of two MotoGP race wins in a season so I’m very happy. We are doing a good job and I hope we can maintain this momentum for Misano. I want to thank the team and all the people around me for this win.”

NICKY HAYDEN, MARLBORO DUCATI
Race Position: Sixth                        Championship Position: Seventh

“I FINISHED UP WITH A HUGE HOLE IN MY LEATHERS…”
Nicky Hayden was out of luck at his home Grand Prix, the American losing his left knee slider early in the race; it is a small but crucial piece of equipment for riders because it helps them support the bike at full lean angle. As such racing on the limit was a near impossible task for Hayden, but he put in a valiant effort to bring his bike home in sixth place.

“I still can’t believe what happened – I am so disappointed. I was being careful over the first few laps because in that heat the track was very greasy. I lost the front slightly on the third lap and caught my left knee on a drain cover on one of the kerbs, right where the knee slider attaches to the Velcro. There are so many left-hand corners here... from that point on I had to take it really steady, I couldn’t push anywhere and finished up with a huge hole in my leathers. I am incredibly disappointed because we had the pace to put in a performance today.”

COLIN EDWARDS, MONSTER YAMAHA TECH 3
Race Position: DNF                         Championship Position: 11th

“THE TYRE CHOICE COST ME TODAY”
Colin Edwards had a tough afternoon at Indy after he was one of only four riders to select the hardest compound Bridgestone rear tyre available for the 28-lap race. With temperatures and humidity higher than at any stage during the weekend, Edwards hoped his choice would enable him to mount a strong showing in the second half of the race. But he opted to change to the softer compound tyre at the end of lap 11 and while his lap times instantly improved, the 36-year-old retired on lap 17.

“I went for the hard tyre because I’d done a 41.6 on that tyre on Friday and felt pretty comfortable and confident. I’d not been able to make the soft tyre last close to race distance. I’d started to have a problem after eight or nine laps with it, so with the temperature and humidity coming up I was getting excited about using the hard tyre. But I had a problem with edge grip from the start and was having an issue turning. I was riding on the limit but way off the pace so I pulled in for the softer tyre and did a few laps and my lap times were immediately better. The tyre choice cost me today but congratulations to Ben. He’s just riding at an amazing level and second in this field is something to be proud of.”

HIROSHI AOYAMA, INTERWETTEN HONDA
Race Position: 12th                          Championship Position: 17th

“I HAD TO FIGHT EVERY SINGLE LAP”
Hiroshi Aoyama made his return to MotoGP racing at Indianapolis, following the nasty crash at Silverstone in June where he fractured his 12th vertebra. In qualifying Aoyama impressed with a 13th position on the grid and he continued with this performance in the race, finishing the U.S. Grand Prix in Indianapolis in a very respectable 12th place.

“Under the conditions here at Indy it was quite hard to finish the 28 laps. I had to fight every single lap. I could stay with the other riders, but didn’t want to risk anything. I had to find a compromise not to go too far, over my possibilities, yet still have a good race. Surely we can be better than that when I am 100% fit again and I am looking forward to that so much.”

The next MotoGP round is at Misano, September 5th.

For more news / information on Arai in the UK please visit www.whyarai.co.uk

ARAI MEN SWEEP THE BOARD AT ULSTER GP - NEARLY!

And Bruce Anstey's fastest lapper ever…

Kiwi Bruce Anstey and his Suzuki GSX-R1000 have made history by becoming the World's fastest combination of rider and machine ever in the Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod in Northern Ireland, averaging an astonishing 133.977mph in the final race of the day. And judging by the reaction of the 30,000 strong crowd at the County Antrim venue, the London-based Kiwi was also the event’s most popular winner around the 7.401-mile circuit. He was unfortunate not to have also taken the opening Superbike race win in a six-lap thriller that involved up to six riders; the 41-year-old suggested in a succinct manner afterwards during a radio interview, that backmarkers probably blighted his cause at the Lindsay Hairpin on the final circuit. Overall, Anstey was pleased with his day’s work; 

“I said before today that our bikes were very competitive and while I missed out in the cat-and-mouse game for victory in the opening Superbike race, I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. Granted, there wasn’t much in it between the top four or five guys today, but ultimately we proved that the GSX-R1000 in Relentless Suzuki trim is not only the best, but the fastest road racing superbike on the planet. A big thank you to all the boys in the team today for a big effort – they work hard all year and it’s nice to give them something to boast about at the end of a tough season.”

Padgetts Honda rider Ian Hutchinson followed up his record-breaking Isle of Man TT haul with a successful day’s racing at the Ulster GP, winning the Superbike race one (finishing second to the flying Anstey in race two), Supersport race one and Superstock. Keith Amor too had a great meeting; victory was his in the second Supersport race and he was a podium fixture in all five of the other races he rode on the day.

What was – almost – a clean sweep of victories across all the classes at the Ulster GP rounds out an extremely successful year of racing for Arai’s road specialists, which everybody at Phoenix Distribution, Arai’s UK importer, is proud to have been a part of.

*PICTURE OF BRUCE ANSTEY COURTESY OF VICTOR HAZELTON*

For more information and news on Arai Helmets please visit www.whyarai.co.uk

BSB Brands: A tricky weekend for Arai riders, but several wins nonetheless…

JOSH BROOKES, HM PLANT HONDA

Race 1: Fourth                      Race 2: DNF              Race 3: Sixth

Championship Position: Third

“I WAS PUSHING AS HARD AS I COULD, BUT DIDN’T FEEL COMFORTABLE”

The opening race of the triple-header Brands Hatch BSB weekend, run on Saturday, was red flagged and restarted due to rain, but didn’t dampen Josh Brookes’s spirits as he bagged a sold fourth place in tricky conditions. In the second race of the weekend, Josh had taken the lead, but while pushing to increase the gap he crashed out at Druids before rejoining and retiring to the garage. The race was red flagged following a crash involving Alastair Seeley and Andrew Pitt but Josh was unable to make the restart. The third and final race saw Josh battling hard to secure sixth place.

 “In race one I made a good start in the first few laps from fifth on the grid, but I got stuck behind Tom Sykes and he was so difficult to pass, but I could see that Michael Rutter was getting away at the front and that is frustrating. I then got passed, but as I was trying to close the gap I was making mistakes. I then felt it was misty, like it was going to rain and it was a good thing the red flag came out when it did as that next section at Stirling’s was really heavy rain and I had slowed by the time we reached that point. At the restart we only had time to make a small change and it was pretty nerve-wracking, but I pushed as hard as I could. The crash in the second race was down to lack of grip. I braked exactly the same as I had the lap before and was pushing to try and gap the other riders and went straight down. I rejoined and was circulating dead last so I thought I might as well come in and then as soon as I did that the race was red flagged and I wasn’t then able to make the restart. In the last race I was pushing as hard as I could, but I just didn’t feel comfortable. I got caught up in the pack and then when the race settled down I couldn’t catch the other riders. I am just going to put this weekend behind me and look ahead to the next round at Cadwell Park.”

ALASTAIR SEELEY, RELENTLESS SUZUKI BY TAS

Race 1: First                        Race 2: DNF                        Race 3: DNF       

Championship Position: Sixth

“THIS IS WHAT I’VE ALWAYS WANTED”

Series rookie Alastair Seeley scored a great debut British Superbike victory at Brands Hatch on Saturday; the Relentless by TAS Suzuki rider qualified his GSX-R1000 strongly on row two in seventh position around the GP circuit. Then in the two-part opening race the diminutive Ulsterman held off seasoned professionals Michael Rutter and Ryuichi Kiyonari to take the team’s second British Superbike victory of the season in treacherous conditions. The opening race on Sunday saw Seeley take the holeshot into Paddock Hill from his pole position slot, and he was soon embroiled in a podium battle with his team-mate and former TAS Racing employee Tom Sykes. The race was red flagged after only a handful of laps when Seeley high-sided on the exit of Surtees. He walked away from the crash unhurt, but an unsighted Andrew Pitt collected Seeley’s machine forcing the stoppage, after the Australian took a heavy tumble. Unfortunately for Seeley, his bike was too badly damaged for him to make the re-start.

“I got good starts on Saturday and that made the difference. I had some front-end issues in the dry part of the race, and in the re-start in the wet I had loads of slides on white lines and the kerbs, but managed with it okay. We held on for the win and it’s all credit to my team and our superb that we made the top step. This is what I’ve always wanted in racing and now that I’ve sampled it I’d like more of the same. I went from hero to zero on Sunday, however. I got a bad start in race two but composed myself and pushed my way through and onto the back of Easton. We had caught John Laverty but the rear end came right round on me down into turn one and that was the day over. On the positive side – we are still 10 points in front of seventh place, so it’s all to play for at Cadwell Park. I can’t thank the team enough for their efforts in getting me back out on track.”

Tyco Racing rider Tommy Bridewell endured a weekend of mixed fortunes aboard the Quay Garage Honda; in the restarted race one, from row two of the grid, Bridewell didn’t make the best of starts in the wet conditions and eventually brought his Honda Fireblade home in 12th position. Sunday dawned a lot brighter and in the opening race of the day, he again didn’t get the best of starts but was closing in on the leading bunch when he crashed out at Stirling’s Corner on lap five causing substantial damage to the machine and injuring his hand. Bridewell overcame the pain of his hand injury and also suspension problems, to record another battling 12th place finish at the flag in race three. Tommy now holds 11th position in the Championship. As ever, he was pragmatic and upbeat; “Brands Hatch hasn’t been too kind to us once again and we’ve not got the sort of results we were hoping for this weekend. We’ve tried really hard and thanks to the team for their fantastic efforts, and also our sponsors Tyco, and hope we can enjoy some better luck at the next round at Cadwell. It was there that I had my two best results of the season earlier in the year so the omens are looking good and I’m really looking forward to the weekend.”

Saturday’s race ended on a low for Jentin Racing-BMW Motorrad BSB-EVO rider Steve Brogan, as he was knocked off his BMW S1000 RR coming into Graham Hill bend. The team worked long into the morning to fix his bike – finishing around 1:30am. Brogan rewarded their effort with a well-deserved and hard-earned victory in Sunday’s first BSB race; after a slight jump-start, Brogan was given a ride-through penalty. Moments after his pit penalty on lap four a crash caused the event to be red-flagged. A shorter, 14-lap race was restarted with Steve last on the grid – but having completed his ride-through. The Superbike rider fought his way through the EVO field, slowed a little by a battle with Hudson Kennaugh, working up to first in class and 14th overall – a position which he held to the chequered flag. The second race didn’t go quite so well ­– a puncture in the front tyre left Steve unable to keep up his impressive pace, slowing him and leading track officials to black flag him. Brogan was a little deflated; “The front went down pretty rapidly. It started to wobble, which felt weird, and I did wonder if a wheel weight had detached, but it soon became clear that the front was completely flat – there was no air in it at all. I tried to circulate and get some points but the marshals black-flagged me and I had to pull into the pits. The only consolation is that Kennaugh retired and didn’t get any points either, but I’d rather have raced him for it. We really should have left Brands with a good, solid championship lead, but we’re only two points behind, which we’ll take back at Cadwell.”

Glen Richards was flying on his Padgetts FireBlade in the Superstock 1000 class and just lost out on a win in the closing stages, while a chaotic and crash-strewn Supersport race saw Padgetts’ team-mates Ian Hutchinson and Richards secure fifth and seventh place finishes.

Fraser Rogers finished fourth in the British 125GP race to claim his first championship points in almost three months, with Dakota Mamola hot on his rear wheel. The strong finish ended an undeserved run of bad results and allowed the 13 year-old KRP rider to claim another ACU Academy Cup podium. “The last few races have been a bit disappointing in one way or another,” he said. “So to finish fourth today and get back on top in the Cup is a big relief. Third would have been better, obviously, but it was good to get fourth off Dakota at the end like that.”

The next round of the BSB returns to Cadwell Park, with racing on August 30th.

For more news and information on Arai Helmets please visit www.whyarai.co.uk