Blog / Race Reports

Fantastic Hawk Debut for Haydon as Smart pushes him all the way - Cadwell Park Round 11

August 30, 2007 – 10:17 pm

www.hawkkawasaki.co.uk
Hawk Colchester Kawasaki had a strong weekend at round 11 of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park. James Haydon made his Hawk Colchester debut for the team and secured two very hard fought results of ninth and eighth places respectively and he was the first Kawasaki home in both of the 18-lap races. His team-mate Scott Smart also gained point scoring results with 10th and 12th positions.

The pairing were consistent throughout the weekend and finished every session on virtually identical times to each other. Eventually Haydon qualified in 13th place with Smart in 14th with only 0.05 separating the pair. Both riders rode extremely well around the very demanding and technical 2.18-mile circuit. Haydon who has not ridden competitively since Silverstone in April and has only completed a handful of laps on the Hawk bike before racing at Cadwell Park made a welcome return to the series.

Haydon looked strong and comfortable all weekend and despite making his come back at one of the most difficult circuits in the UK he also gained two very creditable results for the team. A poor start in the first race saw the 32-year-old drop back to 15th and Smart moving up to 13th. Haydon made a move on Simon Andrews on lap two and was then hunting down his team-mate Smart and Kawasaki mounted Michael Rutter. As the trio battled it out over the 18-lap duel it was Haydon that got the better of the two other Kawasaki s and took a sturdy eighth position with Smart only a few tenths behind as they crossed the line.

Once again Haydon struggled to get off the start in the second race and lost places after the first lap. The safety car was despatched on lap ten after a crash at the top of the mountain, which allowed the riders to bunch up. Lap 14 saw Smart have a coming together with Rutter at the hairpin, both were forced onto the grass but managed to re-join. Smart had to fight his way through the field and secured 12th place as he crossed the line.

Commenting Haydon said ‚ “It s good to be back, it s not the easiest of circuits to make a return to and I m still getting used to how the ZX10 works so I was kind of thrown in at the deep end. The team worked really hard and we found a good set up by race day which I felt comfortable with. I though it was weekend over for me on Saturday as I twisted my back, luckily I managed to get it sorted and I was ready for the race. It s a nice feeling to be racing again and hopefully I ll be back in the future. ‚

Smart added ‚ “I ve had a pretty good weekend, we struggled to find a good set up initially but changed a few things throughout the weekend which made the bike work better and feel more stable around the track. Cadwell is always a hard place to get a decent set up and we did make some progress this weekend. I m looking forward to Donington in a few weeks time and hoping to get some good results there. ‚

Maxxis British Supersport Cup rider Alex Camier was forced to pull in after only the second lap of the race after suffering a mechanical problem.

-END-

 

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Confidence Building Fifth Place for Jessopp

August 30, 2007 – 10:16 pm

www.martinjessopp.com
 

Martin Jessopp and the Riders Racing Ducati Team secured their best result of the season so far at Cadwell Park in the Maxxis British Supersport race. Jessopp achieved a solid fifth position in the 16-lap race in front of the huge Cadwell Park crowd. It was a welcome return for the youngster from Yeovil who has suffered a run of bad luck and misfortune this season.

Running smoothly all weekend Jessopp was eager to gain a strong result and be back at the top end of the pack. Qualifying in ninth position on the Ducati 749 he was keen to work his way through the pack, a strong start saw him gain one position at the end of the first lap and another by the end of the fourth.

He could see a podium position in his sights when he got onto the back of R6 Cup winner Tom Grant and TT legend John McGuinness. The trio were locked in a tight scrap for a number of laps but front tyre problems for Jessopp forced him to back off the pace a little and settle for fifth. Running consistently fast times he proved that he can run up at the front end of the field and was the confidence booster that he has been looking for all season.

A pleased Jessopp said ‚ “It seems to have been a long time coming, my best result was at Brands at the start of the season but I had that taken away from me due to a minor problem after the race. I ve had so many strange things happen this year on the racing front that it s good to be back up there and getting decent points. I m hoping that I will be able to get some more strong results at the final two rounds at Donington and Brands Hatch. It would be nice to finish off the season on a high note for myself and the team. I d like to thank them all for working so hard this weekend it was very much appreciated. ‚  

-END-
 

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Points for Westy as he battles pain barrier - Cadwell Park

August 30, 2007 – 10:15 pm

www.centurion-racing.net

After running strong all weekend at Cadwell Park Centurion Racings sole racer James Westmoreland could only secure 13th position despite his valiant effort in the Maxxis British Supersport series. Westy was running consistently fast times during the practice session on Saturday but after a huge crash at Chris Curves during Sunday s qualifying sessions he chose to participate in the 16-lap race but was suffering pain and discomfort in his shoulder and back.

His team-mate Dan Cooper was also sitting this meeting out after dislocating his right shoulder at Croft Circuit a few weeks ago. Commenting he said ‚ “I didn t want to risk doing any more damage to my shoulder. Cadwell is a very demanding and difficult circuit even when you are fully fit. I have another two weeks now before Donington where I will be making my return and hoping that it will all be fully fixed. ‚

Westy secured a solid 11th place during the qualifying sessions in front of some massive Bank Holiday weekend crowds the youngster was looking strong. The crash hindered the newly crowed 2007 British Supersport Cup Champion and stopped him from gaining another top ten finish. He took another solid win in the Cup Championship, his seventh so far this season out of eleven rounds completed, an incredible achievement for Westy and the Centurion Racing Team.

Speaking with him, he said ‚ “Well I think it s fair to say we will call that one a character building weekend! It all started so well running up front on Saturday, then been consistently fast on race tyres on Sunday. I crashed heavily in final qualifying at Chris Curve and to be fair it knocked me for six. Then after morning warm up it was discovered I had something wrong with my tendons in my elbow and shoulder causing me great pain. I rode through the pain but could only finish 13th. It s disappointing but I will be back even stronger to finish the year. I m sorry to my team, for this result, but thank you for all the support, and that’s from my family, friends, supporters who turned out to cheer me on, it s greatly appreciated. Also a massive thanks to Ethos and Dunlop. Once again it wasn’t to be, but my head is high and I’m ready for Donington. ‚

Team Manager Gary Stubbington remarked ‚ “We ve been unfortunate the last few rounds where both riders have suffered crashes and sustained injuries from them. The boys haven t crashed that much this season and then they both do at roughly the same time. Westy did well under the circumstances and we re hoping that the pair will be fully fit and back on form at Donington Park in a couple of weeks times. ‚

The next race is at Donington Park on the 14th ‚ 16th September.

-END-

 

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Westmoreland secures British Supersport Cup Championship Title

August 19, 2007 – 1:14 pm

www.centurionracing.net

Centurion Racing are delighted to announce for the second year running they are now the 2007 British Supersport Cup winners with their rider 19-year-old James Westmoreland. After receiving confirmation from the Championship organisers MCRCB the team will have cause for celebration at Cadwell Park in a couple of weeks time. Westy has ridden smooth all year and has made the tough jump up for the fierce 125-Championship where he finished runner up to his Centurion team-mate Dan Cooper.

Westy has won six of the ten Cup rounds so far and has won the Championship with three rounds still remaining. He took a stunning result at Thruxton where he finished fourth in the overall Championship and has been consistent up to this point. Last season Centurion achieved the same feat with their previous rider and they are extremely pleased at lifting the crown again.

Race Team Manager Gary Stubbington added ‚ “Westy has worked hard all year and it s a great pleasure to win the Championship again. The team as a whole have worked extremely hard to get to this point and it s good to get something back in return. We are hoping that both Westy and Dan get some good results at the remaining three rounds and that we can finish the season again on a high note. ‚

Westmoreland from Hull was delighted saying ‚ “Obviously it is very nice to have wrapped the Cup Championship up with three rounds to go. I must thank the team and Dunlop for all their hard work that they have put it to make it possible, and my personal sponsors, Ethos Surface Solutions and my family and friends. I m now looking forward to my home round at Cadwell Park in a few weeks time, followed by two of my favourite circuits, Donington and Brands. It would be nice to end the season on the main podium and improve on my top 10 in the overall Championship. ‚

General Manager Paul Rees commented ‚ “ ‚ “The overall effort and superb teamwork shown by the whole team throughout this season has been absolutely brilliant. Everyone has shown 100% commitment, and put in some very long hours in order to get results.

It s particularly pleasing that after making bike racing Cup history last season by winning all 12 races in our team s first year, we re now three races ahead of the end of this season and Westy has already taken the Supersport Cup in the team s second year.   This shows that Centurion Racing is in it for the long-run and maintains our professional reputation on the track, which is absolutely brilliant.  

Thanks to the whole team for a job well done. Gary Stubbington (Race Manager) and myself particularly like to acknowledge the work of our team engineers who ve kept the bikes in tip-top racing condition, and the riders who have shown total professionalism and dedication throughout. Without the support from our sponsors and suppliers, none of this would have been possible. So our very special thanks go to Dunlop, THB Clowes, Ethos Solutions, Baram, Blackfriars Contracts, Shoei, Feridax, Putoline Oils for all that they have done for us this year, and we hope they will enjoy sharing with us this exciting news. Thanks also to our fans and families for their continued encouragement and support.

In the meantime, with another three races to go till the end of the season we re not sitting back.   It s back to racing as normal, and then preparations for the 2008 season with the British Supersport Championship can begin! ‚

The next race is at Cadwell Park on the 25th ‚ 27th August.

-END-

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2nd Annual Charity Cycle Race - Cadwell Park - UPDATE

August 18, 2007 – 5:05 pm

Further to the previous Press Release please find below an update on the Cycle Race

www.cjnine.com - www.myspace.com/chrisjonesfund

PLEASE ENSURE YOU REGISTER AT CENTURION IF YOU ARE ENTERING THE CYCLE RACE

Sunday 26th August 2007

Registration at Centurion Racing Truck
From 9am-6.30pm

Assemble on grid @ 7.00pm for race to start at 7.15pm prompt.

4 laps of the Cadwell Park Woodland (Mountain) Circuit

ENTRY FEE - £20 DONATION per rider (MINIMUM)
AT REGISTRATION

Trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall

Award for ‚ Spirit of the Race

Award for Best Fancy Dress
(Minimum of 1 lap required rest is optional)

ALL PRESENTED ON BSB PODIUM

Contacts:
Glo Brookes: Mobile - 07792 858851 or Home - 01709 721906
Larry Carter ‚ larry@cartersport.com

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To raise money for the Chris Jones Riders Fund in memory of Ash Martin #26

August 15, 2007 – 7:51 pm

www.cjnine.com and www.myspace.com/chrisjonesfund

We are holding a RAFFLE, TOMBOLA and an AUCTION at:

The Black Horse,
Seaton Ross,
York

On:

Wednesday 29th August 2007
From 7pm

All Welcome

Auction items include: Signed helmets, signed leathers, caps, T-Shirts and many more racing items

Come and meet riders from Bennetts British Superbikes championship including:

Karl Harris from the Hydrex Honda Superbike team
Chris Martin from the Red Viper Racing Superbike team
Tom Grant from the Virgin Media Supersport team
Ben Handley from the A1 Plant Haulage Supersport Cup
Lowes Twins from the Double Vision Racing Supersport team
Dan Linfoot from the sicilia 250cc MotoGP team

Other riders to be confirmed

-END-

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2nd Annual Charity Cycle Race - Cadwell Park - Sunday 26th August 2007

August 14, 2007 – 11:46 am

FURTHER DETAILS TO FOLLOW VERY SHORTLY ON WHERE TO REGISTER ETC KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED…….

www.cjnine.com - www.myspace.com/chrisjonesfund

Assemble @ 7.00pm for race to start at 7.15pm prompt

4 laps of the Cadwell Park Woodland (Mountain) Circuit ‚ Short Circuit

ENTRY FEE £20 DONATION PER RIDER ‚ MINIMUM AT START ‚ ALL PROCEEDS TO CJ RIDER SAFETY FUND

Trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall

Award for ‚ Spirit of the Race

Award for Best Fancy Dress

ALL PRESENTED ON BSB PODIUM

EVERYONE WELCOME TO JOIN IN THE FUN!

Contacts ‚ Glo Brookes ‚ 07792 858851 or 01709 721906 or Larry Carter on larry@cartersport.com

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British Weather Upsets Roberts Hopes

August 13, 2007 – 1:39 pm

www.brendan-roberts.com

Brendan Roberts suffered a disaster this weekend in the National Superstock Championship at Croft Circuit. After running consistently in second place for most of the practice and qualifying sessions Roberts was only let down in the race by the unpredictable British weather conditions. A brief but heavy shower made Roberts and the Buildbase Ducati team opt for full wet tyres, which could only see him struggle to ninth position in the 14-lap race.

In the baking conditions on Friday and Saturday the young Australian looked comfortable on the Ducati 1098 and fresh from his fifth place in the European Championships at Brands Hatch last weekend, it looked like he was to make a welcome return to the podium in the British Championships.

After the cancellation to the round at Oulton Park he was eager to get back onto the podium steps in the UK but it sadly was not to be this weekend at Croft. The brisk shower left the track very damp but rapidly drying and it was a tough decision as to what tyres to run with. The Buildbase Team and Roberts stuck with their original decision but the 2.12-mile circuit soaked up the excess water quickly and as the lights turned green Roberts slowly went backwards.

Fighting with the 1098 and the tyres wearing out on every lap he had to ensure that he brought the bike home. Battling hard he could only salvage ninth place. A disappointed Roberts commented ‚ “I m really gutted about the results today as the entire Buildbase Ducati team have worked so hard throughout the weekend to get everything perfect. We d run well all weekend and had a great set up for the bike in the dry conditions. It was a real gamble as to what tyres we used and in the end stayed with the wets, which was obviously the wrong decision. It was the only rain shower of the day and totally turned it up-side-down. I felt very comfortable on the bike during practice and qualifying and was hoping to get the team a podium place for all their hard work and dedication. I m hoping that we ll be able to get some decent results at Cadwell Park in a couple of weeks time. ‚

Brendan s next race in the UK is at Cadwell Park on the 25th ‚ 27th August. A full timetable of events can be found at the link below: -

http://www.mcrcb-events.co.uk/gallery/cadwell%20park%20final.pdf

National Superstock Results ‚ Croft Circuit

Neill                               Suzuki
Kirkham                   Yamaha
Seeley                         Yamaha
Kennaugh                 Yamaha
Laverty                       Buildbase Ducati
Jackson                       Yamaha
Brogan                         Honda
Venter                           Yamaha
ROBERTS           BUILDBASE DUCATI
Ingram                         Suzuki

-END-

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Highs and Lows for Centurion

August 13, 2007 – 1:38 pm

www.centurionracing.net

Centurion Racing suffered a mixed weekend of results at round ten of the Maxxis British Supersport Championship at Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire. Running strong throughout the weekend riders James Westmoreland and Dan Cooper achieved a varied set of results with Westmoreland gaining a confidence boosting eighth place and Cooper crashing out whilst lying in a fantastic eleventh position.

The youngsters soon got to grips with the technical 2.12-mile circuit and made good progress throughout practice and qualifying sessions. With Westmoreland consistently running within the top ten and just dropping back to 13th in overall qualifying. Whilst Cooper was making steady in roads all weekend and moving up the time sheets seeing him qualify 12th, his best qualifying position to date.

Holding his position off the line Cooper gained a great start and remained 13th after the first lap. Making a move on Sam Owens on lap four he soon began to calve his way through the pack. Looking strong and setting consistently fast lap times, the youngster from Stroud entered the first corner on lap nine too fast and tucked the front forcing him out the race. Dislocating his right shoulder Cooper was unable to remount and finish, after seeking medical attention he is hoping to be fully fit by Cadwell Park.

A disappointed Cooper commented ‚ “I m totally gutted, that s the first time in three years that I ve crashed in a race. It s a real shame as I d improved throughout the weekend and I felt really happy with the way things were going. I m totally gutted and feel sorry for the team and all my mechanics that worked so hard at Croft. We d made some big progress here and I was hoping that I could get a decent result to say thanks. My shoulder is very sore but hopefully I will be fully fit by Cadwell in a couple of weeks time. ‚

19-year-old Westmoreland got tangled up in a number of first lap incidents which pushed him down to 18th position after the first lap. With the safety car being dispatched onto the circuit whilst the stricken debris was cleared Westy was unable to make a move until the car pulled back into the pits. Losing four valuable laps to the safety car the youngster rode an awesome and mature race to bring him back through the pack. As he mastered and manoeuvred his way through the field he was sitting happily in a top ten position by lap 11 of the 18-lap race. With Michael Laverty retiring and passing Alex Lowes, Westy gained a healthy eighth place and another Cup win for the Centurion Team.

He said ‚ “After a tough qualifying day on Saturday, I refocused myself and came up with the goods on race day. I got a really bad start and gave myself a lot of work to do but I chipped away and managed to finish eighth. The times I did should have been good enough for fourth or fifth position but these things happen and I will take the positives out of the weekend and look forward to Cadwell. I d like to thank the whole team, my family, fans and Dunlop for a job well done. ‚

The next Supersport race is at Cadwell Park on the 25th ‚ 27th August.

-END-

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Smart in the Points as Camier makes Impressive Debut

August 13, 2007 – 1:37 pm

www.hawkkawasaki.co.uk
Hawk Colchester Kawasaki gained some more Bennetts British Superbike points this weekend with Scott Smart who gained a 14th and 11th place respectively at round ten of the series at Croft, North Yorkshire. Rookie to the team Alex Camier excelled at his first outing on the Hawk Superbike and gained two creditable results of 21st and 17th place.

32-year-old Smart struggled throughout qualifying to find a comfortable set up and a number of changes to the Kawasaki saw him only manage to gain 20th position on the grid for both of the 20-lap races. A good start in the first race saw him raise to 15th position by the end of lap three and he was locked in a tight battle throughout the race with Dean Thomas and Chris Martin, getting the better of the pair as he crossed the line. Another good start in race two saw him swiftly move through the pack and was sitting in a comfortable 13th place by the end of lap five. He soon was up to 11th and looking content.

Commenting he said ‚ “It s been a pretty good weekend. We were changing lots of things on the bike during practice and qualifying with some things working well and some not working. We are just trying to develop the bike still and it s trial and error, we did find some good things this weekend and each time I feel more comfortable. I was disappointed at where I qualified and it s a shame I wasn t higher as judging from my results I could have gained a couple of top ten positions, which would have been nice. ‚

19-year-old Alex Camier exceeded himself this weekend on his debut appearance in the Superbike class in the UK. Each time the youngster rode the bike throughout the weekend he continued to improve his times and by the two races began to feel more comfortable and confident. Speaking with him he said ‚ “It s been a big step for me this weekend, I ve only riding for Hawk at two meeting so stepping up to the Superbike class for them was a huge opportunity for me. I had a small off early on in the weekend but thankfully didn t do much damage. They take a lot of getting used to, how they work, handle and also the different tyres. I m happy with the way things have gone and I ve learnt an awful lot in three days. It s been good and hopefully the team will give me a similar opportunity again in the future. ‚

The Hawk Colchester Kawasaki Superstock Cup rider David Hallett suffered this weekend with extremely bad tendonitis and managed to bring the ZX10 home in 31st position. Hallett is likely to receive surgery on the damaged arm in the near future and will be hoping to be back at Cadwell or Donington Park.

The next British Superbike race is at Cadwell Park on the 25th ‚ 27th August.

-END-

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