Double podium for Swan Yamaha at Brands

Defending MCE Insurance British Superbike champion Tommy Hill scored a double podium finish at the seventh round of the season today at his home round of Brands Hatch in Kent whilst Noriyuki Haga took a sole fifth place.

Swan Yamaha's Tommy Hill

In the opening race of the day Hill initially struggled with a clutch issue that dropped him down the order and the reigning champion then put in a determined ride to move back up the order to fourth. Haga had been running in a solid third place until a mistake on the final lap at Graham Hill Bend saw him crash out of contention. The crash for the Japanese rider elevated Hill to third and adding another podium credit to his tally ahead of the Showdown.

Hill then fought hard for a third place in race two as he closed in on eventual race winner Shane Byrne and second placed Josh Brookes. At his home circuit Hill was unable to push any harder and settled for third whilst Haga's side of the garage had worked hard to repair his Swan Yamaha for him to fight to fifth.

Hill said: "In the first we had an issue with the clutch; on the sighting lap the rear locked up and I came back to the grid and the clutch went solid on me so I spent the first few laps trying to adjust the lever and there were riders coming passed me from all directions. I set my target on Michael and I was able to get passed him and I wanted to try and go with Josh, but he had checked out. I wasn't going to be able to catch the leading three and I hold my hands up and say I was gifted the podium with Noriyuki crashing but you have to be in it to win it. In race two I got stuck in with Shakey and Josh as they came back to me about halfway through the race but it was a bit of an elastic band effect and I was never close enough to make a pass. Everyone was riding hard and we are all riding at the top of our game, but all in all it wasn't a bad weekend. We need to be consistently on the podium and we will raise our game and hopefully it will be our turn at Cadwell Park."

Haga said: "First of all I would like to say sorry to the Swan Yamaha team for the crash in the first race. I had an advantage to Tommy and I didn't have as much grip at the end but I made a stupid mistake to lose the front and crash. My crew worked hard and I thank them for getting me out for race two as they repaired the bike fast but it didn't feel the same as race one, because we didn't have time to make changes. This track I have more experience so we have learnt a lot this weekend and what we can make better for when we are here for the last round."
 
Team manager Gary Ekerold concluded: "It was a different weekend at Brands Hatch following a superb Oulton Park, but Tommy put in two British bulldog performances to twice finish on the podium. It was another learning weekend for Noriyuki but one that he will come back stronger from. Tommy had a technical problem in the first race but did an awesome job to bring the Swan Yamaha home in third and given that he is safe in the Showdown he didn't need to prove anything in that race. Although Noriyuki made a mistake in race one there were many positives we could take from today and he showed he had the pace capable of running at the front. The team worked hard to repair his Swan Yamaha for race two and now we need to all look ahead to Cadwell Park." 

For more information on Swan Yamaha please visit www.swanyahama.co.uk 

We're pleased to support, sponsor and supply performance parts to Swan Yamaha racing. for more information on the parts we have to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

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SWAN YAMAHA CONTINUE WINNING MOMENTUM AS HILL MAKES IT A TRIPLE

Swan Yamaha’s Tommy Hill claimed a sensational triple race win at the sixth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park to extend his advantage in the overall standings and secure a valuable nine podium credits.

Hill had taken the victory in the opening race yesterday (Saturday) and in the second race of the weekend he scored a commanding win before making it a hat trick in the third and final race to score the maximum amount of podium credits. Haga took a strong fifth position in the second race following an intense battle with Shane 'Shakey' Byrne and Michael Laverty, but just missed out on a podium finish in the final race when he was forced to settle for fourth after he was passed at the final corner.

Tommy Hill- couldn't have had a better weekend

 Hill said: "It was a tough second race no matter how much you are in front as you have to keep pushing. I tried to settle down but that is when you start making mistakes and you cannot underestimate anyone. I made a few errors towards the end of the second race but it set us up well for the final race. To have won three races was fantastic as it was my first hat-trick in the series. It is just great to come out on top but now I have a flight to catch to get out to Suzuka. I didn’t ease up in the last race as I definitely had a target on my back as they all wanted to beat me. They kept me honest out there and I had to ride as hard as I could across the whole weekend but I was determined and it is great to head to my home round at Brands Hatch carrying this momentum.”

 

Haga said: “We started off the weekend with a good setting from before and I have been working with my new crew chief Mark and we continued to find a good positive setting. We were consistent in all three races, for sure we need to do some work with the rear suspension setup but my feeling is getting better. In the last race I was happier and I no longer feel like I am sometimes riding a motocross bike and that we can go to one of my favourite tracks next at Brands Hatch and be fast.”

Team manager Gary Ekerold concluded: “We had three races here and to take three wins and a pole position is a fantastic result for the Swan Yamaha team. Noriyuki had one of his best weekends too and now he is inside the top six and that was what we wanted to achieve this weekend. His feeling with the bike has improved tremendously and now we can go to the next round at Brands Hatch with Tommy’s confidence high and an ever improving Noriyuki.” 

For more information visit www.swanyamaha.co.uk

We're pleased to support, sponsor and supply performance parts to Swan Yamaha racing. for more information on the parts we have to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

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Samsung Honda Tough it Out at Oulton Park to Maintain Showdown Position

Samsung Honda’s Michael Laverty maintained his position inside the top six in the overall standings after the sixth round of the British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park this weekend with a fourth and fifth place finish.

In the opening Saturday race of the weekend Laverty had his aspiration of a podium finish ended on the fourth lap as he crashed out of contention whilst Kirkham was forced to retire with a technical problem. Sunday’s second race saw Laverty claim a fourth place finish as he continued to try and consolidate his position inside the top six, as Kirkham’s bad luck continued with a heavy crash at Shell.

Michael Laverty- in the Showdown

 Sunday’s races again saw Laverty score a fourth and fifth place to maintain fourth place in the overall standings whilst Kirkham suffered a high-speed crash but fortunately was uninjured before finishing fourteenth in the final race of the weekend.

In the National Superstock 1000 Championship Jason O'Halloran was denied the chance to challenge for a podium finish when the race was red flagged on the tenth lap, leaving him fourth and Gary Johnson in twelfth.

Michael Laverty: “To be honest I am glad the weekend is over now and I am looking forward to Brands Hatch. Oulton Park has never been a good circuit for me and it is always a fight but fourth and fifths today helped consolidate our position in the Showdown. The pace was close to the leaders but we just didn’t have that last bit, despite making improvements throughout the weekend. It is the way it goes sometimes but overall it has been a disappointing weekend although it could have been worse.”

John Kirkham- intends to come out fighting at Brands

 Jon Kirkham: “I started seventh in free practice and then qualifying went ok and I got through to Q3, but a technical problem at the end of Q2 meant I couldn’t push for a higher grid position. It was another weekend of bad luck for me as we had another technical problem in the first race, then a crash but fourteenth was the best we could do in the last one. It was a difficult weekend but we can regroup and come out fighting again at Brands Hatch.”

Jason O’Halloran: “It was a frustrating race today; it seems like I don’t have any luck at Oulton Park! I was caught up behind a few riders and then I was up to fourth when the race was red flagged. I was gutted that I couldn’t have the chance to fight for the win so we will have to move onto Brands Hatch now and see what we can do there.”

Gary Johnson: “I had a mega start in the race but it didn’t completely go according to plan. I was losing a bit of time on the straights and unfortunately a couple of times I got pushed a bit wide and that put me down the order. The Samsung Honda is working well but we just need to find something extra for Brands Hatch.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “It has been an extremely hard weekend for the Samsung Honda team and the results we leave Oulton Park with are certainly not the ones we know we can achieve. However Michael has been able to maintain his top six position in the standings, but this shows how crucial those final rounds will be if the riders are inside the top six and fighting for the title. We still need to work with Jon as he has had a difficult weekend but we know what he is capable of from his performances earlier in the season. In the Superstock race I think it was disappointing for Jason as the red flag prevented him from scoring a podium but I understand that these things happen in racing. Gary was unhappy with his result too as he was duffed up but now we are looking forward to the next round at Brands Hatch.”


For further information about Honda, the Honda Racing team and its riders please visit
www.honda.co.uk or www.honda-racing.co.uk

We're pleased to support, sponsor and supply performance parts to Samsung Honda Racing. for more information on the parts we have to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

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Double Victory For Smiths Triumph Racing Team

The Performance Parts equipped Gloucester-based Smiths Triumph Racing Team were back in action this weekend contesting the latest rounds of the Motorpoint British Supersport and Metzeler National Superstock Championships and success again came their way as the Australian duo of Billy McConnell and Glen Richards once again shared the race wins in the Supersport category whilst Luke Mossey also scored his first podium of the season.

With all three riders qualifying inside the top six for Saturday's ten-lap race, Glen started on pole once again and hopes were high of some great results as Richards immediately went into the lead. Battling with championship rivals Jack Kennedy and Christian Iddon, there was little to choose between the three riders but when Iddon crashed, it was a straight battle to the end between Glen and Kennedy. However, it all ended in disaster when the two tangled at the last corner of the last lap and the pair ended in the gravel trap.

Their misfortune was Billy and Luke's good fortune though and as Glen and Kennedy picked themselves up, McConnell swept by to take his third win of the season with Mossey just three seconds further back in third for his first podium of 2012.
Sunday went even better for the team with Richards and McConnell taking first and second for the second time this season. It was another tough race though with Kennedy involved once more and there was again little to choose between the trio. However, as the race entered its crucial final third, the two Smiths Triumph riders upped the ante and with Glen setting a new lap record two laps from the end, he was able to take his fourth win of the year.

McConnell was less than half a second adrift in second place and the 1-2 result has brought him right back into the title hunt as well as Richards closing in considerably on Kennedy meaning he is just 9.5 points adrift of the Irishman going into the next round at Brands Hatch in two weeks time. Cambridge rider Mossey, meanwhile, was running just off the back when a slight highside saw him drop back a couple of places. However, he regrouped well and battled back for a good fifth place and his most successful weekend of the year so far.

Fourth team member Johnny Blackshaw also had an excellent ride in the Metzeler National Superstock 600cc Championship, with the Stretton rider coming through the field strongly at his local track for seventh place. Back in 13th in qualifying, a change in clutch springs for the race paid dividends with the nine points moving him up to seventh overall in the championship table.

Glen Richards

Glen Richards: "I've really enjoyed myself this weekend and whilst Saturday obviously ended in a disappointing fashion, it was just a racing incident where neither of us wanted to give in to the other. It was important to bounce back strongly on Sunday and that's exactly what I did, showing I could win. I tried to ride as smoothly and as conservatively as possible to save the tyres for the last third and that's when I upped the pace, setting the lap record in the process. I didn't leave any doors open and rode cleanly for another win and things are getting interesting now as the gap between myself, Billy and Jack closes up."

Billy McConnell

 Billy McConnell: "First of all, I'm glad Glen wasn't injured in Saturday's spill but, from my own point of view, the first and second placed riders of the championship going out was just what I needed! I was a bit annoyed with myself to be a couple of seconds adrift as I had the same pace as them and I just need to be that bit more aggressive in the first few laps. I was gifted the win but you need a bit of luck on your side and this weekend it was my turn to get it. Sunday was another great race to be involved in and the bike's working so well at the moment, it's making my life so much easier. Getting a 1-2 has allowed me to claw back some major points on Glen and Jack so I'm right back in the title hunt now."

Luke Mossey: "Saturday's result was certainly a gift but I'll take it! I didn't get the best of starts and the left grip came loose before coming off completely so I had to do a few running repairs, which created a bit of concern but I didn't lose any time or places, which kept me in the hunt. It would have been nice to have taken a 'proper' third but I'm happy and after struggling a bit in Friday's wet sessions, it all came good in the dry. If it wasn't for a small bobble in Sunday's race, I'm sure I would have been closer to the front but fifth was still good and it's been a good weekend all round."

Johnny Blackshaw: "Qualifying couldn't have been much worse for me and it made it hard in the race for me but the changes we made to the bike helped no end. I got a good start and battled my way through and felt I had the pace to run with the front pack but I got held up slightly and I just couldn't quite close them down after that. It's a solid finish for me though and, after the disappointment of crashing here in May, it's nice to get a good result at my home circuit so a big thanks to the team, especially Pete and Tom, for doing a great job."

Rebecca Smith, Team Manager: "It's been another great weekend for us and although Saturday's race was a bit of a bitter-sweet affair, what happened between Glen and Jack was purely a racing incident and just one of those things. One of the advantages of having more than one rider in a team is that it gives you more opportunities and Billy was able to pick up the pieces, which from his own championship perspective, was brilliant. It also allowed Luke to get his first podium and it was just reward for his riding this weekend.
"Sunday's race saw Glen put in a flawless performance and with Billy right behind him, it's closed the title race up and it's really exciting going into the second half of the season. Luke had another strong ride and the weekend ended well for us with Johnny getting a solid result at his home circuit. Qualifying was tough for him but the changes to the bike worked and he set his fastest lap of the weekend in the race, which shows how well he was riding. We've had a great time again so hope for more of the same at Brands Hatch."

For more information on Smiths Triumph please visit www.smithsracing.co.uk

We're pleased to support, sponsor and supply performance parts to Smiths of Gloucester racing. for more information on the parts we have to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

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Strong Weekend for Gearlink Kawasaki Round 6 Oulton Park

Motorpoint British Supersport

Ben Wilson had a solid weekend at Oulton Park gaining a second and fourth place in the two Motorpoint British Supersport races on board the Kawasaki ZX-6R with Gearlink Kawasaki. His team-mate Dan Cooper also had his best weekend of the season finishing in 10th and 11th places in the two races.

Oulton Park in May was the last time Ben visited the podium so it was a welcome return for him and he is in fourth place in the overall Championship standings. The Gearlink Kawasaki team have been working hard all weekend to get a good set up around the circuit and Ben qualified in fifth for the sprint race on Saturday. He got a great start and was third into turn one and fourth after the opening lap. He was locked in a tight battle in the opening laps before the two leaders bridged a small gap and Ben was sitting in fourth, on the last lap on the final corner the two front runners, Richards and Kennedy collided and crashed out.

He was placed in sixth for the Sunday race and once again Ben's fantastic starts got him through to fourth into the opening corner but he dropped back to sixth after lap one. Ben was fighting hard at the start of the race and was soon locked in a battle with Triumph rider Luke Mossey, the pair was swapping positions between fourth and fifth on most laps but it was Ben that finally got the upper hand and finished fourth.

A 4th and a 2nd for Ben Wilson

 Ben - "I'm still really frustrated with this year and it's just not going the way I would have liked. It was good to get on the podium yesterday but I want to be finishing there every weekend as I know I can. It's been another hard weekend and I just hope we can turn things around I've not won a race yet and it is extremely frustrating when I know I can beat them. I just hope it will change when we get to Brands Hatch as I really want to be back up at the sharp end of it all."

Solid performances to build on for Dan Cooper

 Dan Cooper had his best weekend of the year on the Gearlink Kawasaki with two solid results in the two Supersport races, he got 10th and 11th. He has worked hard at the last two races for the Gearlink Kawasaki team to get a good set up on the bike. With him not riding the first race at Oulton Park in May, he had to start from scratch to find settings that worked best for him on the Kawasaki.

In the first race Dan was in a battle with Dean Hipwell and Taylor Mackenzie for tenth place and the trio had a battle throughout the race with Dan finally getting the upper hand for tenth as they crossed the line. In the second race on Sunday Dan was having a really good race with Deane Brown and eventually got the upper hand by 0.1 for 11th place.

Dan - "Oulton is one of my favourite tracks so I was looking forward to coming here and getting some decent results. I'm pretty pleased to have come here and got the results I have because I never got to do the round here in May so I had to start from scratch with a set-up for the Gearlink Kawasaki but I'm pretty pleased with the results I've got and I just hope the rest of the season I move forwards." 

Metzeler Superstock 600s

Scott Hudson struggled during qualifying and ended up in 20th place on the grid for the Superstock 600 race. He gained a good start and made progress through the field throughout the 12-lap race and was up into 15th place and a point scoring position mid-way through the race. He got caught up in a tight battle with Jamie Harris but sadly missed out on the last lap and ended up 16th in the race.

Scott Hudson

 Scott - "I'm really disappointed this weekend as I wanted to make progress and get some more points, however I did manage to improve my times over the weekend and I felt like I had a good race and a good battle with Jamie. We were fighting hard until the end but I was struggling with a brake issue in the latter stages of the race and this got worse towards the end. I'm just a bit gutted but hopefully I can move forward at Brands Hatch in a couple of weeks' time."
 
Team Manager Michael de Bidaph - "It's been another frustrating weekend for us and we know we have to make some progress with the Gearlink Kawasaki's to move Ben forward through the field. I know he can run up the front and we hope the win will come at some stage as I know Ben is capable of achieving the win and he proved that last year. We know we need to do some more testing this year to get on par with the Triumphs and the Yamaha as we are struggling to stay with them during the races. We know what we have to do and hopefully after Brands we might be able to get out and test and try and get a little more from the bikes.

I am really pleased with Dan's progress this weekend; he's worked hard and got some good solid results at a track we know he's good at. It's good to have him on board and hope he'll be with us at Brands Hatch also as we feel we can keep making progress with him and get some more good results. Scott has worked hard this weekend but it's a very difficult track to learn, understand and ride right but his lap times continued to improve over the weekend and he has settled his riding style down and making good improvements."

For more information on Gearlink Kawasaki please visit: www.gearlinkracing.com

We're pleased to support, sponsor and supply performance parts to Gealink Kawasaki racing. for more information on the parts we have to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

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Ten Reasons Why Akrapovič

We're pleased to be the official UK importer of Akrapovic. If you're thinking about a new exhaust, read on...

The only way to win is to be the fastest, to be unstoppable, and to be unbeatable in every way. This is the motto of the Akrapovič Company since the very beginning.

Swan Yamaha's Tommy Hill- winning with Akrapovic

 
1. Innovative Design

Leaders in exhaust system design. We put design at the center of our business. The Akrapovič patented hexagonal mufflers took the motorcycle aftermarket by storm: the new shape, replacing the standard oval, transformed the concept of exhaust systems. Our conical design reaffirms our commitment to great design. Akrapovič: whether for your motorcycle or your performance car, there are no better-looking exhaust systems anywhere.

2. Pure Power
Our exhaust systems are designed to provide you with higher levels of performance. We call it Pure Power. Reduced weight from the combination of the right materials and the best design to ensure optimum exhaust flow. The right catalytic converters and the best shapes. More horsepower. More performance. Pure Power.

3. The Unique Sound Of Akrapovič

Our exhaust systems sound like no others. Just the right notes at the right times. Deep, resonant sound. The sound of Pure Power. Make your own sound with Akrapovič.

4. Race Proven

Racing is in our blood. Akrapovič has successfully supported racing teams since its inception. So far, sixty-three world champions have relied on Akrapovič when it really matters. It’s the choice of champions whether racing on road or off. Factory racers and privateers. There’s no better proving ground for your exhaust system than the world’s most demanding racetracks.

Akrapovic equipped machines- flying at Cadwell Park, literally

5. Research, Development & Testing

Akrapovič invests heavily in R&D. We have the best people constantly innovating and driving our business forward. New materials, new technology, new processes, and new products are the outcomes of this approach. It is backed up with rigorous measurement and testing to ensure that our exhaust systems meet the most stringent standards where required.

6. Only The Best Materials

Akrapovič uses only the best materials. We use heat-resistant titanium alloys for all the key parts of our titanium exhausts, not just the outer sleeves like many of our competitors. We also use stainless steel and ultralight carbon fiber. Our carbon fiber is pre-impregnated and ultralight, with high tensile strength and temperature resistance.

7. High Tech

Akrapovič is a pioneer in developing and using technology to bring real benefits to the end user. And we develop the technology in-house. Hydroforming is one such process, where header tubes are molded by applying water pressure. This way of forming material creates the ideal shape for optimum exhaust flow, with no loss in tensile strength. We are also pioneers in the plastic deformation of titanium alloys and welding.

8. State of the Art Factory

At our manufacturing facilities we maintain quality control by designing and manufacturing our exhaust systems in-house. This allows us to create exhaust tubes to our own specifications for maximum performance and quality. Our in-house laboratories ensure that we meet the standards for type approval and certification.

9. Passion & Experience

Few can match the passion, experience, and dedication of the Akrapovič team. We already have twenty years of devotion to developing the best exhaust systems behind us, and a desire for perfection in the design, performance, and sound of all our products. All Akrapovič employes work with a passion for our products, for racing, and for customer satisfaction.

10. Attention To Detail

It’s all in the detail. Not just in the design and testing but also in the assembly, right down to the packaging. Our carbon fiber is assembled by hand with a meticulous approach to quality and finish. Then it’s signed by the person who did it. Now that’s real attention to detail.

To see if we have Akrapovic for your bike, and to look at the hundreds of other bits we have to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

Performance Parts Ltd- 

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TOUGH TEST IN SPAIN FOR HASLAM

Akrapovic equipped LEON HASLAM battled to seventh and sixth place finishes respectively in round eight of the World Superbike Championship at Aragon in Spain on Sunday.

Haslam: Tough in Spain

The BMW rider qualified on the front row of the grid for the two 20-lap races before a wrong rear tyre choice ended his chances of victory in the opening encounter and race two mistakes prevented a sixth podium finish of the season.
 
“In race one we simply opted for the wrong compound rear tyre,” admitted Haslam. “In the warm up in the morning the race tyre that we had already chosen only lasted seven laps so we made a last minute gamble to go with the hardest tyre which we had not really run over the weekend.
 
“We knew that the pace of the tyre would not be so good at the beginning of the race but hoped that it would come good at the end. My lap times remained constant but I just had zero grip. It was the wrong choice and we missed out on a podium as I felt I could have definitely challenged Carlos Checa for third.”
 
Haslam continued: “In race two I had a better start and felt pretty good but then ran off the circuit and lost a lot of time. I pushed again and got back up to battle with Checa and Sykes and a few other guys but ran off the circuit again.
 
“Every time I went a little bit deeper on the brakes I really struggled. I was pretty happy to finish ahead of Sykes and Checa but I felt that we had a good enough pace, especially at the end of the race, to be in the leading group. There were just too many mistakes today.”

We're proud to be official UK importers of Akrapovic. To see our hundreds of performance parts we have and to look at what we've got to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

Performance Parts Ltd

Bionics for your Bike