Mixed Weekend Again for Gearlink Kawasaki

It was another mixed weekend for the Gearlink Kawasaki team at round ten of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship in Assen this weekend. Alastair Seeley who is still suffering with healing ribs after breaking them in a crash in August, managed to gain a solid fifth in race one and fourth in race two. Ben Wilson was unlucky in race one and suffered a clutch problem and was only able to finish in 24^th place, however, he regrouped on Sunday and secured a fantastic third place.

Alastair Seeley is still suffering the effects of two big crashes at Cadwell Park and Donington Park, he reinjured his broken ribs at Donington and is still not 100% fit, once again battled through the pain barrier to bring the Gearlink Kawasaki home with two solid finishes. Alastair qualified in tenth place for the sprint race and gained fifth position and moved up the grid to sixth for race two, he was locked in a massive battle with six riders for second and gained fourth position at the flag.

Alastair Seeley - "It was another tough weekend and I was pleased to come away from Assen with some decent points. It has left me with a lot of work to do at Silverstone and Brands but I am still keen to keep fighting for the title even if it goes down to the wire. The last few races have not been good for me; the broken ribs are still giving me a lot of problems especially when it comes to change of direction on the bike. It was another tough weekend so to come out of it with fifth and fourth I am pretty happy with. I know I have a lot to do at the final rounds but I want to be back on the top step and winning again."

Ben Wilson was struggling to find a set up at Assen all weekend and ended up qualifying in ninth for the sprint race, despite all his efforts and running in a good position Ben's bad luck continued and a clutch problem saw him drop back down the pack to 24^th. He was placed in seventh for the second race and was eager to make amends; he got one of his great starts and was battling throughout the race for second place with Jason O'Halloran, Richard Cooper, Alastair, Glen Richard and Luke Mossey. Locked in a fierce and close battle, he fought hard to secure the final podium slot in third place.

Ben Wilson - "We had a few problems this weekend and I was really struggling to find a set up that suited me here for qualifying. I knew I had my work cut out in the sprint race but I managed to get a good start and got away with the front pack. I felt good but from around half distance I was struggling with the clutch and I was able to nurse the bike home but way out of the points. I was disappointed and wanted to make amends in race two as Assen is a long way to come for us all and I didn't want to go home with bad results. I was really keen to get on the podium and it wasn't an easy task, it was a really tough race out there and everyone was changing position on every lap. I pushed hard and wanted that third place, I'm glad I was able to make up for the sprint race and hopefully carry this form on to the last two rounds of the Championship."

Team Manager Michael de Bidaph - "We didn't get a good enough set up in the practice sessions so qualifying did not go as well as we had hoped.I feel that we achieved a big step forward for the sprint race and whilst Alastair did well to finish in 5th it was disappointing for Ben to retire with a clutch problem.

We made a few more changes for the main race on Sunday and both riders did a fantastic job to finish in 3rd and 4th positions.

Assen is an amazing circuit and the fans there are very passionate about motorbike racing. We all had a really enjoyable weekend and are now looking forward to Silverstone." 

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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PODIUM FINISHES FOR MILWAUKEE YAMAHA AT DRAMATIC ASSEN

The opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Showdown at Assen produced a mixed raceday for Milwaukee Yamaha, but the team were still able to celebrate two podium finishes from both sides of the garage with Tommy Bridewell and James Ellison.

In the opening race Ellison had been fighting in the lead pack for the race victory until he lost oil pressure which disappointingly forced him out of contention. Bridewell though had fought his way up the order to move third on his debut with the Milwaukee Yamaha team.

Race two was as dramatic as the first and Ellison and Bridewell were both in the hunt for a podium finish in the early stages of the race, however on the fourth lap Bridewell slid out of the race ending his hopes of another strong finish. Ellison continued to battle on and he held the lead until the closing stages when Alex Lowes made a move and despite trying to fight back he finished second on the track. Lowes was later excluded from the race for an incident with Shane Byrne which promoted Ellison to the win.

Ellison said: “That second race was all a bit of a blur to be honest with you! It was a good race in the second one, especially as we were so disappointed to not have finished the first one as we were fighting at the front. I certainly believe we would have been on for a podium, especially now in the Showdown when it matters and that was a shame. We had a new engine in for the second race and I can’t thank the team enough as the bike didn’t miss a beat and we were able to go all out. I thought maybe we had the chance of the win, but at the start I had tried really hard to get by Haga and a few others and it meant I had less tyre left for the end of the race. Alex started chipping away and then he came by and I tried to stay with him but I had nothing left. We are now looking forward to Silverstone, especially as we have been there recently for the support race at MotoGP.”

Bridewell said: “It was a fantastic first race for me and for sure we managed to get it done. I am obviously disappointed for James (Ellison) as he was running well, but I saw on my board I had a gap behind me but at the end I just couldn't close the leading two. I had fallen asleep on the opening two laps and unfortunately I got caught up with Nori who was a bit excited so to speak. In the second race it was turning into a good fight and then I had a crash and took out Nori at the same time which was disappointing but I am looking forward now to Silverstone. Thanks to the Milwaukee Yamaha team for all their hard work.”

For more information visit www.milwaukeeyamaha.com

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Second consecutive double win for Lowes and Samsung Honda

The Samsung Honda team had a spectacular weekend at the ninth round of the British Superbike Championship at Donington Park, with Alex Lowes securing his second consecutive double win. He and team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari now occupy two of the six Title Fighter places ahead of the end-of-season Showdown.

In the opening race, Lowes got off to a flying start from the front row to hold the lead from the first lap. Despite coming under pressure from Shane 'Shakey' Byrne and James Ellison, the Lincolnshire lad put in an incredible performance to keep his rivals at bay and secure the victory.

A hard-fought and incredibly close second race saw Lowes score Honda’s first double win at Donington since 2004. Kiyonari meanwhile finished thirteenth and eleventh to secure his position as a Title Fighter ahead of the first of the Showdown rounds at Assen in The Netherlands on 21/22 September.

In the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Jason O'Halloran put in an impressive performance to finish on the podium for the third consecutive event with his best result of the season in second place.

Alex Lowes
I don’t think I have ever pushed as hard as I did at the end of those races to take the double. I wanted wins this weekend as the points make it close and I am really excited about the Showdown. It is so close so it should be really good fun at Assen.

Ryuichi Kiyonari

I have not had big problems but we haven’t been able to fix the small ones. We have been trying to improve set up again as I don’t have the feeling I need, but we have been trying things in order and trying to get a balance. I am happy for the Showdown and we need to see what we can do now at the final rounds.

Jason O’Halloran
The first part of the race is never the strongest for me and I always come good towards the end of the race and we have improved a lot from qualifying to the race. It has been great for the team so I need to thank them. It took me a long time to get ahead of Ben (Wilson) as he is so strong on the brakes. I then was trying to pass Billy but we made a pass at the Old Hairpin and we had to defend a little bit so he didn’t get ahead. It was a shame that Stuart got away a bit but I think we would have closed the gap in the final laps.

Havier Beltran – team manager
Following Cadwell Park the plan was to continue to be strong as a team. We discussed with Alex the need to beat the opposition on track ahead of Showdown so to do the double shows effort and his determination to try and win the championship, which is great moving on to Assen and Silverstone two circuits he loves and knows he can win. Today Kiyo secured his place in the Showdown although it is clear there is work to do to give him the winning package, I hope the Showdown gives us that opportunity, as we all know when he is on form his is capable of winning and we are yet to find the key to that form. Jason, from three rounds we have had three weekends of progressive approach and the determination shown has been fantastic to finish second today, I think if he hadn’t diced with Billy McConnell for so long he could have caught Stuart Easton so I am very happy with progress and looking forward to Assen.

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Mediocre Weekend for Gearlink Kawasaki at Donington Park

It was a disappointing weekend at Donington Park for the Gearlink Kawasaki Supersport riders, the first time all season that neither rider has managed to be on the podium in either Motorpoint British Supersport race podiums. Ben Wilson gained a strong fourth place in race one but crashed out in race two, Alastair Seeley was only able to salvage a ninth and eighth place riding injured.

Ben Wilson was eager to have a strong weekend at a track he has had previous form at the circuit and was keen to follow on from his results at Cadwell. However, disaster struck early on in the weekend, with shocking weather conditions on Friday halting most practice sessions and then a crash down Craner Curves for Ben during qualifying saw him qualify in a low 14^th place. Despite this he rode a fantastic race and brought the Gearlink Kawasaki home in fourth place. He was able to gain a better qualifying position and started the second race from the second row in sixth place, sadly despite his best efforts in fighting for a podium place he crashed out at McLeans, uninjured but disappointed.

Ben Wilson - "It certainly wasn't the ideal weekend for myself nor the team. Donington is always a track we have struggled at in the past and I've made hardly any mistakes all year then have two crashes in one weekend. I was really desperate for the team to bring them a good result and maybe I was pushing too hard in the second race for a podium, I just missed a gear and down I went.

I will as always pick myself up and walk away and come back strong at Assen, I am looking forward to getting there for our second year and now we have some data from last year this should help us and I will be fighting as always to get a good result."

After his big crash at Cadwell a few weeks ago, Alastair Seeley had another bad weekend and crashed heavily on Friday aggravating his already very sore injuries. During the crash he re-injured his already infected arm and his ribs; he also sustained a back strain in the fast crash in the wet. Despite this he qualified in ninth for the opening race in which he finish in ninth and qualified in tenth for race two and finished in eighth.

Alastair Seeley - "It was another tough weekend and really frustrating, the last thing I needed to do was crash on Friday but I needed to test some things on the bike and down I went early on in the session and pretty quick. I ended up in the medical centre and missing out on the rest of free practice. I knew I wouldn't be able to do much in qualifying and so only did 11 laps and ended up in ninth.

The races were really tough especially at Donington with the change in direction of the track it was very difficult with my rib and back injuries. I really need to get myself back fit and ready for Assen and the last races of the year as I still have a Championship to fight for. I have now dropped to second in the Championship standings so I have to make sure I'm fully fit and ready to go at the final three rounds of the series."

Pirelli National Superstock 600s

It was another good weekend for the two Pirelli National Superstock 600 riders at Donington for Luke Hedger and Mark Wilkinson. With the poor weather on Friday the main qualifying session was during the dry on Saturday. Luke qualified in second on the front row and Mark in ninth place. They both had a solid race with Luke taking a solid second place and Mark Wilkinson locked in a tight battle finishing the race in sixth he was later promoted to fifth after the exclusion of another rider, his best result of the season so far. 

Luke Hedger - "The race was really good and it was nice to be back there up on the podium after the big crash at Cadwell. It went well all weekend and I was looking forward to another dice for a podium place. I got a pretty good start and away with the leaders but I got stuck behind Joe (Collier) and Jordan (Simpkin) and I could see Callan (Cooper) bridging the gap. By the time I got past I knew I would just have to settle for second and try and pull in the gap on the Championship standings. My times were good and I'm pleased with the way I rode and hoping for a good end to the season."

Mark Wilkinson - "It was a really good race and I enjoyed riding in it and being a part of a really good scarp and tidy battle for sixth. We had a good race and we kept making a few passes on each other but it was good tidy racing, I later found out I was promoted to fifth which I'm over the moon with. Everything has been great and I've really gelled well with the Gearlink Kawasaki team and the results are definitely coming on good."

Team Manager Michael de Bidaph - "It was a bad weekend as far as the Supersport class is concerned. Ben rode his heart out this weekend and was desperate to bring home a good result for us it was just a shame about his qualifying crash. He rode well to get fourth in the first race and then he missed a gear in race two and crashed out.

Alastair had a bad weekend and the crash in practice set him back and sadly he wasn't able to ride to his full potential in the races and now we've slipped back to second in the Championship after having a healthy lead before Cadwell."

The stock 600 riders really did ride well this weekend and they both deserved the results they gained. Luke bounced back well from his crash at Cadwell and gained another podium, he's worked hard all weekend and gained the result he was hoping for, back on the podium. Mark once again showed his form and rode a very solid race to finish sixth; he was promoted to fifth after an exclusion of a rider which helped him secure his best result of the year. Both riders are working very hard and getting great results, they are both capable of podiums and hope to end the year on a high note."

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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MILWAUKEE YAMAHA’S ELLISON SECURES SHOWDOWN POSITION AT DONINGTON PARK

The Milwaukee Yamaha team have secured their position in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Showdown for the third consecutive season as James Ellison scored a third place in the opening race at Donington Park.

In the opening race Ellison was pushing hard in the leading pack as he put in a determined performance to move up the order and was running third and despite trying to make a move on Shane Byrne ahead of him and maintained his position to claim the podium credit. In the second race Ellison was pushing to claim another haul of podium credits but as he made a bid to move ahead at the Esses on the tenth lap he ran on and then had to make up the places again, working his way through to sixth. Josh Waters scored a pair of twelfth places.

Ellison said: “It is job done now to get our position in the Showdown which was the main thing but I still wanted a podium. It was a really hot pace and we managed to gap some of the other riders; none of the guys were making any mistakes so we were all looking to try and make a move but as usual there were areas where someone was stronger than someone else. I saw Shakey have a few looks at Alex and I thought he might have a go, I thought maybe he might and push them both wide, but it didn’t happen and we had a third but I was happy with that. Race two was looking good until we had that moment, but we showed our pace and we will be ready for the 

Showdown.”

Waters said: “We had two hard races and in both of them I had a bad couple of opening laps and that really cost me in both races. I enjoyed Donington Park though and I feel we made some more improvements so I am looking forward to the next round at Assen.”

Team co-ordinator Mick Shanley concluded: “It was really positive for the Milwaukee Yamaha team to secure the position in the Showdown and overall we had a positive day despite the race two result. James had a great podium in the first race and again showed what he was capable of, it was just a shame he couldn’t get on the podium in the second race when he ran on at the Esses. Josh is continuing to try hard but there is obviously still work to do. The whole team are now going to prepare for the Showdown and we look forward to Assen.”

For more information visit www.milwaukeeyamaha.com

We're pleased to support, sponsor and supply performance parts to Milwaukee Yamaha. 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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