Highs and Lows for Gearlink Kawasaki at Brands Hatch Final Round

It was a hugely emotional weekend for the Gearlink Kawasaki team at the final round of the Motorsport British Supersport Championship at Brands Hatch. Alastair Seeley rode his heart out despite coming to Brands Hatch with a 19 point deficit. He rode a stunning first race and finished second and went into the main race on Sunday four points behind Easton. In a dramatic final race of the season once again the Gearlink Kawasaki team were forced to take the runner-up spot in the overall Championship after the race was cut short and Alastair was awarded third place.

It was a mixed weekend for the Gearlink Kawasaki team as fellow Supersport rider Ben Wilson had a huge crash on Saturday morning during the qualifying session. This fractured his lower leg/upper ankle and he was declared unfit to ride in either British Supersport race.

Alastair knew he had his work cut out but he was eager to try and salvage something from Brands Hatch. The rain fell heavily on Saturday for qualifying and he ended up in sixth place on the grid, he got a great start and worked his way through the pack to take a solid second place. Setting the fastest lap in the race he was sat in pole position for race two on Sunday, after the opening lap the rain came down and the race was red flagged. The race was then declared wet and shortened; Alastair got another good start but was pushed wide on the back section of the track forcing him back to fourth at the end of the opening lap. He managed to re-group and get his head down making his way back through to the front. Meanwhile Easton was making a charge through the pack and it was not long before the pair were fighting for the lead as they have all season. Easton made a pass to the front and Alastair dropped to third, the race was red flagged due to a big crash into Paddock Hill and the Championship was decided.

Alastair Seeley - "Well to say I'm gutted is an understatement. It's been such a rollercoaster year and the crash and injuries I sustained at Cadwell were what put a huge hindrance on my season and I've ended up second. I couldn't have finished second to a better and worthy Champion, we've had some fantastic battles over the season and it's been an enjoyable year just with the end result not what I was hoping. I finished this race smiling knowing that I had tried my best, my laps this year at every track were always consistently fast and that's a testament to the Gearlink Kawasaki team. They have worked so hard all year and with it being a new team for me to do what we have is a great achievement, I fitted in well from the start and everyone has worked so hard all season to help me win. It was difficult this weekend with the changing weather conditions as I wanted to push hard but not beyond the limit where I wouldn't finish, the track was really greasy and the conditions made things much worse. I tried hard this weekend and did everything I could to try and win the Championship and fair play and congratulations to Stuart Easton for winning it. Thank you to everyone who have supported me this season, my sponsors, my family, mechanics, girlfriend and the entire Gearlink Team, it's been great just unfortunate not to take the Championship win."

Ben Wilson - "I'm totally devastated to have to end the season in the medical centre, I was keen to end the season on a high note but it just wasn't to be. I was just caught out on a wet part of the track and that was me down but I went into the barrier at a quick part of the circuit. It hurt as soon as I got up and the medics x-rayed me in the medical centre and that was my season over. I'm sorry to everyone this isn't the way I wanted the season to end and thank you to everyone who has stood by me over this season and hopefully I'll be back fully fit to race again next year."

Pirelli National Superstock 600s

It was a totally different story in the Pirelli National Superstock 600 class as Luke Hedger became the 2013 Superstock 600 Champion in his first season in the Championship after becoming 2012 British Motostar Champion. Luke was fired up for the weekend and the super talented youngster proved his worth and rode an extremely mature race not getting involved in any situations and bringing the Gearlink Kawasaki home in eighth place but taking the Championship win by 16 points. His team-mate Mark Wilkinson struggled in the wet conditions and finished in 21^st place.

Luke Hedger - "I'm absolutely over the moon with the Championship win, to move up to the Superstock 600 class this year from the Motostar class was a big jump and it took me a while to adjust to the new riding style to suit the 600. I couldn't have done this without the help and support this year from Michael and Norma and all the Gearlink Kawasaki team they have been unbelievable and I couldn't ask more from a team. All season I have just settled in more and more and the wins started to come and I started creeping up the Championship table and that's when I started to think that it might just be possible if I could remain consistent to win the series. I've worked hard all year and really wanted to do well; to win the Championship is just brilliant I'm so pleased for everyone involved. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me this season, all my personal sponsors, my team, my girlfriend and especially my Mum and Dad."

Mark Wilkinson - "That was my first race on the Kawasaki in the wet and I got a good start but made a few mistakes on the first lap and lost a lot of places. I was stuck in a group and with the conditions being so bad it was hard to make any moves. I've managed to score points in every round this year and would have been nice to finish the season in the points but it just wasn't to be. I would like to say a huge thank you to all the Gearlink Kawasaki team for making me feel at home and welcoming me into their team like they did. Also to everyone back home in Australia for their support it's much appreciated. Roll on 2014."

Team Manager Michael de Bidaph - "What can I say? I'm massively disappointed not to have won the Supersport Championship again. Alastair could not have done any more this weekend and it was taken away from us with a red flag situation. However, this year has been a fantastic year, we as a team, have constantly been at the front at all the races this year and Ben and Alastair are a credit to this team and we have taken so much from it. We will back again next year to try again and one day we will win that Supersport Championship. The Gearlink Kawasaki team would like to wish Ben a speedy recovery.

Luke was superb; he did everything he had to do today to win the Superstock 600 Championship. He rode a very mature race and did not do anything stupid, we're all really pleased with his Championship title and he took away some of the disappointment from the Supersport result.

Mark made a few mistakes in the opening laps but he has never ridden the bike in a wet race before and up to now he has been in the points at every race. He's been an absolute delight to have him in our team; he fitted in really well and rode very hard and always willing to learn.

I must say a huge thank you to all our very loyal sponsors, especially Kawasaki Motors UK, all our product sponsors and we are just sorry we were unable to repay you with the Supersport Championship but we will keep trying."

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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

Bionics for your Bike- 

Better, Stronger, Faster..

Positive Weekend for Gearlink Kawasaki Silverstone - Round 11

It was a solid weekend for the Gearlink Kawasaki team at round 11 of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Silverstone circuit this weekend. Alastair Seeley reeled in the points for the Championship title by taking a win and third place in the two Supersport races, he was later dropped to 10^th place in the second race due to a penalty gained for a move on Jason O'Halloran and Ben Wilson gained a fifth and fourth place.

Alastair Seeley was back in fine form at Silverstone and celebrating his 34^th Birthday and wearing a stunning new '34' branded Shoei helmet, he had a great opening race taking a solid win and narrowing the gap in the Championship lead and closing in on Easton. In the main race on Sunday, Seeley started from pole position and was locked in a hard scrap for a six lap sprint race after the safety car re-entered the pit lane after being deployed for an incident. Seeley as always, fought tooth and nail and the riders were exchanging paintwork on several laps. He was involved in an incident with Jason O'Halloran where the two came together, he re-grouped and then was dicing for the lead with Billy McConnell and Luke Mossey. The trio exchanged positions for the majority of the final two laps with Alastair finishing the race in third place. He was later penalised for the incident with O'Halloran and given a ten second penalty which dropped him to 10^th position.

Alastair Seeley - "It was another good weekend and it was the first time since my crash at Cadwell that I actually felt good on the bike again and I was able to move it around to where I needed to. It was great to be back on the top step of the podium on Saturday and close in the lead in the Championship. The second race was a little messy and there was some contact between all riders, it was a hard race and we all wanted to win. I ended up with third but I was knocked back to 10^th after a time penalty incurred for the O'Halloran incident. I'm a bit annoyed by the outcome of it as I'd worked really hard to get myself in a good position in the race and also the Championship but I will make sure that I keep fighting to the end."

Ben Wilson struggled all weekend at the Silverstone circuit where he took his only race win at last season. He secured fifth in the qualifying session and despite a good start he could only bring the Gearlink Kawasaki home in fifth position. He started from sixth for race two and sitting behind the safety car for a number of laps Ben was eager to get back racing again, he rode a solid race to finish again in fifth, and later promoted to fourth after the Seeley penalty.

Ben Wilson - "I really struggled here to get a good set up on my bike, despite winning here last year Silverstone has never been a circuit I have gone well at. I just couldn't get the set up right on my bike with the gearing despite trying several options over the weekend. It's solid points at one of my weakest tracks so I need to go to Brands focused and with the aim to get back on the podium and the hope to secure third in the Championship."

Pirelli National Superstock 600s

It was an unbelievable weekend for the Gearlink Kawasaki Superstock 600 riders, in the original scheduled race, Luke Hedger was nearly saying goodbye to winning the Championship when an engine problem occurred on the opening lap. The race was red flagged on lap one and rescheduled for after the first Superbike race, the Gearlink Kawasaki team had one hour to change the engine in Hedger's bike and they got him back out on the grid. In the process he went on to ride one of the most stunning races this season taking a fantastic win for the team and also the Championship lead as he heads to the final round. Mark Wilkinson was also suffering a mixed weekend after hitting a wet patch on Friday he was unable to put in a good qualifying time then, in the second qualifying session his bike had a problem so he ended up in a lonely 22^nd place on the grid. He also rode his heart out and secured two Championship points and gained 14^th place.

Luke Hedger - "Today was something very different and also very special, at the start of the initial race on the opening lap I felt my bike lose power. I was devastated but then we were told the race was postponed and I held out some hope, what I got in return from the Gearlink team I could never have expected. They were unreal and got set to changing my engine and putting it all back together in less than an hour, without them I certainly wouldn't have then been able to go out there and win the race. They worked so quick and they gave me a race winning bike, after all their hard work I knew I had to go out there and do something pretty special, so I did. I would like to thank Jamie Cooper for the loan of Aaron Clarke's engine. I got a good start and was eager to stay near the front, the Gearlink Kawasaki was awesome and I'm so glad I took the win, I now go to Brands leading the Championship for the first time this year and I can't wait to get there!"

Mark Wilkinson - "It was an up and down weekend for us, qualifying one was going really well and I was feeling quite comfortable on the bike but I made a small mistake touching the wet AstroTurf which caused me to crash at over 130pmh. Thankfully not a great deal of damage was done to neither me nor the bike. We had a small technical problem in qualifying two which forced me out of that session also. I ended up in 22^nd place on the grid for the race, I was able to make a great start and moved quickly towards the front only to have the red flag come out. We had a full re-start, I got another good start and was up to the top 15 bunch. With only a seven lap race I was unable to move through the field much further but I was still able to continue my points scoring positions and ended up in 14^th place. I'm looking forward to some better luck at Brands Hatch. I'd like to congratulate my team-mate Luke on his win. I'd also like to thank the Gearlink Kawasaki team again for their hard work repairing the bike and to all my personal sponsors back in Australia."

Team Manager Michael de Bidaph - "Ben was struggling all weekend to find a set-up that suited him right and it was damage limitation on a track he has suffered misfortune at in the past. Hopefully he will feel stronger at Brands Hatch and finish the season on a high note.

Alastair rode a great first race to take the win and it's good to see him back at the sharp end after a couple of poor results due to injury at the previous rounds. He rode a good race in race one and closed the gap in the Championship standings. He also rode a very good second race and the riders were clashing paint on most turns, he came together with Jason O'Halloran and was later penalised for the move. In my opinion it was a harsh decision and I feel that O'Halloran's strong protest did not help the situation especially as he also caused Alastair to sit up during the race by his aggressive manoeuvres.  

Luke was the star of the day; he rode his heart out on a bike that had just been rebuilt in less than an hour. I must credit my entire Gearlink Kawasaki team for their hard work and dedication they put in to ensure that we got Luke out on the track and he was able to repay them with the race win and also the Championship lead. We have to keep his feet on the ground now for Brands and try and treat it as another race weekend, he rode with his head today and we're really pleased with his result and his attitude towards it.

Despite Mark struggling during qualifying with a small crash and then a bike problem he once again pulled it all together in the race and rode fantastically well to once again secure some more Championship points. He has the right attitude and worked hard for the result he got today and never gave up, I hope he will have a good result at Brands."

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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

Bionics for your Bike- 

Better, Stronger, Faster..

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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

Bionics for your Bike- 

Better, Stronger, Faster..

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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

Bionics for your Bike- 

Better, Stronger, Faster..

Highs & Lows for Gearlink Kawasaki - Cadwell Park

Gearlink Kawasaki had a mixed weekend at round eight of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship with Ben Wilson taking a stunning first and second place in the two Supersport races. It was a different story for his team-mate Alastair Seeley who crashed out heavily in race one and feeling second hand for race two he was only able to salvage eighth position.

Ben Wilson had a great outing at his local circuit over the weekend and gained a comfortable pole position for the sprint race on Sunday and he dominated that race from the start to win the race by only 0.1 from Stuart Easton. In race two once again Ben was eager to get to the front and took the lead by the end of the opening lap and led until the final stages when Billy McConnell was able to reel him in.

Ben Wilson
"That was a mega weekend, to win the first race in front of my home crowd was an awesome feeling. The support for me was massive and you could really hear them cheering me on which was a huge motivation. I was keen to do the same again in race two and I managed to get another good start and take the lead by the end of lap one, I knew tyres would be a problem in the closing stages so I tried to gain a bit of a gap. I could see the time on my pit board coming down after half distance but even at that point my grip wasn't the best. I pushed hard but Billy rode a great race and took the win. I'm still really pleased leaving here with 45 points in the bag and keen to keep pushing for the good results at the remaining races."

It was a different story for Alastair, the weekend was going well and he placed himself on the front row for the opening race on Sunday in third place. He got a great start and was sat in second behind Ben and looking comfortable but on lap five he crashed heavily on the exit to Mansfield and was taken to the track medical centre. He was badly bruised and beaten up and suffered a cracked rib in the accident but he was eager to be back out on the grid on Monday. Despite his bravery the pain got the better of him and he was only able to finish in eighth place but he still leads the Championship from Stuart Easton.

Alastair Seeley
"I'm really gutted about this weekend as things have been going so well all season and this weekend it took a turn for the worst. I had a good set up and was feeling good during practice and qualifying. I felt strong in the race and even though I was struggling a little with grip I thought it was all ok. On lap five it just came round on me and I landed pretty heavily it knocked the wind out of me for sure. I knew the main race was going to be difficult and I tried to go hard from the start but as the race went on I was struggling and I knew then I just had to secure some points as it might help me at the end of the season. I will be resting now until Donington and getting myself fully fit for there. I'd like to thank all the Gearlink team for all their help and support this weekend."

Pirelli National Superstock 600s

It was a mixed weekend for the two Pirelli National Superstock 600 riders at Cadwell Park for Luke Hedger and Mark Wilkinson. Luke qualified on the front row in second place and suffered a bad start and crashed out heavily, but uninjured, into Charlies, turn two on lap one. Mark Wilkinson struggled with the tough testing circuit but knuckled down and was able to better his times in every session, qualifying in 21st place he did a fantastic job to once again finish in the points in 13th place.

Luke Hedger
"I'm so disappointed with the result today, things had been going really well all weekend at Cadwell for us and I managed to put in a good time during qualifying which put me on the front row of the grid for the race. I was keen to get a good start and that all went wrong and I was about ninth into turn one, I was wanting to get back towards the front and crashed out at turn two."

Mark Wilkinson
"I'm actually really pleased with the race today as at the start of the weekend I was really quite nervous as the track is quite daunting. I was trying to bide my time and learn the track properly but we don't get much time out on track so it was difficult. Every session I managed to improve my time and even more so in the race so I was really happy to once again get some more Championship points, I'm now one of only three people to score points in every round. I'm looking forward to getting back to tracks that I feel more comfortable at in a few weeks time."

Team Manager Michael de Bidaph
"All in all the weekend has been pretty good for the Gearlink Kawasaki team. We're disappointed for Alastair and I hate seeing one of my riders injured, he's had a lot of good fortune this year and sadly it took a downward turn this weekend at Cadwell. He worked hard over the weekend and despite his injuries still went and got some good points for his Championship hope.

Ben was brilliant all weekend and really deserved the results he got here especially more so at his local round. He worked hard and was rewarded with a first and second place, we made a bit of a gamble with tyre choice in race two and I think this caused a few problems in the closing stages and allowed Billy to catch him but it was a choice we decided to go with.

It was unfortunate that Luke came off on the first lap of the race but I do feel that he had a lot to learn. Sometimes being too confident is not a good thing but I know that he will bounce back at Donington.

Mark was lacking in confidence coming into this round this weekend so for him to gain some points here was great. He worked really hard all weekend and even in the race his times improved from his previous sessions. I'm confident he will be back up near the top end of the pack at the final three Superstock rounds."

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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

Bionics for your Bike- 

Better, Stronger, Faster..

MORE PODIUMS FOR GEARLINK KAWASAKI

Thruxton - Round 2

The MCE British Superbike season was action packed in the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Thruxton this weekend. With the scheduled sprint race cancelled on Saturday due to heavy rain the Performance Parts Ltd supplied Gearlink Kawasaki riders Alastair Seeley and Ben Wilson had two races on the Sunday and both achieving very good results, Alastair second and third and Ben a second and third.

Gearlink Kawasaki's Ben Wilson

In the tricky conditions over the weekend it was Alastair that ended up on the front row for the opening race in third place with Ben only 0.4 behind ended the session in fifth. The opening race was scheduled to be ten laps and the racing was extremely close and five riders were battling for the lead. An incident on lap six forced the race to be red flagged with Alastair taking second behind Stuart Easton and Ben 0.5 behind Stuart.

The second race scheduled for 18 laps was just as frantic and with concerns over tyre wear they cut the race distance to 15 laps and once again another red flag saw it become a 13 lap race. Ben, Alastair, Billy McConnell and Stuart Easton were continually swapping positions throughout the whole race and produced some of the best racing seen in years. This time it was Ben up to second and Alastair in third when the race was stopped and declared a result.

Ben Wilson - "It's been a good day for me and I'm really pleased for the results I got, Thruxton isn't my best circuit so to leave here with two podiums is great. It's going to be a tough season all year and who knows what is going to happen. I've really enjoyed being back out there and up there battling for the lead. It's always hard here with the slip streaming down the back straight and some of the riders are a little smaller than me, in both races I wanted to make a move on the last lap but both were cut short. You never know what will happen in racing but I'm really pleased to leave here with good points, I'd like to thank my sponsors and also the Gearlink Kawasaki team they have all worked really hard at a track I've struggled with in the past."

Wee Wizard- Alastair Seeley

Alastair Seeley - "They were both really good races today and it's always close at Thruxton, I managed to get a good set up early in the weekend which helped me as with the bad weather track time was limited on Saturday. I was trying to set something up for the last lap in the second race and was in a good position to make a move but it was cut short so had to settle for two podiums and I have left here leading the Championship so I am pretty happy. The Gearlink Kawasaki worked really well all weekend and we proved we have the speed to run with the Yamaha and Triumphs. Thanks must go to all my personal sponsors and also to the Gearlink Kawasaki team again for all their hard work."

Pirelli National Superstock 600s

In the Pirelli Superstock 600 class the two riders Luke Hedger and Nicole Mc Aleer also had a good weekend. Current British Motostar Champion Hedger found himself locked in a position fighting for a podium place in the Superstock 600 race, the youngster had a glimpse of how competitive his class is and what it is like to run up with the front runners. He was really strong in qualifying and was sixth on the grid and finished in 10th place overall after been locked in a battle of eight riders for third place.

Nicole Mc Aleer qualified for her first race with the Gearlink Kawasaki team and during the race she was slower working through the field, sitting in 35th place before she was forced to retire with a technical problem.

Luke Hedger - "That was a tough race, every weekend I'm learning what an aggressive Championship it is and that I need to step up my game and ride like them. I was really pleased with how qualifying went and got a good start, I was soon being swamped from all angles and you have to be really aggressive out there to be in with a chance. I got terrible arm pump from half way through the race and this was causing me huge problems trying to hold on around such a bumpy and fast circuit. I'm learning at each round what I need to do and I can't wait to get to Oulton Park."

Nicole Mc Aleer - "I'm really pleased to have qualified this weekend with the Gearlink Kawasaki and each session I was able to improve my times. I was happy with my times through the race and each lap they were improving and getting better, I lost some time after the safety car went back into the pit lane and dropped off the pack. I had to pull in as I was having an issue with the bike which wouldn't allow me to continue, we have made progress this weekend and I'm slowly getting my confidence back."

Team Manager Michael de Bidaph - "Well we had two Supersport races and four podiums, I'm certainly very happy with that and it's great to be back at the front of the field with both Ben and Alastair they have done a fantastic job.

We have always struggled a little in the past here so to get the results with have at a weaker track for us is brilliant. Alastair was able to find a good set up on his bike early on and with the weather conditions Ben found it a little more difficult but he was soon feeling confident with the bike after the team made some changes.

We were up there and battling with the other teams in both races and proved we can run with them on speed and it's great as we've put in a lot of hard work over the winter to make sure everything is right.

Luke is coming on leaps and bounds in the Stock 600 class, his confidence is building and he also now realises he needs to be quite aggressive as they give no space or room for error. His qualifying times were good and he is making very good progress quickly on a new bike.

We're pleased that Nicole managed to qualify and it is slowly building her confidence and she is managing to lower her times on each outing out on the bike we are really pleased with the weekend with all of our riders."


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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Podiums & Wins for Gearlink Kawasaki

Brands Indy - Round 1

The MCE British Superbike season kicked off this weekend and it was a strong start to the year for the Gearlink Kawasaki Team running in the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship. This year long term Gearlink Kawasaki rider Ben Wilson is joined by former British Supersport Champion Alastair Seeley racing on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R. Alastair gained a stunning third and first place place and Ben secured fourth and third places in the two Supersport races.

Gearlink Kawasaki's Alastair Seeley

The extremely cold weather conditions on Friday hindered progress and the team missed the first session due to the freezing track temperatures. However it was slightly warmer on Saturday morning for qualifying and Alastair qualified on the front row in fourth and Ben was 0.1 behind in fifth. The first sprint race on Saturday afternoon got off to an exciting start after the initial race was cut short due to a red flag, on the re-start Ben Wilson got an awesome hole-shot and led the race for the first three laps. It was a very close race and Ben and Alastair were soon swapping green paint work and dicing for third position, they swapped positions on several laps and Alastair took third and went down to a photo finish with Billy McConnell for second with the pair being split by only 0.007 over the line.

Their times from race one put Alastair on pole for race two and Ben in second position, as the lights changed green the two Gearlink Kawasaki riders shot out of the gate with Alastair first into turn one and Ben a close second. It was one of the most exciting British Supersport races in years with seven riders battling it out at one point for the overall win. It was the two stunning green Gearlink Kawasaki's that were fighting for the number one place. Ben managed to get through to the front and was holding his own despite a few challenges from Luke Jones and Alastair. Ben was leading the race and swapping positions with his team-mate, Luke and Billy McConnell and was back at the front for the final lap, a mistake out of Graham Hill Bend cost him and Alastair seized the opportunity to take the lead and the eventual race win, with Billy second and Ben in third, with only 0.4 splitting the top three.

Alastair Seeley - "It's been a really mega weekend for myself and the Gearlink Kawasaki Team, it's good for my confidence after having a tough 2012 season to get back on the top step of the podium. We've not had much testing time and so it's a great result for us all and to leave here leading the Championship is a great feeling. The team has worked really hard and we got a good set up early in the weekend, I felt strong from the start and I'm really happy with the results we got here. I'm looking forward to getting to Thruxton it suits my style and it has similarities of the North West for me, I enjoy racing there and hope we will be able to get similar results there."

Ben Wilson - "Well it's been a pretty good start to the year for me, already better than 2012 so hopefully we can work on this and progress and move forward. I felt much better on the bike this weekend and despite losing a bit of time during qualifying after I suffered a small technical problem I was happy to qualify where I did. I got good starts in both races and we made a wrong tyre choice for the restart of race one after it was red flagged and I struggled a little with grip but I was excited about race two and knew I had a good set up on the bike. The second race was certainly tough and this year is going to go down to the wire, I'm angry at myself for the mistake I made on the last lap and handed the win away but I know I raced well and held my own and fought back throughout the race. I can't wait to get to Thruxton and some more time out on the bike."
  
Pirelli National Superstock 600s
In the Pirelli Superstock 600 class Nicole Mc Aleer was unfortunate not to be allowed to race, she qualified in 41st place but they only allowed 38 to line up on the grid, she drastically decreased her lap times throughout the weekend and will now concentrate on Thruxton next weekend.

However current 125 Motostar British Champion Luke Hedger had a good weekend and secured some good Championship points gaining 13th in 22-lap race. Luke who qualified in 11th place after a very progressive weekend adapting to the 600 machine, he made progress in every session rode a strong race. The youngest from Yate got a shocking start and dropped to 20th position after the opening lap and left himself a lot of work to do. He got into a rhythm and set some very good lap times slowly working his way past through the fierce pack to finish in 13th.

Luke Hedger - "This weekend was a great experience for me, the race was good, but a whole new level for me, there is a lot of elbow bashing. I'm not used to that so it took me a little by surprise and know what to expect for the rest of the season now. I got a bad start and had to work hard to pass people but it was good and I really settled in and worked hard to get into the points. I'd like to thank the Gearlink Kawasaki team for all their help and support this weekend."

Nicole Mc Aleer - "It has been a real learning curve this weekend, sadly I felt like I was a session behind in every session, but each time I went out on the bike my times improved as well as my confidence. I had a great weekend with the Gearlink Kawasaki team and I can't wait for Thruxton."

Team Manager Michael de Bidaph - "We came here to Brands a little bit blind now knowing what to expect as we'd done no testing in the dry conditions. Ben had a small technical problem during qualifying and lost vital track time so we were pleased he qualified in fifth despite his problems. It was great to get a podium in the first race with Alastair and then we went even better on the main race day with a win and third. It's great and we're really pleased with the outcome this weekend, it's a great achievement for the whole team. So much work was put in over the winter and to leave with three podium finishes makes the hard work all worthwhile, we'd like to continue this form and progress throughout the season but we know it won't be easy judging by the quality of both races.

Luke did a great job in the Superstock Championship; his first race on a 600, no issues, no crashes and points is a great start to the season for him. We were really pleased with him qualifying in 11th place and despite a bad start he put some great lap times in during the race and we know this year is a learning curve for him and we will continue to help move him forward throughout the season.

Nicole worked hard all weekend and we are happy with her progress, we have put no pressure on her, she has gelled with the Gearlink Kawasaki well this weekend and improved her lap times every time she went out on track. We hope as the season progresses we will bring her up to the level and speed we know she is capable of."


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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Richards Wins British Supersport Championship

The Smiths Racing Triumph team ended their season in dramatic style with Glen Richards clinching the 2012 Motorpoint British Supersport Championship and team-mate Billy McConnell taking a superb double victory to end up third in the series for the Gloucester team.

But that only tells half the story as both Australians were involved in what's best described as one of the biggest cliffhangers ever seen in British motorcycle racing!
Saturday's 10-lap Sprint race was arguably one of the best races of the season with no quarter asked or given between the leading seven riders. McConnell led in the early stages before Richards and Christian Iddon overhauled him and when Glen hit the front on lap six, the championship situation was looking promising with Kennedy back in fourth. That meant the gap would have been 24.5pts with just 25 available on Sunday but Billy had other ideas as he still needed to secure third overall in the table from Iddon.

Glen Richards- Champion!

 The final two laps saw it get a little physical and as Billy crossed the line for his fifth win of the year, Kennedy squeezed by Richards on the run in to the line to claim second place resulting in Glen's lead being reduced down to 8.5pts with just the final race to go.

Sunday's 18-lap race started with Billy in third, Kennedy in sixth and Glen in seventh but it all went wrong for Richards on only the second lap when he missed a gear at Hawthorn and crashed out, seemingly handing the title to Kennedy. However, the Irishman's bike hit problems on lap eight and he retired to the pits, thus handing the title back to Glen and the Smiths team. Meanwhile, Billy was embroiled in a race long battle with Iddon and Richard Cooper which saw him get the win over Cooper as he secured third place in the overall title table.

Meanwhile, having qualified on the fourth row, Metzeler National Superstock 600 Championship rider Johnny Blackshaw put in a solid ride to claim his eighth top-ten finish of the year. The Stretton youngster took a fighting ninth place to end the year in eighth place overall.

Glen Richards: "I really don't know how to describe this weekend, it's just been crazy and it's certainly been a rollercoaster. Both Jack and I have had bad luck during the course of the year and I wanted to win the championship in style so it's not the way I wanted to win it and I really feel for Jack but that's racing I guess. One minute you're up, the next down, and then back up again. I missed a gear in the second race and ran into the gravel so it was purely my fault and the title had gone so I think someone upstairs was looking after me today. To end the year as British Champion is superb and the team have done an awesome job all year so hats off to them."

Billy McConnell: "It's been a tough weekend and both races were incredibly hard with lots of close racing and wheel to wheel action. I had a bit of a coming together with Christian on more than one occasion so it's a shame he crashed but I'm very happy to have ended with another win. Both Glen and Jack deserved the championship and it's been a fantastic year in Supersport and whilst it would have been nice to have ended with the number 1 plate, it's great to end with a double victory. The team have been awesome so hopefully it will be my year in 2013."

Billy McConnell in action at Brands

 Rebecca Smith: "To be standing here as British Champions is a really fantastic feeling but it's fair to say it was a nerve-racking weekend from start to finish! We said all season that there were no team orders and that could be seen on Saturday although it wasn't exactly how we would have liked it as there were certainly a few heart-stopping moments. Adrenaline does a lot of things to people but we got two podiums from the first race and we were still leading into the final race so we still held the upper hand. What happened today is simply too hard to put into words and there were tears, both good and bad, but the eventual result saw the team take both wins and the championship. It means so much to everyone concerned with the team and we're all absolutely over the moon so a big thank you to every single person that's been part of Smiths Racing Triumph in 2012."

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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