Samsung Honda End Season with a Podium Finish at Brands Hatch

The Samsung Honda team returned to the podium in the final round of the 2012 British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch.

Samsung Honda: back on the podium

Michael Laverty claimed third place in the second race of the weekend despite a hard battle to score the podium finish, whilst Jon Kirkham was eighth after forcing through the order after a tough qualifying session.

In the final race of the season Laverty was again on for the podium - dicing with the leading foursome - but was collected in a racing accident by fellow Honda rider Alex Lowes at Paddock Hill Bend on the final lap of the race. Kirkham would again finish a solid eighth.

The lone Samsung Honda Superstock 1000 rider, Gary Johnson - with team-mate Jason O’Halloran deputising in the Padgetts Racing Honda squad for this round only - finished eleventh in the final race of the season.

Michael Laverty: “It was nice to be back up on the podium but it was a hard second race. I struggled to get passed Alex Lowes; I put a couple of moves on him and he shut the door quite aggressively and nearly took us both down. Once he was out of the way I got into a good rhythm, but the two safety cars did make it hard work, but we pushed hard. The crash in the last race was not the way I wanted to end the season. My pace was a bit stronger and I was able to catch the leaders but I didn’t want to do anything rash out of respect for their championship fight. I knew that Alex was close to me, but didn’t realise how close till I saw his front wheel and then his bike took me down; he apologised, he wanted the podium as much as I did. It was been a bit of frustrating weekend but that’s racing.”

Jon Kirkham: “It has been a tough season, that started awesome but since my crash at Oulton Park it has been difficult for me. It wasn’t until Cadwell Park that we started getting back to where we needed to be. The final races of the season were better and we had three top ten finishes and got closer to the front and that was what we needed. Overall I am happy with this weekend and will take the experience and move forward.”
Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “It has been a challenging year without the results or the reward. Michael salvaged a podium finish and we turned some things around this weekend and that was the priority. Both rides felt stronger this weekend but it was too late for the championship. We will have a rethink now and start planning for next season.”

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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Podium Finishes for Samsung Honda at Silverstone

Samsung Honda’s Michael Laverty returned to the British Superbike Championship podium at Silverstone as he pushed hard to close the gap to his rivals in the overall standings ahead of the final round at Brands Hatch in two weeks’ time.

In the opening race of the day Laverty took the lead on the opening lap but as he conserved the tyre dropped down the order to third. He then battled for the second place but on the final lap was edged out on the run to the line to take third. Jon Kirkham finished the race in twelfth after holding off challenges from Karl Harris. 

In race two Laverty was forced to settle for fifth as Kirkham finished a disappointing fourteenth. Laverty now sits in fifth place in the overall standings with just one round left of the 2012 season.

In the Superstock 1000 Championship it was disappointment for Jason O'Halloran as he was forced to retire from the race whilst running third with a broken gear lever. The result ended the Australian’s title hopes with just the final round remaining at Brands Hatch. Gary Johnson just missed out on the top ten with a twelfth place finish.

Michael Laverty: “The first race was as I imagined, in the early laps I tried to conserve the tyre and it was good enough to hang onto the podium finish. We have compromised on set up but it has been good enough to fight for the podium and hopefully with some more improvements between races we can come back a bit stronger and try and do the same again. After the nightmare of Assen it was a relief to be on the podium again today. In the second race I rode hard at the start but after five or six laps the grip went and that was disappointing."

Michael Laverty

Jon Kirkham: “I struggled with the tyre choice this weekend and we needed to find some more grip but we just ran out of time. I got a good start and then after the first half of the race I just went backwards.”

Jason O’Halloran: “It was a hard way to lose the championship but that’s racing sometimes. I was fast all weekend and gave it everything I had, but now the championship is over so I just have got to enjoy Brands Hatch and look forward to the break.”

Gary Johnson: “I was hoping for more than twelfth but we tried everything we could and now we need to come back at Brands Hatch and try and end the season with a good result.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “It has been a disappointing weekend for the Samsung Honda team. As much as we were up there with Michael at the start of the race we were disappointed that we couldn’t maintain the pace until the end of the race. We still have some issues that we need to address and we are going to try something radical at Brands Hatch as we have nothing to lose now. It was also disappointing for Jason that we lost a bolt on the gear lever which forced him to retire. That is the Superstock championship gone for us now which is sad that it happened in that way.”

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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

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Challenging Showdown Starter for Laverty and Samsung Honda

The Samsung Honda team had a challenging start to the British Superbike Championship Showdown at the TT circuit Assen as Michael Laverty took a brace of seventh places.

Laverty dropped to fifth in the overall standings after struggling to find the best setting for the tyre longevity and despite hitting the front of the field in the early stages of both races, later dropped down the order in each outing.

Jon Kirkham meanwhile endured more disappointment after having shown good form in recent rounds. A bad start in the first race was difficult to recover from, scoring 13th at the line and in the second race he was forced to retire with a mechanical problem.

Michael Laverty: “That was a horrible day for me that had promised so much – coming at the start of the Showdown this is my worst day of the season. We had been working so hard and had a good pace but we were always worrying about tyre choice for the races. In the first race we used the softer compound which had good pace, but it wore and I dropped back down the field to seventh. For the second race we used the harder tyre but we couldn’t get the grip. That has put me on the back foot and I have to come back strongly at Silverstone – it has been so frustrating as I couldn’t get the result that I wanted.”

Jon Kirkham: “Disappointing time for me. We had some a mechanical issue that cost me. In the first race I had made a bad start, dropping back to 18th place, but fought back, picking up five places but there was nothing else that I could do about it. Then in the second race the clutch started slipping badly and I had to pull in late on in the race. I rode it really hard but there was not much I co do in the end.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “It has been a disappointing day and the results were not what we needed or were capable of. It wasn’t the start to the Showdown that we needed but there is still all to play for and we need to come back stronger at Silverstone and 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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

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Double Podium for Laverty at Donington Park

The Samsung Honda team scored a double podium finish at Donington Park, as Michael Laverty claimed a third and second place at the ninth round of the British Superbike Championship.

MLAV: Two podiums at Donington

Laverty finished third in the opening race after working his way up the order from tenth on the grid before challenging for the final podium positions and then following some changes for race two he stormed up the order to fight for the lead before finishing second. Jon Kirkham showed strong once again and took another pair of top ten finishes with a seventh and ninth place.

In the Superstock 1000 Championship, Jason O'Halloran scored a hard fought fifth place to close one point on title leader Keith Farmer with the pair now separated by only nine points. Gary Johnson continued to push hard to score a tenth place finish - after qualifying 20th - with impressive pace during the race.

Michael Laverty: “These have been solid results though I gave myself a lot of work with the tumble and third row start for the first race but after a poor start I was back in the hunt and scoring a podium credit point. In the second race I made a little mistake and that gave Josh Brookes half a second. He rode strongly all weekend but we worked hard and going into the Showdown and I am looking forward to going to Assen.”

Jon Kirkham: “It was good to qualify on the front row of the grid and I had good pace then but in the races, while I was good in the first two sectors, I lost time in the third and that was frustrating as this is my home circuit. I made a mess of the start in the first race and cooked my tyre in the second and I couldn’t stay with the leading pack.”

Jason O’Halloran: “It was a tough race today with a lot of passing going on and with aggressive moves I sometimes lose out a bit in those circumstances. But I got one point back on Keith so it’s not all bad and we will take it to Silverstone and see what we can do there to try and close the gap again.”

Gary Johnson: “It was good being back with the Samsung Honda team again this weekend and I think we can try and keep building now from here. It has been a weekend where we have kept trying to move forward and I think we should be aiming higher again at Silverstone.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “It has been an interesting weekend and of course it was great for Michael to have had two podium finishes. He came back stronger in race two with some improvements between the races but we still have some work to do for Assen. We still need to find some more from JK too; we saw him make some steps forward again but he again had mixed fortunes. The championship is now building for the Showdown and there will be so much for everyone to lose or gain when it gets underway at Assen. We will be ready to take up the challenge.”

“In the Superstock class Jason pulled back a point on Keith Farmer in the standings which could prove crucial over the final two rounds. We have the pace and ability to be back on the podium at Silverstone so we will be ready for that later this month. Gary continued to build on his previous races and I think there is more to come from him at Silverstone.”


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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

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Samsung Honda Set for Donington Park

The Samsung Honda team are gearing up for the ninth round of the British Superbike Championship at Donington Park this weekend as Michael Laverty and Jon Kirkham return to the Leicestershire circuit.

Laverty has his position secured as a Title Fighter in the Showdown but with six valuable podium credits available this weekend he is aiming to add to his winning tally to be in the best possible position for the final three-round title decider. Kirkham is aiming high at his home track and is determined to return to the podium again for the Samsung Honda team.
In the Superstock 1000 Championship, Jason O'Halloran is aiming for a repeat performance of his win earlier in the season at the Leicestershire circuit; he lies second in the standings, 10 points adrift of the standings leader. Gary Johnson returns with the team this weekend and is confident that he can build on his previous experience.

Michael Laverty: “It was definitely a boost being back on the podium again at Cadwell Park, I still wanted more but two third places were good for podium credit tally. The Samsung Honda works well at the fast, flowing circuits and that is what we have coming up now. We still want to be on the podium for those last credits before the Showdown but now we have our place confirmed that is slightly less pressure for me at this event; then of course it changes again for Assen. I think we can enjoy this weekend and have a good fight for the podium; I am sure there will be some scrapping for those trying to make the final places, but we just want to have a good weekend and try and get the Samsung Honda back on the podium.”

Jon Kirkham: “It’s great to be back at Donington Park as it is my home round, especially after qualifying third at Cadwell Park and being back up the sharp end. I will be out this weekend doing the best job I can and my confidence has grown again after the last round so we will be aiming to roll out on Friday, see if the improvements we made at Cadwell Park can translate to Donington and then ride as hard as we can for qualifying and the races. I would like to take some good points off the other riders this weekend; we can’t make the Showdown now but we still want to get the Samsung Honda back on the podium again before the end of the season.”

Jason O’Halloran: “We had a good race there back at the WSB event so we are quite confident that we can pick up with the setup we had there and try and get some points back this weekend. There are only three races left of the season and we don’t want to do anything silly to jeopardise our position so we are going to go out and enjoy it. We want to be back on the podium again for Samsung Honda.”

Gary Johnson: “We are looking to have a strong end to the season and we know we start on the back foot this weekend as we missed the test when we were testing with the World Endurance team in Germany. Donington should be a good track for the Fireblade and hopefully we can pull something out of the bag and end the season on a bit of a high.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “As we move into the final round before the Showdown Michael will be aiming for those last podium credits and those will be paramount to being in the best position before the Showdown starts at Assen. JK obviously wants to have a strong final round to the season especially here at his home round, whilst in the Superstock class Jason is aiming to close the gap in the standings. It is also good to have Gary back this weekend and together we are looking for a strong finish to the season.” 

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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

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Better, Stronger, Faster..

Samsung Honda Celebrate Podium Success at Home Round

The Samsung Honda team celebrated podium finishes at the eighth round of the British Superbike Championship today at their home round at Cadwell Park.

M.Lav- cool, calm and collected- and ready for the Showdown!

In the opening Superbike race, Michael Laverty returned to the podium with a third place finish for the Samsung Honda team. Laverty had taken the lead on the opening lap but slipped back to third position by race end. However, this result was enough to secure his position in the season Showdown. Kirkham showed glimpses of a return to form with a fifth place at the line, after an intense battle with several riders throughout the race.

In race two Laverty again took the lead before again being shuffled back to third by title rivals Tommy Hill and Josh Brookes. The second podium finish of the day cemented his position in the Showdown Kirkham meanwhile was hampered by a third row start and endured a difficult second race to finish 12th.

In the Superstock 1000 Championship race, Jason O'Halloran claimed a podium finish with a fine third place at his home round. The Australian dropped down the order at the start to fourth but a determined ride saw him force his way back into podium contention. Gary Johnson returned with the team and continued to build on his previous experience to finish 10th on his return to the Lincolnshire circuit for the first time in several seasons.

John Kirkham- quick snack before work

Michael Laverty: “It feels good to know we have the position in the Showdown secured as that was our agenda here this weekend. It is one thing to tick off the list and now we need to keep getting as many podium credits as we can to try and close that gap. I was quite disappointed that we didn’t have the pace to match Tommy in race one so we wanted to try and be a bit closer to give him hassle in race two. I was a lot happier with race two even though it was the same result. Two third places is another two credits for the Showdown and it was good to be on the podium twice at the Samsung Honda team's home round. I was settled into the race until Josh came by me and that ruined my rhythm so the end of the race wasn't as good as the beginning, but I can't complain as we are in the Showdown and ready to try and get more credits at Donington Park."

Jon Kirkham: “It’s been a better weekend overall for us as we were back up on the front row in qualifying and then fifth in the first race so that was a positive start. I seemed to be losing out a bit in some places but the team worked hard and we hope to have that sorted for Donington Park. I was able to hold off the pack in race one but my grid position for race two made it difficult. At the start I got beaten up and it messed up my rhythm but the problem returned and I struggled a bit. Overall though I am happy as fifth place in race one was my best result since the opening round so we will look to improve again at Donington Park for my home round.”

Jason O’Halloran: “I am happy to be on the podium here for the team and my sponsors as it is the home round, but it was disappointing that the conditions changed. We struggled at the start of the race with the dry settings still in the bike as it only changed when we were on the grid. Normally I would like it set up softer for the wet but we just had to do the best we could. I dropped back to fourth and we were chipping away and as it dried out a bit we were able to push again. Third was a good result today and we just need to push on again at Donington Park."
Gary Johnson: “It has been a difficult weekend in front of my local fans; however I feel we have made some progress. We have a new direction we are going with a dry set up, but conditions changed just before the start of the race, so we had to go out on a compromised set up and struggled. I am looking forward to Donington now and hopefully make amends.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “It was good for Michael to be back on the podium again today and two third places was more podium credits for his tally which is important. It was great that he confirmed his position in the Showdown and we have some work to do now before Donington Park to try and close the gap we had today. It was also good to see Jon back up where he needs to be and now we hope he can maintain this. Jason had a consistent result and that has kept us where we need to be in the championship and for Gary it was great to see him back with the team and building on his previous performances. The Samsung Honda team have had a fantastic reception by the fans this weekend and I am pleased that we could score podium finishes here.”

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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

Bionics for your Bike- 
Better, Stronger, Faster..

Samsung Honda Gearing Up For Home Round at Cadwell Park

The Samsung Honda team are preparing for the eighth round of the British Superbike Championship at their home event at Cadwell Park this August Bank Holiday weekend.

Laverty- hoping it won't be wellies at Cadwell

During the calendar break since the previous round the team has completed two positive test sessions at Croft and Donington Park, with the team now ready to carry that momentum to Cadwell Park this weekend. Laverty is on the cusp of securing his position in the Showdown and Kirkham determined to return to action with a strong showing.

In Superstock 1000, Jason O'Halloran and Gary Johnson are eager for a determined performance at the team’s home round; the Australian is capable of snatching the lead in the standings with a win at the circuit whilst Johnson is aiming for his best result of the season.

Michael Laverty: “Cadwell Park is the home race for the team so it would be great to pull off a top result there. We had a good run out at both tests during the gap since the Brands Hatch event and we were able to work through lots of parts and did everything meticulously so we know where we are for the remainder of the season. We did improve our base setting and I think Cadwell Park should be a good track for us as we did much of our pre-season testing there. I am ready to close that gap in the standings and I think we can do it as the Samsung Honda works well around Cadwell Park. I just need to have a performance like we did at Snetterton and Knockhill. I may not mathematically have qualified yet for a place in the Showdown but in my eyes we should definitely be there and so this weekend is about getting the best results possible to secure that spot and with twelve Podium Credits still available we need to score as many of them as possible.”

Jon Kirkham: “It feels like it has been a long break since Brands Hatch but we have been lucky to have had tests at Croft and Donington Park to get some laps on the Samsung Honda before this round at Cadwell Park. That has kept us all up to speed and we did some good testing there earlier in the season and the lap times then on paper were a good starting point for us. Cadwell Park was the circuit where I had a good round last season and hopefully we can do the same at this round to get myself back up where we need to be. I am looking just one race at a time at the moment and the aim is to end the season strongly for Samsung Honda.”

Jason O’Halloran: “Cadwell Park is the one I consider my home round too as well as the teams so I have been really looking forward to it all year. I have actually only raced at Cadwell Park once and that was in 2010 but we did some pre-season testing there and had a good feeling with the Samsung Honda at the track. We had a good result at Brands Hatch and were able to close the gap in the championship and now are just one point off the lead so the plan is to have an even better round at Cadwell Park and come away with the championship lead.”

Gary Johnson: “It feels like a long time since I have raced at Cadwell Park but at the same time we did have a test there pre-season so I feel ready to get cracking. The team have gathered some more data from there when I have been away on other duties so I am hoping that we can use that to come back stronger as it is my home round too and I want to have a good result this weekend.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “Cadwell Park is traditionally one of the biggest rounds of the year for the team as it is our home round and we always get fantastic support. The team have utilised the break since Brands Hatch to complete two positive tests and our aim is obviously to come out stronger this weekend. Michael is very close to securing his position in the Showdown so he is focused on podium finishes and Jon is hoping that this weekend he can return to the form that we saw from him at the start of the season. In the Superstock class Jason’s performance at the previous round means he can potential take the lead in the standings with a good result at Cadwell Park and Gary is constantly improving so we expect to see more of him this weekend.”

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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

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It was a good weekend for Samsung Honda, the Louth based race team that use Performance Parts Ltd products.

Michael Laverty celebrated his second race win of the season at the fifth round of the British Superbike Championship at Knockhill.

Laverty- Winning again

Laverty had qualified on the front row and finished the opening race of the day in third before charging to the front of the field in race two to give the Samsung Honda team their third win of the season. Team-mate Jon Kirkham, who is returning to full fitness following his crash at Oulton Park, just missed out on a top ten finish in 12th in the first race before scoring points in 14th in race two.

In Superstock 1000, Jason O'Halloran crashed out of the race whilst in contention; the Australian was disappointed but is now determined to regain his championship lead at Oulton Park next time out. Gary Johnson took a solid eighth place finish on his return to the Samsung Honda team as he continued to improve throughout the weekend.

Michael Laverty: “After Snetterton there were a few people that said my win would be a one off and wrote me off, but this weekend proved that we can be up fighting for the title too. I knew that the races were going to be tough today and Tommy and Shakey upped the pace again and I was pushing really hard. There were areas where we had a concertina effect where one of us was faster than the other but overall our lap times were very similar. I thought maybe on the last lap we could have had a sniff at Tommy in race one but I didn’t want us to tangle. I wasn’t overly dissatisfied with the first race but we made some changes that gave me more confidence in the front for the second one. I made some early passes and then controlled it from the front and it worked out perfectly. Our championship is really back on track now so we are looking forward to Oulton Park.”

Jon Kirkham: “It wasn’t the easiest weekend for me and something just didn’t click, which we will be looking at before Oulton Park. We made some improvements between the races but it wasn’t enough to give us the pace we needed. It was a tough weekend as I have only completed one race (at Snetterton) since the crash so I have been building back up. We have a bit of time now until Oulton Park to assess what we can do before the next round to put us back up where we need to be.”

Jason O’Halloran: “It was a tough race and I had a pretty good pace on the Samsung Honda and was taking my time to come through as there were a couple of places I was losing out a bit, but other areas we were stronger. I was waiting for the guys to make a mistake which they both did by running wide at the Hairpin and I stayed on my normal line and went under them both. I thought I was through but then they came back and I crashed. It was a real shame we couldn’t rejoin, but that is the rules and now we just need to look at coming back at Oulton Park.”

Gary Johnson: “I had missed a few rounds this season with the road races so I am always a little behind but we made some big steps forward and it was great to give the Samsung Honda team a top ten finish.
Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “Michael rode fantastically today and showed what we know he is capable of. We made some changes to the Fireblade which allowed Michael to ride his best race of the season. JK hasn’t been able to match some of his previous performances but we will be working with him before Oulton Park to try and improve. Jason’s bad Knockhill luck continues but a crash and no points was better than how we left here last year and Gary also improved throughout the weekend to score a strong finish on his return with the team.”

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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

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Laverty takes win at Snetterton

Samsung Honda celebrated wins and podium finishes in both the British Superbike Championship and Superstock 1000 Championship classes at Snetterton, as Michael Laverty became the seventh race winner of the season in the premier class.

Laverty leading: confidence is back

In the opening race Laverty proved that his title campaign is back on track with a solid second place but in race two he made amends to lead from the start to the finish to give the team their second win of the season. Jon Kirkham returned following his high-speed Oulton Park crash, but cruelly was denied a points-scoring result in the first race when he crashed out on the opening lap which put him on the sixth row for the second race. Kirkham fought his way through to twelfth before a mistake dropped him to fourteenth, however the Brands Hatch race winner was happy to score points on his return.

In the Superstock 1000 Championship, Jason O'Halloran took a commanding win from the pole position to score his second victory of the season for the Samsung Honda team. The Australian got a flying start to lead the pack before edging out an advantage to cross the line by just over six seconds at the finish.

Michael Laverty: “We were due a result and after the first races of the season and not breaking into the top five I am relieved that we have finally achieved it today. It wasn’t without drama though as I knuckled down and had a good battle with Tommy (Hill) and Josh (Brookes). I had a collision on the final lap with a slower rider so it was a frantic last lap but I wanted to go better in race two! We made some slight tweaks to the Samsung Honda and it worked awesome; I just knew I needed to make a break and not make any mistakes. On the last lap I was looking at the crowd and really enjoying it, knowing I was the seventh race winner as that is my lucky number. I am really chuffed and to get 45 points out of a possible 50 is a brilliant result and we really are back on track. I have to thank the team for their hard work for us to achieve these podiums as the Samsung Honda Fireblade was working fantastically.”

Jon Kirkham: “For me this weekend was about scoring points and getting myself back up to speed after the big crash at Oulton Park. It was a steady start to free practice and I was making progress; I missed out on Q3 in qualifying but I was quite happy with 13th which sounds surprising but I just wanted to keep building the speed throughout the weekend and have two good points scoring races. In the first race another rider went underneath me and I went down and I was gutted as it was only the first lap. That left me right down the grid for race two and I was careful over the first few laps to avoid any trouble and then the times really picked up. I was up to twelfth but I ran so wide I was nearly in Norwich and that cost me dearly as it dropped me two places but I am happy to have finished the race and gain more confidence. Since the crash I have been unable to train to my normal level so now I am ready to come back kicking at 100% at Knockhill.”

Jason O’Halloran: “It is fantastic that we have been able to carry the momentum from Donington Park to here and from free practice we only needed to make minor changes. We were in a strong position in the race and my aim was to get a good start and then try and control it from the front. I got the start and then got my head down and managed to make a break; I kept seeing the gap go up and down but I just kept the concentration and it topped off a fantastic weekend for the team.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “We always knew what Michael was capable of and we have worked hard to overcome the problems he had in the opening races. The small chassis changes we have made aren’t massive but he is happier and his confidence showed in the races today. The win for him has been a long time coming and to become the seventh winner in eight races shows just how close the competition is this season. The results today have put him back inside the top six and now we want to continue moving forward and continuing the progress we have made with the Honda Fireblade. JK was unlucky to have had a crash in the first race and in race two he wanted to have a solid finish and he achieved that and I think once he is fully fit at Knockhill we will see more of him again.

“In the Superstock class Jason had a fantastic race and was smooth, controlled and really showed how well the Samsung Honda is working. I am happy with the results he had produced and it is a brilliant result for the Fireblade in the Superstock trim.”

For more information on Samsung Honda Racing please visit: 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

Performance Parts Ltd- 

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