The 2003 racing season has long been looming and touted as one of the best ever. With five of the World’s biggest manufacturers fielding factory teams this year, the time had come for the opening showdown to be played out, and to see what all the fuss was about.

While the racing futures of both Nigel Arnold and Jason Boyle are still undecided, and with rumours bounding that Kim Ashkenazi may be returning for select rounds on a Kawasaki 600, the possibility of a larger Aussie presence looks bright. However, only three Australians took part in the action at Silverstone.

Glen Richards, riding again for the Mallory Park based ‘Hawk Kawasaki’ squad campaigning the ex Chris Walker bike, topped the bill after his closing season 4th place at Donington Park last October. Partnering Glen in the new look Kwaka team for 2003 is no other than ex GP star and present UK TV personality, Scott Smart, riding Glen’s 2002 steed.

Paul Young was looking forward to an opening round showdown with new factory team-mate and reigning BSB champion Steve Hislop, but unfortunately, that match up will have to wait, as Paul was replaced in the Yamaha satellite team due to injury by another Aussie. Dean Thomas, presently on the hunt for fulltime employment and formerly of World Supersport fame, only saw the bike late in the week and rode it for the first time Saturday commenting “It’s very difficult at the moment. Paul and I have very different riding styles so we need to change the position of everything. Foot pegs, handlebars, levers the lot".

Youngy had been spreading his services beyond testing and race commitments to provide expert opinion and test riding services to a top UK bike mag'. Ironically, it was Silverstone two days prior to the opening event that put a temporary halt to his 2003 championship assault. Talking on Sunday outside the BSB medical centre, he told me “I was going around the left hander at the back of the pits almost upright. It was all so quick that I’m not exactly certain of what happened other than the rear just locked up”.

It seems that a damaged vertebrae is the present prognosis, however in true Youngy style, he plans to be back for Snetterton in two weeks time.

The third Aussie on overseas duty was young Adelaide dynamo David Johnson, who with two R1 Yamahas at his disposal courtesy of Rhencullen Racing, was out to make a name for himself in the Superstock category.

“Everything came together right at the last minute. My manager Micky G rang around for weeks looking for stuff, and just as I was getting frustrated, he rang me with the news about the R1s. With some product sponsors onboard, it’s getting there slowly".

It’s a long way in a short time for Junior World BMX runner up Johnson, who only 2 years ago was still riding his home fettled RS125 in club races and select ARRC rounds.

In contrasting style to recent months, the UK turned on some sunshine for race day and things were shaping up well for the Aussies, all of whom had come to terms with their new machines and the tricky Silverstone layout to qualify well. The new format of a fifteen minute Superpole session rather than the one lap dash system we were forced to anxiously watch last year, proved popular with riders and fans alike, and with Glen finishing a commendable 5th , after 4th from the opening sessions, the possibility of his first podium finish was very real. Dean, steadily learning the vastly different characteristics of an inline four over his Ducati V-Twin managed 13th position on the Superbike grid, whilst in the ultra close Superstock field, due to its standard less exotic nature, new boy Johnson posted the 16th best time in qualifying.

While most eyes were on the likes of Renegade Ducati pilot Michael Rutter and Monstermob debutant Shane Byrne, there were many of us both sides of the spectator barriers, looking for some Antipodean glory.

Superbike Race 1 saw the usual suspects battling it out over the opening few laps, with one new face to UK racing thrown in for good measure. Yukio Kagayama speaking enough English to muster a determined "I do my best" when posed with questioning from an official BSB commentator, had already impressed many during testing and was a brief leader in the opening stages.

Glen, riding the smaller Kawasaki, ran with the leaders for full race distance forming one of a four member gang, out to snatch opening honours of the season.

Defending champion Hislop was out of sorts and after a brief encounter with the leading group, ran off the track and rejoined in last place.

Dean Thomas on the Appleyard Yamaha was acquitting himself as well as one would expect of a seasoned professional, and was dicing for top ten honours. By the last quarter of the contest, a three way tussle for supremacy unfolded between our own Glen Richards, new man Kagayama and early title favourite, Byrne.

Glen put a daring breaking move to pass the Rizla Suzuki of the Japanese rider, before attempting a similar one on race leader and eventual victor Byrne in the latter stages. The win this time was not to be for hard charging Richards from Adelaide, but third, after being passed back by Kagayama, was good enough to see him grace the podium for the first time in his very short Superbike career. Dean still learning to race the R1, came home a commendable 10th.

Glen speaking after the race told me, "That was great, but we had too soft a front tyre on the bike and by the end I was losing grip and couldn’t push for the win." When asked about the bike for the second race, he commented "Were not changing any settings on the bike for the next one, just putting in a harder front so I can get on it".

It wasn’t very long until his chance to "get on it" came, although it was my thought that if body language was any sign, perhaps he had already ‘been on it’.

Race 2 and it was on again, with Rutter, Byrne, Kagayama, Hislop and Richards. This time however, Steve Plater on the Honda that helped Colin Edwards lift the WSB crown last year was in the thick of the early action too. Again, Hislop went bush, as did Plater which left the battling foursome out front to see if the order from Race 1 could in any way be altered.

By half race distance, Richards had lost touch with the battling threesome, however all hope was not lost. His front tyre had to start working soon though if he was to bridge the ever widening gap to the front runners. After Kagayama decided grass looked more appealing than tarmac, Glen inherited third, but the gap was insurmountable to race leader and eventual winner Rutter on the Red Bull Renegade Ducati. Another deserved podium was the reward for a weekend's intelligent riding from the former Aussie 125 champ.

Thomas battled race long with a midfield bunch that included old hands John Crawford and Sean Emmett on the more nimble Ducatis, Kawasaki's Scott Smart and the Virgin Yamaha of team-mate Gary Mason, eventually finishing mere tenths from Mason and maintaining the pit lane praise he inspired from the day's earlier race. “That was difficult, but I’m sure the people that matter realise how close I was to Gary, and he has tested for months”

The Superstock class often provides spectators with plenty of thrills and plentiful spills, and this day wasn’t to be outshone in either respect. An opening lap melee saw 16 riders down in one incident, many needing emergency medical attention. Thankfully though, the race distance was not shortened due to the lengthy time delay, and Australia still had a combatant raring to go.

David Johnson, riding the stock R1 Yamaha that is so popular in the class, worked clutch and throttle with impeccable speed and precision, to jump three places by the first turn. Racing with the likes of Superbike star Jamie Morley and multiple Isle of Man TT winner Dave Jeffries was really bringing out the best in David and after many calculated and brave breaking manoeuvres into the first of the three Silverstone chicanes, David met the chequered flag in 9th position.

Along with a truly brilliant riding displayed by DJ, a special mention must also go to Murray Johnson who had travelled to Silverstone from the family home in Oz to lend his son some much needed assistance.

So there you have it. Round 1 done and dusted with an Aussie third in the Superbike series and two others in their respective top tens. What more could we ask for? Paul Young on a factory Yamaha perhaps? Yes please!!!

Kempy #67