— – BSB opener plagued by incidents
Results
Race one – top six finishers:
1: Jon Kirkham (Samsung Honda) 28m 48.680s
2: Alastair Seeley (Tyco Suzuki) +0.136s
3: Michael Rutter (MSS Bathams Kawasaki) +0.750s
4: Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda) +3.023s
5: Gary Mason (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) +5.191s
6: Tommy Bridewell (Supersonic BMW) +6.155s
Race two: Postponed – track conditions
Championship standings after round one:
1: Jon Kirkham (Samsung Honda) 25
2: Alastair Seeley (Tyco Suzuki) 20
3: Michael Rutter (MSS Bathams Kawasaki) 16
4: Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda) 13
5: Gary Mason (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) 11
6: Tommy Bridewell (Supersonic BMW) 10
Report
Jon Kirkham enjoyed a winning debut with the Samsung Honda team in the opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch but the Derby rider was denied the opportunity of challenging for a double victory by deteriorating conditions.
Kirkham snatched the advantage back from Alastair Seeley on the final corner of the last lap and then won the dash to the line by 0.136secs at the end of a race of attrition that had seen a dozen riders slide out in the wet and cold.
Pole starter Josh Brookes riding the Tyco Suzuki was outgunned at the start by Shane Byrne who forced his Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki into the lead from Kirkham on an opening lap that saw the Nissan GTR Safety Car quickly brought into action as first Graeme Gowland and Florian Marino and then Michael Laverty and Patric Muff tumbled in separate incidents.
Kirkham took over out front on the sixth lap soon after the withdrawal of the Safety Car with Michael Rutter moving second on his Bathams MSS Kawasaki at the expense of Byrne. Gary Mason was strong in fifth on the Quattro Plant Kawasaki ahead of Tristan Palmer riding the GBmoto Honda and then Brookes.
Seeley meanwhile was making up positions fast aboard the Tyco Suzuki and at one thirds distance he was up to fourth and attacking Byrne, taking third next time around and then challenging Rutter as the Safety Car again intervened as Dan Linfoot slid off, without injury. Kirkham, who had been six seconds clear, saw his lead radically reduced over Rutter and Seeley and once racing resumed Seeley was soon running in second place to set up a thrilling final end to the race.
Kirkham was riding hard but Seeley was even more determined and going into Druids for the 22nd time he found a way through on the inside line to take the lead. Rutter was strong in third but Brookes lost ground as he ran wide across the grass after saving a near crash. Ian Lowry moved fourth on the Padgetts Honda ahead of Byrne and Supersonic BMW rider Tommy Bridewell, Mason and James Westmoreland on the WFR Honda.
Seeley had the advantage but Kirkham was giving nothing away, trying to find a way back in front at Paddock Hill Bend but Seeley held him off. It was close and fierce but going through Clearways on the final lap Seeley momentarily slid out of line. Kirkham seized the moment, charging through to take the victory, his second in the championship.
“He got into a big slide and I just held my breath and squirted the bike through,” said Kirkham. “I’m ecstatic – my first race with the team, my second win in the championship, this is just perfect. “
Seeley, who had earned graduation back into the top flight on the back of winning the Supersport title last year, was relieved to hold on to his bike and finish second as he explained: “My tyres were moving about a bit as I tried to defend my lead but then the bike just broke away from me. I thought it was going to catapult me off but I held on, though I didn’t have the grip to get back at Kirkham.”
Rutter took fourth ahead of Lowry, Mason and Bridewell.
The second race was postponed following track contamination at the circuit.
The previous Motorpoint British Supersport Championship was declared a result after several riders crashed unhurt and was subsequently red flagged. The Racesafe marshals and officials worked hard for an extensive period of time to clear the contamination which extended around the whole 1.2 mile circuit.
The MCE BSB riders then were given an eight minute free practice session to evaluate the track conditions. However following a unanimous agreement the race will now be postponed to a later round. The Monster Energy Motostar British Championship will also be rescheduled.
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Series Director Stuart Higgs said: “We have worked very hard to clean the track after the contamination, the second such situation over the weekend, but it has been a unanimous decision by the riders, teams and officials to reschedule this race to another event. It is a terribly frustrating situation but safety remains paramount.”
– Gloucester Racing Report
The Smiths (Gloucester) Racing Team experienced a weekend of mixed fortunes when the opening round of both the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship and Metzeler National Superstock 600 Championship got underway at Brands Hatch, the highlight of which was a podium finish for Billy McConnell.
The weekend started promisingly as Australian McConnell claimed pole position for the opening British Supersport race on Sunday, with fellow Aussie Glen Richards third on the grid and young British rider Luke Mossey, from Cambridge, in sixth for the 18-lap race but with damp, greasy conditions around the 1.2-mile circuit, it was soon apparent all was not well as they dropped back through the pack.
By mid-race distance, both Glen and Luke had pulled into the pits after struggling with their tyres whilst Billy was hanging on in ninth. As the race entered its second half, rain began to fall quite heavily and the red flag soon came out to stop the race after a number of crashes. The race was subsequently declared a result on 11 laps with just Billy scoring points for the team in ninth place.
The second race of the weekend was held today in full wet conditions and it proved to be a race of attrition. McConnell was again showing well running in fourth position in the early stages whilst Richards was in eighth and moving forward. Mossey was again struggling in the conditions and found himself outside of the top 20 but on the ninth lap, the red flag came out after a crash deposited some fuel onto the circuit and although it was restarted, a multi-rider pile-up on the third corner, which included Billy, brought the race to an abrupt end. The result was declared at seven laps meaning Billy was credited with a third place podium finish with Richards in eighth and Mossey claiming 21st.
For Metzeler National Superstock 600cc Championship rider Johnny Blackshaw, it was certainly a contrasting weekend as having claimed a superb pole position, a spill in morning warm-up severely damaged the bike and the Warrington rider had to start from pit lane with just moments to spare. Starting dead last in 38th place, he fought his way brilliantly through the pack to finish 12th and take four championship points.
Billy McConnell: “It’s been a tough weekend with the weather and we’ve suffered with a major lack of grip in the wet so to come away with a third and a ninth place is a real bonus. Every point counts and fair play to the organisers for stopping the race when they did as it was really tough out there. I was lucky to escape injury when I was taken out by another rider so I’m very happy to take a podium. The team have done an awesome job and we can go to the next round in a strong position.”
Glen Richards: “It’s not the start we wanted but with the problems we have had, I’m happy to salvage a few points and go into the next round at Thruxton looking for better luck. We had a ‘Flintstone Tyre’ in race one – rock hard – so had no grip and then today, the fuel on the track made it very difficult but you get rounds like this. I’m pleased for Billy but hope to be up at the front next weekend at Thruxton.”
Luke Mossey: “This was just not my weekend and I’m disappointed with how it’s gone. Qualifying was good but the conditions in the races just didn’t suit us this weekend so hopefully we can turn it round for the next round.”
Johnny Blackshaw: “Having made the mistake in morning warm-up, I was gutted as I thought that was the day over but the team worked miracles in getting the bike ready to race and we literally made it with seconds to spare. Given the fact I was last and starting from pitlane, plus the terrible conditions, to come back to 12th and get a few points is more than I thought possible so all credit to the team.”
Rebecca Smith, Team Manager: “We’ve had two very challenging days in some very difficult conditions whilst we’ve also had to contend with some tyre issues. The intermediate tyres just didn’t work on Sunday and if it wasn’t for Billy, we wouldn’t have scored any points at all. In the feature race today, he put in a superb ride to take a much deserved podium and we’re just glad he didn’t suffer any injuries in what was a very heavy fall.
“Glen managed to pick up some solid points second time out whilst Luke struggled all weekend. He broke his arm here last year and I think that may have been playing on his mind so he’ll be glad to put this meeting behind him. The results don’t reflect our pace this weekend but it’s been a contrasting few days for a lot of riders and teams so we’ll look forward to the next round now and aim at getting all of the riders back at the sharp end.”
Supersport Race 1 (18 laps)
1 Sam Warren (Yamaha)
2 Ben Wilson (Kawasaki)
3 Pauli Pekkanen (Triumph)
4 Christian Iddon (Triumph)
5 Glenn Irwin (Yamaha)
6 Jack Kennedy (Yamaha)
9 Billy McConnell (Smiths Gloucester Racing Triumph)
DNF Glen Richards (Smiths Gloucester Racing Triumph)
DNF Luke Mossey (Smiths Gloucester Racing Triumph)
Supersport Race 2 (7 laps)
1 Jack Kennedy (Yamaha)
2 Sam Warren (Yamaha)
3 Billy McConnell (Smiths Gloucester Racing Triumph)
4 Christian Iddon (Triumph)
5 Deane Brown (Yamaha)
6 Richard Cooper (Triumph)
8 Glen Richards (Smiths Gloucester Racing Triumph)
21 Luke Mossey (Smiths Gloucester Racing Triumph)
Points (after one round)
1 Warren 35 pts
2 Kennedy 22.5
3 Wilson 20
4 Iddon 19.5
5 Pekkanen 16
6 McConnell 15
16 Richards 4
– Samsung Honda Report
The Samsung Honda team took victory in the first race of the opening round of the 2012 British Superbike Championship season at Brands Hatch today as Jon Kirkham made a move on the final corner of the final lap to cross the line ahead of Alastair Seeley and clinch glory.
Kirkham had a good start from the front row and was in the leading pack, before taking the lead on the sixth lap. He was challenged for the position as Seeley made a move into Druids, but Kirkham was preparing to make a move and on the final lap as they exited Clearways he got the opportunity to take the advantage to cross the line 0.136 seconds ahead. It was a disappointing opening race for Michael Laverty who after starting from the sixth row was determined to move up the order, however on the opening lap the conditions caught him out and he high-sided on the exit of Druids and was then sidelined for the remainder of the race.
The second Superbike race of the day was unfortunately postponed to due to track conditions.
In the Superstock 1000 Championship, Jason O’Halloran scored the Samsung Honda team their first Superstock podium of the season after securing a solid third place finish. Gary Johnson, making his race debut for the team, fought his way through the field to sixth at the finish.
Jon Kirkham: “First race and first win for Samsung Honda and I am ecstatic. I knew there would be a few incidents but I just kept my head down. The safety car mixed me up a bit but then Alastair Seeley nipped up the inside of me at Druids and got away a little bit. I started closing back in on him and tried to make a pass at Paddock Hill but it was sliding underneath me. I just knew I needed to stay as close as possible to Alastair and then he got a bit sideways out of Clearways and I just went for it!”
Michael Laverty: “It has been a nightmare day for me; this morning was the first time I had any wet practice on the Samsung Honda and we planned on making some changes for the first race and I felt more comfortable even on the warm up laps. I just pushed as I knew I needed to make up some places early on and I just pushed too hard out of Druids and the bike bit me. This wasn’t the start I obviously wanted to the season but we will be looking to turn it around this weekend at Thruxton.”
Jason O’Halloran: “It is fantastic to take a podium first time out on the Samsung Honda. The conditions were tough so I took it steady at the start and just took a bit too long to get going. The Honda felt good in those conditions though, and we have made some big steps forward again this weekend. I need to thank the team and my sponsors for their efforts in making this happen.”
Gary Johnson: “I had a disappointing qualifying session but I pushed hard to come through the field as I was on the back foot compared to some of the other riders where I have had less testing. I didn’t make the best start though and was caught out with some other people’s crashes but after seeing what happened to Michael my main concern was to have a points scoring finish.”
Team Manager, Havier Beltran: “It was fantastic for Jon to give the Samsung Honda team a victory in the first race of the season. He has gelled well with the team and he rode a controlled race and knew where he would have a chance to pass Seeley, and when he did he was able to make it happen. For Michael it went wrong in qualifying and that gave him a lot of work for the race and unfortunately he got caught out, like many others, in the conditions. It was also great to be on the podium with Jason in Superstock and for Gary to have a strong finish.”
– Quattro Plant Kawasaki
In an incident packed afternoon both Mason and Foray finished their first BSB race of the season in the top 10. Making the better start Mason moved as high as 4th during the first lap, only to lose out on positions later due to the slippery conditions. Making his way back through the pack in the last third of the race Mason finished in 5th place and earned a front row start for Race 2.
In his debut for Quattro Plant Kawasaki, and BSB, Freddy Foray had an excellent qualifying session and started from the second row of the grid. Again another excellent performance throughout the race for the Quattro Plant rider saw him cross the finish line in 9th place.
Mason Commented.” I am delighted with this weekend’s result. To come away in the top six and on the front row of the grid for the re-run is the best possible start to the season. Coming to Brands Hatch we were a little on the back foot with testing, but we managed to pull it all together when it mattered, which is fantastic for the team.”
He also added.“We have three days before Thruxton, so we need to keep working on our chassis development and build on our great start.”
Foray said.” The track conditions today were very slippery. After my 20th near miss I managed to stay focused and change my riding style, so I really pleased with my top 10 finish, but a little disappointed I could not go faster. The bike is performing well, but we still have to make some changes to get it where I would like it to be. My 9th place is a good result for me and the team.” Looking to the next round he added.” I have never been to Thruxton and Gary (Mason) tells me it is a fast bumpy circuit, so unlike this weekend, where we have had additional track time, I have a lot of work to do in a short space of time. It should be fun and I am looking forward to it.”
– McGuinness Report
Morecambe’s John McGuinness was denied a podium finish in the opening round of the National Superstock 1000cc Championship at Brands Hatch on Easter Monday when he fell victim to the treacherous conditions with just 4 laps of the race to go. The Padgetts Honda ace had put in a storming ride, having led in the opening laps but with rain to continuing to fall, he slipped off with third place within his grasp.
With qualifying split into two groups due to the large field of riders, the weekend started well for John with a solid 6th place in his opening qualifying session but with slightly better conditions on Sunday afternoon, he was able to reduce his time signficantly and a superb lap of 47.470s placed him second in his group and 4th overall, which meant he lined up on the front row of the grid for Monday’s 24-lap race.
The mixed weather conditions of qualifying were replaced by full wet weather on Easter Monday but a brilliant start to the 22-lap race saw John grab the holeshot and lead the field for the opening three laps. Utilising his experience, he was running a smooth, consistent pace and although a fourth lap sort out shuffled him back to fourth, he was back up to third when Jonathan Railton crashed out ahead of him a few laps later. Fellow Honda rider Jason O’Halloran then moved ahead of him on lap 15 but John was right in his wheeltracks when he highsided out of the action, fortunately without injury, on the 19th of 22 laps.
Speaking afterwards, a disappointed, but philosophical John said; “In all my years of racing I’ve never known a race like that – conditions were terrible and I lost count of how many slides I had, it was literally every corner, every lap! I got the perfect start and although it’s hard to know what pace to set in wet conditions like today, I just went at the speed I felt was comfortable. A couple of the boys went by me but I felt strong even if it was like riding on a double-edged sword. There was no grip and it was cold but when Jason came by I wanted to stay with him as I wanted a podium today. The bike just went away from me though and it happened so quick there was nothing I could do. I feel for the team as they did a great job all weekend and the bike was flying but we’re in one piece and can look forward to the rest of the season knowing we’ve got the pace to run at the front of the field.”
John now heads straight to Magny Cours, France for the opening round of the World Endurance Championship where he’ll link up with his Honda TT Legends team. Practice for the event gets underway on Thursday.
– Pr1mo Kawasaki
Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki got their 2012 British Superbike Championship season underway at Brands Hatch on Easter Monday and although one one race was held, due to heavy rain and fluid being spilled onto the circuit, both Chris Walker and James Hillier opened their campaign with points scoring finishes, the duo finishing in 12th and 15th place.
Strong in the damp conditions during practice, Chris was looking good for a top ten position in qualifying and comfortably made it through to the second knockout stage. However, changes to the set-up meant he missed half of the second session and although he was getting quicker with each and every lap, he had to settle for 16th on the grid for the first race. Meanwhile, James was lying in 8th place in the first stage when he pitted for a change in rear tyre but having been shuffled back outside the top 20 whilst he was in the pits, a sudden rain shower meant he was unable to better his time. Subsequently, he started the first race in 24th place.
Easter Monday dawned wet and meant the races were going to be extremely challenging with Chris’ cause in the first race not being aided by problems with the mapping, which made the bike very difficult to ride in the onditions. He was able to use his experience and move forward though, running as high as tenth at one stage, before becoming part of a five-rider group battling for 8th, eventually finishing in 12th. James was right on his back wheel in the first half of the race, and got as high as 12th, but a misting visor reduced both his visibility and pace in the closing stages and he crossed the line in 15th for a Championship point.
The second race was due to be held later in the day but a crash in one of the supporting races resulted in oil and fuel being deposited on the circuit and this, combined with the rain, meant conditions were extremely dangerous. After a few sighting laps by a number of riders took place, consultation with the organisers led to the sensible decision being made to cancel the race and re-schedule for later in the year.
Speaking afterwards, Walker said; “Overall, it’s been a very positive weekend. The team’s been impeccable and we’ve been on the pace all weekend, both in the dry and the wet, whilst the bike is certainly a match for everything else out there, from what we’ve seen so far, We’ve been chipping away at the set-up, making changes between each session and it’s improved the bike every time so we think we’ve now got a good base setting from where we can make minor adjustments. I was slightly disappointed not to have finished in the top ten in the first race as I didn’t make the most of our pace but we scored some solid points and it bodes well for the rest of the year. Regarding the second race cancellation, we’ve got some great people running BSB and they know when it’s right to race and when it’s not. They made the sensible, correct decision so we can all head to Thruxton in one piece.”
Team-mate Hillier commented; “I’m pleased to have got some points and I was happy with my pace, especially running with Chris for much of the race. Conditions were really tough but I felt comfortable and was confident of finishing higher up the order. In the final third of the race though I was really struggling with my visibility; the visor misted up and there was water running down the inside so I only had a small area that I could see clearly through. I was pleased to get to the end of the race, stay upright and get some points. Safety has to come first in racing and the organisers made the right call cancelling the second race so I’m looking forward to the next round at my local circuit, Thruxton, and getting back in the points again.”
Team manager/owner Pete Extance added; “I’m really pleased to get some decent points on the board this weekend in what can only be described as treacherous conditions. Staying upright was a feat in itself and although Chris had issues with the mapping of the bike in the first race, which we ran out of time to rectify after the sighting lap, he was fighting it out for 8th for the majority of the race. I was delighted with James’ ride especially as he kept the reigning Champion Tommy Hill at bay, the latter eventually crashing out so he was obviously trying hard. One of the major aims we set at the beginning of the year was to get him consistently in the points so it’s started exactly as we hoped. A lot of riders crashed out this weekend so when all the oil and fuel went down as well, cancelling the second race was the only option so we’re glad to have both riders home safely.”
– Gearlink Kawasaki
It was a good start to the season for the Gearlink Kawasaki team yesterday (Sunday) at Brands Hatch and Ben Wilson on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R secured a fantastic second place in the opening Motorpoint British Supersport race. Ben who qualified in fifth place was eager to start his Championship campaign well, the conditions were mixed and the Gearlink Kawasaki team opted to run Ben on intermediate Pirelli tyres. He gained one of his brilliant starts and slipped into the lead by the opening turn. As the weather worsened the track conditions became difficult and Ben eased off slightly to avoid making any mistakes, the race was eventually red flagged on lap 11 after the rain caused a number of riders to crash on previously dropped oil. His team-mate David Jones was forced to retire on lap five with a technical problem.
Ben moved himself to the front row for race two which proved to be dramatic. Once again another stunning hole-shot and then Ben was gone and by the end of lap seven he had a lead of 7.2 seconds from his nearest rival Jack Kennedy. On lap eight as Ben dropped into turn three Graham Hill the bike tipped in front of him on the brakes and down he went, within seconds various riders were crashing around the circuit and the race was quickly red flagged due to track contamination. After a very long delay the riders were sent back out for what was scheduled to be a nine lap race. On the first lap seven riders crashed into Graham Hill, including Ben again, and the race was cancelled and half points were awarded, sadly with Ben being out of the result on the showing of the red flag in the initial race he was excluded from the results. David Jones also crashed out of the initial part of the race and unfortunately both riders were not eligible to score points.
Ben Wilson – “I was pretty pleased with scoring second in the first race yesterday and it was some good solid points to start the season with. I knew it was going to be wet today and I was quite excited about that prospect as I know we have a great wet set up. I just got my head down and felt really comfortable every lap and wasn’t pushing beyond my limit. The track was fine until I came down into Graham Hill, did nothing different from any of the previous laps and as soon as I touched the brake down I went without any warning. We managed to get the bike back and the Gearlink Kawasaki team worked like crazy to get things back right. I started from pole which was the line they had sprayed with detergent and as the lights changed I just didn’t move it just spun up and once again into Graham Hill the front just tucked. I’m totally gutted but it’s a very long season and anything can happen, I’m not injured that’s the main thing and I’m eager to get to Thruxton next weekend and put this weekend behind me and move on.”
David Jones – “It’s not been the best of weekends for me, practise and qualifying went well but the races proved to be a bit of a nightmare, I had a bike problem yesterday then crashed on the combination of fuel/oil and water on the track today. There is nothing I could have done today and I’m just hoping things can be rectified next weekend at Thruxton. The Gearlink Kawasaki team worked so hard after the first red flag came out to try and get my bike fixed to get me back out there, they did a mega job to get it fixed and back out on the grid. It’s just a real shame that it was all cancelled and I just want to put this weekend behind me.”
Metzeler Superstock 600s
It was a great start to the season for the new Gearlink Superstock 600 rider Scott Hudson, the 24-year-old competed in his first ever British Championship race and finished in a great ninth place. The newcomer had a good qualifying and finished in 14th place for the grid for the 20 lap race. He gained a great start and was eighth after the opening lap. He was soon locked in a tight battle for sixth place and settled into a healthy rhythm in the very wet conditions.
Scott Hudson – “It’s been a great first weekend with the Gearlink Kawasaki team and I’m really pleased to have walked away from my first round with some healthy Championship points. I’ve learnt so much this weekend and the team have been fantastic I didn’t want to do anything stupid as I know it’s a very long season. I was a little disappointed with my qualifying position but thankfully I managed to get a good start. The conditions out there were bad and the track was very slippery so I just wanted to bring the Kawasaki home safely and looking forward to getting to Thruxton next weekend.”
Team Manager Michael de Bidaph – “It’s not the weekend we wanted to start the season with but it is a very long season and now the pressure is off a little bit. We’ve done a bit of bike damage this weekend but that is fixable, the main thing is the riders are all ok and will be ready for Thruxton next weekend. The entire Gearlink Kawasaki team worked exceptionally hard this weekend and I’d like to thank them for that. We are now lying in third place with Ben in the Championship and there are still a lot more races during this season. We showed how fast Ben can run in the wet and his times and the way he was riding was fantastic. Scott in the Stock 600’s made a fantastic start to the year on his debut appearance in the class and has taken away a good handful of points from Brands and we now have a busy week fixing the bikes before we head to Thruxton.”
– Ian Lowry Report
Ian Lowry had a good opening start to the MCE British Superbike Championship at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit riding the Padgetts Honda. Lowry has made a welcome return to the British Superbike Championship after a few rough years of results. He signed with Clive Padgetts team back in November and was eager to start fresh and regain his form from 2009 where he gained best British Superbike Rookie.
The Ulsterman had been running well all weekend on the Padgetts Honda on the Indy Circuit and completed over 100 laps over the race weekend in varying weather conditions, the team were testing everything to get the best out of the Honda and a good set up for the short Brands Hatch Circuit.
Superpole qualifying, Lowry was caught out in second qualifying and slipped out of the top ten and was 11th for the first scheduled 30 lap race. The conditions took a turn for the worse on Easter Monday and the heavens opened from early in the morning making the track conditions very tricky and difficult.
Ian knew the first few laps of the race were crucial and gained a steady start and was tenth after lap one, the safety car was deployed on the first lap after crashes at Paddock Hill and Graham Hill Bend, the car came in after lap four and the race was back on. Ian slowly worked his way through the field and steadily plugged away passing people and putting in some fast consistent lap times. The safety car was back out on lap 14 after a heavy crash into Paddock Hill, once this came back in Ian was sitting in sixth.
He was soon past Shakey and then Josh Brookes allowing Ian to slip through to fourth place on lap 24, it was a great opening result for the Irishman and he was eager to improve on this is race two, however due to a track inspection before race two after crashes in the Supersport race, BSB race two was forced to be cancelled after a combination of fuel, oil and rain called a stop to proceedings.
Ian Lowry – “It’s been a great weekend and start to the season for me personally and I’m really pleased with the opening race result of fourth place with the Padgetts crew. We’ve worked hard all weekend and found a good set up for all weather conditions, I’m feeling really happy and confident about the rest of the season and hope I can get some more good results through the year and continue this progress. There is still a lot more to come from myself and the team and I can’t wait now for the rest of the season.”
