Mallory Park 6/03/05

As we are renting part of Malcolm Ashley's awning for the BSB scene and running a Kawasaki ZX10 in the same colours, we decided to join his team in a pre-season shake-down at Mallory Park for the EMRA / Drayton Croft Trophy Race meeting on March 6th.  I was a bit 'race rusty' after the winter but 'rearing to go'.

I was in the first 6 lap heat, but luck was against me as I was drawn near the back of the grid.  I managed to get a good start, and work my way through the traffic fairly quickly.  Then I concentrated on catching Alan Moreton (Yamaha) who was leading and I managed to take the race win on the line.

Starting from pole for the Trophy race was a great feeling and I made good use of it.  By the hairpin I had quite a decent lead which I held onto and pulled out a bit on each of the 10 laps to win by 5 seconds.  It was definitely a good start to my 2005 Season.

Donington Park and Brands Hatch Test Days

We decided to attend both the Donington Park and Brands Hatch test days as this is my first full season in the Bennetts British Superbike Cup, and the Kawasaki ZX10 is also new to me.  Both days went quite well. Although it was cold it was good to be out there on the track again.

Brands Hatch 28/03/05

Well, here I am at Brands Hatch for the first round of the Bennetts British Superbike Cup.  I'm feeling a little nervous but very excited as well.  Last year I was a Club racer, but now with the support of my Dad and the invaluable help of Ray Stringer I am a Superbike racer.  It feels really good!  Practice and qualifying went fairly well, although I had a lack of grip from the rear tyre at times.  I qualified 33rd, but at least I wasn't last.

I got quite a good start in the first race and I was pleasantly surprised to be running in the company of Jon Kirkham on the Sendo Kawasaki and Dean Ellison on the Jentin Yamaha R1.  I managed to stay with them for most of the race, until my rear tyre started loosing grip and I dropped back.  I was still pleased to finish 5th in the Cup.  Unfortunately I didn't get a good start in Race 2 and I was last into Paddock Hill Bend.  I got my head down and started to catch up with Dean Ellison, Chris Martin (Suzuki) and Dennis Hobbs (Nvidia Yamaha).  It was great to pass Dean Ellison who is contesting the main race, then Chris Martin, and I was lying in 3rd place in the Cup, heading for a podium finish.  Unfortunately Martin repassed me near the end of the race, but I was well pleased with my 4th place in the Cup.

All in all this was a really good start to my BSB season.  Roll on Thruxton! 

Truxton 10/04/05

My problems started before I'd even sat on the bike and I'd never seen the Thruxton Circuit before.  We arrived late and had to park up outside the paddock. Early Friday morning my Dad decided to move the caravan into the paddock while I was still asleep, when a gas regulator fell off the shelf and gave me a black eye.  I went out in first practice ready to do lots of laps to learn the circuit.  Disaster, the engine blew up after only 5 laps.  We managed to borrow a standard Kawasaki engine, but 8 laps into second practice I crashed at Club Chicane.  I wasn't hurt and the bike wasn't really damaged.  Then in the paddock a scooter ran into me and bruised my left hand.

I was ready and eager to go out for first qualifying on Saturday morning when the bike refused to start.  We eventually got it going but I only managed 15 laps in the time left, and I was having handling problems.  Not something you want at a new circuit.  My team managed to sort the handling problems and I qualified on the last of my 27 laps in second qualifying, much to my relief.

I got a good start in Race 1and was quite well up for a couple of laps.  As the race progressed I was locked in a dice with Chris Martin (Suzuki).  We were constantly swapping places until he managed to pull away a bit, but I was still happy with my 5th place in the Cup.  The dashboard packed up after Race 1, and at the start of Race 2 I was sliding all over the place, so I pulled into the pits, but went back out 1 lap down.  I just took it steady then to make sure I finished (6th) and earned some points in the Cup.  I have to thank my team for their hard work over the weekend, as after Friday I didn't even think I would be racing.  One good thing happened at Thruxton, the team now has a PR /Press Officer and official photographer, and I have someone to run this site for me.  Thank you Joan. 

News Wednesday 20/04/05

Some news folks, we are leaving M.A.R and joining forces with HBR Racing.  Also, I now have a spare bike, it's not such a high spec as my race bike, the engine of which has been rebuilt, but it will be a great help if we have any mechanical failures.  After all the problems at Thruxton we realised we needed a spare bike or engine.  The bikes are in new colours, but whether they are permanent is another matter, keep your eyes 'peeled'.

Mallory Park 24/04/05

Here I am at Mallory Park, one of the circuits I know well from my New Era Club racing days.  My engine has been rebuilt and the bike is in new colours, only temporary ones though, the painter got it wrong.  The two practice sessions went well on Friday, with no mishaps this time, and I was doing good lap times.  Saturday qualifying also went well with me ending up 31st out of 35, just in front of Dean Ellison.  With the grid only taking 32 riders we were the last two on the grid.  Well at least I get to race!

I got a good start in the first race and I was well up from my grid position when it was stopped due to Kiyonari's crash.  In the restart it was great not to be on the back row of the grid.  I got another good start, then I started having tyre problems and they finally let go round Gerards, dumping me in the gravel.  I was OK and the team worked hard to repair the bike for Race 2.  This was a repeat performance of  race one until it was stopped for another crash.  I'd only done a few laps of the restart when smoke came billowing out of the engine going down Devil's Elbow and I was sliding around down the straight.  The red flag came out again!  Fortunately it was only an oil seal that had gone, but I wasn't able to race in the second restart.

I'm gutted and very disappointed to have come away from Mallory with two D.N.F's and no championship points, but that's racing.  Now I'm just going to concentrate on the next round at Oulton Park.  See you all there. 

Oulton Park 2/05/05

Here we are at Oulton Park, and we now have our own motorhome / race truck with a good sized awning.  Ah, sheer luxury!  I'm hoping for a better weekend after Thruxton and Mallory Park.  I decided to sit out the wet practice session on Saturday morning but I went out in the afternoon.  Qualifying was a bit of a struggle because I had rear end chatter and brake fade, but I still managed to qualify 28th.

I got away well at the start of Race 1, but I was still having rear end chatter and rear tyre grip problems.  I managed to cope with these problems and have a good battle with Jentin's Gareth Glynn and Arco Medd's Nick Medd.  Fortunately I got the better of them and finished 5th in the Cup.  At least I finished this time!  It rained at the start of Race 2 so we had to change to 'wet' tyres on the grid.  I started well again, but I was a bit cautious to start with, which dropped me back in the race, then about mid-race I ran onto the grass.  So, finishing 4th in the Cup was a big consolation.  I'm pleased I've earned enough points to move me up from 7th to 6th in the Championship.  Now I'm looking forward to my first visit to the Mondello Park Circuit.  That'll be another new experience!  

Mondello Park 15/05/05

It was a long journey to Mondello Park in Ireland, but the team arrived in good spirits and we got ourselves set up, then I walked the track with Ray as I'd never ridden there before.  Friday dawned bright and sunny but with a strong cold wind.  I was ready to go out in first practice to learn the track.  I couldn't believe it when the chain snapped on my race bike after only a few laps.  At least I had my spare bike to go out on for the remainder of the session, and I found the set-up was better on this bike.  The team changed the set-up on my race bike for the afternoon session and everything went well.  I have to say I think the Mondello circuit is ace!

We were first out for qualifying on Saturday, so off I went determined to do well, but disaster again, I lost the front end and ended up in the gravel.  Back to the spare bike again, but this decided to misbehave and kept cutting out on me.  Another hard working session for the team as they repaired both bikes for afternoon qualifying.  Out I went again and this time things went OK.  I was really pleased to qualify in 27th place, my best yet.

We gambled on hard compound tyres for the first race which proved to be wrong as I lost the front end again on lap 11.  Two crashes in one weekend, not good!  I was a bit stiff after that, but with softer tyres on the bike it was handling well in race two, and after a good start I was well up.  I managed to keep a good rhythm going and I was so chuffed to finish 21st overall and 4th in the Cup, which meant I stayed in 6th in the Championship.  We all went away from Mondello feeling we had made some progress with the bike set-up.  Next weekend I'm off to Silverstone for the MRO meeting.  That should be fun!   

Silverstone MRO 22/05/05

What a s**t weekend at Silverstone MRO, best forgotten!  The weather was diabolical most of the weekend, my Kawasaki had an engine failure in the first Powerbike Race and the Ducati developed a gearbox problem.  The only consolation I had was a 3rd in the second Powerbike race on my spare bike and a 2nd in the second Supertwins race, after leading, when the gearbox problem started.  The best race of the weekend was the Supertwins Superpole race on Saturday.  Having not qualified I started from the back of the grid on the Ducati, in the wet.  I made a great start and came through to finish 2nd and set the fastest lap.  I was feeling really positive at the start of the weekend but it turned out to be even more disastrous than Thruxton!  Enough said!            
 

Croft 05/06/05

We arrived at Croft Thursday afternoon, set up camp, and the Team were looking forward to a good weekend of racing.  Friday morning practice I used to learn the circuit.  In the afternoon I upped my lap times by 2 seconds which was good.  I wasn't feeling too well, and by Saturday I had a stomach bug which lasted all weekend.

Saturday morning qualifying was wet, which helped me.  I used the spare bike and managed to qualify 30th out of 34.  The afternoon session was dry, so I went out on my number 1 bike and qualified well within the Qualification Maxima of 1:26:670, but in 34th place.  At first it seemed that the grid would be limited to 32 starters, but then they decided on 34, so I was last on the grid, which I wasn't too happy about, but at least I was on the grid.

I made one of my 'quick off the line' starts in Race 1and I was up about five places on the first few laps.  Then, disaster (when will it end), I began to feel unwell.  I was dropping back and I finally had to retire on lap 11, otherwise I might have crashed.  Race 2 started well again for me, but then I was about to retire when I saw the red flags for the rain, so I finished the lap.  The restart was only over 14 laps and I managed to go the distance, although I dropped back and finished last of the 20 finishers.  At least I managed to salvage enough points for 5th place in the Cup to keep me in 6th place in the championship.  Now there's a bit of a break, then it's off to Knockhill, another circuit I've never seen before.  I suppose you could say this is a real learning year for me!

Knockhill 26/06/05

After a five-hour journey we all arrived at Knockhill on Thursday.  This was another circuit I'd never been to before, so I walked the track Thursday evening.  It was raining Friday morning, but by the time I went out for the first Superbike practice there was a dry line.  I had to use this practice to learn the circuit.  Knockhill is a nice circuit, but short and a difficult one to learn, especially the good overtaking places.  Friday afternoon practice was dry, I went 1.7 seconds quicker although I was still learning the circuit, then the bike developed a small oil leak which cut short my second session.

The two qualifying sessions on Saturday went OK, although I had a problem with one of the exhausts in the first session, but I still managed 30th place out of 32, improving my lap time by 1.8 seconds.  I couldn't improve much on this time in second qualifying, leaving me in 31st place, just in front of Malcolm Ashley (MAR Kawasaki).

As usual I got off the line well in race one and I was up 5 places for a few laps, then I dropped back a couple of places as I was struggling for grip and felt I was still learning the circuit.  Then on lap 10 (another disaster) I lost the front and slid off at the hairpin.  I was absolutely gutted to miss out on some good points in the Cup, which could even have been a podium finish if I'd stayed in front of Malcolm Ashley.  I had another good start in the second race and running in front of Malclom for most of the race, until Tommy Hill (Virgin Mobile Yamaha) forced me wide at the hairpin, letting Malcolm through as well.  I got the place back at the hairpin next lap for a few laps, but then Malcolm's experience got the better of me and I was struggling for grip again, although I was only 0.24 seconds adrift of him at the finish and 5th in the Cup. 

Unfortunately I've dropped down to 7th place in the Cup championship, so I'm going to have to work extra hard now and try to make up some more points.  It's Snetterton next, at least I've raced there before!

Snetterton 10/07/05

This weekend we are at Snetterton, where I've raced before in New Era Club events, but it's not one of my favourite circuits.  In Friday morning practice nothing seemed right with the bike, in fact my spare bike was handling better.  My race bike set-up was changed and things went a little better in the afternoon, and I even managed to better my lap time by 0.6 seconds.  

Saturday morning qualifying wasn't going too bad, and then they stopped it after a crash.  When I went down pit lane for the restart the clutch started slipping.  I missed quite a bit of the session and had to go out on my spare bike.  The afternoon qualifying session went a little better and I did a slightly quicker lap time, but I still only qualified in 32nd place.  I wasn't too happy about being last on the grid, but with all the niggling little problems we'd had over the two days I suppose I should be thankful I was on the grid.

Sunday morning warm up was unbelievable, after only 3 laps the engine dropped a valve!  Ray, Rob and Kev worked really hard to repair my race engine with parts from my spare bike.  Thanks lads.  I got away well in the first race and passed Nick Medd, Malcolm Ashley and Dean Ellison.  I was going well until the clutch started playing up again.  I tried to keep going but nearly crashed twice and had to retire in the end.  Yet another D.N.F, which didn't please me.  The clutch was repaired, and I had another good start to race two, and at one point I was in 21st place!  I was well in front of Malcolm Ashley and even set my best lap time of the weekend, although I still had clutch problems and no dashboard.  Then it was the last straw when my leathers came undone and I had to stop and zip them up, which dropped me right back and in last place.  I managed to salvage a few points for 7th place in the Cup, but I'm still in 7th place in the championship.  As the saying goes 'it never rains but it pours'.  

So far my season seems to be littered with disasters.  Now there's a few weeks break before Silverstone so we can all 'recharge our batteries' and get the bikes prepared for the remainder of the season.

Cadwell Park Test Day 27/07/05 

I decided to go to the Cadwell test day, especially as it's my favourite circuit.  We had three 50 minute sessions, which was really good.  The first session was OK but I spent some time in the pits having adjustments done to the bike, but I still managed a respectable lap time, giving me 19th place out of the 23 Superbike riders who were there.  The second session was much the same as the first, although I did improve my lap time.  The third session was the best, even though I only managed 12 laps.  I got behind Tristan Palmer on the Vivaldi Kawasaki and managed to stay with him for three laps, until it rained.  By then there was only 10-15 minutes left of the session, so that was it for the day, but I had done my fastest ever lap around Cadwell at 1.32.32.  This lap time hoisted me to 15th place, fastest privateer in the session and 2nd fastest privateer of the day.  If we could have used new tyres for every session (we can't afford them) as well as the last one I'm sure I could have gone quicker.  Oh for a bit more sponsorship, I wish we could find some from somewhere.

As you can imagine, I was well pleased with the day, and there were no mishaps, so I went home a happy man.  I'm off to Monza next week for a couple of track days, so that'll give me a bit more time on the bike and a little bit of a holiday before the season kicks off again at Silverstone.  See you all there, and please come and say 'hello' to me and the team.

Silverstone 21/08/05

After the six week break and the Cadwell test day going so well I was feeling positive about racing at Silverstone, and I only had part of the International circuit to learn.  Little did I know what lay ahead of me!  Friday's first practice session was wet, but it went OK, with me ending up in 29th place, even though the rear tyre didn't give me much grip.  The afternoon session was dry and I did a lap time of 1.32.91.

Saturday was fine and dry and in morning qualifying I finished 31st, cutting over 2 seconds off my Friday lap time.  In the afternoon session we had an electrical fault with the No.1 bike so I went out on my No.2 bike, which then developed an oil leak.  All this, together with two riders who were behind me improving their times, left me in 33rd place, as I couldn't improve my lap time, but at least I wasn't last on the grid!

I used my No.2 bike in race one as the set-up was better.  I made a good start and I was in front of Malcolm Ashley on his Kawasaki until the engine started to misfire and I had to retire on lap 7.  I'm getting sick of these D.N.F's!!  The team then had to work hard to change the rear suspension over to my No.1 bike and try to sort the misfire.  I made another good start in race two, but then Chris Martin crashed his Suzuki on the first corner.  I braked hard to avoid him, only for Jon Kirkham to run into the back of me and we both went down.  I was OK but the bike had bent handlebars.  They red flagged the race on the next lap.  I had to go out in the restart on my No.2 bike, again another good start, but I was black flagged on lap 2 for a smoking bike.  The team couldn't find any sign of an oil leak and it was found that a drop of oil had come up into the breather pipe when I cranked over, burnt off in the exhaust, causing the smoke, but it didn't smoke again.  This happened because we don't have an oil cooler on the No.2 bike so we put more oil in to keep it cool.  Another D.N.F for no real reason, but the officials have to consider the safety of all the riders on the track.  As there were only two finishers in the Superbike Cup I was denied a podium finish, again!

Well, that was another nightmare weekend.  There's only four more rounds to go before my 'nightmare season' ends!!  Next stop Cadwell Park.

Cadwell Park 29/08/05

At last I get to race at my favourite circuit!  After doing well at the earlier MCRCB test day I was hoping for at least one podium finish, but things didn't start too well when I crashed my No.1 bike in first practice on Saturday.  Fortunately neither me or the bike were really hurt.  We found the front tyre was over-pressured which caused it to overheat and it slid away at Mansfield.

Sunday morning qualifying went really well without any problems and I did a personal best lap time of 1.31.63, leaving me in 28th place, not a bad effort!.  During afternoon qualifying I couldn't improve on that time which resulted in me being in 29th place on the grid, but not last!  I got black flagged twice for the bike smoking, they couldn't find anything wrong the first time, but the second time I think there was just a tiny spot of oil that had leaked.

I was looking forward to the first race, not knowing what lay in store for me.  I had a great start and was up a few places on my grid position when I got hit by someone's bike in the chest and arm in the Coppice bend incident.  My hands were forced from the handlebars, but I managed to stay on the bike and rejoin the race a lap down.  I finished 6th in the Cup to earn some points for my efforts.  The bike cut out on the line in race two and I was last away.  I was feeling sore, but I made a big effort and managed to catch up with Malcolm Ashley (Kawasaki).  We had a good dice and swapped places a couple of times, but I was in front on the last lap when it mattered and finished a relieved 4th place in the Cup.  I would have been happier if I'd got a podium finish, but I was a bit injured which hampered me.  I suppose I should be happy to have finished two races after so many D.N.F's!

I believe I could have finished on the podium in the first race if I hadn't been caught up in the Coppice incident.  That's four times now something's happened to stop me getting on the podium.  There's six more races left, what's going to happen next time?  I'll leave it there!!

Oulton Park 11/09/05

What a weekend - fantastic, I can hardly believe it!  We arrived early on Thursday for a change and got set up, then when it rained so heavy later I was wondering what sort of weather we were going to get over the weekend.  Usually I'm not that good in the wet, so when Friday morning practice was wet I was a bit apprehensive.  When I went out the bike felt really good and I found I could concentrate that bit more.  I was chuffed to end up as 14th overall and fastest privateer.  A great start, but at that point I didn't know the weekend was going to turn out to be even better.

Saturday qualifying turned out to be a bit of a washout when it rained towards the end of the session.  Just before final qualifying Ray found out we were running the bike at too low a ride height, so it was highered, with me wondering what it would be like.  Well, I can tell you it made a great difference, I had more grip from the tyres than I'd ever had.  It gave me a lot more confidence in the bike and in myself, and I was so focused on doing well.  I was so pleased to end up in 22nd place on the 6th row of the grid, the highest I've ever been.  It felt almost like being on pole to me.

It was strange to be so high up the grid in BSB, maybe that was why I didn't get such a good start and dropped to 27th place.  But I upped my pace and started chasing Dean Ellison (Slingshot Honda) and Chris Martin (Nycom Suzuki).  I was in 5th place in the Cup, then Steve Brogan (PR Branson Honda) retired, handing me 4th place.  You can't imagine my delight when I passed Chris Martin to move into 3rd place.  I just concentrated on not making any mistakes then, I wasn't going to loose out on a podium finish again!  I was absolutely 'over the moon' to finish 3rd and on the podium for the first time in the BSB Cup.  I knew I could get a good result because we had a good set-up for the bike and I felt I was riding really well.

I got a better start in the second race and I was chasing Chris Martin again, but just couldn't quite get by him to take 4th place.  The bike then started to vibrate at the rear and I lost grip from the rear tyre.  I was sliding about nearly everywhere and dropped back, but I managed to finish in 5th place.  We couldn't find anything wrong with the bike so it seems that we may have had a bad tyre.

The podium finish is what I've worked hard for all season and what I wanted to achieve at the start of the season, and at last I've done it.  I have to thank my Team for their help and hard work, my family and friends, and the sponsors I have.  Without all of them it would never have been possible, so a big 'thank you' goes to everyone who has supported me and believed in me all season.

Donington Park 25/09/05

It seems a long time ago now since I was at the test day back in March.  I did compete in the British Superbikes at Donington last season so I know the track fairly well.  For Friday morning wet practice I went out on used 'wet' tyres, we can't afford new ones, especially now that it's getting near the end of the season.  I took it easy so that I didn't crash, but I still managed to be 28th out of 34.  The afternoon session was dry, but I lost the front end at Redgate early on and had to sit around in the pits while the team fitted a new footrest and belly pan.  I got back out again and I was pleased to end the session as 3rd fastest privateer and 26th overall.

Qualifying didn't seem to go quite as well as practice.  In the morning session I did a time of 1.35.45 putting me 30th out of 36, but I wanted to go quicker.  I did have some minor handling problems, so Ray decided to shorten the wheelbase and lower the ride height a bit, which unfortunately didn't work.  I was gutted not to improve on my lap time and slip down to 32nd on the grid, although I wasn't on the back row.

I didn't make a very good start in the first race, and started getting brake fade early on , which got worse as the race went on.  I was dicing with Malcolm Ashley and Phil Giles for most of the race.  I could pass them on the straights, but lost out on braking and ran wide a few times at Redgate and Goddards.  I was right on Malcolm's back wheel on the last lap trying to take him on the line but I missed out by just 0.03 of a second, finishing 7th in the Cup to get a few points.

It had rained earlier, but there was a dry line after the Supersport race, so I went out on slicks, along with nearly all the other riders.  I didn't make a good start in race two either and I was just in front of Malcolm and Richard Wren.  But then I started to 'fly' even though there were still damp patches on the track and I was on slicks.  I passed Steve Brogan, Matt Llewellyn, Chris Martin and Tristan Palmer, which felt really good.  By lap 13 I'd caught James Buckingham and I was planning to pass him on the back straight, where I'd passed all the others, to move into 3rd in the Cup.  But my plan didn't quite work out because going into the Old Hairpin the back wheel got onto a damp patch and started to break away, then I lost the front end and down I went.  Robbed of another podium finish!  Next lap Glen Richards went down as well, his bike was heading my way, I'd hurt my leg, but I managed to limp out of the way.  One of the Marshals just managed to get out of the way and Glen's bike missed him by inches.  When you hit a damp patch on slicks it's like riding on ice.  Not a very good day for me!

News 

I and the whole Team would like to say 'thank you' to Arnold Laver Timber World (Bradford) Ltd for their financial sponsorship for the final BSB round at Brands Hatch.

Brands Hatch 9/10/05 

We are at Brands again for the final BSB round, back where it all started in March, only this time I have part of the GP circuit to learn.  Friday morning practice didn't go too well, the bike just didn't feel right and I couldn't feel what the front was doing, especially down Paddock Hill.  I like the GP circuit and afternoon practice went better, and I actually improved my time by over a second.

Saturday morning qualifying went well, I didn't have any problems, and improved my time again by nearly a second, ending in 28th place out of 33, which I was pleased with.  I was even more pleased after second qualifying when I found I was in 24th place, on the 6th row of the grid again and 3rd fastest privateer.  Little did I know what was in store for me in the two races on Sunday.

The weather was perfect on race day, but once again the bike just didn't feel right in warm-up.  I didn't make a particularly good start in the first race, but I was up to 3rd place in the Cup by lap 2 when I was 'black flagged' because the bike was smoking.  Another podium gone up in smoke!  The same thing happened in race two so I was none too pleased.  At least I managed to hang on to 7th place in the Cup championship.  We found out a seal had gone in the engine, it wasn't dangerous, and there wasn't an oil leak, but the officials have to be cautious.

It's been a long, hard season, but I've enjoyed it, learnt a lot and improved as a rider.  Unfortunately we've had quite a few mechanical breakdowns, some of them due to lack of finance.  We've had to finance this season through our shop, MP Motorcycles, as we've only had about £8,000 in outside sponsorship.  Because of this we couldn't afford new tyres and brake pads for practice, and the engine couldn't be stripped and rebuilt as often as it should have been.

As for 2006, I definitely want to be back in the Superbike Cup, but if we don't get some decent sponsorship then it won't be possible.  Anyone who would like to sponsor a hard working, enthusiastic and friendly Team, who would always make you welcome, then please contact me or Joan, details on the contact page. I know that with enough financial help to compete on a level with the other privateer teams I could run with the top riders in the Superbike Cup Championship.

THANK YOU

I would like to end the season by saying a big 'thank you' to my Dad and all my family and friends who have supported me all season, and to Ray for all his hard work, help and encouragement.  Also 'thank you' to Rob, Simon and Kev for their hard work and mechanical skills, to Tracey for her timing and to Joan for photography, PR / Press and this web site.  Last but not least, 'thank you' to Christian Clark of CarCarC, RTR, The Gold Shop, PFI Mechanical Services and Arnold Laver Timber World for their financial help, to Race Products for race bodywork and Beowulf Performance Parts for race cans.  Thanks to everyone who made this season possible.

NEWS

Hi, I have some news for you all.  I have been offered a National Superstock ride with NY Racing, run by Neil Young, on a Yamaha R1.  After testing in Spain a couple of weeks ago I was very impressed with the bike and the team.  So watch out for me in Superstock next season, where I hope I will be amongst the front runners.  More news soon.

Testing at Almeria on the Superstock Yamaha R1 went really well.  All the team got on well together and we made a lot of progress with the set-up of the bike, with my lap times getting quicker every time I went out on track.  Next test session is at Nogaro, France, in February.  I've never been to Nogaro before but it looks like a very interesting and twisty track.  There will be four days on track with all ACU licence holders taking part, so I shouldn't be getting held up by slower riders.  Will give you more news after this test.

Now I would just like to say "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" to all my family and friends, to all the team members and everyone who reads my diary.  See you all in 2006.