http://www.gearlinkracing.com en-gb gearlinkracing.com 2011-9-5T00:00:00Z gearlinkracing.com http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#101762 Michael de Bidaph BenG joined our satellite National Superstock 600 team MWR earlier this year and whilst I had only known him during this short period of time it seemed like I had know him for years such was his amazing personality. BenG was a truly dedicated sportsman in every sense of the word. He fitted into the MWR team straight away and was a credit to the sport. He listened to any advice offered and took the advice willingly. His knowledge was way beyond his years as was his attitude to life and racing. He was always polite with a caring sharing manner a credit to his parents and family. I feel proud to have known BenG and also proud to have had him on board a Gearlink Kawasaki bike riding for MWR.BenGs untimely death is so terribly tragic I will miss him and his never ending smile deeply but he will always be a part of the Gearlink Kawasaki family and his memory will live on.On behalf of myself and all at Gearlink Kawasaki may I offer my sincere condolences to BenGs family ... 2011-9-4 14:06:14 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#101755 Gearlink Kawasaki enjoyed a double victory by Ben Wilson at Cadwell Park over the Bank Holiday weekend with Ben picking up the maximum 50 points haul to extend his series lead in the Fuchs Silkolene British Supersport championship back to 53 points over nearest rival Alastair Seeley with three rounds seven races remaining. New recruit David Jones rode to a points finish in 15th place on his debut for the team but was forced out of the second encounter with an electrical fault on the Gearlink Kawasaki ZX6R.However the weekends celebrations were marred by the tragic death of 18yearold Ben Gautrey who lost his life in the Superstock 600 race on Monday. Ben was a member of the MWRGearlink Kawasaki Superstock team and a close friend of Ben Wilson who dedicated his win on Monday to him.Wilson from Kirton near Boston was in fine form throughout the weekend and fastest in free practice and qualifying. He began Sundays 12lap sprint race from pole position but did not get away to his usual fas... 2011-9-2 12:20:08 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#100789 Following a successful test at Mallory Park on Thursday Gearlink Kawasaki is pleased to have David Jones join the team. The 22yearold rider from Colwyn Bay will make his debut for Gearlink Kawasaki in round nine of the Fuchs Silkolene British Supersport championship that takes place at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire over the Bank Holiday weekend.Michael de Bidaph team owner and manager I am very happy to sign David to ride for us at Cadwell Park. We tested at Mallory on Thursday and I was very impressed with the way he gelled with the bike. I am sure he will be an asset to the team and I look forward to working with him.David will make his debut for Gearlink Kawasaki in the two free practice sessions that take place on Saturday ahead of qualifying on Sunday morning. The 12lap sprint race begins at 3.30pm on Sunday followed by the 16lap feature race on Monday at 3.45pm. 2011-8-19 12:31:11 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#100238 It is with regret that Gearlink Kawasaki has made the decision to part with British Supersport rider Jesse Trayler. It is an amicable split and we would like to wish Jesse every success for the future. The team will consider running a second rider for the remainder of the season if such rider meets the required criteria. All interested parties please contact Michael de Bidaph 07900 570900 2011-8-10 15:52:08 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#100236 Ben Wilson took part in two epic battles with Alistair Seeley at Brands Hatch and crossed the finish line each time just a tyre tread behind his rival to claim two second places and a further 40 championship points in round eight of the Fuchs Silkolene British Supersport championship. Despite his efforts Wilson sees his lead reduced to 43 points with four rounds nine races remaining.The usual Rider of the Day award took a new twist with Jamie Whitham unable to separate the two top Supersport riders and he awarded the champagne jointly to Ben Wilson and Alistair Seeley for their outstanding performance in the two races.Wilson dominated the test session on the short Indy circuit and was just beaten to pole position by Seeley when they switched to the full GP circuit on Saturday for qualifying.As the short 10lap sprint race got underway it was Seeley who rounded Paddock Hill Bend in the lead with Wilson on the Gearlink Kawasaki hot on his heels. The pace slowed in the opening laps with th... 2011-8-9 15:44:13 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#98708 The predicted heavy and continuous rain that was forecast for Sunday played havoc with the race programme resulting in the British Supersport race being postponed. But Saturdays sprint race did take place and what a race it was. Ben Wilson suffered a technical problem with his Gearlink Kawasaki in the early stages of qualifying and was forced to start from 26th place on the grid. But he rose to the challenge and powered through the field to take an amazing second place at the chequered flag. Meanwhile Jesse Trayler was desperately unlucky to be taken out on the first lap his race over before it began.Ben Wilson was there or thereabouts in the free practice sessions and was the fastest rider on track in the early stages of qualifying in the wet on Saturday. But his Gearlink Kawasaki developed a technical problem and he was forced to sit out the rest of the session watching in dismay as the track dried and the lap times fell. At the end of the session he had been demoted to 26th and face... 2011-7-19 15:36:37 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#97788 Both Gearlink Kawasaki riders Ben Wilson and Jesse Trayler brought more points home to the team from the two British Supersport races at Snetterton over the weekend. Wilson scored two second places while Trayler finished 15th in race one improving to 10th in the second encounter.Starting from a front row grid position in second place series leader Ben Wilson got the hole shot in the 10lap sprint race but was soon overhauled by Alistair Seeley who had started from pole. Seeley and Wilson quickly pulled away from the pursuing pack but although Wilson rode the wheels off the Gearlink Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R he was unable to stay in touch with Seeley who crossed the finish line some 7.6 seconds ahead of Wilson to claim the win.Race two went much the same way and although Wilson hung onto the shirt tails of Seeley during the first half of the race he was again unable to stay with him and Seeley took the chequered flag for the win ahead of the Gearlink Kawasaki rider who collected 40 championshi... 2011-7-6 13:19:27 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#97787 Ben Wilson rode to a strong third place in the wet at Knockhill on Saturday and followed up with a sensational win in the second encounter on Sunday. This fine set of results extend his series lead in the British Supersport championship to 59 points over nearest rival Alistair Seeley. He rounded off the day by being awarded rider of the day and was presented with a bottle of champagne by Eurosport commentator Jamie Whitham. Despite a tumble in the first race Jesse Trayler stepped up to the plate in Sundays event by clinching his best ever result in the Supersport class with a fine sixth position.The notoriously changeable Knockhill weather played its part in qualifying and the first race on Saturday. In wet conditions Ben Wilson powered his Gearlink Kawasaki through to second place for a front row start to his first race and in wet and slippery conditions he rode to a strong third place behind Sam Warren and Alistair Seeley.Jesse Trayler was running within the top 10 and riding well bu... 2011-6-24 13:16:00 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#96067 Despite being unable to add to his five wins in the series Ben Wilson powered his Gearlink Kawasaki machine through to a third and fourth place at Thruxton in round four of the Fuchs Silkolene British Supersport championship to extend his series lead to a healthy 58 points. Jesse Trayler was out of the points in the first race but rode through to 10th in the second encounter to pick up six championship points.Ben Wilson dominated free practice and qualifying but was denied pole position by just two hundredths of a second when Billy McConnell put together a flying lap in the dying seconds of the session.In the short 12lap sprint race Wilson got the hole shot and maintained his position during the first half of the race but was caught by five riders all hoping to take the win for themselves. The remainder of the race was spent dicing for position with riders slipstreaming into the complex and the lead changing frequently throughout. Wilson headed the group as they ran towards the complex... 2011-6-3 17:14:31 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#96066 Ben Wilson rode his Gearlink Kawasaki to a winning double at Croft Circuit over the weekend and has now won five of the six races held this season and leads the British Supersport championship by a massive 39 points from Jack Kennedy with Alistair Seeley a further 10 points adrift in third place. Jesse Trayler was unlucky to be taken out of a strong points scoring position in Saturdays sprint race but fought back to complete Sundays second encounter in 15th position to pick up a championship point bringing his total to seven.Ben Wilson began the sprint race from pole position taking the lead on the second of the planned 13 laps and held station until the red flag brought the race to an early end at 10 laps giving the 29 year old Lincolnshire rider his third successive victory for Gearlink Kawasaki.Starting the second race on Sunday from second place on the grid Wilson was third at turn one but by the end of the lap he had reeled in the two riders ahead and headed the field. He was push... 2011-5-17 17:10:38 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#96064 Gearlink Kawasaki is celebrating a double victory by Ben Wilson in the second round of the British Supersport championship at Oulton Park in which Wilson now has a 20 point advantage at the head of the rider standings over nearest rival Jack Kennedy.Qualifying threw up a few problems for Wilson but he persevered and began the short 12lap sprint race from second place on the grid just 200ths of a second away from pole man Alistair Seeley.Seeley made the running on the first lap but Wilson made his move at Lodge on the second lap and took the lead. Jack Kennedy tried a pass at Shell on lap three but Wilson fended him off and retained his slender lead all the way to the chequered flag crossing the finish line for his second win of the current campaign.Ben was on pole for race two but as they shot off the line it was Seeley who once again got the hole shot into Old Hall and staved off the Gearlink Kawasaki riders advances until lap two when Ben nipped through at Lodge to take the lead at t... 2011-5-4 17:06:48 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#96062 Ben Wilson gave Gearlink Kawasaki the best possible start to the new season when he dominated the first of two races at Brands Hatch in round one of the British Supersport Championship. He went on to claim fourth in race two while the celebrations were completed by Jesse Trayler who scored two points finishes to bring the total points haul for the weekend to 44.Wilson was in top form all weekend and topped the practice and qualifying sheets in each session his pace as hot as the sunny conditions at the Kent circuit. He started the first race on Sunday from pole position and was never troubled throughout the 18 laps crossing the finish line some 2.4s ahead of Paul Young to take the first win of the season. He also set the fastest lap of the race with a 47.128s 92.27mph on lap four of the race.Wilson got away to another good start in the second race. He led for the majority of the 26 laps but once tyre wear came into play he was beaten back to third falling into the clutches of Steve Pl... 2011-4-27 17:02:15 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#80743 PODIUM JOY FOR GEARLINK KAWASAKI AT CADWELL After a couple of finishes further downfield than he wanted in previous rounds Ben Wilson fought his way through to take a podium finish for Gearlink Kawasaki at Cadwell Park in round nine of the British Supersport championship at the Lincolnshire venue on Monday. His teammate Jesse Trayler completed a successful weekend for the team by taking fifteenth place to claim another championship point. After two nonfinishes at his home venue in previous visits Wilson was determined not to make it three in a row and throughout the weekend he remained within the top four claiming a second row start in fourth place. As the race got underway Wilson made his usual lightning start and headed the field through Charlies. But his lead was shortlived as Lowes passed him at Park corner. He was demoted to third when Billy McConnell made a desperate dive at the chicane which nearly resulted in Wilson being pushed off the track. But although he lost momentum h... 2010-9-9 17:09:11 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#73304 Brands Hatch played host to round eight of the British Supersport championship on Sunday in which all three Gearlink Kawasaki riders completed their race in the points. Ben Wilson began his campaign from the head of the second row and got away to his usual lightening start leading the field around Paddock Hill for the first time. But he had close company in the form of championship leader Sam Lowes who was looking to extend his series lead with a win. Lowes took over at the front on lap two and one lap later Wilson was relegated to third as Sams twin brother Alex moved ahead to chase his brother. The action was fast and furious and Wilson was soon relegated to fourth place. But the action was halted when the pace car was deployed because of an accident further down field. As the car left the track three laps later the race was back on and Wilson got the best drive around Druids to regain third place. The riders were all bunched together and Wilson came under pressure from Graham Gow... 2010-8-13 14:47:31 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#71103 The Gearlink Kawasaki British Supersport squad of Ben Wilson and Jesse Trayler visited Snetterton in Norfolk for round seven of the championship on Sunday and although they didnt come away with the results they were aiming for Ben Wilson recorded a fifth place and Jesse Trayler finished in 20th position. Free practice threw up a few problems for the team but these were rectified on Wilsons 15 machine ahead of first qualifying. But the session was stopped after a few laps while Wilson was holding fourth place and a long delay followed while a problem with the track at Russells was dealt with. Subsequently a single qualifying session was used to determine the grid positions for Sundays 20 lap race. Wilson encountered some suspension problems during the session and was therefore unable to secure the grid position he required and was left on row three in 11th position while Jesse was to make a start from row seven. As the race got underway Wilson got a flyer of a start making up five pla... 2010-7-21 16:52:26 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#71102 The notorious Knockhill weather played havoc on race day but Gearlink Kawasaki ace Ben Wilson shrugged off the blustery wet conditions to clinch second place in round six of the British Supersport championship at the Scottish circuit on Sunday and move back up to fourth in the overall rider standings on 63 points. Free practice and qualifying was full of drama with Jesse Trayler and Jamie Hamilton both suffering heavy crashes giving the pit crew a lot of work to do to get the Gearlink Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R machines up and running in time for Sunday morning warm up. As it happened Jamie had another crash in final qualifying and highsided landing heavily and withdrawing from the race after a visit to the medical centre confirmed he had concussion. As race day dawned with it came the rain and the track was awash with streams of water running across the racing line. The rain continued throughout the morning but eventually the conditions improved sufficiently for the British Supersport race... 2010-7-7 16:46:16 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#71101 Mallory Park turned out to be another tough round for the Gearlink Kawasaki Supersport squad with Ben Wilson finishing in seventh position Jamie Hamilton 14th and Jesse Trayler suffering a nonfinish in round five of the British Supersport championship at the short 1.4mile Leicestershire circuit on Sunday. Qualifying went well for Ben Wilson and he looked promising for a repeat performance from 2009 when he recorded a second place in the race. He began his campaign well qualifying in fourth place for a front row start but although he led the field around the first two laps he was reeled in by eventual race winner Billy McConnell. It soon became obvious that Wilson had a problem with the Ninja ZX6R and he dropped back to end the 25 laps in seventh place. Meanwhile new recruit Jamie Hamilton was pleased to finish in 14th place on his first outing in the Supersport squad. He got his season underway with the Gearlink Kawasaki team by picking up two championship points his first in the ser... 2010-6-30 16:30:34 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#66924 It is with regret that Gearlink Kawasaki and Sam Coventry have decided to part company. The 16yearold rider has been contesting the Metzeler Superstock 600 championship for the team but to date has failed to qualify for the main race and has had some issues on getting to grips with the Gearlink Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R. Sam has thought long and hard before making his decision to leave the squad and will continue to contest the series on his own machinery. Michael de Bidaph team owner and manager We are sorry to lose Sam but respect his decision and wish him our very best wishes for the future. We have enjoyed working with Sam and his family who have made the decision to go it alone for the rest of the season. We will be looking for a replacement rider to contest the Superstock 600 series and any interested riders are invited to contact the team at the earliest opportunity. Contact Michael de Bidaph directly via his mobile 07900 570900 or submit a CV to Gearlinkaol.com 2010-6-3 18:57:42 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#66873 It is with regret that Gearlink Kawasaki has parted company with Lee Johnston. The Northern Ireland rider partnered Ben Wilson and Jesse Trayler in the British Supersport championship but after just four rounds of the series he has decided to withdraw from the team. He has taken longer than expected to familiarise himself with the Gearlink Kawasaki Supersport machine and having scored only 11 points in the four races to date 14th in the rider standings is not where he wants or expects to be. Michael de Bidaph team owner and manager I am sorry that Lee has decided to leave the team but totally respect his decision. The split is an amicable one and I have very much enjoyed working with Lee and his family and wish him all the best for the future. The team have yet to decide if they will replace Johnston but with four weeks before the next round of the series there is plenty of time to consider the options. 2010-6-3 13:33:27 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#66872 What looked to be a promising weekend for Gearlink Kawasaki ended in disappointment when Ben Wilson crashed out of the British Supersport race at Cadwell and Sam Coventry once again was unable to qualify in the Superstock 600 class and was forced out of the shootout with a braking problem at the half way stage of the race. But it wasnt all bad news for the team as Lee Johnston completed the British Supersport race in the points albeit down in 14th position and Jesse Trayler brought his Gearlink Kawasaki Supersport machine home in 21st position. Following his race win at Oulton Park in round three of the series Ben Wilson was confident he could do well at his local circuit and throughout free practice and qualifying the Lincolnshire ace was in the thick of the action amongst the top three and challenging for pole position. The times were close with just two tenths of a second separating the top three riders. Wilson posted a career best time of 1m 29.504s to claim a front row start t... 2010-5-29 13:25:56 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#66870 Race day began badly for Gearlink Kawasaki when Sam Coventry crashed out of the Superstock 600 shoot out but ended in elation when Ben Wilson took his first win of the new season and Jesse Trayler finished eighth to claim his first points for Gearlink Kawasaki in round three of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship at Oulton Park on Monday. But the teams joy was combined with disappointment as Lee Johnston was forced out of sixth place in the Supersport race with a puncture on lap five. In the rainaffected race Ben Wilson got away to a lightening start to take up fourth place on the opening lap. One lap later he moved up to third and then to second on lap three. But things took a dramatic turn when race leader Ian Hutchinson fell at Hizzys gifting the lead to Wilson. The top three riders pulled well clear of the pack with Wilson steering the Gearlink Kawasaki away to build up a substantial lead. But the safety car was deployed on lap five to allow the marshals to sweep ... 2010-5-6 13:22:48 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#63390 The Gearlink Kawasaki British Supersport team added to their points tally when Ben Wilson finished seventh and Lee Johnston ninth in round two of the British Supersport championship at Thruxton on Sunday. Jesse Trayler rode through from a low grid position to finish in a creditable 19th position while Sam Coventry again just missed out on a ride in the Superstock 600 main race and had to be content with a 13th place finish in the shoot out race. Ben Wilson rode through some set up problems to clinch a second row start to his race in eighth place and got away to a good start slotting into third place at the first corner before losing a place in the early stages. He lost the tow from the leading group and ended up circulating on his own in eighth position for the majority of the race eventually moving up a place to take the chequered flag in seventh and notch up his first set of championship points to get his championship challenge underway. Lee Johnston came through from a third row s... 2010-4-20 09:29:39 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#62337 Brands Hatch didnt go quite to plan for the Gearlink Kawasaki team with Ben Wilson crashing out of eighth place on lap 16 of the shortened 21 lap British Supersport race. However Lee Johnston finished in 14th place and Jesse Trayler was 19th while Sam Coventry had to be content with a 12th place finish in the Superstock 600 shootout race. Qualifying saw Ben Wilson claim a second row start to his British Supersport campaign and he got away to his usual lightening start to slot into fifth position. But he was pushed wide at Druids on the first lap and dropped back to ninth as the field squeezed around the hairpin. Although it took him a couple of laps to recover the 29 year old Lincolnshire rider soon made it back to eighth place to give chase to the leaders some way ahead. But just as he drew near to the group ahead he highsided at Clark Curve his race over. Lee Johnston qualified 17th to start from row five and was soon in the mix circulating in 11th place. But he encountered a tec... 2010-4-6 16:29:20 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#58203 Jesse Trayler is to join the Gearlink Kawasaki squad and will partner Sam Coventry in the 2010 National Superstock 600cc class. Jesses main sponsor will be Linxcel www.linxcel.co.uk who is also helping Ben Wilson this year. The 18yearold rider from Great Dunmow in Essex represented MSS Discovery Kawasaki in the National Superstock 600 class throughout 2009 and completed all but one of his races in the points with his best results being a second at Donington Park and third at Knockhill and Brands Hatch to complete the season in a very respectable sixth place. Jesse joined his new teammates Ben Wilson Lee Johnston and Sam Coventry to travel to Calafat in Spain where they linked up with the Provec Kawasaki World Supersport team and riders Joan Lascorz and Katsuaki Fujiwara for a short test. Although the weather was cool but dry in the morning the rain set in during the afternoon which prematurely curtailed the teams track action. Despite the inclement weather conditions all four Gearl... 2010-2-11 15:14:15 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#56084 Ben Wilson who has resigned for Gearlink Kawasaki will partner the newly signed rider Lee Johnston to compete in the 2010 British Supersport Championship. The team is very happy to include Lee the 20 year old Irish rider from Maguiresbridge in Co. Fermanagh Northern Ireland who had some strong top ten finishes in his first year in the Supersport Championship last year. Lee won the Superstock 600 championship in 2008 which coincidentally was won last year by Gearlink Kawasaki rider Jamie Hamilton also from Northern Ireland. Also joining the Gearlink Kawasaki squad in the National Superstock 600 Championship is up and coming youngster Sam Coventry from Waterlooville Hampshire. Sam who is just 16 years of age spent the 2009 season with Thundersport GB where he rode in the Junior Powerbike series ending his campaign in second place. The team is pleased to welcome on board team partner Linxcel who has made a commitment to Ben Wilson in the way of podium bonuses. Ben Wilson I am delig... 2010-1-13 16:26:04 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#51325 GEARLINK KAWASAKI SEASON FINALE Gearlink Kawasaki wrapped up their 2009 British Supersport campaign on Sunday with Ben Wilson and Hudson Kennaugh finishing third and fourth and Jamie Hamilton taking a fine 20th place on his debut ride in the final round of the series at Oulton Park on Sunday. Although Ben Wilson could only achieve fourth place in the final standings he was anxious to end his season with a top result and went into qualifying with the sole aim of securing a front row grid position. There was a change to the race format for the final round with three free practice sessions ahead of just one qualifying period on Saturday and Wilson made the most of his qualifying to claim a front row start to Sundays 15lap finale by recording a quick lap time of 1m 39.041s well inside the existing lap record and just 0.3s away from pole setter Steve Plater. As the race got underway Ben got away to a flying start and headed the field around the first two laps but was then mugged by S... 2009-10-13 09:46:07 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#50057 It was confirmed this afternoon that Hudson will be riding the Supersport bike once again at Oulton Park. 2009-10-5 17:37:53 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#50056 The final rounds of the British Supersport and Superstock 600 championships take place at Oulton Park in Cheshire on Sunday with Gearlink Kawasaki riders out in force and aiming to end their season on a high note. Ben Wilson will be striving for a change of fortune to end his season with Gearlink Kawasaki on a high note with a strong result. After his nonfinish in the previous round at Silverstone through no fault of his own third place in the championship is now beyond him but the 27yearold Lincolnshire rider is confident that with a good result he can seal fourth position for the team. He currently holds fourth with a 22 point advantage over Daniel Cooper and just needs a handful of points from the final race to secure a fourth place end to his campaign. Having already sealed the Superstock 600 title Ballyclare rider Jamie Hamilton has relinquished his ride and will partner Ben Wilson in the British Supersport race at Oulton Park. He will be keen to experience the power of a fu... 2009-10-5 17:32:06 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#49855 Gearlink Kawasaki has announced that Jamie Hamilton will ride the Supersport bike at Oulton Park. Jamie will relinquish his Superstock 600 ride now that he has won the championship. MICHAEL DE BIDAPH Team owner and manager We more or less decided that if Jamie could wrap up the Metzeler National 600 Championship before Oulton Park then we would let him ride in Supersport class for the final round. We see no point in Jamie continuing in the Superstock 600 series and the Supersport ride will be an added bonus for him in view of his outstanding performance this season. There will be no pressure on Jamie at Oulton Park but knowing him he will still be showing the raw talent that he possesses. Free practice and qualifying take place on Friday and Saturday October 910 prior to the final round of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship that takes place over 15 laps of the 2.269mile Cheshire circuit on Sunday October 11 starting at 4pm. 2009-10-2 10:34:29 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#49586 2009 METZELER SUPERSTOCK 600 CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS A dark day for the Gearlink Kawasaki team ended in joy when rising star Jamie Hamilton wrapped up the Metzeler Superstock 600 championship giving the team its first title and Kawasaki Motors UK their first British Championship win since 1992 when John Reynolds won the British Superbike championship. The 18yearold quietly spoken rider from Ballyclare has proved to be a revelation since joining Gearlink Kawasaki at Donington Park in round three of the series and has graced the podium in seven of his nine races for the team. Although he made an uncharacteristic mistake and ended up in the gravel trap at Silverstone his main opponent failed to score points in the race thus leaving Hamilton with sufficient points to be declared champion with one race remaining. JAMIE HAMILTON I am delighted to have won the Superstock 600 title not just for myself but for Gearlink Kawasaki and Kawasaki Motors UK. You have to be in it to win it and ever si... 2009-9-28 15:58:04 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#48701 The Gearlink Kawasaki team enjoyed two podium finishes at Croft circuit when Ben Wilson rode to a fine third place in round 10 of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship and Jamie Hamilton finished second in the Metzeler National Superstock 600 race. Lincolnshire rider Ben Wilson realised the need to secure a top result and he rode a fantastic race on board the Gearlink Kawasaki ZX6R to claim third place and edge nearer to the top three position he relinquished last time out at Cadwell Park. As the race got underway Wilson got the hole shot but was beaten back to second by Billy McConnell and then to third when James Westmoreland went past. The action was frantic at the front and as riders all jostled for position and Wilson was forced off line and dropped to fourth at the end of the lap. But Wilson is known for his persistence and he was soon back up into third place putting Dan Linfoot well and truly behind him as he chased the leading duo who were beginning to pull awa... 2009-9-14 16:36:24 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#47948 Gearlink Kawasaki suffered mixed fortunes at Cadwell Park over the Bank Holiday weekend when British Supersport Championship contender Ben Wilson had the chain jump off the bike on lap two causing him to retire leaving new recruit Hudson Kennaugh to represent the team in the ninth round of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport series where he put in a sterling performance to seal 17th position at the end of the 16lap affair. Meanwhile Jamie Hamilton rode a blinder in the Superstock 600 race to bring the Ninja ZX6R home in a fine second place to extend his series lead to 40 points. Wilson started the weekend well and qualified his Gearlink Kawasaki machine in third place for a front row start. But things didnt go quite to plan for the 27yearold rider from Kirton near Boston. As the race got underway Wilson jostled for position with pole setter Billy McConnell but missed a gear at Charlies and lost ground. He was quick to recover and regroup to end the first lap in fourth position. But... 2009-9-2 15:58:39 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#47338 After being transferred to Kings College hospital on Monday 17th August Chris discharged himself yesterday Friday 21st August because he had still not been fitted with the halo brace. We have been informed by an unofficial source that two different NHS authorities were in dispute with each other regarding payment of the treatment A week has now been wasted plus an operation on Chriss ankle which was scheduled for Thursday 20th August at York hospital had to be cancelled. Chris is now at home awaiting further news from his local hospital and hopefully the operation to repair his left ankle will be carried out early next week. I will keep you informed of any further developments. Norma 2009-8-22 17:48:21 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#47207 Following a successful test at Mallory Park on Wednesday Gearlink Kawasaki will run Hudson Kennaugh as a replacement rider for the injured Chris Martin at Cadwell Park next weekend August 31. Ben Wilson and Jamie Hamilton were also in attendance and took the opportunity to fine tune their respective machines ahead of next weeks ninth round of the British Supersport and National Superstock championships at the Lincolnshire circuit. Michael de Bidaph Team Owner and manager We invited Hudson to test the Gearlink Kawasaki ZX6R with a view to him riding for the team at Cadwell Park and once he acclimatised himself to the bike he posted some very respectable lap times. I am sure he will be an asset to the team and will produce a strong result for us at Cadwell Park. Ben Wilson and Jamie Hamilton also produced some fast laps at Mallory and we are anxious for them to be back on the podium where they belong next week. Both riders ended their race at Brands Hatch in fourth place and we woul... 2009-8-20 19:23:34 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#47205 Michael and I have just got back from visiting Chris who is now at Kings College Hospital in South East London. Chris has 2 suspected broken vertebrae 2 broken ribs a broken ankle and his right arm is in a cast because of a torn tendon. Chris is currently waiting for a halo type headneck brace to be fitted but unfortunately there is not one available at this moment in time Once this has been fitted Chris can then be moved to a hospital nearer his home in North Yorkshire. He will then have an operation to fix his broken left ankle. Chris is in good spirits but is very frustrated at having to wait so long to be moved nearer home. He is also getting rather worried that his ankle has not been operated on yet. Chris has his mobile telephone at the hospital and should you wish to call him then please send us an email. We will let you have his number when he has given us his permission for it to be released to you If anyone who knows Chris lives in the vicinity of the hospital he would... 2009-8-20 18:19:18 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#46838 Hi allI spoke to Chris this afternoon and he has had a bigger neck brace fitted apparently it goes across his back and chest too.Still no news on Chriss move to Kings College hospital so he has asked that if any of you would like to send him a card then would you kindly send it to his parents address he has given permission for the address to be posted on here Chris MartinHardacresHarswell LaneShiptonthorpeYorkYO43 3QDThank you all once again for your concern and also for your good wishes on his speedy recovery.Norma 2009-8-12 20:22:21 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#46755 I have just spoken to Chris and he informs me that they suspect that he has seven broken vertebrae in his back. He is battered and bruised somewhat which is to be expected after such a dreadful crash Chris has broken the pin that was inserted in his ankle earlier in the year and has also broken the same ankle on the opposite side to the original break Chris is laid flat on his back in Maple Ward at Darenth Valley Hospital and is now waiting to be transferrred to Kings College Hospital in London when a bed is available. Should anyone wish to visit Chris visiting hours are between 1500hrs and 2000hrs. PLEASE TELEPHONE THE HOSPITAL FIRST All of the above now means that unfortunately Chris will be out of action for the rest of the season Thanks to everyone who has contacted us wishing Chris a speedy recovery. Norma 2009-8-11 12:36:14 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#46753 MCRCBMSVR Judicial Bulletin Superstock 600 Knockhill Following the second Metzeler National Superstock 600 race at Knockhill routine eligibility checking procedures were carried out on a selection of machines. These procedures showed that the machine of 53 Joe Burns had heat reflecting tape fixed to the underside of the fuel tank. A meeting of the Judicial Panel was convened on 6 August 2009 to discuss the matter with the team of Joe Burns and after due consideration it determined that the modification described is not allowed by the MCRCB Superstock Technical Regulations Article 5.2.7.10.9 Fuel Tank and is contrary to the general regulation that everything that is not authorised and prescribed in these regulations is strictly forbidden. Accordingly the following penalty has been imposed in accordance with the MCRCB Judicial Procedures Article B.4.5.1.2. Exclusion of 53 Joe Burns from the results of both Metzeler National Superstock 600 races at Knockhill There are no rights ... 2009-8-11 12:29:31 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#46750 The Gearlink Kawasaki team was competing at Brands Hatch on Sunday in round eight of the Fuchs Silkolene British Supersport championship where Ben Wilson rode to a fine fourth place in a tense and eventful race that also saw his Gearlink Kawasaki teammate Chris Martin suffer a huge crash at Hawthorne that saw both him and the bike flung over the barrier. Jamie Hamilton returned to action after a five week break and he too finished fourth in the Metzeler National Superstock 600 race to increase his series lead. Qualifying saw Wilson begin his race from a front row grid position and after his usual flying start immediately take up the race lead. But the pursuing pack were queuing up behind to take his lead and Wilson eventually succumbed to the attention of Dan Linfoot who snatched the position on lap two of 18. Apart from a brief passing manoeuvre by his Gearlink Kawasaki teammate Chris Martin he remained in second place until lap six of 18 when eventual race winner James Westmoreland... 2009-8-11 12:06:12 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#45214 It was a one two at Mallory Park for the Gearlink Kawasaki British Supersport team when Chris Martin took a decisive win and his teammate Ben Wilson recorded second place on Sunday in round seven of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship. Both Martin and Wilson had been on the pace all weekend during free practice and qualifying and both started the 25lap race from a front row grid position. Prior to the race start the heavens opened at the Leicestershire track making tyre choice a gamble. But the two Gearlink Kawasaki riders opted for intermediate tyres and as the race got underway it was clear they had made the correct choice. As the race began it was Wilson that got the hole shot and led the field around the first couple of laps before Martin shot past to establish the lead. The two Gearlink Kawasaki riders soon began to pull away from the rest of the field and were never troubled again. The pair crossed the finish line Martin first and Wilson second with a 10 secon... 2009-7-20 09:36:11 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#44501 The Gearlink Kawasaki British Supersport team celebrated its first ever win in the series when Lincolnshire rider Ben Wilson stormed to victory in round six of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship at Knockhill on Sunday. His teammate Chris Martin finished eighth in the race and the celebrations continued when Jamie Hamilton continued his run of podium success with a third in his first race followed by another victory in race two of the Metzeler National Superstock 600 championship. Starting from a second row grid position Wilson didnt get his usual lightening start but hung back and followed the leaders around the first lap making sure his tyres were fully functional before beginning his move upfield. He fought his way up to third place after passing Tom Grant on lap five and when fellow Lincolnshire rider Steve Plater slid off at the hairpin Wilson inherited the second spot on lap nine. He continued to make inroads towards the race leader James Westmoreland and seized t... 2009-7-7 12:22:47 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#44499 A mixed bag of results awaited the Gearlink Kawasaki team at Snetterton on Sunday when Jamie Hamilton continued his run of podium finishes to move to the top of the championship points table Ben Wilson claimed an eighth place finish and Chris Martin was unfortunate to crash out of third place. Qualifying for the fifth round of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship saw Chris Martin claim a second row start in eighth place while Ben Wilson began the campaign right behind his Gearlink Kawasaki teammate in 12th position. As the race got underway Martin got a fantastic start to round turn one in second place. He was third as they crossed the line to start lap two but as he negotiated the chicane at Russell he lost the front end and crashed unhurt out of the race. Meanwhile Ben Wilson was anxious to continue his run of top 10 finishes and made steady progress running in eighth position midrace. But just as he was lining up to make a move on TT winner Ian Hutchinson the red f... 2009-6-25 12:12:27 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#42631 Thruxton brought more success to the Gearlink Kawasaki team on Sunday when Jamie Hamilton scored a fine second place in round four of the National Superstock 600 class and Ben Wilson battled through to sixth in the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship. But Chris Martins run of bad luck continued when he was forced to retire after a first lap excursion across the grass left him too far behind the rest of the field to play any part in the final results. Ben Wilson has never enjoyed riding at the fast and bumpy Hampshire circuit but from the first free practice session through to final qualifying he grew in confidence and powered the Gearlink Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R through to a fourth row grid position in 14th place bettering his lap times by over two seconds in the process. The race was red flagged after a first corner incident but at the restart Wilson set off to claim ninth position on the opening lap. He continued to make good progress through to fifth midrace but made a mist... 2009-6-2 17:02:36 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#42345 GEARLINK KAWASAKI RECORD FIRST VICTORY The Gearlink Kawasaki team recorded their first ever victory on Monday when new signing Jamie Hamilton secured the win in the third round of the Metzeler National Supersport championship at Donington Park. Things got even better when Ben Wilson put in a gutsy ride to take fourth in the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport race and move to fifth place in the rider standings. Chris Martin was unable to complete full distance and retired after nine laps with rear tyre problem. BRITISH SUPERSPORT ROUIND THREE Ben Wilson began his race from row three of the grid in 10th place and as the lights went out he got away to an amazing start moving swiftly through from 10th to third before they reached Redgate for the first time. But he was relegated a place down to fourth when Dan Linfoot went past although he held his position for a further four laps. A mistake saw the Lincolnshire ace drop down the order as far as seventh but instead of settlin... 2009-5-27 16:25:31 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#41107 Gearlink Kawasaki celebrated the first podium finish of the new campaign when Boston rider Ben Wilson rode to a fantastic third place in the rain affected second round of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship at Oulton Park on Monday. Unfortunately Chris Martin was unable to join his teammate as he was sidelined with a broken ankle sustained in the dying seconds of qualifying the previous day. Chris had topped the leaderboard throughout the weekend and earned himself a front row start to Mondays race but after being knocked back from pole to fourth place he went out to give it one last shot before the session came to a close. Unfortunately things didnt go quite to plan and Chris parted company with the bike resulting in a broken ankle. The British Supersport race was started in the dry and Wilson got a flying start from the second row to move straight into fourth place at Turn One. But the leader crashed on lap two bringing out the safety car and eventually the red fl... 2009-5-5 18:31:54 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#40361 What looked like a promising start to the new campaign turned sour for the Gearlink Kawasaki British Supersport team when both Chris Martin and Ben Wilson were forced to retire from the action in the opening round of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship at Brands Hatch on Easter Monday. The differing weather conditions played havoc with set up as rain and fog affected the short Indy circuit throughout the four days. But the team worked hard to provide the riders with a competitive set up in time for final qualifying when at last the weather also managed to brighten up. Both Ben and Chris posted some quick times which secured them each a place on the second row of the grid for the start of Mondays 25lap affair. As the lights went out to herald the start of the season opener both Gearlink Kawasaki machines were battling for the lead at Paddock Hill first time around. It was Ben Wilson who made it to the front and he headed the pack around the first lap before bein... 2009-4-23 11:44:13 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#38121 The Gearlink Kawasaki British Supersport team completed a shakedown test at Mallory Park on Wednesday as preparation for their forthcoming official Kawasaki test at Valencia in Spain. Chris Martin was aboard the fully prepared 2009 Ninja ZX6R Kawasaki Supersport machine and spent considerable time on track putting it through its paces while Ben Wilson rode the new yet to be prepared standard machine spending his afternoon concentrating on set up and getting the feel for the new machinery. Seventeen year old Marcus Woodbine was also at the test to get accustomed to his 600cc Superstock Kawasaki and to familiarise himself with the Mallory Park layout. Its been four years since the young rider competed at the Leicestershire circuit and the track time gave him some valuable experience. Chris Martin We had a fantastic test here at Mallory. The new bike is brilliant and the team have been working really well. We have a few more adjustments to make and then we will be fully pr... 2009-3-13 13:27:48 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#35091 The Gearlink Kawasaki Supersport team is to extend its squad to three riders and will run 17yearold Marcus Woodbine in the 2009 Junior Superstock championship as well as Chris Martin and Ben Wilson in the British Supersport series. Marcus is no stranger to the 600cc class as he contested the GSXR Cup in 2008. He suffered a set back when he fell and broke his arm at Anglesey but showed his potential by taking a fine fourth place at Brands Hatch on his return to action. He started his career at the tender age of seven on quads going on to race in the Minimoto series with Phoenix Racing. He then turned his attention to the Jawa 80cc class finishing second in the championship and at 12 years of age rode in the Aprilia RS125cc series with New Era taking the win in every race and qualifying for his novice license in just five months. The following year he took the Honda RS125 to third place in the New Era club championship and fifth in the Superclub series. ... 2009-1-13 17:57:39 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#35086 Gearlink Kawasaki launched its 2009 rider lineup for the forthcoming 2009 British Supersport championship at the Motorcycle show in Birmingham on Thursday. The Kawasaki Motors UK supported team will once again run with Chris Martin who will be joined on the grid by former British Superbike rider Ben Wilson. The pair will make a formidable partnership and both riders anticipate a strong and fulfilling season with Gearlink Kawasaki. A former winner of the British Superbike Cup Chris Martin found further success with Gearlink Kawasaki in 2008. The 27yearold Yorkshire rider began the season in style with a podium finish at Thruxton and went on to score numerous top 10 finishes throughout the season to end his year in an overall position of sixth. Ben Wilson aged 26 completed two successful seasons in the British Superbike championship with Vivaldi Racing before returning to the Superstock series where he ended his 2008 season in fifth place. He also c... 2008-11-30 17:29:26 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#32174 Both Gearlink Kawasaki riders completed the final British Supersport race of the season in the points Chris Martin in a fighting ninth position and Steven Neate in a creditable 14th in the season finale at Brands Hatch on Sunday. Despite a few hitches during qualifying Chris was able to post some respectable times to secure a third row start in 10th place and as the race finally got underway he made a terrific start to slot straight into fifth position. Battling in a group of six riders he maintained fifth until lap nine when Daniel Cooper got the better of him. One lap later James Westmoreland demoted him to seventh and as the pace quicken even more he was forced to relinquish his position and complete the 25 laps in ninth place. Chris ended the season on 99 points and sixth place in the rider standings. Steven began the final encounter from 20th place on the grid but he too made a fantastic start and moved up into 15th place on the opening lap. H... 2008-10-14 16:32:17 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#30417 Both Gearlink Kawasaki riders completed the penultimate round of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship in the points at Silverstone on Sunday Chris Martin in a creditable seventh and Steven Neate in 15th place. Qualifying threw up some problems with the Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R but the team worked their way through and resolved the situation in time for final qualifying. Steve qualified in 13th position for a fourth row start while Chris was unlucky to be denied his flying lap when the flag curtailed his efforts. He had to be content with 20th place and a fifth row start and faced an uphill task to get within sight of a points finish. But Chris has a fighting spirit and was not to be denied his points. He put in a sterling performance and ploughed through the field to complete the first lap in 14th position and continued to move forward picking off the opposition two at a time until he reached seventh place. He had Westmoreland and Lowr... 2008-10-1 16:11:07 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#30416 Team Gearlink Kawasaki fielded three riders at Croft this weekend. Joining regular riders Chris Martin and Steven Neate on the grid was 18yearold Alex Lowes who was celebrating his 18th birthday on race day. It was a big ask to keep three Supersport bikes up and running over the weekend but the pit crew did a tremendous job and although the results were not as good as perhaps expected all three riders did safely complete the redflagged race. Chris Martin in ninth Steven Neate 16th and Alex Lowes 17th. Chris started the race from a second row grid position in fifth place and was involved in a nose to tail battle for position throughout the first few laps. But the red flag brought proceedings to a halt and the race rerun over a shortened distance of 10 laps. Chris powered the Gearlink Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R through to sixth place at the restart and was looking to move further forward but he was caught from behind at the complex by another rider and se... 2008-9-17 16:08:08 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#29005 Despite some promising qualifying times Team Gearlink Kawasaki was somewhat disappointed the anticipated top results never materialised. The team had to be content with a ninth place finish for Chris Martin and 16th for Steven Neate in round nine of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire on Bank Holiday Monday. Free practice and qualifying had seen both Gearlink Kawasaki riders post some quick times and at one stage both riders were circulating within the top three but a dry final qualifying saw the pace quicken and Chris ended the session in seventh place with Steven 13th. With the grids made up of only three riders instead of the usual four to a row at Cadwell Chris was placed on row three and Steven on row five. As the race got underway Chris got a fine start and moved forward to take up second place. But the race was red flagged on the first lap because of a serious accident with a lengthy delay before th... 2008-9-1 12:59:22 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#28316 Despite the changeable weather conditions both Gearlink Kawasaki British Supersport riders were able to pick up more valuable championship points on their visit north of the border to Knockhill on Sunday Chris Martin finishing the shortened race in eighth position and Steven Neate coming home in tenth place. The two qualifying sessions were run in differing weather conditions with the faster times being set on a wet but drying track in the second period giving Steven his best qualification of the season in fifth place for a second row start and Chris placed on row four in 13th position. As the race got underway Steven was unable to capitalise on his starting position and was pushed back to eighth until his teammate relegated him down a place mid race. He dropped down again to 10th and remained in that position until the red flag brought the race to an early end because of rain. Meanwhile Chris got away to a good start and soon moved through to take... 2008-8-14 17:35:52 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#28314 Gearlink Kawasaki made their debut on the world stage at Brands Hatch on Sunday but things didnt quite go their way and Chris Martin was forced to retire the Ninja ZX6R after 11 laps of the World Supersport race. Qualifying went well in the early stages but as the pace hotted up in the final session the World Supersport regulars came into their own and Chris was dropped down the order to complete his qualifying in 21st position. But on saying that he did have the honour of being the fastest Kawasaki on the grid and qualified ahead of the two regular series contenders which is a result in itself. The race began well for Chris who moved through to take up 16th place on the first lap. But as the race progressed he began to lose ground. When rain forced officials to red flag the race he was down in 19th position and at the restart he went out on the spare bike after complaining of a lack of power. He set off from 17th position and although moved up a... 2008-8-6 17:32:50 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#27437 MORE POINTS FOR GEARLINK KAWASAKI AT OULTON PARK The return visit to Oulton Park saw the Gearlink Kawasaki Supersport team pick up another fine set of results with Chris Martin scoring a solid fourth place and Steven Neate picking up a further two championship points for 14th place in round seven of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship on Sunday. Qualifying took place in mixed weather conditions with the first session being wet and the final period in the dry. Chris Martin was determined to secure a front row start to Sundays 16lap encounter and he powered the Gearlink Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R through to second place just a tenth of a second away from pole. Steven Neate had been very strong throughout the wet session but once the track dried out the pace hotted up and he fell back to 15th place to start from row four. Chris Martin got away to a good start and settled into fourth place during the opening laps before making a pass on Ian Low... 2008-7-24 15:03:09 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#26352 After a good qualifying session whereby Chris Martin secured a front row and Steven Neate a second row start the weather ensured that Mallory Park turned out to be a weekend to forget for Gearlink Kawasaki. The team arrived at the Leicestershire circuit full of enthusiasm and anticipation and both Chris Martin and Steven Neate were confident they could pull off a good set of results for Gearlink Kawasaki. Qualifying saw Chris circulating within the top four throughout the weekend and he recorded the fourth fastest time in the final session to secure a front row start to Sundays sixth round race in the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship. Not to be outdone Steven Neate put in a concerted effort to claim eighth place and a second row start right behind his teammate for the start of Sundays 28lap encounter. In the build up to the race there was an air of anticipation within the team as their thoughts turned to what the outcome migh... 2008-7-1 17:19:38 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#25681 Gearlink Kawasaki riders Chris Martin and Steven Neate suffered mixed results at Snetterton on Sunday in round five of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship when both were forced wide to avoid a first lap tangle. But Chris Martin managed to get back on track and complete his race in a creditable eighth position while Steven Neate came back from 27th place on the first lap to finish a fighting 17th just missing out on the points. Qualifying didnt go as well as the team hoped and both Steven and Chris began their campaign from a fifth row grid position. As the race got underway both Gearlink Kawasaki riders were pushed wide. Chris Martin dropped to 15th place but soon recovered his composure and began to work his way back through the midfielders to join in a fiveway battle for fifth place. The race came to an early end because of a fallen rider at Russells Chicane and Martin awarded eighth place to pick up a further eight championship po... 2008-6-17 14:49:35 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#25055 Both Gearlink Kawasaki riders completed the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport round at Donington Park on Bank Holiday Monday with Chris Martin securing a strong fifth place and Steven Neate 22nd at the end of the 18lap affair. Qualifying had not gone strictly to plan with the team encountering problems throughout the weekend but both riders shrugged off the setback and rode through to complete the race. This week the Supersport series played host to three World Supersport riders who were using the track time to find a set up for the World Supersport round that takes place at Donington later in the year and of course the two Ten Kate Honda boys were making all the running which reflected in the race positions for the majority of the regular competitors. Martin who was still suffering pain from the injuries sustained at Brands Hatch in the previous round started his campaign from a second row grid position in sixth place. After winning a racelong b... 2008-6-3 17:10:33 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#24179 The rescheduled round of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship at Brands Hatch on Sunday brought differing results to the Gearlink Kawasaki team with Steven Neate completing the race in 13th place to secure three championship points while Chris Martin crashed out of fourth place in the incident packed event. With qualifying set from the postponed event back in early April Chris began his race from row two while Steven was placed on row five. As the race got underway Chris Martin rounded Paddock Hill in fifth place but his progress was halted when the pace car was deployed after a first corner crash involving three mid field riders. Once the car left the circuit the race was back in full flow and Martin continued his battling for position with BJ Toal and Midge Smart and after taking fourth place he began to reel in Steve Brogan. But his race came to a premature end at Surtees when the bike highsided and flung him off into the gra... 2008-5-13 17:08:40 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#24178 Following an amazing qualifying period in which Chris Martin claimed a pole position start for round two of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship at Oulton Park on Monday and Steve Neate a third row start just a fraction behind in ninth place the two Gearlink Kawasaki riders went on to secure a brace of top 10 finishes to bring more championship points back for the team. Chris Martin was eager to taste the victory champagne and led the field around the first three laps before the red flag halted his progress. At the restart he was unable to repeat his lightening start and slotted into third place behind Hudson Kennaugh and Glen Richards. But Ian Lowry was moving in fast and eventually got the better of Martin at Lodge on the fifth of 12 laps. Martin was seen to gradually slow with a bike problem but was able to maintain his fourth position to the chequered flag and claim a further 13 championship points which take him to fourth place ... 2008-5-11 17:05:19 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#23597 The Gearlink Kawasaki British Supersport team head to Oulton Park in Cheshire to contest the second round of the FuchsSilkolene backed series on Bank Holiday Monday May 5. The team could not have asked for a better start to the season with Chris Martin scoring a podium finish in third place and Steven Neate a fighting 10th position in the opening round at Thruxton last week. Both riders are anticipating strong results from Oulton Park and both have scored well around the undulating 2.692mile International circuit in the past. Chris Martin Oulton has been good for me in the past it was the venue for my first podium in the 125cc class. I am looking forward to racing there again as it is one of my favourite circuits. Its a bit tight and twisty with not too many long straights so hopefully we should be on the podium again. Steve Neate I like Oulton Park the place has quite a lot of character to it and I have secured some good results there in... 2008-4-30 17:20:22 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#23172 Both Chris Martin and Steven Neate overcame the problematic weather conditions which affected qualifying to claim a fantastic set of results for Gearlink Kawasaki in their debut race at Thruxton where Chris secured a podium position of third and Steven 10th in the opening round of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship on Sunday. Starting from a fourth row grid position Martin was quick to move forward and soon made inroads towards the leading group. By lap six he was up to third place behind Glen Richards but his progress was thwarted with the arrival on circuit of the course car brought out to slow the race and allow for the removal of debris following a crash. Once the car left the circuit Martin continued his challenge and quickly broke away from the pursuing pack to chase the two leaders. He was soon on terms with both Richards and Brogan but although he showed them his front wheel he was unable to make a passing manoeuvre and crossed ... 2008-4-21 17:16:26 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#22547 The Gearlink Kawasaki British Supersport team came away from Brands Hatch without turning a wheel on Sunday. The opening round of the FuchsSilkolene British Supersport championship was due to be held on Sunday afternoon but although the riders completed their qualifying on Saturday the weather took a turn for the worse and the paddock was greeted with five inches of lying snow on Sunday morning.As the morning went on the conditions got worse leaving the organisers little choice but to abandon the racing. The meeting has been rescheduled for the weekend of May 1011 at the same venue with grid position gained in qualifying from April 5 to stand. Spectators are advised to hang onto their admission tickets as they will be valid for the full weekend in May. Despite the problems qualifying was able to go ahead on Saturday and both Gearlink Kawasaki riders Chris Martin and Steven Neate posted respectable times with Martin securing a second row start in fifth plac... 2008-4-8 17:58:34 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#20786 GEARLINK KAWASAKI TEST IN SPAIN The Gearlink Kawasaki British Supersport team has just completed three days of rigorous testing at Almeria in Spain to prepare both the bikes and riders for the forthcoming challenge of the new season and after completing a successful first test has now moved on to Gaudix where the team will hope to continue in the same vein. The newly formed crew with riders Steven Neate and Chris Martin soon got to grips with the new machinery and put the new bikes through their paces recording some very respectable lap times and the test went extremely smoothly. Steven Neate I am really pleased with the three days testing in Almeria and am feeling very positive. I feel I have gelled well with both bike and team and I am really impressed with the bike. Its good to have other teams as a benchmark and I can safely say that the bike is competitive as I was chipping away at my times and put in some strong laps throughout the three days. Hopefully the weat... 2008-3-3 13:10:22 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#18510 The riders are testing at Brands Hatch today Saturday 12th January. I will let you know how they get on 2008-1-12 07:35:49 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#18426 GEARLINK RACING 2008 ANNOUNCEMENT Gearlink Racing are pleased to announce they have joined forces with a major manufacturer and become the official Kawasaki Motors UK British Supersport team for the 2008 season. The team who will run under the banner of Gearlink Kawasaki have secured the services of Chris Martin and Steven Neate to contest the 2008 British Supersport championship. Chris Martin was the Superbike Cup champion in 2006. He went on to ride in the main British Superbike championship for 2007 scoring a string of points finishes. The 26yearold rider from North Newbald in Yorkshire proved to be more than a match for the factory riders and is looking forward to his new venture with Gearlink Kawasaki. Its great to be riding for such a professional and friendly team. I am sure that we can be competitive and be challenging for race wins said Chris. After being sidelined through injury mid season BartonLeClay rider Steven Neate completed 2007 with AIM Yamah... 2008-1-10 10:30:33 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#15575 The weekend got off to a bad start with both riders having virtually no first free practice time due to bike problems. The team was rather disappointed with the qualifying sessions with Kieran in 21st and James 23rd on the grid but in saying that both riders put in good lap times. Both James and Kieran made a good start in the race but they were nearly taken out on the first lap due to Paul Young falling at Graham Hill Bend. Both riders did well to avoid hitting Paul. James rode well to finish in 16th position his best lap time being 47.915. Kieran also did well to finish in 23rd after being in last position at one stage due to the first lap incident. After a tragic year Michael de Bidaph is concentrating on plans for 2008 and is currently looking for riders to finish on the podium next year. 2007-10-18 12:11:44 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#14854 Kieran Murphy was once again riding for us this weekend together with James. The weather held up for us during all sessions. Some parts of the track were damp so both James and Kieran had to take it a bit easy in places. James qualified 20th and Kieran 21st and the times were very close between all riders in the top 20. Unfortunately Kieran suffered problems with the bike most of the weekend. The race started well for James getting up to 11th at one point but the race was red flagged with 7 laps left to go. At the restart James was in 12th position but Kieran had gearbox problems and had to retire after the warm up lap. A new race was on and it was a mad dash for 8 laps James finished the race in 11th position but after two riders were disqualified he ended up in 9th Many thanks to all of our sponsors supporters and helpers. See you at Brands Hatch for the final round. 2007-9-26 16:47:34 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#14110 Once again we were blessed with beautiful weather throughout the weekend. James had a reasonably good practice session but qualifying was not that brilliant finishing up with a provisional 24th on the grid. A few riders had incidents and the final grid position for James was 21st. We had Kieran Murphy riding for us throughout the weekend and this was his first time out on the 36 2007 bike. Kieran progressed very well throughout the sessions and the team was very pleased with 15th on the grid after the two qualifying sessions. Unfortunately Kieran had an off on the first warm up lap on Monday which may have been due to the front tyre not being up to the correct temperature. Kieran suffered mild concussion and an injured wrist and was therefore not passed fit to ride such a shame after all the hard work that he put in. James had a good start in the race and made his way up to 13th but dropped back to finish 15th. The team was pleased to get a point. Our luck must sure... 2007-8-30 12:12:38 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#13698 We were blessed with some good weather for a change. James qualified 26th Peter Ward Qualified 21st. James is still struggling after the tragic recent loss of his two good friends and is trying to get his head back into racing. Peter settled into the team with ease and went faster each session out but was still finding a few problems with bike set up. James was told to go out and just enjoy himself no pressure for results and he did just that The race went well with both riders getting a good start. James made steady progress and eventually passed Peter who was still having problems with rear end grip. James finished 13th gaining valuable points. Peter finished 16th just outside the points a very good result seeing as it was his first race on the Kawasaki ZX6R. It was great to see both riders in the top 16 and the team was very proud of how they coped with the situation. See you at Cadwell Park 2007-8-15 14:47:09 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#13485 James raced at Knockhill Oulton Park and Mallory Park and has done his best under the circumstances. We will be running Peter Ward as a wild card at Croft this coming weekend. We look forward to seeing all of our supporters and friends and lets hope for good weather for a change See you there 2007-8-7 14:15:26 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#11948 This has to be the hardest thing ever to write about. As most of you are probably aware our talented rising star Guy Sanders lost his fight for life on Sunday evening after a tragic accident at Mondello Park Ireland. We were privileged to have this exceedingly amicable young man ride for our team. He was a great asset and gave a lot of input from which we all learnt. He was totally dedicated and focused and was beginning to prove himself as an outstanding rider. He had a sense of humour second to none always teasing and making wise cracks. The team is finding it very difficult to come to terms with Guys untimely tragic death at the age of 22. All of us at Gearlink Racing offer our sincere condolences to Guys parents Derek and Carole and to his brother Adam and all his family and friends. We are all going to miss Guys presence as a rider and as a friend. As one posting in the guest book says Some stars dont shine for long but they shine the brightest. Rest in peace dearest Guy... 2007-6-19 17:28:02 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#11712 The weekend started well with James and Guy setting some good times in both practice sessions. Guy qualified 12th on the grid and James qualified 17th. The team felt that Snetterton would always be a struggle for the Kawasakis so was quite pleased with the riders positions on the grid. At the start of the race Guy soon gained places and was battling for 6th position with Paul Young. Unfortunately he could not match the speed of Paul Youngs Triumph and had to settle for 7th. James made a good start in the race but suffered with front end grip finishing the race in 16th. Overall the team was pleased with the results and feel that the riders will do a lot better at Mondello Park. 2007-5-25 17:13:45 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#10734 The weekend started well with Guy getting in some good times in the free practice sessions. Jamess new bike was delivered to the track on Friday evening so was not as quick as Guy as he was using the 2007 bike for the first time. Guy set a good time in qualifying and ended up 5th on the grid excellent stuff. James unfortunately finished qualifying in 20th position as he was still trying to get to grips with the new bike. Both riders made a good start Guy holding position and James running in 9th at one point. Guy was pushed onto the grass by Billy McConnell but managed to stay up there with the factory boys. Both riders went well in the race and set impressive lap times. James lost a couple of places and finished in 12th. Guy finished in an amazing 4th Well done both of you The riders and team are very happy with the 2007 Kawasaki and feel that we can compete with the top runners. Work has to be done with the bikes to make them more competitive BUT WE NEED MORE SPONSORSHIP... 2007-5-8 11:40:37 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#10733 We arrived at the track at gone 1400 hours on Thursday after an horrendous journey. The M3 was closed due to an accident and it took us over five hours to do a journey that would normally take two We suffered reliability problems with Jamess bike as he was still using the 2006 model. Guy had an off during qualifying and James suffered from a misfire on his bike. Neither rider qualified very well because of the problems encountered. In the race both made a good start and Guy finished 14th James 15th giving the team their first finish with both riders and also gaining points Our most grateful thanks to all the team for their hard work and commitment. 2007-5-2 11:06:32 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#10193 We had two days to get the bikes prepared for the trip to our local circuit at Thruxton. Things did not go too well during free practice and qualifying. We struggled with set up on Guys 07 bike and James had a couple of problems with his set up too. At one point during the weekend we only had one bike operational out of the 5 bikes that we took with us Gearbox and engine problems galore These things are sent to try us James qualified in 24th on the grid and Guy 25th. James made a blinding start and was up in 14th position after the first lap. Things looked like they were going well when engine problems caused James to retire after completing only four laps. Guy managed to stay up there and rode a fine race battling it out to try and gain places. Guy finished in 11th and earned the first points of the season. Well done We are now trying to get things ready for Silverstone which is 272829 April. Please come along and see us. 2007-4-17 15:39:07 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#10192 The two new race prepared bikes were delivered to us on Good Friday evening at approximately 18.15hrs. The promised race exhaust systems did not arrive in time so we had a mad dash to recover the standard exhaust systems and get them put back on the bikes. The race was a hard fought one and James managed to get up to 9th position and was about to take Stuart Easton when he came off the bike for no apparent reason The race was red flagged and we were hoping that James would be able to restart the race. Unfortunately he was half a lap off completing the 75 race required for a restart. Thats racing for you Guy did well to finish the race in 20th position. He had not tested the new race bike apart from the standard road bike which was two days testing at Snetterton. Things were rather hectic the whole weekend but we coped We would like to thank all the team members for their hard work and also all the supporters and sponsors for their help and encouragement. 2007-4-11 15:24:51 http://www.gearlinkracing.com/page5.htm#9675 Testing went well at Snetterton. The weather was not ideal but both riders got some wet weather practice. James was on the 2006 bike and Guy was on the 2007 bike which has not yet been race prepared. The only things that we changed was the suspension and the exhaust system other than that it was a standard road bike and his times were quite satisfactory. We are looking forward to the first race at Brands Hatch on Easter Monday. Please come and see us we are quite a friendly bunch if we are not too busy getting the bikes ready 2007-3-28 16:58:05