NOBLE FINISHES SERIES WITH ANOTHER PODIUM
The team rolled into Wakes Colne, near Colchester for the final round of the Red Bull Pro National Series with the intention of Noble securing second overall for the championship and Parker, if his hand would hold up having a go at taking third place from Carl Nunn. Garland was having a run out in the Rookies class aboard a 250f for the first time in preparation for 2011.
Red Bull Pro Nationals
Qualifying.
Parker dosed himself up with painkillers and went out for practice but after throwing in a couple of fast laps it was obvious that he wouldn’t be able to compete. Day over! Noble looked very comfortable as he posted 6th fastest on a track that he took two magnificent wins last year.
Race 1.
Noble made a great start in third behind Dougan and Banks-Brown and after a couple of laps to settle he stepped it up and closed in on Banks-Brown. Just as he looked likely to make the pass he stalled his machine and by the time he had kicked it up he was down in 9th. He was soon back on the pace and fought his way through to 6th at the finish for 5th in his class. He was not a happy chap after throwing away the chance of a win and vowed to do better in the second race.
Race 2.
Noble made another good start in third again this time behind Church and Banks-Brown but had clashed with another machine on the first corner bending his front brake disc and leaving him with no front brake for the whole race. Undeterred Noble still managed to lap at such a pace that not even his mechanic new that he had a problem. However he was just handicapped enough to prevent him from challenging for the win, instead he was left to defend his position throughout the whole race to eventually bring it home in 3rd for 2nd in MX1 giving him 3rd overall on the day and 2nd overall in the Championship.
Red Bull Rookies.
Garland acquitted himself well in this new class and looked at home on the bigger bike. With a 5th place in the first race it looked like it could be a fantastic day for the youngster but two crashes in the second race brought him down to earth with an 18th. The other three races of the weekend all followed a similar pattern with Garland gating in mid-pack before impressively forcing his way through the field for an 8th and two 7th place finishes giving him 9th overall on the day.
The team now has a week off before the last race of the season at Hawkstone Park on 3rd October.
KANE TAKES BRITISH LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE WITH 100% WIN RECORD
HM Plant Red Bull KTM’s Natalie Kane concluded her 2010 season yesterday in style with a 100% win record in the British Ladies Motocross Championship to clinch her fourth national title with total dominance at the final round at Blaxhall Woodbridge, Suffolk.
Kane, who has been battling a wrist injury for the majority of the year, confirmed that she is the fastest female motocross racer in the UK with another fine performance this weekend aboard her HM Plant Red Bull KTM 250 SX-F in the demanding, wet conditions earning maximum points once again in the British Ladies series.
19-year-old Kane overcame a technical problem in qualifying that left her just 17th on the gate for the races to dominate both of the 15-minute plus two-lap motos with a massive 40-second advantage in the first heat and 30 seconds in the second.
Kane has maintained a 100% win record to take her fourth British championship title with a 33-point advantage over second placed Stacey Fisher. Despite struggling with a lack of strength in her damaged wrist, Kane has been determined to finish the season and can be pleased she has managed to earn herself a creditable sixth place in the Women’s World Championship, as well as taking the British Championship honours.
Having achieved her aim of finishing the year, the Irish youngster can now focus on making a full recovery with surgery on the wrist she injured some months ago in a training incident. While throughout this season Natalie has seen many specialists, the broken bone in her wrist has continued to give her pain and having concluded her season she is intending to get it completely fixed before attacking the 2011 season.
Natalie Kane #44: British Ladies Champion 2010
“It was a good end to the season to win the British and to have won every race this year, even though the weather was pretty bad today. It’s been a tough year with injuries and it hasn’t quite gone to plan, so now I am going home to see another specialist about my wrist, which we think needs an operation as I have torn the ligaments off the bone that was broken. I’ve just been trying to finish off the season by taking painkillers and doing the exercises, but the team has been brilliant this year so thanks to everybody and to all the sponsors. Everyone has been so supportive and stuck by me even though I haven’t got the positions in the World Championship that I wanted to get and I haven’t done all the promotional stuff that I should have been doing because of the injury. I hope to stay where I am for next year, the KTM has been great and my aim is for results in the World Championship. I also hope to do some AMA women’s races next year, and ride in the main British Championship to help develop my confidence and speed, so there’s a lot to look forward to.”
Roger Magee: HM Plant Red Bull KTM Team Manager
“Natalie has been very determined throughout this season to continue racing regardless of the difficulties she has had with her problematic wrist injury, which has meant her season has been quite up and down. She now has another British Championship win, which is a credit to her determination as well as a very positive sixth position in the World. She has adapted to the KTM well this season and I’d like to thank all of our sponsors for helping us achieve another British championship, the team’s fourth in three years. I hope Natalie can now rest as well as get the wrist completely fixed before next year, where she will be once again aiming to win the World championship.”
HM Plant Red Bull KTM UK would like to thank its sponsors: HM Plant, Hitachi, Red Bull, KTM, Trucks ‘R’ Us, Motorex, Tourism Ireland, Northern Ireland Events, Fox, Race World, Bott, Motorpoint, Pirelli, Cholwill Plant and Equipment Hire, Cycra, Venhill, FMF, Volleberg Motorsport, Renthal, One Industries, Edward J Magee, Press commercial bodyworks, Wiseco, TwinAir, EBC Brakes, Silent Sport Premium, Pro Carbon Racing, NGK, CTi, Samco Sport, GSPMX, Petersen Racing, Pulse Racing Products, Empire logo mats, High5 and Stolen Bike Co.
NOBLE MASTERS HAWKSTONE
Hawkstone Park was the venue for the 6th round of the British Masters Series. After the heavy rain on Saturday subsided the track was in near perfect condition for Sunday’s racing.
Race 1
After qualifying in 4th and 6th respectively both Noble and Parker looked like they meant business. Noble made a good start and was in 5th place as they crossed the line for the first time but after getting baulked on the start by Jamie Law, Parker was left well down the field. Noble had an uneventful race, unable to push forward due to suffering dreadful arm-pump which doesn’t normally affect him but the track was extremely rough following the earlier amateur races. Despite the discomfort the tough Yorkshireman still managed to hang on to 5th place at the end. Parker struggled with the track all day but still dug deep and gradually forced his way through to 6th place but after initially looking like he would close in on his teammate he suddenly started to struggle with the rough track and had to be content with 7th after being passed back by Jamie Lewis on the last lap.
Race 2
Both riders had good starts in race two with Noble in 4th just in front of Parker in 5th but Parker wasn’t looking comfortable and was pushed back to 8th on the second lap. Although he fought his way back up to 6th by midrace he just couldn’t consolidate the position and ended up finishing in a disappointing 8th for 7th overall. The unique Hawkstone circuit has always been an unhappy hunting ground for the youngster and this time was no exception. Noble on the other hand, free of the first race arm-pump was looking smooth and fast as he moved past Par Honda teammates Barr and Elderfield to take over 2nd spot but he was never going to catch Estonian sand specialist and former GP winner Krestinov who was disappearing into the distance at the front. Not that it mattered as Noble cruised to 2nd at the finish to claim a well deserved overall win.
The team travel down to Wiltshire this coming weekend for the 6th round of the Maxxis British Championship at the historic Farleigh Castle circuit.
Tough Weekend For Nicholls in France
The Grand Prix of Germany took place across the hard bumps and ruts of the fast layout at Teutschenthal and the eighth round of fifteen in the FIM Motocross World Championship saw an uneven performance from HM Plant Red Bull KTM UK’s Jake Nicholls as the hard-working youngster fought diligently for 12th position overall in the MX2 class.
Cloudy, breezy and occasionally chilly weather conditions did not deter a boisterous 35,000 crowd from travelling to the traditional and ‘old school’ venue close to the city of Halle. The narrow and undulating Talkessel course divides rider’s opinions but 20 year old Nicholls appreciates the winds and dips, although the course would not be kind to the Brit.
A fall during the qualification heat on Saturday led to some bumps and bruises and 15th spot in the starting gate. A reasonably quiet first moto delivered a satisfactory finish of 10th on the 250SX-F while a fall early into the second sprint forced a valiant charge back to 17th from the lower echelons of the pack for a handful of points
At the same event Natalie Kane went 6-6 in the two 20 minute and 2 lap races of round five of seven in the Women’s World Championship. The Irishwoman was still nursing a weakened right wrist but her efforts were good enough for 6th overall as the competition heads into its final straight.
Nicholls is 10th in the world and 28 points from rising further in the standings. Kane is 6th and 19 points from the top five
HM Plant Red Bull KTM UK will now face Grand Prix in Latvia and Sweden in the next two weekends before a break during July in which they will only have the sixth round of the Maxxis British Championship to negotiate.
Jake Nicholls:
“I’ve had such a frustrating weekend. Last week I thought I had made a step up with speed at Lyng and I felt great during the week and during the first couple of sessions here but in the heat race I had quite a big crash which left me a bit sore. I didn’t have such a good gate pick but I was coming forwards in the first moto with Roelants until I made a few mistakes and lost the tow. I was stuck in no-man’s land on my own but tenth was OK. In the second race I just got a corner wrong and tipped over. I don’t understand what happened and I feel like I haven’t crashed as much in my life. I think I am at that stage now where I am trying to push onto the next step and maybe going at it too hard. It is not good enough at the moment and I should be in the top ten every time. I need to get my two good results back in place and then build from there.”
Natalie Kane:
“Again it wasn’t an easy GP for me and although I have more movement in my wrist now I still cannot ride like I want to. After two GPs in a row we now have a bit of a break and I want to try and get as fit as I can before we come back to the world championship.”
Roger Magee, Team Principal:
“Natalie secured another good couple of finishes that keeps her sixth in the world championship which is good considering that she is still riding through the pain barrier and had to cut a cast off her wrist this week. Her schedule quietens down a little bit now so hopefully she can heal a bit more and get some practicing done before the next round of the Ladies British Championship. Jake maintained his 100% record of scoring points in every GP moto this year. He made a few mistakes but came back fighting as usual and now we are looking forward to Latvia.”
GSPMX sponsor British Masters Amateur MX2 class
The Wulfsport British Masters is pleased to announce that the long established Scott Leathers has teamed up with the Amateur MX1 class whilst GSP Race Products have agreed to sponsor the Amateur MX2 class for the 2010 campaign.
The Wulfsport Masters championship now has some massive sponsors lined up for each class, each supporting what Ken Winstanley, the Masters race director describes as “the be all and end all of the business” – the grass roots rider! Ken goes on to say that “since 2001, the Masters series has grown from strength to strength with the riders making it all worthwhile – It is magnificent to find sponsors with the same attitude who want to give something back”.
These two huge sponsors are giving the riders what every rider needs and wants – gear and accessories. Scott Leathers, the established kit giant is giving away a total of 7 full sets of kit, including shirt, pants, gloves and a paddock jacket as a top prize, with a second prize of shirt and pants, and a third prize of a shirt and gloves. The winners will vary from round to round to give every rider the opportunity to win these fantastic prizes! GSP Race Products, the motocross accessory giant who have attended virtually every Masters round for the past four years jumped at the chance to become a part of the Amateur MX2 class. GSP will be giving away an array of products to the riders, such as bike stands, pit boards and holeshot devices!
Jimmy Aird, Managing Director manager for Scott Leathers was clearly excited as he commented on finally managing to team up with the Masters series “being a part of one of the biggest motocross championships in Europe as well as one that caters for youth, amateur and pro riders was the only direction that we wanted to go”.
The Managing Director of GSP Race Products, Kevin Price added “I think this is a big step for GSP, and I am confident our continued work with the Wulfsport British Masters will benefit both the rider and help raise the profile of our company even further”.
Anyone wanting to look at the company’s products can see them at the Masters as they will all be on display at each round!
PROPPA.COM Honda BOOSTS 2010 challenge with new sponsor
Leading energy drink brand Boost has teamed up with Proppa.com Honda as one of the team’s main sponsors for the 2010 motocross season.
Boost, which is set to roll out its first direct to consumer campaign across the UK over the next year, has signed a 12-month deal with the team.
Simon Gray, Boost managing director, said: “We have enjoyed significant growth and increased awareness of Boost this year, and are looking forward to targeting consumers directly. Motocross represents a new area for us and our sponsorship of the Proppa.com Honda team will enable us to deliver our brand proposition of affordable energy to a new and relevant audience.”
Steve Turner, Proppa.com Honda team manager, added: “Boost is a perfect fit for the motocross industry and we are looking forward to being associated with such an exciting brand.”
The team has confirmed it has retained its links with Parcel2go and Spiked and has also agreed deals with Fly clothing, Forma boots, Smith goggles, RFX hardware, Acerbis plastics, Michelin tyres, Ipone oils, DEP pipes, CZ chains, Delta brake pads, Prox racing parts, Pro Taper bars, Xtrig triple clamps, Talon wheels, Pro Carbon accessories, Samco hoses, DT1 air filters, GET lap timing equipment, GSP stands and pitboards, The new look black graphics have been designed by Spiral GFX and the bikes are kept in sparkling condition with the help of ProClean.
HM Plant Red Bull KTM UK confirm their line-up
One of Britain’s leading off-road motorcycle racing teams, HM Plant Red Bull KTM UK, have now confirmed their line-up and infrastructure in anticipation of the 2010 campaign in which they will again target top level results within the FIM Motocross World Championship and Maxxis British series, not to mention other national commitments.
The British MX2 Champions will again count on the services of Jake Nicholls, who will turn 20 years of age by the start of the next season, after the youngster enjoyed his best ever term on the Grand Prix stage and finished runner-up to Stephen Sword on the domestic scene. Partnering him on the KTM SX-F 250cc four-stroke machines will be Graeme Irwin, a soon-to-be eighteen year old from Northern Ireland who is fresh from representing his country at the mammoth Motocross of Nations that took place last week in Italy. In addition they welcome the valuable presence of British firm HM plant to the fold.
The team will field the Watson brothers, Ben and Nathan (both high-flying in Youth circles), in the competitive British Under-21 division and for the first time will enter a participant in the rapidly growing series that is the FIM Women’s World Championship; the third edition of which occurs in 2010. HM Plant Red Bull KTM UK further cement their Irish links with the signature of Natalie Kane, the fastest female racer from the UK who took the country’s sole podium appearance with third place at the Grand Prix of Sweden in 2009. Kane ended the year third in the overall championship standings and is considered a title threat for 2010.
HM Plant Red Bull KTM UK depends on key support from a number of valued partners and sponsors, chief among those are the world-renowned Austrian energy drink and HM Plant.
“We had a good season in 2009 with a successful defence of the MX2 British Championship and also the pleasure of watching Jake mature at the GPs with a number of top ten results, setting personal best finishes and ending the year as top Brit in the world championship with 17th place,” said Team Principal Roger Magee. “Jake will be moving to Belgium to train and prepare for 2010 and we are confident he can step up a level which means we will again be looking for podium results. Graeme has been doing well in the UK and had a few international appearances in 2009. He will face a big challenge as a full-time Grand Prix rider next year but we hope he can learn and progress. I would also like to welcome Natalie to the team. This is quite a big signing for us as she is the fastest lady from the UK and Ireland and could be a real threat for the championship in ’10. Lastly I would like to thank all our sponsors and technical partners for another stellar campaign and I believe will we satisfy more goals together once the racing campaign begins again.”
