Global Motorsports Team NewsletterEvent

Global Motorsports Team NewsletterNZSBK round two

Contents 01

Round two of the Championship saw the Global Motorsports team visit the ‘Levels’ circuit in Timaru, and we’ve got all the details for you right here.

P2

P7

P11

P3

P9

P13

P5

Team manager report

Meet the team

Track info

Ken’s race report

Sponsor profile

Season calendar

Capture

02 Team manager report

As the pace increases at round two, Jared Love joins the team and has given Ken the extra skills and motivation to push for a podium place.

Friday dawned wet and cool at the Levels Raceway Timaru for Ken’s first outing on the team’s Suzuki GSX-R600. The tight and technical circuit is one of Ken’s favourites and he has always gone well here, although a 600cc Supersport machine is a different beast to a 125GP bike and would require some re-learning of the circuit.

We have also enlisted Jared Love (an ex top New Zealand Supersport and Superbike rider) to help mentor Ken and join the team for the remaining rounds of the New Zealand championship. Saturday revealed fine and warm weather, with Ken posting a 1.08.7 in practice, followed up in Qualifying with a best time of 1.08.4 which placed him tenth on the Supersport grid. Race one on Sunday saw Ken get an average start but after spending time with Jared over the weekend, Ken came out ‘guns blazing’ with some very fast and agressive riding. He posted a best time of 1.07.7 and had passed six riders with four of the 15 laps

remaining when he became involved in a dogfight with Rhys Homes on a Yamaha R6. While making a move up the inside of Rhys in turn three, Ken unfortnately lost the front and crashed out of the race, luckly not suffering any real injuries. The team was gutted as this was the best riding we have seen from Ken this season and shows the promise of things to come. After lengthy repairs and replacement of the fairings, we had the GSX-R patched up in time for race two. Ken again showed some great form and finished tenth, but came away a little disappointed with the weekend. He again made some great improvement in his laptimes and showed what he is capable of, so roll on round 3 at the very fast Teretonga this weekend. The team wishes Cam Jones a speedy recovery and best wishes after his nasty crash on Sunday. Cheers, Andrew Forward.

Suzuki’s new GSX-R600 has long been regarded as the weapon of choice in the 600cc classes, making it the perfect choice for our debut season.

TitleMeet the team 03

Fresh from the showroom at Bay Motorcycles, the GSX-R600 is awesomely fast. But we’ve made the bike even better, with help from some of the best names in the business.

Brian Bernard of Bernard Racing has fitted our engine with race cams to give us more punch out of corners and a higher top speed. And with the increased power, we’ll need the stickiest and longest-lasting tyres available; Bridgestone’s highly regarded BTR-10 racing slicks.

To complement the increased grunt and grip, Kerry Dukic from Dukic Performance has upgraded our suspension with a K-Tech rear shock absorber and front fork kit that will see our already potent Suzuki handling beautifully and lapping at record pace this summer!

After a season in SuperLight, Ken Jones is back to tackle 600 Supersport with support from Andrew Forward of Global Motorsport.

Having raced in various classes over the last six years, Ken Jones is a familiar face in the paddock. He began in buckets at the age of fourteen, before making the move to 125GP in 2007 under the guidance of Maarty van Booma.

After missing the 2009/10 season, Ken moved up to the SuperLight class for 2011. Riding the No Hair Racing YZF-R450. Ken placed fifth overall, scoring a best race result of third at Hampton Downs.

Having seen Ken’s potential, Global Motorsport’s Andrew Forward has come onboard as title sponsor for the 2011/12 season. With a solid programme of pre-season testing behind them, the team are race fit and gunning for a top five finish in the 2012 New Zealand 600 Supersport Championship.

Title

Despite some objections from locals, ‘Levels” in Timaru is still a superb spot to catch great racing.

Track info 05

Levels is the second of the tracks we visit in Canterbury, and like Ruapuna, the meeting is well supported by club members and motorsport fans who both turn out in large numbers across the weekend.

Set on the Levels Plain just outside Timaru, the circuit has only minor elevation changes but provides just about every other kind of challenge to rider and team, and is mentioned as a favourite track for most riders.

A mixture of left-right flicks, opening and closing sweepers, a tight hairpin and 650m straight certainly keep a rider busy during a race, but provide good action for spectators by allowing two or three passing opportunities each lap, particularly in the red-hot 600cc Supersport class where positions constantly change during the races.

Truck racing is also very popular at the circuit (meaning lots of bumps), and the 5pm noise curfew is strictly enforced by a local resident, but the popularity of ‘Levels’ amongst car and bike racers alike means it looks set to host great motorsport events for many years to come.

Turn five (McKissock):McKissock is a difficult corner to master as it tightens as you go round. A great place to spectate from.

Turn seven (Carter Valuations Hairpin)The slowest corner of the circuit, and a valuable passing spot

*Corner speeds not available for this track

06 Levels

Lap record: 600cc Sport Production - 1:04.809 (Nick Cole, January 2010)

Turn two (Parr&Co. esses):This left-hander is known to take victims on the first lap, however is a great hard acceleration spot.

Turn nine (Bus stop):This is a fast and tight flip flop section. The bike feels light and twitchy through here, and can be a good place for judging our setup.

Turn three (Castrol):It’s important to get this corner right as a fast exit here means a higher top speed down the straight and a faster overall laptime

Ken’s race report 07

Early Friday morning we made our way out to Levels, where the predicted wet weather had arrived. I went out around lunchtime, and by the end of the day the bike was handling great and I was enjoying myself.

Saturday morning bought a change to dry weather and I was looking forward to testing our dry setup. For the first session, Jared Love (our rider trainer) decided that we should start with a softer setup to help me get up to speed and feel what the bike was doing. I managed to set a lap time of 1.08.7.

We stiffened the suspension back up for the second session and by the end I was feeling confident, had worked on my lines as instructed by Jarred and had also set a new personal best of 1.08.1.

For Qualifying we fitted a new rear tyre and left the old front on the bike. However by mid-session it soon became obvious it was past it’s best. I called the session early and qualified 10th in Supersport.

Race day was soon upon us and for the morning scrub I wanted to practice a couple of starts as these have been an achillees heel of mine over the last few rounds.

Race one, I was off to a good start, and within the first couple of laps I had settled into a four-way battle for sixth. By lap ten I was up to seventh place and had just set my fastest lap when I went to challenge for sixth place and crashed at turn three.

We were running around before the next race trying to repair the bike, and made it out onto the grid when I realised I had cleaned the backside of my leathers which made them very slippery against the seat. Thankfully I got through the race in tenth place.

I didn’t manage to achieve the results we were after, but I still managed to take lots from the meeting before our trip south to Invercargill this weekend.

Ken.

N.Z. Supersport Championship round two

Qualifying 10th

Race one DNF

Race two 10th

Overall 12th

A wet start to the weekend gave way to some red-hot racing in 600cc Supersport at round two of the Championship in Timaru.

Ken had some great battles with Rhys Holmes over the two races at Timaru

08 NZSBK round two

Sponsor profile 09

Bay Motorcycles are a locally owned dealership in Onekawa, and offer Suzuki, Can-Am and Husqvarna outdoor power equipment. With a very experienced team they cover all types of motorcycle riding and wether it is farm, off or on-road models you’re interested in, they are the dealer to see within the Hawkes Bay and east coast region.

If you’re after a new bike, Bay Motorcycles offer all sorts of finance and insurance options so please talk to them for more information.

Their store in Carnegie Road has an extensive range of parts and accessories and if they don’t have it in stock, they will do our best to get it for you overnight.

The Bay Motorcycles’ service centre has fully trained technicians that are more than happy to provide servicing for all make and models. And if need be, the team can provide on farm servicing throughout the east coast.

Our trading hours are Monday-Friday 8am- 5pm, and 9am-12pm on Saturday’s, so please see Jono if there is a bike you are interested in or anything else the team can help you with. Bay Motorcycles6 Carnegie RoadOnekawaNapierPhone 06 842 0010 or Fax 06 842 0011

Napier’s ‘Bay Motorcycles’ have supplied the team with an essential part of our championship challenge: a razor sharp Suzuki GSX-R600

Floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee. Our Bay Motorcycles supplied Suzuki GSX-R600 is the ultimate track weapon.

10 Bay Motorcycles

Calendar 11

We’ll be competing at 10 meetings over the summer, and would love to have you at the track to cheer us on!

Burt Munro Festival Wyndham township and Teretonga, Invercargill

26th and 27th November 2011

Suzuki International Tri Series round one

Hampton Downs, Waikato 10th December 2011

Suzuki International Tri Series round two

Manfeild Park, Fielding 17th December 2011

Suzuki International Tri Series round three

Cemetery Circuit, Wanganui 26th December 2011

New Zealand Superbike Championship round one

Ruapuna Park, Christchurch 7th and 8th January 2012

New Zealand Superbike Championship round two

Levels Raceway, Timaru 14th and 15th January 2012

New Zealand Superbike Championship round three

Teretonga Park, Invercargill 21st and 22nd January 2012

Battle of the Streets Hacksaw circuit, Paeroa 19th February 2012

New Zealand Superbike Championship round four

Hampton Downs, Waikato 17th and 18th March 2012

New Zealand Superbike Championship round five

Taupo Motorsport Park, Taupo 24th and 25th March 2012

12 Track locations

Teretonga Park, Invercargill Wyndham street circuit, Invercargill

Levels Raceway, Timaru

Cemetery Circuit, Wanganui

Hampton Downs, Waikato Hacksaw circuit, Paeroa

Manfeild Park, Fielding

Ruapuna Park, Christchurch

Taupo Motorsport Park

13 Capture

Ken puts a brave pass on Avalon Biddle, going around the outside at turn six

Thankyou again to our support partners, whose generous contributions are very much appreciated. Please click their logo to visit their website and learn more.

Next meeting: New Zealand Superbike Championship round two, Teretonga Park, Invercargill, Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd January 2012

Thanks

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