Luca Wilkinson

鈥淔ree Practice:听All about learning the track as this is another new one for me. I spent the whole 25 mins just trying to learn. Finished the session 2.9s off 1st so plenty of work to do.

鈥淨ualifying:听Didn鈥檛 go as well as I鈥檇 hoped, ended up coming 14th but the gap to the front had closed to 1.8s so I was happy with the progress. I was feeling more confident about the track and where I was for the start, knowing I could get a good start and hopefully get straight into the top 10 I was confident I could go forwards.

鈥淩ace 1:听Got a fantastic start and managed to go from 14th to 8th of the start and up to 7th in the 1st lap. Worked hard to stay in the group but we got the gearing slightly too short so I struggled making any moves having to do everything on the brakes to keep with the leading pack, ended up coming P9. Really pleased with the finish and felt I had the pace to do more in race 2.

鈥淩ace 2:听We put in new gearing & it immediately made a difference. I got a good start from 11th on the grid and had a huge battle with 8-10 other riders and almost managed the win. I got a great drive & slipstream coming into the final chicane on the last lap but Lewis Mullen pulled off a great move & just dived past me to the apex. Tried everything to get him back before the line but he just beat me by 6/100th of a second taking the win and I came home in 2nd. Well done to Arnie Carr for his podium. So happy with that & my best race of the year. Also got awarded the Most Coverage Award by Clifford which was really cool. Amazing weekend and an incredible weekend for the entire Team with PB finishes for everyone.鈥�

Zack Weston

鈥淲hat a weekend it was, I didn鈥檛 have massive hopes for this round as it was a track I had never been to and only having two sessions to get to pace and have a set up that works isn鈥檛 easy but the team worked hard on and off my bike to get it perfect.听

鈥淧ractice听was mainly about getting laps in and learning the track and that I did, I went out on scrubs and just did lap after lap learning and taking in as much as possible. I managed 36 laps across the two practices and closed the time to the front rides to around 1.8s which I was happy with considering the tyres I was on.

鈥淨ualifying听didn鈥檛 go as I鈥檇 hope I did manage to go quicker then practice but with people trying to get tows off of quicker riders messed up the end of qualifying but still happy with where I qualified for Race 1 鈥� P22.

鈥淩ace 1: For the first time this year I actually got the bike of the line and didn鈥檛 lose a position.

鈥淚 got a really good start and just went for it, making up 8 positions in the first lap and getting right in the back of the front group and I had the pace to be with them but battles with a few riders and people not making the smartest of moves meant the front group got away and got a gap the rest of the field but after a hard fight and nearly getting wiped out I manage to finish the race in P16.

鈥淩ace 2: The pace I had in race one put my P10 on the grid for race two and I knew I had more pace in me so after another good start I got stuck in getting up to P8 and battling hard with everyone and setting a 1:20.0.

鈥淎fter a chaotic 14 laps I managed to finish the race P12. I can鈥檛 thank the team enough for all the hard work they鈥檝e put in this weekend making my bike the best it鈥檚 ever felt and making it possible for me to ride it how I know I can.

鈥淭hank you to everyone who makes it possible.鈥�

鈥淭he 2026 Classic TT was always going to be a challenge. Preparing a pair of very different bikes for the famous 37戮-mile Mountain Course, learning the circuit as a newcomer, and then racing against some of the best historic machinery and riders made for an experience I will never forget.

鈥淭he little Honda CB350 K4 had already been a joy to ride throughout the year, but before heading to the Isle of Man it received a serious makeover for the Classic TT. We fitted a new engine, a larger-capacity fuel tank to allow three laps, a megaphone exhaust and new fairings and paint, along with countless smaller details and hours of preparation. The aim was simple: make the little Honda as capable and reliable as possible for the demands of the Mountain Course.

鈥淥ne of the biggest moments of the week came with my newcomer lap, led by Carolynn Sells who controlled the lap superbly and settled any nerves.

鈥淐ompleting that lap was a fantastic experience and a major milestone. There is something very special about finally getting out onto the Mountain Course after all the preparation and anticipation. Huge thanks to everyone who helped make it happen, particularly Ben Long, Grahame Collinge and Andrew Read, as well as everyone who supported me throughout the Classic TT.

鈥淭he next challenge was to take the OC Graphics ZXR400 out on course, although the weather was already beginning to dictate the programme. At the TT, you quickly learn that plans can change in an instant.”

鈥淢y first experience of being out on the course by myself proved to be particularly eventful.

鈥淔irst up was the ZXR400 in the Ultra Lightweight class. With more time and the right parts available, I would have rebuilt the engine properly, but we took a chance and hoped it would manage a couple of laps. The Mountain Course tests everything, and unfortunately this proved to be a mistake.

鈥淭he bike felt weak almost from the start. I noticed the engine temperature beginning to rise from Sulby, and then, coming out of the Gooseneck, the engine lost a little more power. It wasn’t enough to stop me immediately, and I hoped I could get over the mountain and make it to the next session.

鈥淭hat wasn’t to be.

鈥淓ven though the engine had been tested on the dyno and at Jurby, it finally gave up at Joey’s, around a mile beyond the Gooseneck. I pulled the bike into a safe place and began the long journey back towards the paddock on foot.

鈥淐rossing open moorland with gorse bushes, dry stone walls and barbed-wire fences certainly wasn’t how I had imagined the day going. I eventually made it back to the Gooseneck, where a fellow called Russell kindly gave me a lift back to the paddock, just in time for the Historic Classic.

鈥淔ortunately, the little CB350 K4 was ready to go, and it was a completely different experience. The bike has been a joy to ride all year and had received a huge amount of attention in preparation for this event. We managed to complete a lap, although I had planned to go for two before the session was eventually stopped by a chequered flag.

鈥淭he evening session was cancelled, giving the team a chance to regroup.

鈥淕rahame Collinge and Ben Long retrieved the ZXR400, while Andrew Read and I concentrated on preparing the 350.

鈥淭he lads then put in a huge amount of work, staying up late to carry out an engine swap in the 400 and get it ready for another attempt. That effort summed up the team perfectly. They were constantly being challenged, but they never stopped working to find a solution.

鈥淚 couldn’t have wished for a better group of people around me.

鈥淚 also want to give a special mention to the Mike Hailwood Foundation, who do so much work supporting newcomers at both the Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT. Their help and encouragement are hugely appreciated.”

鈥淭he following days brought more progress on the CB350 K4.

鈥淭he meeting was being heavily affected by the weather, so every opportunity to get laps in became important. We managed to complete more laps and reached another significant milestone: the chance to put together two consecutive laps and four laps in total.

鈥淒uring one lap, I was black-flagged at the end of Sulby Straight because officials believed there was a loose exhaust pipe. Nothing was found to be wrong, and I was allowed to continue.

鈥淥n the second lap I could push a little harder and begin to understand what the course was like at speed. Learning was the biggest focus of the year, and with a few damp patches around the course I was very conscious of the low-adhesion flags and making sure I respected the conditions.

鈥淚t was another step forward, and one that the whole team could be proud of.

鈥淭he K4 was running well and sounded fantastic.

Meanwhile, the ZXR400 continued to give us headaches. We had tried to get it ready, but after another late night we found a small water leak and the engine still sounded rough. We made the decision to park it for the day rather than take another unnecessary risk.

鈥淲ith the evening practice cancelled, Ben Long once again set about trying to make the ZXR ready for the rest of the Classic TT.

Another engine swap later 鈥� and another long night for the team 鈥� we hoped we might finally have a bike ready to go.

鈥淔riday practice went really well.

鈥淚 managed two laps on the CB350 K4 and another lap on the ZXR400. The 400 was still a little asthmatic and down on speed, but after everything that had happened, simply getting it back around the course was a great achievement.

鈥淭hat should have been the end of the day, with the plan to relax for the evening and begin preparing for Monday’s racing.

鈥淏ut, as anyone who knows the TT will tell you, you can’t plan too far ahead.

鈥淛ust as the lads sat down with a well-earned pint, we found out that the entire schedule had been brought forward by two days because of incoming weather.

鈥淎 good call by the organisers, in my opinion, but it meant everyone had to get straight back into race mode.听

鈥淩ace day began with two qualifying laps on the ZXR400.

鈥淭he first lap was disappointing. The bike felt slow and asthmatic, so Ben immediately went to work, removing the carbs so I could change the jets.

鈥淭he second lap was much better, with a noticeable improvement in performance. At least we were moving in the right direction.

鈥淭hen came the Historic Junior Classic TT race on the CB350 K4 鈥� our first Classic TT race.

鈥淭he first lap and a half were fantastic. The little Honda was singing, and everything was going exactly as we’d hoped.

鈥淭hen, through Kirk Michael, it suddenly dropped onto one cylinder.

鈥淚 kept going and hoped it might come back, but it didn’t. Eventually I pulled in at Rencullen.

鈥淭wo racers passed me before I spotted the problem: the plug cap had come off.

鈥淟uckily, it was a simple fix.

鈥淚 pushed the cap back into place, bump-started the bike and got going again. I even managed to repass one of the riders before the finish.

鈥淭o get our first TT start and finish was a fantastic feeling.

鈥淎fter all the preparation, setbacks and late nights, simply seeing that chequered flag was something special.

鈥淭he next day was the Ultra Lightweight race on the ZXR400.

鈥淚t didn’t go to plan in the end, but while it lasted, I absolutely loved it.

鈥淥n the first lap I managed to catch ten seconds on the rider ahead on the road. We swapped places several times before reaching the first-lap pit stop, giving me another completely new experience.

鈥淭he lads did a fantastic job in the pit stop, and I managed to make up another twenty seconds to the next rider.

鈥淯nfortunately, on the run towards Ballacrain, the throttle cable snapped.

鈥淭hat brought the race to an end.

鈥淚t was frustrating, especially after all the work that had gone into getting the 400 back on the grid, but that’s racing 鈥� and particularly racing around the TT Mountain Course.

鈥淭here was, however, something to celebrate. We received a finishers medal for the previous day’s Historic Classic Junior race.”

鈥淥ne race remained: the three-lap Historic Senior 500cc race on the CB350 K4.

鈥淭he final race brought almost perfect conditions.

鈥淎fter everything that had happened during the week, the CB350 K4 was ready to take on three laps of the Mountain Course.

鈥淭he race was brilliant.

鈥淭he little 350 was running well and I was thoroughly enjoying every mile. We were running in 10th place and, with another few miles, there was a real possibility of bringing the bike home with a very good result. But the Mountain Course had the final word. At Hailwood Heights, the bike expired.

鈥淕utted is an understatement.

鈥淎fter all the work from the team, all the late nights, the engine changes, the preparation, the weather interruptions and the effort that had gone into getting both bikes onto the grid, to be so close to the finish and then have the bike fail was incredibly disappointing.

鈥淏ut that’s racing at the TT.

鈥淎nd despite the disappointment, I wouldn’t change the experience for the world.

鈥淟ooking back over the Classic TT, the results only tell part of the story.

鈥淭here were the laps, the races, the mechanical failures and the chequered flags. But there was also the learning, the atmosphere, the people and the sheer effort required behind the scenes to make everything happen.

鈥淔rom preparing the CB350 K4 before the event, to recovering the broken ZXR400, changing engines late into the night, rebuilding and preparing bikes between sessions, adjusting carburation and constantly adapting to the weather and schedule 鈥� the team never stopped.

鈥淏en Long, Grahame Collinge and Andrew Read deserve enormous credit for everything they did. Their commitment and determination were incredible, and I could not have wished for a better team around me.

鈥淎 huge thank you to 91传媒 for helping keep us safe and performing at our best at the Classic TT. Their braking performance, reliability and confidence under hard riding conditions make a real difference when every corner counts. We鈥檙e proud to have 91传媒 supporting us on the bike 鈥� thank you for being part of the team!

鈥淭hank you as well to everyone who helped, supported and encouraged us throughout the Classic TT, including the Mike Hailwood Foundation and all those who helped newcomers experience this incredible event.

鈥淎nd thank you to everyone who provided photographs and captured the moments throughout the week.

鈥淭he 2026 Classic TT gave me my newcomer lap, my first laps alone on the Mountain Course, my first TT race start, my first TT finish, a finishers medal, some fantastic racing 鈥� and plenty of lessons along the way.

鈥淭he bikes may not have made it to the end of every race, but we kept pushing, kept learning and kept getting back out there.

鈥淭hat is what the TT is all about.

鈥淲hat an experience. I wouldn’t change it for the world.鈥�

Pics: Mark Huckerby/RC Photos/Tracey Harrison

鈥淲hat a weekend!听 It鈥檚 been a tough year so far, with plenty of ups and downs both in and out of racing. After being disqualified at Oulton Park following a race win, I was determined to keep pushing and come back stronger.听

鈥淎fter watching Barry Burrell鈥檚 lap time in Heat 2, I honestly didn鈥檛 think I had it in me to match it. But somehow, everything came together when it mattered!鈥�

• Pole position in qualifying
• Pole position in the heat race
• Pole position in the main race

鈥淎nd to top it all off, I set the new lap record in the main race!听

鈥淚鈥檓 so happy with the weekend. It was one of my best races yet, and I honestly couldn鈥檛 have asked for much more.

鈥淚鈥檓 now joint 3rd in the championship, just 36 points off 1st, with over 100 points still available. There鈥檚 still everything to play for!听

鈥淎 massive thank you to everyone who supports me and the team. Bring on Assen!鈥�

Test day

鈥淔irst time at Knockhill and we had a great test day, getting to know the little ripper of a circuit. I had bike struggles but worked through some and rode around the rest. Went faster in every session and finished in the high-51 seconds, so thought we had a nice starting point.鈥�

Qualifying (P8 on Grid)

鈥淚 went out at the back with new tyres on and did my own thing. Bike felt okay and I was happy with the time.鈥�

Race 1 (P7 in Class)

鈥淲as going well until Lap 7 when I hit a false neutral at Turn 1 and lost a lot of time. Three riders got past and trying to bridge the gap I got tired quickly. With nothing more to be gained, I just brought it home.鈥�

Race 2 (P7 in Class)

鈥淕ot a decent start and picked up three places from P11 on the grid. Again, felt okay until Lap 7 when I started to get tired and feel arm pump. Last few laps I was just a passenger and didn鈥檛 enjoy it.鈥�

Race 3 (P5 in Class)

鈥淢ade some changes to set up but didn鈥檛 feel any improvement, so same again. A decent start from P10 on the Grid and stuck with a group of 4 riders for 6 laps or so but then started to drop back.鈥�

Recap

鈥淚 had a lot going on learning a new track and a new bike. Knockhill is tight and very physical, especially on a big bike. I failed to find the right setup and tried to ride around issues instead of getting them dialled out. Completely my fault and wish I was back there now doing it all again with what I feel I know now. I was expecting to go well at this one. Don鈥檛 get me wrong, I wasn鈥檛 terrible, but I鈥檓 gutted as I know what that bike and I are capable of when things are right. At least I stayed on when several riders, always known for their safe riding, weren鈥檛 so fortunate.听

鈥淭hank you to Nigel and the gang for welcoming us to Scotland. It was brilliant and I haven鈥檛 laughed that much in a long time. Also, a huge THANK YOU to Justine and Rob of RT Motors for making the trip all that way and for the help and support through the meeting. I鈥檓 so grateful. Also, to the guys at home tuning in and sending messages of encouragement.

鈥淔air play to all the lads for safe, no silliness racing at what was a new track for a lot of us. Well done No Limits for making it happen and thank you to all the staff and Marshals who were all spot on. Great appreciation shown from both sides at the end of the last race.

鈥淚鈥檓 sure we will be back and I鈥檓 sure I鈥檒l be more ready next time. Now to work on what we know and be in a better place come Anglesey in three weeks.

鈥淎lthough I didn鈥檛 get the results I hoped for, I still loved the weekend. I know that is made possible by the sponsors, so thank you all so much.鈥�

Photos by Matt Sayle Photography

鈥淭eam KYT Americas earned a hard-fought Superbike class victory at the inaugural N2RA 6-Hour Endurance Race at Virginia International Raceway, overcoming a mechanical failure that put the team more than 20 minutes behind just minutes into the six-hour event.

鈥淭he team consisted of Rise Moto founders, Brandon Cretu and Brian D鈥橝pice, along with KYT Americas-sponsored athlete Dan Kruger. Rise Moto serves as the North American distributor for KYT Americas.

鈥淐retu and Kruger are long-time friends and international road racing veterans, with both having competed at the legendary Isle of Man TT and Macau Grand Prix.”

鈥淭he team鈥檚 race took a dramatic turn just three laps after the start when a clutch failure forced an unscheduled pit stop and complete clutch replacement. The repair cost Team KYT Americas more than 20 minutes, leaving them with a significant deficit almost immediately.

鈥淥ver the remaining hours, Cretu, D鈥橝pice and Kruger steadily fought their way back through the field, ultimately overcoming the early setback to secure first place in the Superbike class. Proving that anything can happen in endurance racing and a team should never give up!

鈥淔ollowing the victory, the team collectively decided to donate its entire $4,000 first-place purse to the Roadracing World Action Fund, supporting the organization鈥檚 efforts to provide Airfence and other soft-barrier protection at motorcycle racing and track-day events throughout the United States.鈥�

Test day

鈥淚 was buzzing to ride the Honda again. We set off strongly with a 1:33.6 on my 3^rd lap, then managed a 1:32.9 in session 4. I was happy with the lap times despite finding it far too physical and struggling towards the end of each session. We needed to find a better setting to help me run a race distance. Without the datalogger yet again, we made improvements, but I wasn鈥檛 fully sure with the feeling. I had a few moments, very nearly losing the front at The Hairpin and up out of the seat twice, so started to tense up towards the end of the day.鈥�

Race Day Free Practice

鈥淚 tried to relax more and felt really good, but the lap times were poor 鈥� in the 1:34s. My head needed a shake as my confidence dropped. It was a waste of a session as I had no idea if it was me, the bike or both. I went for a nap!鈥�

Qualifying (P12 on Grid)

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 get onto the circuit in a good position and every time I was on a good lap I would catch a bunch of riders. I dropped off and tried to find space, but it was a nightmare. I kept calm and gave myself just one lap at the end to put in a time of 1:33.277 which put me 12^th on the grid. That lifted my confidence again and gave me a feeling we could make better bike changes.鈥�

Race 1 (P7 in Class)

鈥淚 was worried about my first race start on the Honda as the two practice runs had been terrible. In fact, it wasn鈥檛 bad and I got away to make a pass on Jamie Boyce at Park putting me in P11. I settled behind Liam Murtagh and Luca Jennings and felt okay, dipping in the 1:32s, but on Lap 4 they started to drop me slightly. Being the first race on the bike, I just didn鈥檛 settle enough.听 听

鈥淪till trying to work things out, I didn鈥檛 want to push too much and make a mistake. Jamie then came back past with Brandon Petty chasing him down. I found myself sandwiched between them. Petty made a move on me at The Hairpin, but didn鈥檛 make it stick. He then got past me again at Charlies 1 so I decided to stay behind him, try to let him pull me on as I didn鈥檛 want to slow us up too much.听

鈥淎 couple of laps later, I felt good and had the pace to re-pass him. With a lap and a half to go, I was setting up a move at Chris Curve when we had a random dump of what felt like hailstones. By Mansfield, it had stopped so I was straight back on it trying to get past. Then more heavy rain through Hall Bends and I locked the front at The Hairpin and ran on. Paul Charman snuck past me, but knowing the rain couldn鈥檛 have settled below the over-hanging trees, I went hard into Barn Corner and managed to out-drag him to the line.听

The red 鈥榝lag came out for the rain and crashes it caused. It was a shame to finish that way as I was in good flow. I really enjoyed the race and to say it was my first one on the 鈥楤lade, 7^th in Class was okay.鈥�

Race 2 (P6 in Class)

鈥淟ights out and it was an okay start from P14 on the Grid. The bike felt good for 3 laps and then it was hard work. I鈥檇 made a change for this race and it was completely the wrong way 鈥� my fault as I didn鈥檛 listen to advice and lived to regret it. 听

听鈥淭he arm pump was the most painful I have had. I was a passenger for most of the race, but never stopped trying. I did manage to pass Liam on the last lap as he was having the same issues. Strangely, 6^th place was my best ever in the Pirelli Super Series. I gave it all I had just to finish and was proud of myself, not for performance, but for staying onboard. A fair few riders went down in that one. The hard graft paid off, but I was not happy.鈥�

Race 3 (P7 in Class)

鈥淲e went back to Race 1 settings and it felt so much better. I had a lot of work to do starting P15 on the Grid because of a bad lap time in Race 2. Got away okay again, got stuck in and was enjoying it.

鈥淥n Lap 2, I got to Wilf Turner and saw a rare pass could be on over The Mountain. So, on Lap 3 I did just that, putting me in a great position to get away and go with Liam, Boyce and Jennings. Then, four turns later, I missed my gear change into The Hairpin, ran on and lost two places to Wilf and Paul Charman. A nightmare. My fault for rushing and not engaging 1st gear correctly.听

鈥淚 went into chill mode, got back to work and felt strong. I managed to pass Charman, then Petty, to get on the back of Turner again. Close racing with Wilf, we hunted down Liam, Jennings and Boyce. I tried to squeeze a pass on the last lap into Hall Bends, but had to back out at the last second. We both got past Boyce and Wilf closed the door early at The Hairpin. I went for a run to the line and, just like last year, I lost out.

鈥淕reat racing by all the lads and I really enjoyed that race to finish the weekend. If I hadn鈥檛 missed that gear I was sure this would have been my best finish.

鈥淕ood things are coming and I hope to see some of you up north at Knockhill for Round 7. I can鈥檛 wait.鈥�

Photos by Matt Sayle Photography

BSB Round 4 Snetterton 300

Luca Wilkinson aka El Loco #76听

FP: I went out and got back used to the track after not riding here since last year. Had a good feeling within 2 laps I had already beaten my personal best lap there and did a 2:04.062 putting me in 3rd place for free practice.

Qualifying: Really good qualifying overall, I went out at the back but couldn鈥檛 get a clear lap in for the first 6 minutes of the session so I pitted and went out with a clear track and put a time that put me on pole. I pitted again and we decided with the team to wait out the rest of the session to save the tires but with 4 minutes left another rider went quicker and听Nick Weston听sent me out at the perfect time giving me the perfect lap with a slip stream and doing a time that put on Pole Position and my PB of 2:02:2 and half a second to P2 on the grid.

Race 1: Unfortunately not much to say about race one, I got a good start and got the hole shot lead for the first 2 laps but on lap 3 I crashed out of the lead at turn 3 putting race 1 to an end.

Huge thanks to the team for working late into the night to get the bike fixed.

Race 2: Starting in 7th after only putting in one flying lap from race 1, I got a good start and got straight into third, at turn 2 on lap 1 I got hit by 2 riders which pushed me wide letting the top 2 get a gap. Dropped back a bit and in the end I got 6th place but had a really good battle with @marleymackenzie and听Ben Jolife听which was a lot of fun and great learning.

Overall a lot to take in with my 1st Pole and 1st crash in the year leaving a lot learned and still a lot to learn but we go again stronger and more confident for the next round at brands hatch.

Zack Weston听

Snetterton definitely isn鈥檛 near the top of my list of tracks I like but Overall a pretty good weekend, struggled with getting a good set up and overall speed through the traps but the team pulled together and got me a good bike set up for the race making the 11 laps feel much easier.

Got a shocker of a start for the race and dropped a few positions but got into my grove and put in some good laps getting past a few riders, battled with a few riders meaning I couldn鈥檛 carry on at that pace and catch the next group of riders but still enjoyed the race. A shame we only had one race this weekend as I felt I had more.

Roll on Brands! Thank you to everyone who makes it possible.

Craig Dance

Tough weekend but learnt a lot having a few issues with the bike but hopefully should be sorted for Brands.

FP1 and FP2听I felt good, was just dusting of the cobwebs.

Qualifying: P32
Was struggling for pace since the bike set up was wrong and had no engine braking.

Race: DNF
Had a little front-end crash on lap 4 on turn 2 but we learn from these mistakes and I鈥檝e learnt a lot.

Onwards and upwards for brands hatch my home circuit鈥�

Hudson Cooper

Snetterton was a really important weekend for me as it marked my return to the听Moto4 Championship after missing time through injury. Coming back into it, I knew it was always going to be tough. Not only was I trying to get back up to speed physically and mentally, but with everything that happened at Oulton, it honestly felt like this was my first proper race weekend in the series because I can鈥檛 remember anything from the opening round.

We started the weekend by听Qualifying听13th on the grid. It was around where I expected to be, but after time away and getting back into the rhythm of racing the Moto4 bike in a championship environment, it gave me something solid to work from heading into the races.

Race 1, I finished 12th. It was a race where I was still finding my feet a little bit and building confidence back up lap by lap. It was valuable track time and an important step in getting myself back into the groove of the championship.

Race 2听was a lot more positive in terms of pace, race craft and set-up. I got a strong start and managed to work my way up to 8th in the opening few laps, which was a big confidence boost and showed that the speed was there. Unfortunately, I couldn鈥檛 quite hold onto that position all the way to the finish and crossed the line in 11th, but there were still plenty of positives to take away.

The biggest positive from the weekend was the pace in the final race. Although it took me a little while to get going, I ended up getting the 6th fastest lap-time in race 2, which is encouraging moving forward to听Brands Hatch听next weekend.

It shows that the pace is there, and now it鈥檚 about putting the full weekend together from the first session and converting that pace into stronger results.

BSB Round 5 Brands Hatch GP

Luca Wilkinson aka El Loco #76听

FP: Not Great. Getting to grips with the track & a rider braked sharply. I had to swerve to avoid them, missed my brake point sending me into the gravel at Sheene鈥檚. I hit the barrier which snapped the rearset, I manage to stay on but session over.

Qualifying: I went out treating the qualifying more like FP as everyone was a session ahead of me. The best I could manage was P12 which I wasn鈥檛 happy with but I took it on the chin.

Race1: I get a really good start making my way to P6 by turn 2 and tried my best to hold on to the leading group. Got passed but a couple laps later he crashed out promoting me back to P6.The rest of the race I was in a heated battle between听Oakley Racing听and听Lewis Mullen听. On the last lap Lewis dove up my inside running me a bit wide and Freddy managed to get past both of us but I managed to drag Lewis to the line behind Freddy just beat me to the line, finished in 7th. Great race.

Warm up: Another incident! A rider ran wide through Hawthorns, I went to go up the inside but he pulled it back & I had to grab the brakes to avoid him & the bike ended up flipping over the barrier. The bike was badly damaged but the team did an amazing job to get the bike ready for race 2 and a massive thanks to听Andy Wales,听Lucas King听SIMON,听Zack Weston.

Race2: I went out knowing there could potentially be something wrong with the bike. Good start to get in with the leading group but on lap one my right handlebar just slightly twisted in, tried to manage it for a couple laps but it kept moving so I came in got it done up and went back out. In the end I finished last but still enjoyed the expert pit boarding from听Nick Weston听and听Kiera King.

Overall probably a weekend to forget but we move on & learn. On to Oulton next week.

Zack Weston听

Fp1/Fp2

Practice went really good I felt really comfortable on the bike I had a few issues on the old tyres I was using but overall very good, finishing p16 combined.

Qualifying.

Bit of a tricky one tbh, I put my lap time early on on my own in the session then spent the rest of the session catching slower riders on laps I was down on my Quickest but still happy with my position and felt I had more for the race.

Race 1

Unfortunately another rider crashed and I collided with their bike ending my race on lap 1, there was nothing I could鈥檝e done to avoid it just wrong place wrong time.

Massive thank you to the team听Adam Cooper听, Kieron, Andy with their work on and off my bike everything was on point this weekend.

Craig Dance

My home round was looking to perform better than I did but learning loads every time I鈥檓 out.

FP1-FP2听felt good just learning the track since it was the first time on the bike here and had a little of at Druids but bike had basically no damage.

Qualifying听was struggling for pace trying to get tow from someone then last lap finally got a tow and was up by a lot on my time but got red flagged at the final corner.

Race 1听Started P38 due to my grid penalty from Snetterton but I chipped away in the race and brought it home for a P24.

We go again for Oulton Park鈥�

Hudson Cooper

Heading to Brands Hatch just a few weeks after Snetterton, I was feeling really positive. We made some good progress at the last round and I couldn’t wait to get back on the bike.

I’d only ever raced the Indy circuit before, so riding the full GP layout for the first time was an incredible experience. It’s such an iconic track and finally getting to complete a full lap was something I’ve looked forward to for a long time.

Free Practice

The first two practice sessions were all about learning the extra sections of the circuit and building confidence. Every time I went out I felt more comfortable, improved my personal best and started to understand where I could find more time. It definitely felt like we were moving in the right direction.

Qualifying

We made the most of every minute in qualifying, completing 14 laps. On my final lap, despite not having the ideal track position or a tow, I managed to set my fastest time of the weekend. Qualifying 12th and finishing just 1.5 seconds off pole position was something I was pleased with, especially around such a demanding circuit.

Race One

I made a solid start, although I got boxed in on the inside into Paddock Hill Bend. By the time we reached Druids I was up to eighth, but after the run through Cooper Straight I had slipped back to 11th as the pack shuffled around.

The race then settled into a brilliant battle with Thorley, Tyler and Aeziah. Unfortunately, on lap three I lost the front going into Druids. I managed to stop what could have been a big high-side, but I couldn’t save the bike. Sadly, Thorley was caught up in the incident and also crashed. Sorry Thorley.

Race Two

Starting from 14th on the grid, I made another good start and moved up to 13th early on. Unfortunately I just couldn’t quite stay with the group ahead, so it turned into a fairly lonely race.

After Thorley’s crash I focused on riding consistently, managing the gap behind and bringing the bike home safely. I crossed the line in 11th, collecting more valuable championship points and more importantly more experience.

Overall, there were plenty of positives to take away from the weekend. Every lap on the GP circuit helped me improve and I feel like we’re continuing to move forward with every round.

Next up is Silverstone alongside MotoGP. Racing on the world stage at one of the biggest events of the year is going to be an amazing experience and one I’m really looking forward to.

A huge thank you to everyone who came over to say hello throughout the weekend. Your support really does mean a lot.

鈥淏rook Built Racing competed at the British Historic Racing Club meeting at Darley Moor on 18鈥�19 July aboard the A Read Associates Ltd. Honda CB350 K4.

鈥淭his was a late change to our racing programme. Our original plan had been to compete at Scarborough on the SuperTwin, but following the incident at the Southern 100, the bike required more extensive repairs than initially anticipated. Rather than compromise the preparation, we elected to switch our entry to Darley Moor and focus on the Honda CB350.

鈥淒arley Moor is a circuit I have very limited experience of, having only raced there once previously in 1993. With minimal recent track time, the weekend became one of steadily building confidence and improving pace.

鈥淎 special thank-you goes to Grahame Collinge for his invaluable support throughout the meeting, and to Andy Read for both his assistance in the paddock and the opportunity to race the Honda.

鈥淎s is often the case with classic machinery, reliability became part of the story. In Race 1, while running in a strong third place, a spark plug worked loose, causing the engine to run lean and ultimately melting the plug. Although disappointing, it was encouraging to know we were already running at the front of the field while still learning the circuit.

鈥淲ith replacement spark plugs sourced by Andy, Grahame and I completed a trackside thread repair to get the bike back into action. It was far from an ideal paddock repair, but it enabled us to continue the meeting and gather valuable championship points.”

鈥淭he remainder of the weekend showed consistent progress:

鈥淩ace 2: 3rd in class, 5th overall, while improving lap times by approximately two seconds.

鈥淩ace 3: Another 3rd in class, closing significantly on the race leaders and finding a further two-second improvement.

鈥淩ace 4: Our pace earned a front-row start in P3. A close four-bike battle for the lead developed between two 350s and two 500s, producing some excellent racing. We finished 2nd in class and 3rd overall, crossing the line just 1.5 seconds behind the winner.

鈥淭o improve by around four seconds over the course of the weekend, despite limited circuit experience and overcoming mechanical issues, was an encouraging result and demonstrates both the potential of the Honda and the continued progress of the team.

鈥淥ur focus now turns to preparations for the Classic TT, where I will be making my debut while competing on both the A Read Associates Ltd. Honda CB350 and the OC Graphics Kawasaki ZX400.

鈥淔inally, thank you to all of our sponsors and supporters. Your backing allows us to continue competing, developing the bikes, and representing your businesses at race meetings throughout the season. Your support is genuinely appreciated, and we look forward to updating you again after the Classic TT.鈥�

Photo credit: John Hale.

鈥淕V Racing has just competed in Round 4 of the FIM MotoJunior, held this weekend at the Nevers Magny-Cours Circuit, after an intense day of racing in the Moto2 European Championship and Stock European Championship categories.

鈥淚n Moto2 European Championship, Marcos Uriarte played the two races of the weekend. In the first round he crossed the finish line in the 25th position, while in the second race he managed to finish in the 22nd position, completing a weekend in which the rider and the team continued to work to continue evolving and accumulating experience in a top-level category.”

鈥淚n the Stock European Championship, Blai Trias starred in a solid performance, ending the race in a meritorious 6^th position, adding an important result for the team after staying throughout the test fighting in the leading group.

鈥淔or his part, Jordi Losada managed to complete the race in the 19^th position. After the fall suffered during Saturday’s qualifying session, the GV Racing driver returned to the track with the aim of finishing the race and continuing to add kilometres and experience in a very competitive category.”

Statements by Rafa Garc铆a 鈥� Team Manager

“We ended a weekend of hard work in which the team has not stopped fighting at any time. Marcos has continued to grow in Moto2 and has completed two races that will help him continue evolving. Blai has had a great race getting a very worked sixth position, while Jordi knew how to overcome Saturday’s fall to finish the test and continue adding experience.”

“I want to thank the effort of the whole team during these days at Magny-Cours. Now it’s time to analyse everything you’ve learned, continue working and prepare for the next championship appointment with the illusion of continuing to grow and fighting for better results.”

鈥淲ith this result, GV Racing closes its passage through Magny-Cours with valuable information to continue developing the sports project before the next appointment of the FIM MotoJunior, where the team will compete again with the same ambition and commitment that characterises it.鈥�

鈥淲hat a week of racing at the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man!

鈥淭he weather was kind to us for most of the event, but as anyone involved in road racing knows, there’s always something that tests you along the way.

鈥淭his year I competed in two middleweight classes, the SuperTwin and the Supersport, giving me plenty of track time and valuable opportunities to build confidence and improve my pace around the Billown Course.

鈥淢onday evening’s practice went exactly to plan. I completed two sessions on the Supersport and one on the SuperTwin, improving my lap times every time I went out and getting both bikes working well.”

鈥淭uesday evening proved to be much more challenging. The plan was to complete two SuperTwin sessions before finishing with the Supersport, but after just two strong laps on the SuperTwin I was unfortunately taken out by another rider at Balabeg.

鈥淎 huge thank you to all the marshals, medics and spectators who looked after me. From making sure I was fit to continue, arranging transport back to the paddock, and even providing cold drinks and phones so I could let the team know I was okay, the support was incredible. Moments like this really highlight what makes the road racing community so special.

鈥淭he incident created a race against the clock. The SuperTwin required significant repairs, there wasn’t enough time to prepare for the final practice session, and I had to sit that one out. Thankfully, Monday’s pace had been enough to secure qualification, putting me 22nd on the SuperTwin grid and 21st for the Supersport B Race.

鈥淎fter a late night in the paddock, the team worked tirelessly to rebuild the SuperTwin and have it race-ready for Wednesday evening.

鈥淪tarting from around two-thirds down the grid made clean getaways difficult in the mass starts, but both races were encouraging. I finished 20th in the SuperTwin race and 17th in the Supersport race, while finding around four seconds per lap compared with my qualifying pace on both machines.

鈥淭hursday brought the main race day, beginning with the Supersport B Race before the SuperTwin feature later in the afternoon.”

鈥淚n the Supersport race I maintained my position throughout much of the race, improved my lap times again, and crossed the finish line in 20th after another strong performance.

鈥淟ater, on the SuperTwin, I made what felt like my best start of the week, gaining several places in the opening laps while continuing to reduce my lap times. It felt like my strongest ride of the meeting, so I was a little surprised to finish 21st, but the overall progress made throughout the week was hugely encouraging. Every outing brought faster lap times, giving us a solid platform to build on for next year’s event.

鈥淎 massive thank you goes to everyone who helped make the week possible. Grahame Collinge, who worked tirelessly to keep both bikes fuelled, prepared, through scrutineering and on the grid every session. Andy Fenton, for your endless support and invaluable local knowledge throughout the week. And my teammate Ben Long, for all your help and encouragement both on and off the track.

鈥淚’d also like to say a huge thank you to 91传媒 for providing the confidence and outstanding stopping power needed to push hard around the Billown Course, and to Aztec Oils for supplying products that kept both bikes running reliably throughout a demanding week of racing. Having dependable equipment makes a huge difference at events like this, and I’m incredibly grateful for their continued support.

鈥淩oad racing is never straightforward, but after overcoming Tuesday’s setback, rebuilding the bike and continuing to improve every time I headed out, I’ll take plenty of positives away from this year’s Southern 100.鈥�

Photo Credit: Tracey鈥檚 Pictures