James East Silverstone – Brands Hatch GP Update
National 600 Superstock Championship
Silverstone WSB Support

Due to a cancellation of the 3rd round held at Oulton Park the race was re scheduled and run as a support class at the World Superbike round, held at the new Silverstone Arena GP Circuit.

Before this meeting James’s Yamaha had been to Dave Davis’s workshop in Swindon to get the frame aligned and with that it handled as new again, but through up suspension difficulties for James to overcome.
With the qualifying times going from the Oulton Park qualifying results, James would be forced to start from 14th, But, 2 practice sessions were given to the riders to learn this difficult and demanding GP circuit.

In the race James didn’t make the best of starts, but instantly started making places back, he battled through producing a lap time over 1 and a half seconds faster than practice to finally finish the race in 10th position after a hectic race of hard attacking and also defence after narrowly avoiding Matt Biltons fallen Kawasaki.
James – “We Improved allot throughout the weekend, having had a difficult start we made positive changes and got a good set up for the race and moved up the sheets, I’m happy with how it all went.”


BSB Brands Hatch GP
Moving on from Silverstone East Racing arrives less than a week later at the beautiful Brands Hatch GP circuit for what looks to be a promising weekend. James also turned a year older on the Thursday!.

Free Practice 1 – P11 1:33:687 – a good start, the bike was very snatchy though and difficult to ride hindering James in his search for fast lap times. Changes are made for QP1.

Qualifying 1 – once again James is 11th but find’s a whole second in time on a 1:32:602. James still struggles to find consistent grip so changes are made again.

Qualifying 2 – The early session is half wet and dry, with the first 2 sectors being bone dry and the last being soaking wet, James just does a couple of laps to scout around but finds it un safe to push through the wet surface on the dry tyres.

Warm Up
After consulting with Kais Suspension James goes out on a completely different, and softer setting to find the bike allot easier to ride and feel, he goes 6th fastest in warm up on a 1:33:154 on old rubber, a massive improvement is found and James is much happier.

Race
James gets away well with the pack and finds himself battling in 10th position from the start, right up with the leading group. James manages to stay with the group despite having gearbox troubles. The bike kept jumping out of gear on down changes.

A few riders crashed out together forcing the safety car to be deployed, at which time James’s gearbox is getting worse and locks out of gear going into Hawthorns bend at the back of the circuit. Easty forces the bike into gear to rejoin. When the lights went out on the safety car the pack were off once more, but towards the end of the first flying lap James’s bike locked up solid in the braking zone for Clearways Corner and sends James deep into the corner until the front tyre finally washed out.

A bitter blow but something good can be taken from the weekend, which being James and the team found a breakthrough in the suspension set up thanks to the advice of Kais Suspension.

James – “I am completely gutted with the result; it’s just the worst luck! But we can take a positive from the weekend and that was finding a good base set up to work with on the bike, Thanks to Andy from Kais, I can’t wait to try the new settings out at Cadwell Park and move forwards with the set up, therefore we can get closer to the podium. “.

Thanks Go Out To

John East, Stefan Pollard and Ian Brookman and Andy from Kais
Suspension

Homechoice Carpets

Steve Lynham Motorcycle Repairs

R&G RACING

James Swift and Dominos Pizza

Impacts Signs

Motrax