Double points haul in British Championship debut

Fourteen year old Joe Francis made his debut in the Monster Energy British Motostar championship with two exciting performances at Thruxton.

With the Brands Hatch round cancelled Joe had to contend with
two rounds at a track he had never seen before and on a totally new type of bike to him but despite more bad weather which hampered him learning the super fast and bumpy Thruxton circuit Joe lined up for the
first race on a dry track.

This was always going to be difficult as he had only had a handful of dry laps during the two days testing. In the first race Joe got away mid pack but was soon racing with the likes of William Dunlop, Taz Mackenzie and Joe Irvine in a six way battle for 6th place.

Taz crashed out splitting up the pack and
Joe finished an excellent 7th place just behind William Dunlop. Race two
saw Joe make a bad start but he was passing two or three riders every lap
and was up to 8th position when the chequered flag fell on the shortened five lap race.

Had the race ran full distance a top six was easily within Joe’s
reach.

Joe is a true rookie this year with no previous experience of the
British 125 Championship or the Honda GP125 race bike.

Despite some terrible weather at the first two rounds we all return home with a very positive attitude and with plenty of data and knowledge to give Joe a very good chance at his home round at Oulton Park in May.

We would like to thank both Joe’s own sponsors and the team’s sponsors for their help in making 2012
possible.

The sponsors lists are currently being updated at the team website www.banksracing125.com
.
Please get in touch if you would like to join the list and be added to the new fairings that will be ready in the near future and any help at all is very much appreciated.

Also special thanks to Roger Marshall for
his help over the last two rounds.

WD-40 Specialist – launched this year – is an innovative range of professional products developed to tackle specific and demanding maintenance and DIY jobs, alongside the familiar WD-40 Multi-Use product.

Kieron Roberts, WD-40 Specialist’s assistant brand manager, said: “We’re very excited to be sponsoring GR Aprilia. The team line-up is looking fantastic and Superstock and GP 125 are the perfect league for us to be connected with as WD-40 Specialist is ideal for looking after all bikes – but especially those straight off the production line which need to be expertly maintained.”

Cargo Link Express is delighted to have agreed a sponsorship deal with GR Motosport Aprilia. The international flavour of the Team fits our comprehensive global network, with offices in Europe, Africa, The Americas, Middle East and Asia, Cargo Link Express can ensures we utilise our local knowledge and experience to deliver cost effective multi modal logistical solutions to our customers across multiple industry fields.

Aidan O’ Hagan, Business Development Director at Cargo Link, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be supporting the GR Motosport team, in association with Aprilia in the forthcoming season. The team will certainly be going places this season, new bike, rider and sponsors, and with the longstanding and continued strong management, is a heady mix for success and we very much look forward to sharing in the spoils!”

24 year old Taylor Knapp from Lapeer, Michigan, former US national champion, competed in a hand full of rides in the 2011 Metzeler national Superstock championship brining him to the attention of GR Motosport as a signing for the 2012 season.

Knapp had his first ride on the Aprilia RSV4 at a very cold Cadwell Park last weekend and now heads into the first race at Brands hatch full of confidence.

Taylor Knapp enthused “it was really cold at Cadwell but really enjoy riding the RSV4 first impressions of the bike and team are really good, I am looking forward to racing the bike I think I can really do something with this package!”

Aprilia Superteen Champion,14 year old Joe Francis of Ellesmere Port will also benefit from support of GR Motosport carrying the Number 40 and
WD 40 Specialist branding on his BANKS racing British Championship GP125

Phil Read – Piaggio Group “Sadly Marshall Neill is still recovering from his injuries. However the young American rider Taylor Knapp spearheads the opening of the season onboard the Aprilia RSV4 Factory. He has a great attitude to his racing craft and we expect he will bring some exciting racing to the series”

Brent Gladwin, Managing Director of GR Motosport added: “We will miss Marshall as he still recovers from the crash at Brands last season, but we are really looking forward to the new season. It is fantastic to have 2 major companies on board and to continue working with Aprilia and the RSV4. Both Taylor and Joe will I am sure do the number 40 justice this season. We will add another Superstock rider to the team but at the moment we are looking at our options”

• American

•  Hometown: Lapeer, MI

•  Top Privateer in AMA Superbike

•  Suzuki Cup Champion

•  WERA National Champion  

2011 Season Review

AMA RESULTS (American Motorcycle Association)

• 8th in points – Daytona Sportbike
• Best Qualifying – 5th
• 2 top five finishes
• 10 top ten finishes

 BSB RESULTS (British SuperBike)

•   2 top fives – British Superstock

•  3 race starts

2012 Goals

-Win British Superstock 1000 Championship

-Finish Top 5 in Select World level 1000 Superstock races.

-Challenge for the Podium in Select AMA Superbike Races

-Learn all the tracks in the British Championship

Career Highlights

2011- Raced for Vesrah Suzuki in the AMA Daytona SportBike Series • Raced for CN Racing in the British SuperBike Championship • Contested the entire Daytona SportBike Season, earning season best finishes of 5th at New Jersey and at Barber • Raced in the AMA Pro SuperBike season finale on an EBR 1190RS, finishing 7th • Raced in the final 3 races of the British Superstock Series with recording top 5 finishes.

2010- Finished 9th in the Daytona 200 • Finished 7th in points in American Superbike- Top Finishing Privateer.

2009- Finished 9th in AMA Pro American SuperBike point standings with 13 top- 10 finishes • Finished 11th in AMA Pro Daytona SportBike with a best finish of 4th • Qualified on pole at VIR Raceway.

2008- GSXR 1000 Suzuki Cup Final Winner • Raced in several AMA Pro Road Racing Series events and recorded two top 10 finishes in 15 starts • Won 2 Championships in the WERA Series.

2005- Finished 9th in the Daytona 200 and 9th in the season point standings • Named Road Racing World Magazines “Young Gun”

2004- First race in AMA Pro Racing series.

2002- Finished 1st in a 125 GP race at Mosport • Finished 3rd in the 125GP Championship and 1st in the 250GP Championships • Also finished 3rd in the 250 A Ice Racing Nationals

Early Career- AMA Amateur Ice Racing Champion in 2001 • Raced Motocross in 1996 • AMA Amateur Flat Track National Champion in 1995-96.

Yamaha TZ 750 engined Flat Tracker

It is the ONLY one registered for the road

Beautiful condition

May consider PX camper, 4X4 or a bike that’s very interesting

£25,000 O.V.N.O

 Call Brent on 07957424580 for  more details

More about the 2012 plans to follow so keep checking back!

Happy New Year to everyone,

All at GR Motosport.

Marshall wins 2 Superbike races and Race of the Year at Mondello!

The final round of the Adelaide Masters series sponsored by Adelaide Insurance Services was quite a test for us, as we wanted to gauge our thoughts on Superbike for the future. The problems were really all logistics with the meeting falling on the weekend between the final two rounds of the ‘MCE British Superbike Championship’ so there was to be loads of work and travel.

We thought it would be a good idea to try some of the new BSB regulation engine modifications but in the heat of competition on slick tyres. While the UK was in the middle of a strange heat wave we arrived in Ireland to heavy rain and flooding arriving late at Mondello and missing the practice day. Marshall rode the GR Aprilia RSV4 sbk spec for the first time on Saturday in free practice still in very wet conditions where our first impressions of the engine performance were quite good.

In qualifying the weather had settled down a bit although still damp everyone started to get their act together but a brilliant display of skill and power saw Marshall qualify the RSV4 APRC on Pole position for the 3 superbike races the first of which was to be that afternoon.

The first race saw Marshall made a good start leading the field with Yamaha R1 mounted Jack Kennedy in close contention. The two had a fantastic battle exchanging places like dancing in the rain on every corner while pulling a 30 second gap on the chasing pack. Marshall and the Aprilia always had the upper hand when the result was finalised on the corner with a mistake from the Yamaha rider ended any slim chance he had had. Sundays race two great start found Marshall leading into trouble when he was the first to find oil on the wet exit to the hairpin crashing out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH7iehVJuOM  Marshall remounted to take 10^th place. When the bike returned to the paddock it was not clear how Marshall  had ridden it at all and left Danny and Rob loads of work to get the bike ready for the next race. For the third race Marshall was a little more couscous and let a couple of the others look around the first lap for hidden dangers before taking the lead to win by a huge margin and secure 4^th place overall in the ADELAIDE MASTERS superbike championship after only completing 2 of the rounds.

Race of the Year the huge prize huge prize fund attracted entries from every class and the now changing condition causing everyone headaches on tyre choice, half the guys wet with full wet and the other half with a wet front and slick rear – after the sighting lap we were the only team to decide on slicks front and have the speed to change it in time for the start and for once Marshall now need to make a couscous start and settle in for 3 or 4 laps as the track dried. Young Keith Farmer went to the front but 3 laps in his front wet let him down crashing out leaving Marshall to push the Aprilia RSV4 into the lead and run away with the race victory.         

 Marshall Neill – “I was really looking forward to the weekend at Mondello but not the weather the bike feels really good the way it is right now – I have to really thank the GR Team after the crash Danny, Rob and Big Willy worked really hard to fix the damage and get me back out there. The next 2 races were hard as I had also broken some bones in my right foot in the crash but I am only thinking about now after the races. We had fun here but now back to BSB for the final round at Brand Hatch this coming weekend”

Tony Robinson – “Great weekend testing in competition Marshall and the Team did a great job and our Aprilia RSV4 performed with excellence. Well done all”  

We have some opportunities for sponsorship, advertising and corporate hospitality if you would like to join us please don’t hesitate to contact me

Silverstone was a great weekend for the team, the publication of the latest issue of Motorcycle Racer magazine (www.motorcycleracer.com) revealed

at 6 page article about the GR Aprilia RSV4 and a page in new products. Our guests had a great day and Marshall bagged more points

The high speed straights were always going to be a small problem to the nimble Aprilia RSV4. The supa long hanger straight cost us in every session but where we lost the chassis helped pull things back. We did the best we could in qualifying, Marshall putting us 15^th on the grid for the race start

Fantastic weather along with Silverstone’s family attractions and atmosphere welcomed our guests on race day, some old hands and some completely new to the sport as we look to the future. The televised Metzeler National Superstock 1000 race fell very nicely into the program of events starting just after lunch. Marshall Neill again astounded everyone with his start from 15^th on the grid, again finding clear track at every opportunity and making it when none was to be found. 5^th at the end of lap one was just fantastic ! Marshall continued to ride the wheels off the little Aprilia but the extreme high speed hanger straight was to be our achilles heel, every lap the RSV4 sercombed to higher speeds slipping back down the order over the next 10 laps finishing 12^th to take more valuable championship points. Congratulation also go to Jon Railton and the In-Moto Aprilia scoring their first points of the season.

With only 2 races left this season we will make a few changes of engine spec for this weekend’s Mondello Masters superbike races as we continue to look forward.

Marshall Neill – “The start and first lap were great fun I could put the wee RSV4 where I liked but on the long straight I could not hold their slip stream which really hurt us. I really love riding the Aprilia but need just need more speed as we have all year – I am looking forward to Mondello this weekend we will run in the superbike class on Dunlop slicks which should be good fun”

Tony Robinson – “It was a shame about the straights at Silverstone but the GR Team, Marshall and everyone did a fantastic job at the weekend. It was good to see that even our new none motorcycling guests has a great day at the ‘MCE British Superbike’ series. This weekend at Mondello is really just for fun but it would be nice to get a result too!”  

We have some opportunities for sponsorship, advertising and corporate hospitality if you would like to join us please don’t hesitate to contact me

More points, a new baby and a British Championship

The Neill Family Marshal and Marion welcome and introduce Grace

Having to miss the round at Cadwell Park where Dave Anthony stood in although very tough for Marshall he would not have missed the arrival at 8lb 3oz Grace. Back in action at Donington Marshall slotted straight back on the Aprilia RSV4. We had made quite a few changes to the bike with new Ohlins forks and setting which took a little time to settle into. The track conditions changed quite a bit over the weekend and we had a couple of small problems in final qualifying as did many of the front runners unfortunately we struggled to a lowly 18^th on the grid. but as always looked forward to a great race day

The Metzeler National Superstock 1000 was to be the last race of the day, but the day was kept very busy entertaining our sponsor’s guests, as we look to next year and a proposed move to higher classes! The start of the race was just what we have all become to expect from Marshall this year just blistering – but down Craner Curves on the first lap he was pushed onto the grass giving our guests heart stopping moments as they watch on TV. Ending the first lap in 12^th place Marshall and the little RSV4 were in the thick of a brilliant battle for top ten – racing into the last lap Marshall had forced the Aprilia into 7^th place only to lose out on the last corner trying to defend his position but again bringing home a hand full of points 

Marshall Neill – “I hated missing Cadwell Park but the misses would have killed me and see be with her for Grace’s birth our 2^nd daughter was just fantastic. Again we struggled in qualifying it just does not seem to go our way. The race was fantastic we do not have the speed of the others but we can make it up in other areas. I am now looking forward to Silverstone very much where Aprilia say we could have a new exhaust which will help”

2011 Metzeler National Superstock 600 Champion ‘Keith Farmer’

We would like to congratulate Keith Farmer and Famer Racing – Alan, Dave and Darren on securing the first of the 2011 British Championships to be settled. It has been our pleasure to assist and have you a welcome part of our team this season well done!

Tony Robinson – “It’s nice to welcome baby Grace, it is the first time one of our riders have added to their family at this time. Another great ride from Marshall into the points and well done to Keith!”  

We have some opportunities for sponsorship, advertising and corporate hospitality if you would like to join us please don’t hesitate to contact me 

Regards

Brent Gladwin