Before snow blanketed the 2.6 mile Kent circuit cancelling the opening round of the 2008 British Superbike Championship, spirits in the MSS team ran high. Off the back of a successful winter testing schedule with their new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R race machines, both riders had pronounced themselves satisfied with the machines in UK race form and their qualifying positions.
For Nick Morgan, Team Principle, the return to Brands Hatch is much anticipated. “We were up for it originally and now only more so. With knowledge gained from initial practice at Brands Hatch, and then data from Thruxton and Oulton, our understanding of thestance of both bikes and the needs of the riders has ballooned. This is effectively our local 'Grand Prix' so we expect to see a lot of familiar faces in the crowd this weekend”.
Professing himself more than happy with the Kawasaki race kit ECU and seamless fuelling of machines, Morgan and his technicians will instead concentrate on the physical geometry of the machines during practice and qualifying.
“We now have a reasonably size window to operate in”, comments Bob grey, the team’s data acquisition expert. “If you are going from one extreme to the other clearly there is something wrong, what we will be doing it literally one click here and one click there to reach the optimum set up”.
With the full Grand Prix circuit to compete on, both Stuart Easton and Billy McConnell are relishing the opportunity to move still higher up the points table.
“This track suits me and my style”, says Easton. “I had one of my best ever races here in 2005 on a Supersport bike and I happily circulated in 1m 28s for lap after lap, so I am sure that consistency will carry over to the Superbike”.
Likewise Billy McConnell is in the mood for some up close and personal racing. “If I’m in a group into the first corner at Paddock Hill bend I don’t care, I’ll spread some green paint around until I’m at the front, no worries”.
Joint owner of the team, Stuart Simmonds is another who cannot hide his anticipation. “Sure it would have been nice to have more time to prepare, but we are now truly in the hunt for valuable Championship points. We’re making progress at every round and the acceleration in our knowledge base is steep, so once more we expect good results”.
