After further significant progress was made at Brands Hatch, Kawasaki’s official Superbike team, MSS Discovery, declare themselves “excited” to be going to Donington Park for the forth round of the 2008 British Superbike Championship on May 26th.
“The bikes are working well”, enthuses team principle, Nick Morgan. “We’re working on ECU mapping currently to get more drive out of the corners, that’s the main thing both Billy and Stuart are asking for. Like everyone else we are trying to squeeze a quart into a pint pot when it comes to development time, but the lads have been doing overtime on our in-house Dyno and the results have been encouraging.”
Key to a good lap of the 2.5 mile GP circuit is a fast and accurate style according to former lap record holder on the Indy circuit, Stuart Easton.
“Although you are concentrating on what is immediately around you, there is the need to look far enough ahead to make sure you are set up and position for the next two corners. Make a mess of Craner curves for instance, and the whole lap is in jeopardy.”
Billy McConnell is no stranger to the upcoming venue for the British round of the MotoGP Championship and is equally enthusiastic about the track.
“With what the tech guys in the team and I have learnt so far, I’m looking to start pushing forward in the pack at Donington. OK it’s exciting to be racing with a bunch of guys – but its always better to be the Leader of the Pack!”
Team co-owner, Stuart Simmonds has observed the rapid progress and has every reason to be optimistic about the race on bank holiday Monday.
“There’s a fundamental difference between being knee deep in swarf and trying to remanufacture a bike and the lucky position we are in. Through gradual refinement, and a mass of useful data, we are developing what we think is one of the best racing packages we have used so far with the 2008 Ninja ZX-10R. Stuart Easton has an incredible racing focus and Billy has got on quietly with the job of reinventing himself as a Superbike rider so, overall, we are more than pleased with the way things are going”.
