Kevin Manfredi took his Honda CBR600RR to an impressive second place in Saturday’s second round Superstock 600 FIM European Championship yesterday at Assen in the Netherlands.

The Agro-on WIL Racedays Honda, who graduated from last season's European Junior Cup, led for two laps and looked strong before a massive slide at the Geert Timmer chicane dropped him to second place where he eventually finished five seconds behind race winner Niki Tuuli, with local rider Wayne Tessels finishing third.

The race start was delayed as heavy rain fell on the Assen circuit and, as the race finally got underway, several riders fell victim to the difficult riding conditions. Among them were Manfredi’s team-mates Jake Lewis – a fellow European Junior Cup graduate – and young British rider Harry Stafford, both of whom crashed out unhurt.

Similar conditions greeted the Agro-on WIL Racedays Honda Superstock CBR1000RR Fireblade SP riders, Kyle Smith and Josh Day, when they took to the Assen circuit for today’s second round championship race.

Starting from ninth place on the grid, Smith got a remarkable start that saw him in a strong second place before he crashed out unhurt mid-race. Josh Day enjoyed only a slightly less eventful race, finishing in 11th place.

Rider quotes:

Kevin Manfredi – STK600:

We didn’t have a good grid position because of some problems in qualifying, but I felt confident in the rain. I thought it might be possible to win but I made some mistakes when I was leading the race and then had that big moment at the last chicane. I tried to close the gap again but decided that second place was a good result in those conditions.

Jake Lewis – STK600:

They were really difficult conditions, going out to the grid when it started raining heavily. It was a bit of a surprise but I made my way up through the field at a good pace. Unfortunately, I made a small mistake and ended up highsiding, but we were in the points which is pretty good. We’ve just got to move on to Imola now and keeping going forward. I know the team will keep pushing to have us fighting at the front so I’m looking forward to it.

Josh Day – STK1000:

I was really hoping for dry weather conditions after we made a little bit of headway in the setting on the CBR1000RR Fireblade SP in practice. Unfortunately, it ended up raining and those aren’t usually my best conditions. I was happy to finish and to come home with some points. Hopefully, Imola will be a lot better where we’ll aim to keep moving forward with the bike and get in the top five, which is where I need to be.

Kyle Smith – STK1000

I normally like riding in the wet and managed to get a good start. We had struggled with bike set-up all weekend, especially with rear grip but we made a few changes for warm-up which felt a bit better. But because it was wet for the race, we went softer again to something we thought would be better for the wet. These are all things we’re learning because everything is so new – it’s just a bummer that I had to crash out of the race.

2014 Superstock 600 FIM European Cup – round two

Assen, Netherlands – results:

1 Niki Tuuli (FIN)

2 Kevin Manfredi (ITA)

3 Wayne Tessels (NED)

4 Rob Hartog (NED)

5 Andrea Tucci (ITA)

6 Gauthier Duwelz (BEL)

7 Eemeli Lahti (FIN)

8 Luca Salvadori (ITA)

9 Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR)

10 Marco Faccani (ITA)

Championship points after two of seven rounds:

Tuuli 38, Tessels 32, Faccani 31, Tucci 31, Manfredi 27, Mikhalchik 18, Duwelz 18, Salvadori 18, Hartog 13, Lahti 10.

Next round: Imola, Italy – 9-11 May

2014 Superstock 1000 FIM Cup – round two

Assen, Netherlands – results:

1 Kevin Valk (NED)

2 Ondrei Jezek (CZE) 3 Matthieu Lussiana (FRA) 4 Lorenzo Savadori (ITA) 5 Leandro Mercado (ARG) 6 David McFadden (RSA)

Championship points after two of seven rounds:

1 Mercado 36, 2 Savadori 33, 3 Valk 32, 4 Lussiana 26, 5 Jezek 20, 6 McFadden 18, 7 Kyle Smith (GRB) Honda 16, 11 Josh Day (USA) Honda 10.

Next round: Imola, Italy – 9-11 May

Meet Racers and Manor Café Grid Girls. Competitions, fun and games, bands, stalls, bikes, café and licensed bar.

venue: Manor Bikers Café, Manor Farm, Bellerby, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5QH
price: £15 includes all weekend access and two nights camping (tents only). Day access donation to Spinal Research.

www.manor-cafe.co.uk

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SYLVAIN GUINTOLI COMES CLOSE TO A SENSATIONAL DOUBLE WIN: AFTER VICTORY IN RACE 1 AND RACE 2 SUSPENDED WHILE HE WAS DOMINATING A FALL DEPRIVES HIM OF ANOTHER WIN AFTER THE RESTART OF THE SECOND RACE.

AFTER CRASHING OUT THE FRENCH RIDER GOT BACK IN THE SADDLE AND ASTONISHED FANS WITH A SPECTACULAR COMEBACK.

TWO SIXTH PLACE FINISHES FOR MARCO MELANDRI.    Assen, 27 April 2013 – Just one error in the first part of Race 2 deprived Aprilia rider Sylvain Guintoli of a sensational double win that seemed already to be within reach after winning the first race.

But the Dutch round brought the Aprilia team back into the limelight of the championship with the RSV4 proving to be worthy of its title as reigning Manufacturer World Champion.

In Race 1 the French rider started well to move out in front of the rest when the red lights went off and set an impossible pace for the rest of his rivals. Then in the second half of the race he defended his position in the lead with flying laps as Tom Sykes made a comeback.

Sylvain carried out his duties as forerunner magnificently on a partially damp track with slick tyres, a terrible situation which did not compromise the race. As demonstrated by the record breaking lap set by his Aprilia (1’36.440) in the third lap. The race was called 4 laps from the end when the red flag came out due to a blown engine.

Race 2 started off looking promising with Sylvain out front and clearly faster than all his rivals. The heavy rain forced the race marshals to suspend the race, restarting it later with distance shortened to 10 laps. On a treacherous track, and despite a less than perfect start, Sylvain managed to get front runner Rea in his sights within a few turns. On the last chicane the poor grip cause him to crash. In any case, able to get going again in 18th place, Guintoli resumed his pace and finished the race in ninth place after a spectacular comeback.

Sylvain Guintoli: "It's a real shame about Race 2. Despite a less than perfect start I was making up ground without any difficulty. The slide in the second lap had nothing to do with any specific mistake. On a track that wet it simply doesn't take much at all. In spite of the blow to my back and damage to the footpeg and handlebar, I lapped fast and that really makes me angry because it's clear that I could have won Race 2 as well. In Race 1, on the other hand, I took some risks in the first few laps to try and increase the gap - a dangerous strategy but one that worked in the end. Before the race was called I was keeping an eye on Tom Sykes' comeback, trying to manage my advantage. I have to thank the entire team and the guys here at Aprilia Racing because they did a great job today. Even with the low temperatures my RSV4 was really working well. It just goes to show that everyone's efforts paid off."

Marco Melandri had a little more difficulty, finishing sixth in both races. The rider from Ravenna showed grit and determination in Race 2 until a “long” run in a turn knocked him out of the battle for a podium finish.

... with his past at the Royal Automobile Club dinner

Retired motorsport commentator Murray Walker was surprised and overwhelmed last night when, as guest of honour at a Royal Automobile Club dinner, when he was reintroduced to one of his father’s old racing motorcycles. The bike was one of a group of his late father’s Rudge motorcycles that the Club had assembled as a surpise for Murray.

To millions, the name Murray Walker is synonymous with Formula One, but as the son of Graham Walker, the succesful motorcycle racer of the Twenties and Thirties, Murray’s first love was bikes and his early career centred around motorcycling. Indeed the king of F1 commentary often said; ‘four wheels good, two wheels better.’

Another bike in those assembled had been specially shipped over from Australia for the occassion and hasn’t been seen in the UK for over 60 years. The collection included: 

1932 Isle of Man TT Senior Race, with a top speed speed of 76.36mph (finished 6th)

1933 Rudge TT replica

1934 Tyrell-Smith motorcycle (6th in the Ulster Grand Prix and won the Australian TT)

1935 TT Rudge Replica racer, one of only ten made

Murray was obviously deeply moved by the sight of the old racing warhorse. ‘For once I’m almost speechless,’ said the 90 year-old broadcaster. ‘This is absolutely astounding. My father was a great man to me. I have fifteen silver replicas of his TT bikes and to see these here together after all these years is overwhelming.’

Graham and Murray Walker

Murray’s late father Graham Walker was a motorcycle despatch rider for Royal Engineers Signal Service during the First World War. He received a leg injury and had to ride a motorcycle with a modified brake pedal. Despite this, Walker went on to a successful racing career with Rudge, Sunbeam and Norton. He won the Ulster Grand Prix on a Rudge Ulster in 1929, at an average of 80 mph. He also won the 350cc class at the 1931 North West 200 on a Rudge, and won the lightweight 250cc class in 1931. Walker won the Manx TT 15 times.

In 1935 Graham Walker retired from motorcycle racing and was employed by the BBC to commentate on motorcycle racing events for both radio and, later, television. After a brief spell racing motorcycles himself, his son Murray was also employed and made his first outside broadcast at Shelsley Walsh hillclimb in 1948. In 1949, both Graham and Murray were partnered on the BBC's motorcycle commentaries.

By 1949 Murray was commentating on races alongside Max Robertson, although it wasn't until the late Seventies that Formula 1 racing was given extensive coverage on British television. Murray went full-time with Formula One for the 1978 season and, from then until his retirement at the 2001 Indianapolis United States Grand Prix, was to millions, the trully authoritaitve and entertaining voice of the sport.

About Rudge

Back in the Thirties,  Rudge was the British make everyone was talking about. Its four-valve, single cylinder-engined machines dominated racing in a way not been seen before. Racing and lap records fell to Rudge motorbikes as they won both the Senior and the Junior events.

Graham Walker’s Ulster Grand Prix victory in 1929 prompted the release of the Rudge Ulster, which went on to became one of its most famous models. The bike was advertised as "probably the fastest 500cc motorcycle in production".

The Motorcycle Action Group Yorkshire proudly presents its first rally of the 2014 season.

Set in beautiful East Yorkshire with heated marquees for entertainment, bars and sit down eating you will have a great time no matter the weather. With Bands, DJ's, The Rick Hulse Smacked Arse Comedy Show and the Back Street Heroes ride in bike show. With real ales at pub prices and great food with a CMA marquee to sit and eat it in.

venue: Into the Valley, South Dalton, Beverley, East Yorkshire, HU17 7PN

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