Global Motorsports Team NewsletterEvent

Global Motorsports Team NewsletterBurt Munro Challenge

Contents 01

Welcome to the first issue of the Global Motorsports Team newsletter. Our season has started with the Burt Munro Challenge at Teretonga, and you can read all about it here.

P2

P7

P9

P3

P11

P5

Team manager report

Meet the team

Track info

Ken’s race report

Season calendar

Capture

02 Team manager report

The weather was just one of the challenges the team faced on their trip to the ‘Burt Munro’ last weekend, but Ken and the newly upgraded GSX-R600 are making gains each time out.

About three weeks ago, the team decided to change our plan of attack for the 2011/12 Championship. Ken was to have run in the SuperStock championship on the team’s GSX-R 600, and although the Suzuki is an amazing machine, we encountered problems getting a good setup with the stock suspension that would give Ken the confidence to push to the limit. We decided to modify the GSX-R to run in the Supersport class instead. Kerry Dukic offered his support and has supplied us with very high-end K-Tech suspension front and rear, and we’ve fitted Yoshimura camshafts, a full exhaust system, and Power Commander to extract some extra horsepower. After delays waiting for parts to arrive from overseas, we headed for Invercargill two days late, collecting Kerry in Wellington and catching the 2.00am sailing to Picton on Thursday morning.

After a sixteen hour drive south to Invercargill, Friday morning dawned overcast but with gale force winds making it almost impossible to keep the bike on the circuit. However, Ken saw pleasing improvements in engine performance and handling.

Saturday morning saw reduced wind gusts, but still showers and very cold. Track conditions for race one were wet but drying, so we opted for full wet weather tyres. Ken had a fantastic race, finishing in eighth place overall, and the new K-Tech suspension proving to be a real eye-opener for our team and our competitors, as Ken’s tyres showed almost no signs of wear on the abrasive Teretonga surface. Conditions had improved for race two, and Ken finished in the same position as race one, with a best laptime of 1:04 in the terrible conditions. Sunday’s weather in Wyndham dawned calm and dry for the street race. But with a very dirty and slippery track surface we decided to withdraw from the meeting as we didn’t wish to risk Ken’s safety with the Tri-series only two weeks away. Many thanks to Kerry Dukic for his expert suspension help, and a very special thanks to our supporters and sponsors for making this season possible. Roll on the Tri-Series, see you at Hampton Downs.

Andrew.

02 Team manager report

Suzuki’s new GSX-R600 has long been regarded as the weapon of choice in the 600cc classes, making it the perfect choice for our debut season.

TitleMeet the team 03

Fresh from the showroom at Bay Motorcycles, the GSX-R600 is awesomely fast. But we’ve made the bike even better, with help from some of the best names in the business.

Brian Bernard of Bernard Racing has fitted our engine with race cams to give us more punch out of corners and a higher top speed. And with the increased power, we’ll need the stickiest and longest-lasting tyres available; Bridgestone’s highly regarded BTR-10 racing slicks.

To complement the increased grunt and grip, Kerry Dukic from Dukic Performance has upgraded our suspension with a K-Tech rear shock absorber and front fork kit that will see our already potent Suzuki handling beautifully and lapping at record pace this summer!

After a season in SuperLight, Ken Jones is back to tackle 600 Supersport with support from Andrew Forward of Global Motorsport.

Having raced in various classes over the last six years, Ken Jones is a familiar face in the paddock. He began in buckets at the age of fourteen, before making the move to 125GP in 2007 under the guidance of Maarty van Booma.

After missing the 2009/10 season, Ken moved up to the SuperLight class for 2011. Riding the No Hair Racing YZF-R450. Ken placed fifth overall, scoring a best race result of third at Hampton Downs.

Having seen Ken’s potential, Global Motorsport’s Andrew Forward has come onboard as title sponsor for the 2011/12 season. With a solid programme of pre-season testing behind them, the team are race fit and gunning for a top five finish in the 2012 New Zealand 600 Supersport Championship.

Title

A track known for extremes, Teretonga Park rewards careful setup as much as skilful riding

Track info 05

Tucked away at the bottom of the South Island, Teretonga Park Raceway is not only the southern-most (FIA certified) racetrack in the world, but also one of our oldest, opening in 1957.

Originally designed for motorcycle racing, the key word at Teretonga is smoothness. Just as the track flows smoothly from one turn to the next, smooth riders are generally the fastest around the circuit.

However simple it might look, the track is far from easy to master. Situated right next to the coast (and beyond that, a few thousand kilometers of Southern ocean), Teretonga is subject to some of the most extreme and changeable weather of any track in the country. Gale force winds can accompany driving rain during the summer, while mid-winter racing can be held up while organisers wait for surface ice to melt.

Add in an abrasive track surface that is known for destroying tyres in a number of laps (unless you get your bike setup spot on), and Teretonga certainly presents a challenge to any team and rider who race there. Perhaps that’s part of the attraction?

Turn one: 185km/hThe fastest corner of the season!Looks like a single apex, but you can get through it faster by taking it as a double. Get it right and it’s the best feeling in the world.

Main straight: 245km/hBegin braking at the 150m board, and position yourself on the righthand side of the track (but allowing enough room for wind gust from the left). Shift down three gears ready for entry to turn one.

Track info 05

06 Teretonga

Lap record: 600 Supersport - 0:59.949 (Dennis Charlett, January 2008)

Turn three: 80km/hFirst turn using the right hand side of the tyre; gotta be careful not to highside on the first lap when the tyres are still cold. Turn six (Brickyard): 140km/h

Get this turn right and you’re set all the way down to the hairpin, and back up the straight.

Main straight: 120km/hOut of the GWD elbow in first gear and hooking second. Tuck in next to the pit wall to avoid the crosswind that comes from the lefthand side

Start/finish line: 200km/hThe pit wall ends just before the finish line, so prepare to be hit by the crosswind and pushed back to centre of the track.

Ken’s race report 07

After a busy couple of weeks getting our bike modified for the Supersport 600 class we finally found ourselves at the Teretonga racing circuit, near Invercargill.

On Friday we only managed to complete a couple of sessions. With wind gusts of over 120 km/h, the conditions were almost too dangerous to ride in. I went out intending to have a bit of fun and to get feel of what the modified bike was like to ride, and I was delighted to see that the engine felt stronger than ever and the K-Tech suspension was faultless.

Saturday was soon upon us, and I was ready to give it my all, no matter what the weather. Unfortunately I was unable to get any decent laps in before the short session came to an end, and I ended up qualifying 15th fastest 600 in the combined Formula 1 and 2 class.

As we were waiting for the first race to come around, the weather got a little wet and I decided to run wets for my race. By the time the race got underway the track was about 90% dry but I wasn’t concerned; I was on wets and it only meant the bike was going to move around a little bit more than normal.

I managed to fight my way through the field, and finished sixth in my class.

By race two the track had dried. With a start from eighth position I was keen to see if I could improve on my first result, and managed to (yet again) finish in sixth place.

On Sunday we were meant to be competing at the Wyndham street circuit, however due to the track being dangerously slippery, I decided it was too risky to ride and withdrew.

Despite the weather, it’s been a useful weekend and I’m looking forward to racing at Hampton Downs in two weeks time!

Ken

Results (Formula 2)

Qualifying 15th

Race one 6th

Race two 6th

Overall 6th

Ken finds that despite the wet weather, the newly modified Global Motorsports GSX-R600 shone at Teretonga.

Ken plots a careful line through turn three during race two

08 Teretonga sprints

Calendar 09

We’ll be competing at 10 meetings over the summer, and would love to have you at the track to cheer us on!

Burt Munro Festival Wyndham township and Teretonga, Invercargill

26th and 27th November 2011

Suzuki International Tri Series round one

Hampton Downs, Waikato 10th December 2011

Suzuki International Tri Series round two

Manfeild Park, Fielding 17th December 2011

Suzuki International Tri Series round three

Cemetery Circuit, Wanganui 26th December 2011

New Zealand Superbike Championship round one

Ruapuna Park, Christchurch 7th and 8th January 2012

New Zealand Superbike Championship round two

Levels Raceway, Timaru 14th and 15th January 2012

New Zealand Superbike Championship round three

Teretonga Park, Invercargill 21st and 22nd January 2012

Battle of the Streets Hacksaw circuit, Paeroa 19th February 2012

New Zealand Superbike Championship round four

Hampton Downs, Waikato 17th and 18th March 2012

New Zealand Superbike Championship round five

Taupo Motorsport Park, Taupo 24th and 25th March 2012

10 Track locations

Teretonga Park, Invercargill Wyndham street circuit, Invercargill

Levels Raceway, Timaru

Cemetery Circuit, Wanganui

Hampton Downs, Waikato Hacksaw circuit, Paeroa

Manfeild Park, Fielding

Ruapuna Park, Christchurch

Taupo Motorsport Park

Capture 11

With 33 entries in the combined F1 and F2 class, the Teretonga sprint races were a highlight of the 2011 ‘Challenge’

Thankyou again to our support partners, whose generous contributions are very much appreciated. Please click their logo to visit their website and learn more.

Next meeting: Suzuki International Tri Series round one, Hampton Downs, Waikato, Sunday 10th December 2011

Credits

©2011 Championship Digital. All rights reservedPublished by Championship Digital for Team Global Motorsports. Photography by SportzFotoz, text by Team Global Motorsports.