The team hit unexpected and serious problems with the rear wheel spindle (whilst changing gearing) just as the bike was being prepared for morning warm-up. This in turn meant that the other teams had track time in the warm-up session and first qualifying whilst the problem was being resolved.
Mark and Roger shared the 2nd session, but it was not until the third and last qualifying run that Richard Norris was able to get a clear enough track to secure an unlikely pole position, in the dying moments.
Fastest Lap; Richard Norris: 50:25
Race:
Richard started well, narrowly avoiding a start-line collision with main rivals for the day – Dave Wood and Team Serendipity. The fighting was fierce for the first hour as the pair traded the lead, but GBmoto were in front as they made the first pit stop at around 50 minutes.
Mark started to put in personal best laps at the Kent Indy circuit as he caught and overhauled the leaders to re-establish control at the front. By the time Roger Bennett picked up the pace at around the 1 hour 45 minute mark, the field was beginning to suffer as they tried to match the pace, many crashing out trying to stay in touch. Unfortunately Roger pitted early, with some physical problems and reluctantly handed the Yamaha to Richard, who went about carving through the field in his second stint to extend the teams lead to over four laps.
With Mark back on the bike, both he and the Yamaha continued to push the pace and by just over the half way point he pitted with a lead of 7 laps. As the team assessed the machines condition, the decision was taken to change both tyres and front brake pads. The ensuing pit work was hampered by both a rear wheel bearing problem and a brake pin issues, with the bike in pit lane for over five and a half minutes before it was ready to join the race again.
By this time the team had given up all of its lead and Mark headed out 10 seconds down in second place. After a few steady laps to scrub both the rubber and the new pads in, GBmoto’s pace resumed and by the time Richard took over with an hour and a half to go, the superb chassis set-up and standard engine combination was proving again too much for others to match – simply put Richard was the fastest man on the track.
Mark jumped on board for a final stint, with 30 mins. to go and eased the yellow 66 bike across the line to win by 7 laps, with many of the series championship hopefuls having a less fortunate time at Brands Hatch.
Fastest Lap; Richard Norris: 49:38Qualifying:
After a productive and progressive testing day prior to the race it was the same story for GBmoto as qualifying fell apart at round two. New recruit to the Team; Calvin Hogan went out in the 15 min. warm-up session to further acclimatise himself with the R1, only to return covered in oil!
During the slow down lap, a rocker box gasket had failed and was to do so again after the first attempts to rectify the problem, losing the chance to take part in both the first and second qualifying sessions!
Officials demanded that all three riders take to the track in session three and amidst the panic Mark set out in damp to drying conditions to put in a few laps. At the end of his third flying lap, he was caught out by the conditions exiting Russells chicane and had to retrieve the bike from a track-side ‘lake’ to glumly return the bike to the pits.
The team worked rapidly against the clock to check and repair the bike and subsequently Calvin and Roger Bennett were able to get out, to qualify the team in 9th place on the grid, with a bike that still needed straightening and repair.
Fastest Lap; Mark Smith-Halvorsen: 1:17:49
Race:
The bike lined up in pristine condition and in good shape once more for the start, but as the flag dropped at noon Mark stalled and then struggled to get the motor to fire. Leaving the grid in almost last place and getting involved in some bumping and barging as he rushed through the field he managed a charge back from 19th place on lap two, to 5th at the first fuel stop.
The ‘new boy’ took over as the last of the days dry conditions evaporated and rode very well to put the team in fourth place. Then on to ex world endurance champion Roger Bennett, who after setting a rapid early pace, encountered a downpour of monsoon proportions. Taking the decision to leave him out on ‘inters’ almost paid off until the team decided to call him in for wet tyres only to see the GBmoto Yamaha hit the deck as circuit grip finally ran out.
The Team quickly fixed the bike and Mark returned to the fray with wet tyres much better suited to the conditions. From there GBmoto vied to regain a podium position, with ex Phase One rider Hogan looking like achieving that in the fourth hour, until a collision in extremely wet conditions meant a second crash for the team and another pit stop with yet more repairs. Roger took up the mantle and made up much of the lost ground riding brilliantly in drying conditions on wet tyres.
When the last stint rolled around Mark started with a new wet rear tyre but pitted 20 mins. later with a tyre that was rapidly disintegrating. It seemed that many other teams suffered the same problems and with just 5 minutes to go the GBmoto Yamaha pushed its way into third spot, to pick up vital points thanks to brave riding, brilliant pit work and some key race strategy.
Fastest Lap; Calvin Hogan: 1:12:29
Qualifying:
Went particularly well with all 3 riders having a trouble free session and the bike in very good shape following a full days testing the day before. The riders all set times inside the top 6, making Team GBmoto’s average the benchmark for other teams to aspire too.
Richard Wren stole the show by equalling the outright lap record with a 59:13 second lap, at the same time setting a new club record on his way to securing pole. It was also a full two seconds faster than Alf’s Kawasaki in second place on the grid!
Fastest Lap; Richard Wren; 59:13
Race:
Pole was wasted as Richard and the R1 Yamaha were slow away, however by the 30 minute mark, GBmoto had hit the front and set about establishing a healthy lead. Things looked very good following a very slick first stop, which saw experienced endurance rider, Pete Jennings take over, competing for GBmoto for the first time.
However serious clutch gremlins struck early in the second hour and the team lost in excess of 25 minutes fitting a new one and getting the bike re-built and back out on track. From first to 19th the team set about climbing back up the field and as Pete handed over to Mark Smith-Halvorsen at two thirty the team were up to 12th after making an impressive race debut.
With others making slower stops and having there own problems in the searing heat and humidity, the bike climbed up to 7th and was making ground on all the front runners, before water found its way onto the rear wheel and caused a near violent highside. A subsequent pitstop revealed a split radiator hose, which the team replaced rapidly.
This second delay however dropped the team back to 12th again and as Richard Wren headed back out three and a half hours into the race the team had much to do. From there on in the Yamaha ran faultlessly and all three riders set the pace, often maintaining the fastest laps for long periods on magical Dunlop tyres that were coping with more than they should as the team opted to press on to re-gain lost ground.
In the final hour Mark caught and passed two teams and moved GBmoto from 9th to 7th; which in turn secured 9 championship points – just enough to keep them at the top of the table.
Fastest Lap; Richard Wren; 59:82Qualifying:
With Richard Wren, Mark Smith-Halvorsen and BSB rider Dave Johnson on board, qualifying turned into a three session dash for pole position. Whilst other teams used softer rubber, the team persevered with testing harder compound race tyres and after both Dave and Richard headed their respective sessions, the team was forced to start from 3rd, with a time that was 0.015 off pole!
Fastest Lap; Richard Wren; 1:10:21
Race: With the bike jumping out of gear at the start, a mid pack get away was quickly remedied as GBmoto avoided early carnage caused by a fuel leak in which three bikes went down. After a few laps Richard Wren hit the front and rode at a pace that try as they may, others failed to match. Pitting for fuel at the 50 minute mark and handing over to Mark S-H was a quick affair and he had a trouble free run in the second hour extending that lead to close to two laps.
New recruit Dave Johnson soon got his first race for GBmoto underway, but was back in unexpectedly half way into hour three, with the bike making lots of noise. A quick assessment by Barry Watts saw the bike rushed into the garage – an exhaust header had split and the decision to change the whole system was taken. The team did an excellent job, but the heat and close confines of the task meant that nearly 20 minutes had elapsed, before the bike headed out with Dave still on board desperately fighting back.
Richard was next on board and now pushed his pace past the fastest lap of the race set by Dave to an impressive 1:09:47 as he fired the Team back up the leaderboard to sixth. Perhaps that was a little too quick however, as after 30 mins, he overshot Russell’s chicane and had a low speed spill on the grass. Back up in a hurry and straight back into a rhythm, it appeared the R1 Yamaha was undamaged, however the next fuel stop and rider change saw yet more delays as a damaged left footrest and hanger was changed.
Back out, “Macca” was the fastest on track and the team edged firmly back into the top ten, with three hours racing to go. Handing back to Dave saw him once again force the pace, but yet more unforeseen problems were about to hit the Teams recovery as DJ came round extremely slowly with a flat rear tyre – subsequently diagnosed as a porous wheel. A new rear was quickly put in and Richard once again left pit lane in a hurry, but this meant any earlier time made back had now been lost once again, despite the teams quick pit work and lap time supremacy.
The final sessions for both Richard Wren and Mark Smith-Halvorsen saw them once again by far and away fastest on the track. With only 15 minutes and a more fuel needed to finish the 8 hour race, Dave jumped on board and safely bought the bike home in 8th place to turn a disastrous day into an important finish as far as salvaging championship points is confirmed.
Fastest Lap; Richard Wren; 1:09:47
As the last race of the year dawned at Pembrey, GBmoto started the qualifying sessions knowing that with a two point deficit in the title race, a win would be top of the only way to guarantee the title.
With each of the three riders leading their respective qualifying sessions, the team won a characteristic pole position start. Feverish final preparation ensued prior to Pete Jennings warm up laps, as the clock ticked deafeningly down to the ‘le mans’ start at noon. And what a start it was, all of the pack descended on the first gear ‘Hatchets Hairpin at once. With a sigh of relief, GBmoto’s R1 Yamaha powered out of the first corner in the lead and began the long flight with its nose in front.
The first hour was a classic battle between PJ and Dave Wood of Team Serendipity; one which belied the long distance nature of the event. After 35 mins. Pete made a decisive move though lapped traffic and started to make the Yamaha/Dunlop combination dominant, consistently making time on the Serendipity’s Suzuki/Michelin pairing.
At the first pit stop Pete had almost a lap’s lead as Richard Wren jumped on board. His pace was just as hot and after a super smooth hour, had extended GBmotos lead close to two laps from Team Serendipity, with championship leaders C+K Racing a further two laps down. At 2’oclcok after a check on tyres and another fuel dump ‘Red 66’ headed back into the fray with experienced endurance pilot Mark Smith Halvorsen on board.
Shortly after disaster – on lap 121 a vicious and unexpected high slide threw the bike and rider up the track. Battered and bruised both got up and got back to the pits where the team did a fantastic job of putting things straight and ‘Macca’ headed out again to try and pull in some of the ten minutes lost.
Half an hour later the pace car started a long drawn out stint following a serious incident and timing the stop to perfection, GBmoto pitted on the pace cars ‘in-lap’ to hand over to Pete Jennings with 3 ½ hours to go. Having dropped to 8th as a result of the crash and with Mark S-H out with injuries, PJ and RW rode their hearts out and remained the fastest track, with PJ setting the fastest lap of the race at 59.98.
In the final hour a niggly problem with a rear brake hanger was of concern and the team decided to pit and make a fast repair to see the bike through to the end of the race safely. This allowed Moores Racing to squeeze ahead on track, meaning that GBmoto finished third on the day, but second in the overall standings for 2006.
Unhappy to be the 'bridesmaid' and unwilling to accept second best, GBmoto will be competing for the title in a new look and upgraded UK Endurance Championship in 2007. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our sponsors and supporters for their help and support this year.
Test 1 - March 2006 – Brands Hatch
The Teams first test and an initial shakedown for the bike and a newly built engine, (following its demise in the last race of 2005).
Conditions were wet to damp and very cold, with Mark and Richard present to do the low rpm honours and give feedback. Bike felt more together and taught than last year although conditions prohibited progress with set up.
Engine felt eager as used but a bit woolly in fuelling. 5 sessions undertaken and engine mileage attained, newly serviced shock and forks felt somewhere near right.
Test 2 - March 2006 – Donington Park
Team set out for a race pace test and hope for good weather – the track day organisers arrange for the team to obtain maximum track time in order to put the engine under full load over extended periods.
4 laps into the test and on his first flying lap Mark signals an engine problem as the bike dies. Subsequent attempts to start the engine and diagnose the fault fail – Roger does not even get a chance to sit on the bike!
Later in the workshop the team strip the engine and find a major piston/cylinder melt-down caused by detonation. Subsequent checks find that the kit ignition box also has a faulty setting and a decision is made to change the supplier of parts and the engines.
Test 3 - April 2006 – Brands Hatch
The team have sourced and fitted a standard road engine and had the ignition and timing accurately set up to produce modest but usable power.
Whilst the track temperature is somewhere near freezing and the tyres are suffering from cold-tear, Mark and Richard rack up some impressive mileage and comment on how usable and responsive the motor is around the Indy circuit (venue of the first round of the championship).
Both suspension and brakes perform well, chassis balance is good and both prove to be the fastest on the circuit, which they shared with some other fast teams including World Endurance regulars Team 666 Diablo.
Test 4 - April 2006– Mallory Park
The team arrive at Mallory to test some fuelling changes and new brake pads and to give the bike a final shakedown and chassis set-up prior to the first race. Roger has his first test and is soon on the pace.
The team check the bike all over and adjustments to the front forks bring an improvement to the weight transfer on the brakes and handling over bumpy parts of the track.
All leave happy with the set-up and the decision is taken to re-build the bike and use a slipper clutch, for round one of the KRC Endurance Championship..