Motourage

FTR Moto was reunited with Kev Coghlan and the Joe Darcey Racing Team to take seventh place in Sunday’s sixth round of the CEV Buckler Spanish Moto2 Championship at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia. Coghlan, riding the FOGI Racing M211 machine campaigned by Kenny Noyes in this year’s Moto2 World Championship, qualified fifth before finishing seventh in the damp and tricky conditions.

Coghlan led the race into the first corner and was involved in a battle throughout the 19-lap affair before finishing just 0.023” behind former 125cc Grand Prix rider Tomoyoshi Koyama in a race that set a new record of 38 riders in a Spanish Moto2 race.

“It was a tough race in those conditions and easy to make little mistakes,” said Coghlan. “But, overall, it was great to be working with the FTR guys and with the Joe Darcey Team again, and I’d like to thank Angus Borland of FOGI Racing and everyone for the opportunity.”

“Kev rode intelligently in the conditions and it was his first time on the Michelins with the M211 in a race so there was plenty for him to think about,” said FTR’s Steve Bones. “We’ve had a pretty satisfactory weekend at Valencia – after also qualifying in the top five – Kev set his fastest lap on the penultimate lap and we definitely have something to build on at Jerez this coming weekend.”

Coghlan will now contest the seventh and final round of the CEV Buckler Spanish Moto2 Championship at Jerez this coming Sunday, November 20.

FTR Moto and Kev Coghlan will be reunited for the final two rounds of the CEV Buckler Spanish Moto2 Championship at Valencia on November 13 and Jerez on November 20. Coghlan will ride the FOGI Racing FTR M211 World Championship machine in his return to the series in which he placed third – winning two races – in 2010.

Kev Coghlin in 2010

“It’s great news for me,” said Coghlan. “I’m pleased so many people have pulled together to make this happen, and I’ve obviously got to prove a point after things didn’t work out for me in this year’s World Championship.”

Coghlan’s previous Spanish Championship Team, Joe Darcey, with which he won the 2009 Spanish and European Supersport titles, will provide technical assistance to the Coghlan-FTR effort.

“This is a great way to end the season and to put Kev back on the map and hopefully help FTR and FOGI gain some coverage and success,” said FTR’s Steve Bones. There have been so many people involved in making this happen and I’m sure Kev will be able to repay the faith placed in him. Allan Wilson and Angus Borland along with the Joe Darcey Team’s Gerrard Roche and Miguel Gomez and Kev’s family have all contributed to what, I’m sure, will be a great end to the 2011 season.”

Coghlan – winner of the Albacete and Aragon races in last year’s Spanish Moto2 Championship – will race the M211 machine campaigned in the 2011 Moto2 World Championship by American rider Kenny Noyes.

IODA Project's Simone Corsi

FTR Moto will be represented by five teams running a total of 10 riders in the 2011 Moto2 World Championship, which gets under way in Qatar on Sunday, March 20.

Buckingham, England-based FTR has retained its relationship with two of the three teams from 2010 – Alex Debon’s Motor Sport 69 project and the Speed Up Team while the third 2010 partner, Karel Abraham’s Cardion Team, moves to the MotoGP class after Abraham won the season finale Moto2 race at Valencia in November.

The Motor Sport 69 Team is being managed by the now-retired Debon and features one rider, Scotsman Kev Coghlan. Speed Up has replaced its two 2010 riders with Spaniard Pol Espargaro and French youngster Valentin Debise.

The established BQR squad moves to FTR machinery with a three-rider lineup of Esteve Rabat, Yonny Hernandez and Kenny Noyes. Noyes runs under the Avintia STX banner in a team established by financial and technical partners GP Tech and FOGI Racing, the latter continuing its relationship with FTR after supporting Spanish Championship and GP wild card entries in 2010.

Giampiero Sacchi’s Italian IODA Project team features Simone Corsi and Mattia Pasini on FTR M211s while the Spanish SAG squad fields Colombian Santiago Hernandez and Ratthapark Wilairot.

“From our four riders of 2010 things have really moved on this winter and the level of interest in FTR Moto is exactly what we hoped for,” said FTR’s Steve Bones. “The team partners we have for 2011 offer a variety of everything imaginable in racing, from experience to youth and from very well established teams to relatively new ones.

“In theory the 2011 Championship should offer more stability in terms of consistency from riders but from the winter testing it really is difficult to see any pattern emerging. We know from 2010 that the class can be unpredictable and that may well be the case once more.

“At the beginning of 2010 Alex Debon took his one and only podium finish in the first round while Speed up’s Andrea Iannone struggled to 19th place in Qatar then won three races. We still have interest from other teams for 2011 but, right now, everyone at FTR is really geared up for an exciting 2011 campaign.”

FTR Moto will field a record five riders on its M210 machines in next week’s Indianapolis, USA round of the Moto2 World Championship as American Jason DiSalvo has been awarded a wild card entry and will race the FTR machine owned by the Canadian FOGI Racing Team operation.

DiSalvo, 26, will join the FTR regulars of the FIMMCO Speed Up Team’s Andrea Iannone and Gabor Talmacsi, Karel Abraham on the Cardion AB Motoracing Team M210 and Spain’s Alex Debon and his Aeroport de Castello-Ajo Team FTR machine.

Jason DiSalvo quit the Parkingo Triumph World Supersport team earlier this year citing lack of motorcycle performance

Former American Superbike and World Supersport rider DiSalvo becomes the ninth rider this year to race one of the FTR M210 machines and is the second World Championship wild card rider with an FTR after Kev Coghlan rode the same FOGI Racing M210 at Silverstone, GB two months ago.

The DiSalvo Indianapolis entry will be run by the GPtech Team of former American racer Geoff Maloney. AMA Pro Racing technical director Al Ludington is on vacation from his duties to serve as DiSalvo’s crew chief.

“It’s great that we’ve got a wild card rider in his home Grand Prix again and Jason has tremendous experience so could provide a formidable challenge,” said FTR’s Steve Bones. “Geoff Maloney has called on a lot of existing FTR experience and personnel including the machine from Angus Borland of FOGI and the technicians from the Monlau Competicion Team who contest the CEV Spanish Championship. The guys have been testing in America this week and everything seems to be on schedule for Jason and the M210 to be competitive come next weekend.”

Kev Coghlin

FTR Moto and FOGI Racing of Canada have combined to provide a first FTR machine wild card in the Moto2 World Championship for this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone and for Scottish rider Kev Coghlan.

FTR and FOGI will field Coghlan who will also benefit from his regular CEV Buckler Spanish Championship Monlau Competicion Team providing the infrastructure for the wild card effort.

“We’ve been working with Angus Borland of FOGI Racing for some time and to be able to combine and give Kev a shot at his home Grand Prix is really exciting for everyone,” said FTR’s Steve Bones.

Coghlan arrives at Silverstone having finished second – but later disqualified – in the third round of the Spanish Championship last Sunday at Jerez.

“It’s a shame that such a small issue should be brought to light and dealt with in such a severe manner, but it’s done now,” said Coghlan. “At least we showed the pace at Jerez and we’re straight into Silverstone and able to put the Jerez event behind us immediately.

Coghlan joins four other FTR riders for Sunday’s fifth round at Silverstone. FIMMCO Speed Up Team riders Andrea Iannone and Gabor Talmacsi, Cardion AB Motoracing’s Karel Abraham and the Aeroport de Castello-Ajo Team’s Alex Debon will also compete.

“We’ve had four top five finishes from the opening four rounds, including Iannone’s win in Mugello and Debon’s runner-up finish in Qatar,” added Bones. “The FTR machine is constantly improving and we’re hoping it will suit the new, high-speed Silverstone circuit.

FTR is based just 10 miles south of Silverstone in Buckingham, and Bones is looking to the home race for more podium finishes: “In a class where 27 riders and 14 constructors have already scored points it’s never going to be easy, but I think that is all part of the attraction of Moto2 and the competitive edge it offers.”

FOGI Racing is a development motorcycle road racing team allowing 12-16-year-old racers to compete in the USGPRU 2010 season.  The new team has been made possible by team manager and racer Angus Borland of RAT RACING who has taken Canadian racer Adam Roberts to two (2008 & 2009) USGPRU GP250 Championships and a wild card ride at the 2009 Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP.  RAT RACING also took Scot/Canadian Ben Young to 3rd place overall in the GP125 Eastern USGPRU Championships in the 2009 season.

2010 Season Objectives:

FOGI Racing objectives are to focus on providing young, up-and-coming racers the full team environment experience to give them the opportunity to reach their goals.  The riders will learn to work as a team through testing and race briefings, interact with mechanics, learn about suspension feedback etc.

FOGI Race Bikes:

The team has two GP125s for the season.

• Honda Luyton Kit RS125 as ridden by Ben Young for the 2009 season.  Full aftermarket suspension, brakes, motor, fairing.  This machine would suit a more experienced rider to produce its full capability.

• Honda RS125 B bike. This machine has only few modifications.  This bike would suit a rider who is climbing the ladder to podium finishes.  This machine finished 5th overall in the 2008 Eastern USGPRU Championship.

The Experience:

FOGI Racing offers the full team experience. The team staff are ex-racers who can pass on their valuable experience of setup and riding techniques.  Making the rider a better racer through education, not just better machinery.  The Rider arrives at the track and rides, so the rider can focus on his/her development and not wrench turning. All machine setup, work and maintenance are performed by the team’s mechanics.

Other News:

Ben Young has joined the FOGI Racing Development Team by moving up a class to contend in the GP250s in 2010 on the team’s Yamaha TZ250.  Ben felt this was a natural move from the GP125 class and to treat the 2010 season as a further development year.  The valued experience of the GP250 will continue in good stead for moving onto 600cc machines for 2011 season and beyond.

FOGI Racing is in discussion with a team that competes in Spain to arrange a European ride exchange program.  The objective is to invite a rider from overseas to race in the US with the team in exchange that one of our riders race in their championship.  This will add to the experience of each rider and give them the insight in what racing is like away from their home country.

If you would like the opportunity in being a part of FOGI Racing for the 2010 season, please contact Scott Young at 519-378-6567 or email scott-d-young@hotmail.com.