Another Entertaining Day at the Office for MSS Colchester

MSS Colchester Kawasaki proved pulling together as a team means pulling together a strong points haul despite tough luck once again playing a role in their weekend’s work at their home meeting.

With a three-race format in order for their home race meeting at Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk, England, it was always going to be a busy weekend for the MSS Colchester Kawasaki squad this weekend. In the end though, even vastly experienced team manager Nick Morgan couldn’t believe quite how it all panned out.

With an additional race to fit into an already busy Saturday schedule (the re-scheduled race two from the previous round at Knockhill) the Snetterton meeting was held up further when some classic “British summer” weather and an issue with the track surface needed repairing. With both riders looking set to make it through to the final ‘Q3’ session in the Swan Combi Role for Pole strong grid positions looked on the cards. But it was only Gary Mason who got the chance to challenge for a top ten grid slot, where he eventually finished ninth, with Simon Andrews’ Kawasaki ZX-10R ruled him out at the ‘Q2’ stage due to an electrical problem with his bike. That left Simon down in 12th with some work to do for the races.

With the track surface repaired an additional 15 minute session was arranged to test the new surface and it was here Simon gave his crew an even tougher afternoon’s work by, in his words, “launching” his Kawasaki ZX-10R at the Bombhole.

That left the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team with just an hour and a half to rebuild his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R before the start of race 1 on Saturday afternoon. But with all hands on deck the team built Simon’s bike with just seconds to spare before the pit-lane closed. Race one’s results of eight and ninth for Simon and Gary respectively showed both riders clearly had the pace and the team went to bed exhausted but happy to have finished the day with strong points scores.

Sadly the troubles didn’t end when a sunny Sunday arrived. In fact they got a good deal more testing when first a fuel leak problem was spotted on Gary’s ZX-10R with just twenty minutes to go and then Simon’s bike was found to have a slight misfire, due to an O-ring failing on one of the fuel injectors, when they started it up to go out and form on the grid. Once again both mechanical issues were the trigger for some fast work from the MSS Colchester Kawasaki squad who proved themselves to be real professionals and worked with precision to get the bikes out and racing. With Gary’s bike fixed he was able to make it out on time but Simon was unlucky again, just missing the cut-off point for exiting the pits and had to start from the back of the grid.

Simon made up ground rapidly in the opening laps and was quickly battling with a pack of eight riders, headed by Gary at that point, for a top ten place. Gary’s race took a turn for the worse as a fuel problem caused his bike to lose power and he slipped down the order. Simon, despite working his tires hard in the early laps, eventually snuck inside the top ten and brought his ZX-10R home as the leading Kawasaki and a hard fought ninth.

Race three (race two on Sunday) was a similar story for Gary who again had to do battle with slight machine issues. With an overheating engine keeping his feet just a little too warm he was happy to get the bike nursed home for a decent points finish inside the top ten and ninth overall. For Simon it was also a story of what might have been when his second row start, showing the strong race pace of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R superbike, helped him push through into fifth on the opening lap only for a missed gear to knock him right back down the order again. Simon was battling hard to make the places up but even the intervention of the safety car mid-race couldn’t repair the hard work his tires had been put through. Despite that his sixth place finish was a strong result and certainly helped the team look back on a tough weekend with some pride.

Simon Andrews was relieved to make it through the eventful weekend and take his MSS Colchester Kawasaki to three hard-fought but healthy points scoring finishes at Snetterton, “Where do I start?! After I launched the bike during qualifying, with so little time before the first race I gave the boys a hard job to get the bike back together and it was amazing that they did such a good job and I could go out and get a top ten finish in that race.
I’m really glad we found the issue with the engine before we went out on the grid for the first Sunday race, it could so easily have been a DNF. I did well to get up from last on the grid to finish 8th. I then had high hopes for race three but the bike missed a gear and I went from fifth to 14th. From there I had to fight through and by the time the pace car came out I’d used the tires.”

Gary Mason was counting his blessings after all three of his races were hampered by issues with his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, “I’ve got to say I’m happy with that because I got three race results with good points when it could have been a lot worse. But it’s frustrating because in every race we had problems; race one the tire spun on the wheel, race two we had fuelling problems and I lost power and race three it was overheating and burning my feet. I’m just glad I got it home each race but it’s frustrating for everybody after working so hard and you can’t fault the effort all the boys have put in this weekend.”

Howie Mainwaring can call himself lucky to have escaped injury but unlucky to have fallen foul to such an easy mistake after clipping the back wheel of another rider in the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 race. Howie was making up places each lap from his tenth place grid spot when the slight error saw him clip the back wheel of James Hillier and his race was brought to a premature end for the second meeting in a row. “I’m really disappointed because the bike felt really good and I had high hopes for the race.” Said Howie after the race. “I’d done exactly the same move the lap before and pulled it off but the next lap round James just braked a little bit later and I clipped him. I’m gutted but we just have to forget about it and move onwards and upwards.”

As in previous meetings it was youngster Danny Buchan who grabbed the podium glory for the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team in the two National Superstock 600 races. A flying first place in the Saturday race was the result of a daring “lunge” on the penultimate lap which Danny held until the line for a well-deserved victory. The second outing for Danny and his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R, in front of the large Sunday crowd, showed he had the right temperament to battle and bag third spot after a relative poor start.

“I’m really, really pleased with my results this weekend,” said Danny after the Sunday race. “The team have worked hard to get a little bit more from the bike since the last round and I’ve helped repay all their hard work here with two good results.”

Nick Morgan reflected on hard weekend for the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team, “The biggest thing to say about this weekend is how much of a team effort it has been. We were a couple of key members down but from the start there was a great feeling across the board. Then when it mattered, which at times it really did, everyone pulled in together and we showed what it means to bang out a result.
As for the race results there’s no doubt Danny set us up well again with his win and third place in the Superstock 600 races. He such a star for a 17 year old to get those race results and then be helping pack up the truck at the end of the meeting, it says a lot about the lad.
Howie’s weekend was tough for him because realistically we knew it was going to be hard for our bike at this track. He was just unlucky and has to pick himself up, dust himself off and come back strong at the next race.
The Superbike races were where the team showed its mettle though. What it showed is that this team can work hard under pressure to do a brilliant and precise professional job when it matters most and get a result when things are against them. I can’t say enough about them.
We know we can run better than that and with a bit of luck, we’ll be up where we should be.”

Gary Mason works in some off-road training

With a triple-header round and seve75 points up for grabs, the MSS Colchester Kawasaki Superbike riders Simon Andrews and Gary Mason have everything to play for this weekend at the team’s local Snetterton round of the British Superbike Championship. Meanwhile second placed Superstock rider Howie Mainwaring has the bit between his teeth after a DNF at Knockhill.

With atrocious weather curtailing the action at Knockhill, the second Superbike leg will now be held at Snetterton on Saturday before the usual double header on Sunday.

Simon appears back to full fitness after a long recuperation from his World Superbike-sustained injury, and Mason battled with series leader Tommy Hill throughout the Knockhill round. Mainwaring had an awful time with a gambled tire choice from his team before sliding out of the Knockhill action.

The fast Snetterton circuit is the closest round to the MSS Colchester Kawasaki base, and the team feels that a break in luck is long overdue. All the three riders have spent time motocrossing on their Kawasaki KX250F and 450F machines in the recent good weather, building up stamina and staying bike fit and focused.

Simon Andrews
“I’ve finally started motocrossing after a year off which has really excited me. I’ve also been to the Formula 1, spent some time cycling and completing my physio. I like Snetterton, I went well there last year and hopefully the weather will be kinder to us than Knockhill. The bike is going well and I’ll be fitter, really looking forward to it. I’m really enjoying being back with the team and on the Kawasaki.”

Gary Mason
“I’m really looking forward to Snetterton. It’s a fast track which I think will really suit the bike.  Hopefully we can start turning our season around and I feel I know which way to go with the setup.  Since Knockhill I have been getting out on my Kawasaki KX450F motocross bike which has been mega fun and is also really good training.  I’m really fired up for this weekend and happy we have three races due to the weather at Knockhill.  It’s the team’s local round so let’s hope we can walk away with some good results.”

Howie Mainwaring
“I’m feeling good for the weekend and have got a lot to prove after Knockhill. I need to catch up on points, Kirkham is slowly creeping away. Over the small break I’ve done more motocross and I’m feeling good this year. I feel so much better in myself and am so much more committed. The team have been fantastic and its time to repay them again with another good result.”

MSS Colchester Kawasaki team boss Nick Morgan
“We have a large amount of sponsors and supporters at Snetterton and we are desperate to put on a good show in terms of teamwork and results. Knockhill was by no means a disaster but we were lucky the race was stopped when it was, as Simon was lying on the floor at the time. It’s great he’s back and fit while Gary was battling throughout so I feel we’re good to go at Snetterton. We need to help Howie get the best set-up we can and I’m confident the Kawasaki has good top end in Superstock trim. All three lads have been pounding the MX track in the heat so there should be no fitness worries.”


The British Superbike Championship heads north for the Scottish Knockhill round. MSS Colchester Kawasaki riders Simon Andrews and Gary Mason look for a good points haul, while Superstock star Howie Mainwaring has the series lead in his sights.

Knockhill marks the midway point of the season, but with the new series format, riders know that to have a chance of being in the top six Title Fighters group, they need big points before the final Showdown phase kicks in at round nine at Croft.

The picturesque, forest-lined circuit has been good to the official Kawasaki squad over the years, with the team picking up good results in past events. At the corresponding round last year, Simon scored 4th and 6th placings so he knows that he and the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R work well together at this mountainside circuit. Simon has returned to the team with strong results at Mallory after a lengthy period of injury while Gary looks for a better set-up this time around.

Howie Mainwaring looks to move closer to the Superstock lead this weekend

Howie Mainwaring returns refreshed after the Superstock teams took a sabbatical at Mallory following a double-header race the week before at the Silverstone MotoGP. The 23-year-old lies second in a talent-packed championship field and is determined to reel in series leader Jon Kirkham.

MSS Junior Superstock rider Danny Buchan will ride a series double header at Knockhill but has never seen the track before. He must emulate his more-senior teammate who was one of only a few riders not to have ridden the new Silverstone circuit.

Simon Andrews
“I’m looking forward to Knockhill, I went well there last year and I’m happy with how Mallory panned out especially as it’s the first time I have been on a Superbike since the Valencia crash. It’s great to be back with Nick, Gary and everyone; it’s really enjoyable. There is a small hope I can get into the Showdown if other people take some of my bad luck, but we will have to see.”

Gary Mason
“I feel like I’ve got to turn it around at Knockhill, Mallory was really disappointing to be honest. It’s a relatively simple track so you’ve just got to get stuck in and that’s what I intend to do.”

Howie Mainwaring
“I feel really strong and up for the challenge at Knockhill after a mixed weekend at Silverstone for the GP. The plan this weekend is to keep maintaining good points as we’re right there in the Championship chase, saying that I do feel right up for a win now.”

Nick Morgan, MSS Colchester Kawasaki Team Boss
“As a team we like Knockhill circuit and it’s been good to us in the past. Simon has really bounced back with a vengeance and is looking for more. I think Gary will be motivated by that also and we need to help him get the right set-up to have the confidence to push. Howie knows he needs to beat Kirkham to reel in the points as he has big cushion behind him to the injured Steve Plater. It will be interesting to see how Danny gets on at his first trip to Knockhill, the last Junior Superstock race at Cadwell was pretty outrageous.”

Simon Andrews bounced back to form yesterday with two seventh place finishes for the MSS Colchester Kawasaki at round five of the British Superbike Championship at Mallory Park. Gary Mason was less fortunate as he struggled with setup but came away with two solid point-scoring rides.

Simon Andrews holds off Swan Honda's Stuart Easton

As track temperatures hit 50°C (122°F) and fans’ attention was split between the Superbikes and the World Cup on a giant TV screen, it soon became apparent which discipline produces real heroes as a grid of battered riders ground out results.

At a super-physical track, Simon Andrews battled with pain and a massively swollen ankle to best many top-name riders and resurrect his campaign after missing two of the four events. The tight and tricky Mallory Park can throw up strange results as last year’s event saw Andrews lead the race, only to be taken out in the closing stages in a mass pile-up, but he kept out of trouble this time around.

Mason was left frustrated after starting practice strongly, immediately finding the pace but then hitting a wall on setup in the later stages. The team made a late gamble in qualifying throwing an ultra-soft tire on Andrew’s bike to hoist him several places up the leader board and giving him a useful third row start. Mason had continual setup woes leaving him with a mountain to climb from 18th on the grid.

Simon Andrews(7th and 7th):
“I’m really happy, I was hoping for two top ten’s and at one point I was down in twentieth in practice but it all came together well with the team. Rode in fifth for most of race one on a very demanding track. It’s my first go back on the Superbike so I feel really positive to be honest.”

Gary Mason (13th and 12th):
“Well that was pretty frustrating all round. We tried some changes but ultimately I didn’t have the confidence in the bike that I have had at other tracks. Saying that we only have a few days till Knockhill and so we can immediately put that result to bed I’m sure of it.”

MSS Colchester Kawasaki team boss Nick Morgan:
“Overall I’m pleased with the weekend, I’ve got both my lads back and their entourage, so team morale is good. We made fairly steady progress all weekend but Simon really pulled it out of the bag on race day. That was impressive considering he still has a foot like a balloon. Gary got down to the times quickly but then hit a bit of a wall and would have liked to have found another half a second for the race, he’s looking forward to Knockhill, and so am I except for the drive.”

The MSS Colchester Kawasaki Team prepare for the Mallory Park round of the British Superbike Championship as Simon Andrews returns from a prolonged heel injury to join Gary Mason with track temperatures set to soar.

Last year’s event saw Simon lead the race, only to be taken out in the closing stages in a mass pile-up, leaving rider and squad wondering what might have been. The accident left Simon with a broken wrist and put him out of the running for the Brands Hatch triple-header a few weeks later.

Simon will be looking to continue his return to fitness and form after two strong rides in last week’s Superstock support race at the Silverstone MotoGP, where he stood in for an injured Conor Cummins in the Blackhorse Kawasaki squad.

Gary Mason is another rider with points to prove after a Cadwell Park BSB round to forget. Gary showed his strongest qualifying performance yet, running as high as second in the phased knockout system before disaster struck with a big crash, leaving him concussed and unable to race.

The tight and tricky Mallory Park circuit suits the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, as shown by last year’s front running pace of Simon, while the team will also be buoyed by early previews of next season’s race-focused Ninja machine. Howie Mainwaring gets a deserved week off as Superstock skip a round after the Superstock double header, where Howie led much of the first race action, chalking up a podium and the circuit’s first lap record.

“I feel like I’ve been away forever,” said Simon Andrews. “It was ideal to get out on the superstocker at Silverstone, and this showed me where I was fitness wise and got me up to speed with riding fast. I got a good look at Brookes riding whilst I was there and he’s very much the man to beat at BSB at this moment. I have bitter-sweet memories of Mallory as I know me and the bike worked well there last year before that horrendous incident.”

Mason added, “Cadwell was a shocker for me; one moment on top of it and qualifying great; the next sparko and having to miss the races. I saw how well Gary and the ZX-10R went last year at Mallory so I can see no reason why we shouldn’t have a good outing.”

MSS Colchester Kawasaki team boss Nick Morgan added, “It’s great to have both the lads back and fully fit, we’ve had good stand in rides by Howie and Chris Walker who’ve both played a part for us but Simon and Gary were our chosen riders at year start. With no Superstock we can focus on the BSB riders and we know from last year that we can run at the front here. As England expects on Sunday so does Kawasaki.”

MSS Colchester Kawasaki’s Gary Mason has been declared unfit for tomorrow’s Cadwell Park British Superbike meeting after a medical inspection showed he had received a concussion during a qualifying crash.

Gary had been running strongly all weekend and was actually in second position in the second stage of qualifying when he fell heavily at Charlie’s. The Lichfield rider was particularly disappointed after such positive practice session times.

The team’s other rider, Chris Walker, qualified in a strong eighth position for tomorrow’s two BSB races as the sun beat down at the Lincolnshire circuit.

Howie Mainwaring could only manage 14th in the Superstock class, but the team is confident that he has a strong race set-up.

Despite extremely limited practice time Gary Mason took the honors of top newcomer at the testing North West 200 road race course. Gary’s skilled roads specialist teammate, Ryan Farquhar, took a hard-fought Superstock podium, but was plagued with handling issues in Superbike.

Ryan Farquhar took third in the Superstock race but was unable to poduim in the Superbike class

Gary had to try and learn the course as he raced due to his restricted practice with chaperoned slow laps and other sessions depleted by bad weather. He improved his lap times by more than six seconds during the two races as he got into the groove at the legendary course. He commented afterwards, “I’ve loved the event and the atmosphere; I got so little practice though and was learning where to go as I was racing. I really want to come back, and it’s also been vital extra seat time for BSB as we’re off to Cadwell next.”

Ryan Farquhar took a third on his MSS-powered Superstock machine within a second of the winner, but was frustrated in the two Superbike races not to have had a chance to battle with the leaders.

The team’s other rider, Stephen Thompson, logged two fourteenth places in what has been reckoned to be the strongest line-up for this historic event.

MSS Colchester Kawasaki Team boss Nick Morgan summed up, “We’re pleased for Ryan after his Superstock podium, but a real strange, unforeseeable technical reared its head for Superstock. So frustrating. Nice first outing for Gary as best newcomer, and he’s already talking about next year. Stephen will have wanted a stronger position, but you have to look at the grid – massive quality on depth this year. Loads of lessons for the TT, and we know we will have a stronger package for the event.”

The MSS Colchester Kawasaki squad are now gearing up for Cadwell Park British Superbikes next weekend. Howie Mainwaring lays second in Superstock, and with championship leader Steve Plater injured, he knows he has a good opportunity in front of him. Mason will again be teamed up with Chris Walker as Simon Andrews continues his comeback from injury.

Gary Mason faces a learning week as he joins his MSS Colchester Kawasaki teammates Ryan Farquhar and Stephen Thompson at the prestigious North West 200 road race course.

The 2009 British Superbike Privateer Champion is looking forward to his first road racing foray while Northern Irish roads specialists Farquhar and Thompson want to continue their form at the event on their MSS-prepared Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja Superbikes.

Gary said, “I’ve got out here early and am really keen to soak up the atmosphere and as much knowledge as possible; this really is a legendary place. The bike is real similar to my normal British Superbike machine and I know we’ll have the speed out here for sure. Being a newcomer brings its own pressures, but I want to just get in that slipstream and hang on.”

Three-time NW200 winner Ryan Farquhar has so far been eluded by Superbike class wins but knows this could be a good chance with top machinery and backup from the established MSS Colchester squad. Ryan managed to get some seat-time on the BSB machine at the Kirkistown short circuit and remarked, “First ride felt good, I could feel a big horsepower difference to the Superstock bike yet it was really light and nimble. We had some small changes to make but nothing major. I’m actually feeling excited about the event and last time I won here was on an MSS Supersport machine.”

Ryan was joined at Kirkistown by Stephen Thompson, who has had six top-six finishes against quality opposition at the North West, his local circuit. Stephen added “It was as good as I thought, and the mechanics really helped with all the techie bits which I’ve never used like the blipper box, launch and traction control. I’m glad we got out and I want to get some decent dry practice in round the Triangle. I’m concentrating on the Superbike and am feeling positive although it’s an unbelievably high-level field this time round.”

MSS Colchester Kawasaki Team Owner Nick Morgan summed up, “Ryan is undeniably quality on the roads, and Stephen is not far behind. Gary has had a mixed start to the season and as a Newcomer there’s not so much pressure but he’s a competitive sort of guy. The rider line-up is unbelievable this year but we know the bike has good speed which is essential here, so we’re all really looking forward to seeing how we can get on.”

The Superbike riders will slipstream each other at incredible speeds of more than 200mph on the long NW200 back straight. The North West 200 is recognized to be Northern Ireland’s largest single-day sporting event with around one hundred and twenty thousand spectators expected to gather at the famous triangle course. The Relentless International North West 200 in association with Black Horse takes place on Saturday May 15 (roads close 10am). Official practice sessions are scheduled for Tuesday May 11 (roads close 5pm to 9.30pm) and Thursday May 13 (roads close 9:30am to 3:30pm).

Howie Mainwaring finished in 5th place, allowing him to hold the number-two spot in the Supersport class

A difficult weekend for MSS Colchester Kawasaki, hampered by tricky track conditions, generated a mixed bag of results at Oulton Park.

There was formation flying in Superbike Race 1 as Gary Mason and stand-in rider Chris Walker circulated in close proximity to chalk up a solid 7th and 8th positions.  Gary put a fair but firm overtake on Chris at the end of the start-finish straight and the pair then closed in on Kiyonari forcing him into a mistake.

Race 2 was delayed as all the Superbike riders were given some vital wet practice after a deluge as qualifying had been completely dry.  After logging a good first race time both Gary and Chris moved up the grid for Race 2.  However, this was to no avail for Gary after he had to take the final grid position due to a warm-up lap front end problem, which needed checking, putting him behind the pace car.  He battled through the ranks but persistent problems forced him to pull into the pit lane leaving the team with some serious investigation to be done.  Chris had a poor start but got into his groove later in the race to finish in 11th position.

In Superstock, Howie had a very eventful race which mirrored his Brands Hatch performance by battling up to 3rd and then running straight on, resulting in him having to work extra hard to come back through to a creditable 5th place.  Howie beat the lap record by half a second and remains second in the series.

Chris said, “Overall I’m pretty happy with the weekend.  I was expecting top tens and I’ve learnt a lot about the bike and the team.  It would have been so easy to have slipped up in Race 2 but I just wanted a decent finish.  If I get the call up for Cadwell I’d be proud to be part of the team and I know wed be on the pace.”

A massively disappointed Gary commented, “Everything that could’ve gone wrong in that second race did go wrong.  I was frustrated to start at the back of the grid but at the end of the day we’d still have had to pull in I think.  If we’re looking for positives, Race 1 lap times pushed us up the grid and I know that if I could just get away better I could run further up the front.”

Howie added, “Man, that was so annoying running straight on.  We were definitely on for a podium up until that point.  I’m pleased I managed to salvage fifth and we’re still second in the Championship but it could have been so much better.  Still, not a bad weekend and it was good to be back up North as I had some good support.”

MSS Colchester Kawasaki team boss Nick Morgan summed up, “That was a tough weekend.  I’m disappointed for Gary but he had a solid ride in Race 1.  Chris was very workmanlike and we’re happy with his results, given that it was his first time on the bike.  Howie again had the ride of the weekend and his never-say-die attitude means we’re still second in the Championship.  So there were some positives but ultimately we need to do better as a team.”

With returning Green candidate Chris Walker on board, MSS Colchester Kawasaki intend to poll good results at this weekend’s Oulton Park British Superbike spectacular.

Walker is back in green on the grid at Oulton Park

Walker, who is standing in for the injured Simon Andrews, will partner the ever improving Gary Mason, both equipped with the well-fettled Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R Superbike. The Stalker, who is seen as a hero to many Kawasaki riders from his British Championship ZX-7RR days, is a big fan of the sweeping Oulton circuit as is Gary Mason. Walker may also be looking to the skies as he is known as a wet weather specialist, having ridden an incredible race to win in the rain from stone cold last, at Assen World Superbikes in 2006, for Kawasaki.

Howie Mainwaring will be concentrating on the Metzeler National Superstock Championship after a hectic Thruxton event juggling both Superbike and Superstock duty. Howie goes into his home round of Oulton with a strong second place in the series after two impressive runner-up positions.

Chris said, “Oulton is one of the most technical tracks on the BSB calendar and also one of the most exciting… I’ve had some great races there over the years and also some controversial ones! My first Superbike pole position, first win and first clash with Neil Hodgson…! You need a really good setting on the bike to go fast there, so I know it’ll be tough first time out while I settle in but with the experience of the MSS Team and hopefully some dry track time we’ll have as good a chance as anybody of running within the top 10 come Monday.

Gary Mason is fit to fight this weekend

Gary agreed, saying, “Oulton is a mega track, a real riders circuit which always has a great crowd really close to the action. I love the place with the flowing ups and downs. We made a big step at Thruxton and showed the bike was capable of doing the times. We’ve just got to work hard on setting up fir the track and we stand a good chance of doing well.”

Mainwaring feels right at home at his hometown track

Howie added, “I feel good about Oulton, it’s my home circuit and another good track for us. I feel on top of my game at the moment, fitter and lighter than I’ve ever been for racing. So I feel a good plan is to try and stay calm and keep pushing Plater.

MSS Colchester Kawasaki team boss Nick Morgan summed up “It’s obviously frustrating to have Simon out still for both him and us but that’s racing unfortunately. Gary has really taken a step up at Thruxton and Chris brings an added dimension with his Kawasaki experience. Howie has surprised a lot of people in Superstock and it makes sense to leave him to get on with the job, Thruxton gave him a little too much to deal with”