Pole position, second place, fastest lap and class lap record were all bagged, but that elusive win was not. Great credit must go to the German Kaiser Nico Bakker Kawasaki Team, who won the race for the second time with a faultless performance on a bike 30 years old and owned from new. Lindén and Brasher were second, whilst Mertens and Simpson suffered engine failure after three hours, having led from the flag.

Mertens pole, Mike Edwards 2nd, Greg Fastre 3rd

Peter Lindén and Hugh Brasher didn’t put a foot wrong on their journey from qualifying fourth to second place on the rostrum. It was Brasher’s third time on that step this year. Even the expected thunderstorm did not materialise to hamper their progress. Linden was straight back to form following his wrist operation in May and scored fastest race lap and class record, whilst chasing Mertens on the team’s number one (literally) entry in the early stages. The biggest drama of their race was when Lindén, running second, got to within 18 seconds of Kaiser in the final 30 minutes, but there was not enough time remaining for a serious try for the top spot. A great result.!

Peter Linden on his way to a new class lap record, 2 mins 39.9secs

Ian Simpson and Stéphane Mertens raced to pole position during a scorching Friday qualifying, which saw temperatures reach 35 degrees C. For three hours the pair dominated, overcoming challenges in the first rota from Alf’s Endurance (with a wild Mike Edwards, Bob Collins and John Barton aboard) and Team Force’s Greg Fastré. After three hours the Sweatshop Phase One bikes were running first and third after running 1-2 for most of the second hour. With under an hour remaining Mertens stopped at the pit box with a grossly overheated engine, which was also burning oil. Their challenge was over.

Early stages; Mertens-Fastre-Edwards-Linden

Alf keeps his smile

Alf’s later ruled themselves out of the top ten by running out of petrol and Team Force suffered engine failure. Expected challenges from Gary Johnson on a Harris Suzuki and the Bolliger Kawasaki didn’t materialise.

The Mertens-Simpson bike expires !

The SCERT team of Steve Boam and Steve Clark were 9th whilst the popular Roadrunner Team Suzuki of Dirk Brand and  Henk van der Mark scored a fine fourth place, which together with their fourth at Paul Ricard, hoists them to the top of the championship.

New Lap Record ; Peter Linden, Sweatshop Phase One P&M Suzuki   2 min 39.982secs.

Ian Simpson – in the lead, in the dark !

 Pictures by Jonathan Godin (ECS), Jacco Dijkhuizen and Bob Collins

Continued thanks to all our sponsors, but particularly, Sweatshop,Ray and Lee Marchant of MES, Maurice and Graham Matcham of Continental tyres.

The Team has pulled out all the stops and will enter two bikes at Spa.!

Stéphane Mertens and Ian Simpson will run under the team’s normal number four and Peter Lindén and Hugh Brasher will use the specially granted number one plate for the race.

Both bikes are identical and both teams are capable of winning. Sweatshop Phase One has a fantastic record at the iconic Spa circuit, with rostrum places in each of the last three races….but no wins. !
Well, not since that fantastic 24hrs race in 1993 when Steve Manley, Simon Buckmaster and Doug Toland left the rest of the field for dust.!

Its anybodies guess how this race will pan-out, but with two potential race winning teams, the chances of scooping that elusive prize are certainly improved.

Since the team’s fine 2nd places at Paul Ricard and at Mettet, several mods have been completed, most notably the ultra fast gear change-over, a new lighter action clutch and new fairing tops without oil cooler slots. Each should show benefits at Spa.

Spa has traditionally been the most popular meeting of the season and we can see no reason for numbers to drop….the grid for the 4 hrs race is certainly as strong, and maybe even stronger than normal. But, will it still be the most popular? It will be difficult to top the fantastic turnout at Paul Ricard and looking forward; the Classic Bol, again at Paul Ricard, but this time as part of the WEC meeting, should be sensational.

The growth in this classic endurance scene is certainly showing no signs of abatement………

See you at Spa next weekend.   RB

Stéphane Mertens and Hugh Brasher got onto a marvellous second step of the rostrum again at Mettet. This time after one of the most dramatic battles of recent years. The Sweatshop team overcame problems in both 2 hrs legs, but could not match Fastré/Hubin, despite their own problems.

A crash in leg one and very difficult conditions in manche two created the uphill struggle, but Mertens dug deep into his reserves and pulled this great result out of the bag.

The end result in both legs was; Fastré/Hubin – Mertens/Brasher and Senechal/Frerad, making the first Suzuki 1-2-3 in this type of racing.  (Harris / P&M / Harris)

The race was held over a relatively cold end of May weekend which saw the team qualify second with a time of 1.11.96 secs (Mertens) against Force’s pole of 1.11.05 secs (Fastré). Hugh Brasher qualified with a excellent 1.14.6 sec lap, with Hubin on 1.12.8 secs.

Steve Boam and Steve Clark qualified well in third position with a best from Boam of 1.14.2 secs.

Race One was dry but chilly. Mertens started and entertained with a great dice with Fastré, seeing them both pit after 40 mins, lying first and second, with just a few seconds between them. Brasher continued well, just as Team Force had an unplanned stop, lasting around one lap. After 10 laps of his rota, Hugh Brasher suffered a light fall, costing, with a stop for checks (and a later tank change), some 3 laps. This had handed the lead back to Force at this mid race point.

When Mertens took over, with 38 minutes remaining, the crash and the tank change had placed the team in 5th place. This is when the first dose of Mertens magic was administered.!

Stephane, as he does so well, meticulously calculated his necessary pace to get to second, and in conjunction with Lida in the signal board, he delivered it!  He eventually displaced the Harris Suzuki pairing of Senechal/Frerad, for second, two laps before the flag. What a marvellous display, lap after lap, fastest on track, and the rostrum was his.

Race two started damp and drizzly, got dryer and then wetter ! Mertens started well and led for some of the early race, after Team Force faltered with a starter motor problem, which saw them start from the back of the grid. The Senechal Suzuki also had a look in at the helm in the first 30mins, until Fastre, absolutely on form, came blistering by.!

This time , Hugh Brasher had a trouble free and creditable session, delivering the bike back to Stéphane Mertens at the 80 mins point in second place, after briefly leading around the 50 lap mark on a now dry track.

A one minute stop handing over to Mertens, dropped the team to 5th in this highly competitive leg – and that’s when Stéphane displayed his second dose of magic……achieving another great result for the team, this leg snatched from the drizzle. The excellent Contis really do handle all conditions.

Overall, another great rostrum, but another defeat to Team Force who continue to dominate. They really now are the target……and at Spa, Sweatshop Phase One will rise to that challenge….two bikes, Lindén and Brasher, plus Simpson and Mertens. Race On.!!!!    See you there.

Cormac Conroy pushed the BSA to its limits

World Champion Endurance Roger Ruiz still at it!

Pictures courtesy of:
Jacco Dijkhuizen
http://www.bikesnplanes.be/
http://www.kick47.be/#Accueil.A

After dominating in 2012 and 2013 and then being beaten into second place last year, Sweatshop Phase One are eager to clinch back to top spot. Hugh Brasher will partner Stephane Mertens on the freshly rebuilt 1230cc P&M Suzuki, now further lightened and equipped with Ohlins latest Classic shocks. Practice, qualification and racing take place on Saturday, with the first 2 hrs leg on Saturday at 15.30. The second leg will be held on the Sunday at 14.00.

Spa will be next, in early July, where the team hope to run two bikes for the first time there. The plan is to run Ian Simpson with Stéphane Mertens and the Hugh Brasher with Peter Lindén, who should be fully fit after his wrist operation.

Mettet is just south of Charleroi in the Belgian Ardennes, just right for a weekend’s ride.

See you there  RB

Hugh Brasher, Stephane Mertens and Ian Simpson achieved a magnificent 2nd position at the first round of the ECS held at Paul Ricard last weekend.

Beringer ‘s Etienne and Simon fit a new brake lever.

The race was won by the Team Force pairing of Richard Hubin and Greg Fastre, continuing their fantastic form of 2014. Third position was taken by the Kawasaki of Armor Classic Bike. At the flag just one lap separated each team.

Pit stop practice

Sweatshop Phase One dominated qualifying with Mertens and Simpson both achieving sub 2.25 laps, with Simpson fastest at 2 mins. 23.531 secs. Greg Fastre was third quickest with a lap of 2 mins.25.017 secs. On aggregated time however, Force were pole and Sweatshop Phase One were second.

New team members include tyre man Dan Wynn and fueller Lee Marchant

The race was held in marvellous crisp dry conditions with temperatures between 17 and 11 degr. C. The race started at 18.30 and ran for 4 hours, Force and Taurus set the early pace with Mertens staying cautious and finishing rota one in third position. Simpson rode well in rota two to take the lead for the team after 65 mins from Hubin. Rota three saw Hubin make a short stop for exhaust system repair and Brasher hold and increase the lead for Sweatshop,

Rota four did not go so well. Ian Simpson (in only his second night race) struggled a little against current endurance superstock world champion Fastre, but worst, unexpectedly heavy chain wear caused the chain ton jump the sprocket. Quick thinking by Simpson saved the day and he quickly got the chain back on and the bike back the pit for adjustment with less than 1 lap lost.

The team dropped to second position and despite Mertens best efforts (fastest on track) he could not catch the Belgian champions before the flag.

A truly marvellous weekend of racing was watched by approx 25,000 spectators (official figure).

Thanks to all our sponsors, team and supporters alike.

Mettet next, May 30th/31st.

Results:

1. Team Force
2. Sweatshop Phase One
3. Armor Classic Bike
4. Roadrunner Team
5. Bolliger Classic Endurance
6. Team Segale Classic
7. Neate Racing
8. Scuderia Officine Toscane
9. Red Fox Ride 4 Fun
10. Moto Bel’

 Pictures by ECS photographer Jonathan Godin and Lida van Ham