Classic Racing star Cormac Conroy will replace Hugh Brasher for the first round of the European Classic Series (ECS) at Imola on the 21st of April, when Hugh is on London Marathon duties.

Cormac brings much classic and post classic experience, including numerous CRMC class wins and Forgotten ERA successes.

Coincidentally Cormac, as well as Hugh, is an accomplished International runner.

Irishman Cormac normally races a Ryan BSA triple in the UK CRMC events and 2011/12 results show him rarely outside the top 3.

Russell welcomed Cormac to the Team last weekend and noted his enthousiasm for racing and his obvious eagerness to get on the bike at Imola and prove himself. We feel that Peter is without doubt, in possession of an able partner.

See you at Imola.  RB

Photographs by Russell Lee (Sport-Pics.co.uk) and DJG Photography.

The Team have just returned from two days testing at Aragon in preparation for the first race of the European Classic Championship to be held at Imola on 20th April. The championship will comprise three rounds – Imola , Spa and Aragon, all 4 hr events. In addition to the ECC races, the Sweatshop Phase One team will also compete at three non-championship races: The Mettet 4hrs, the Oschersleben 4 hrs and the Classic Bol d’Or.

Peter Linden will represent the team at all rounds, with Hugh Brasher and Stephane Mertens in support.

The two 1978 P&M Kawasakis have been extensively developed over the winter and will debut the season at least 7kgs lighter than the spec. used to win the Mettet and Imola races last year. The Team really have been busy !

We are very pleased to confirm that our main sponsor for 2013 will again be long term partner ‘Sweatshop’.

Several new sponsors will  also be helping the team in 2013 and the full sponsor lineup will be announced within the next few weeks.

Aragon test – Over 60 laps covered, roughly equally on both frames 15 and 17, by Peter Linden on day 1.
All test objectives were achieved in sunny warm conditions, with track temperatures in the low 20Cs.

The notable work involved;

• Starter motor tests
• Selection of the most suitable of 9 ignition curves.
• Endurance testing of new looms, battery boxes, high power electrical connectors, ignition trigger, ECU and pick ups. 
• Tank connector flow rate tests.
• Fuel consumption tests in preparation for the Aragon race.
• Lightweight fairing, lower and rear mounting tests.
• Front suspension optimisation.
• 520 chain and sprocket tests.
• Establishment of base settings for the Aragon race. 

Happy new year to Team, Supporters, Sponsors and All !

The classic endurance scene is really coming alive this year with a four race, European championship as its centrepiece, with a further two events in support. The circus will start at Imola in April and end at Aragon in October. In between, we will visit Mettet, Oschersleben, Magny Cours and Spa. It’s getting to be just like it used to be…a six race calendar, spanning five countries, just right.!

LInden at Spa

Hugh Brasher and Peter Linden will again form the backbone of the Team, with Stephane Mertens promising to make another appearance with the team at Mettet.
We thank Sweatshop for confirming their continued backing for 2013.

Hugh Brasher at the Classic Bol

The first test is likely to be at Albacete in March and preparations are well underway to debut the newly rebuilt ‘frame 15’ P&M Kawasaki in a lighter and more competitive guise. A lot of effort has been expended on reducing the all up weight from 181 kgs to as close to 175 kgs as is possible. Every component has been up for discussion and already new batteries, battery box, wiring looms and alternators are being produced. Carbon fibre fairings and seats will be underway shortly and a new German made multi-program ignition system is being trialled.

Mertens delivers at Mettet

A couple of new team members have come forward for the season and we  welcome them to the classic endurance scene.

Preparations are also about to start on the Team’s first post-classic bike….not surprisingly a replica of the 1993 WEC winning ZXR Kawasaki.This will be raced for the first time at the Classic Bol d’Or in September.

Brasher prepares

Volunteers are sought for this project and the main event, the P&Ms, starting immediately…..

Once we have that test date finalised I will update you .

The provisional dates are:
Imola   20th April
Mettet  1st  June
Spa      6th July
Oschersleben   TBA
Classic Bol d’Or 14th September
Aragon  26th October

Being second fastest on track was never going to be enough to make up the time after Peter Linden’s crash at the end of the first hour. It had all started so well. The race one result had positioned the team as favourites for their first classic Bol win. With the MotoBel Guzzi and Haquin’s Kawasaki both out of the reckoning after race one crashes, the main competition was due from the Roadrunner Suzuki of Dirk Brand and Henk Van der Mark and the Team Taurus Guzzi. To be clear, Motobel and Haquin would both start race 2 , but as the legs were aggregated, they could never feature highly.

The Classic Bol Sweatshop Phase One Team

So, all morning the humid 25deg C conditions had been interupted by periods of drizzle, but it cleared and the race started with a wet track but without rain. The team planned to adopt the same successful strategy as the night before – 3 rotas, with Hugh Brasher starting and Peter Linden doing a double to finish. Brasher got away fairly well, despite being in the push start group* at the back of the grid, for those without starter motors. Conditions were definately tricky, with three going down on lap one, but Brasher kept his nerve and manouvered his way up to 11th at stop 1, ( 20 race laps) which was exactly what the team needed.The foundation stones were now in place.

Peter Linden

Peter Linden then took over, but despite a very promising start, in the now perfect conditions, he managed to lose the front end and slide off at the paddock infield. Under most circumstances that would have been a set- back but not a big one. Regrettably the fire that then ensued, made getting the bike fixed a little more difficult! Anyhow, Peter put the fire out and got the bike to the pitlane entrance only to be directed around the back of the garages as they didn’t want to get the pitlane dirty. Peter lost 4 laps and it then took the team a further 8 minutes to repair the fire and crash damage, before restarting in about 38th position.! Brasher pushed on for 20 minutes before Linden took back over, setting the second fastest lap of the race in his pursuit of places. Eventually the team reached 30th by the flag.

Brasher pushing on hard towards stop 1 in race 2.

The classic Bol had certainly been a race of highs and lows, but the team go into the winter knowing that with 4 race wins and 3 fastest laps it couldn’t be better placed for success in 2013!

Thanks go to all our sponsors and supporters for their dedicated efforts in 2012.

The race was won by the Bonvicini Moto Martin Suzuki, with Taurus second and the Godier Genoud Kawasaki of Cairoli was third.

Best Brits, with a brilliant top six finish were  Steve Boam and Steve Clark on their Harris Suzuki.

Best Brits; The Steve Clark / Steve Boam, SCERT team.

Pictures taken by Jacco Dijkhuizen

Some of the Classic Bol fire damage before rejoining the race

*The team have an alternator on the end of the crankshaft and because of restrictions in ground clearance cannot get a starter motor in as well. This should be remedied in 2013 as the team plan to piggy-back an alternator on top of the gearbox allowing space at the end of the crankshaft for a starter motor.