Team Nvidia, news from Donington Park

Raceline Photography
By Brent Gladwin
April 11 2006

Leaving Brands Hatch - after such great promise, but with so much damage and Lisa failing to qualify - did have us with heads hanging. We had so much to do in a very short time.

The technical sponsors pulled out all the stops to help - Mick and the boys at MB coach Works and Chase accident repair sorted the paint, Leo Vinci the exhaust, SES race products foot rest and fairing hangers, and burning the midnight oil Andy and Gary with help from everyone else pulled it together for Donington.

We had quite a few new friends show up for their first taste of BSB, although I am sure that they did not expect, like us all, to be out and about in such cold and miserable weather. Jason McAteer, Maik Taylor and Brian Little, all with family and friends, enjoyed the Team NVIDIA, BSB atmosphere.

GP 125 - Lisa takes her first points with a stunning tenth place

After the disappointment of not being on the grid at Brands Hatch, we were heading for a repeat when Lisa got knocked off after three laps in first dry qualifying - and the second session was very cold and wet. Lisa believed that with the pace being well off dry times there was no way she could get on the grid. We encouraged her to as normal do her best and see where that got us. Lisa is a good wet weather rider, and it showed in her wet qualifying position of ninth. Dave Francis called Lisa up to race control as, after looking at the times and her fall, he had decided she was worth a place on the grid and gave her 44th and dead last.

If it was to be a dry race it was going to be hard, but a wet race it was, and Lisa was ready and up for it. We advised her to make the best start she could, then stay out of trouble through Redgate and Craner and start to ease forward after ‘the old hairpin’. At the end of lap one she saw P18 on her pit board after an absolutely stunning lap – now she settled down and, lapping faster than the people in front, her first points seemed possible. Moving in to the points and 14th place on lap three, now all she needed to do was hold it all together. On lap five she moved up another place and started to pick up the pace a little. On lap seven she picked up another place but only managed to hold that for two laps before dropping back on lap ten with only two to go. Lisa put in her fastest lap on the very last lap to grab a fantastic top ten finish.

“I can’t believe it worked so well today. I felt really confident on the bike in these conditions, although it felt like the longest race of my life. To see the chequered flag was mixed emotions, then to see the welcome from the crowd, marshals and my team was fantastic. I am now looking to do it again very soon,” beamed a very cold but happy Lisa.

Superstock - Baywatch Brogan holds fifth in title chase

Again the Superstock boys were in a very close battle for qualifying, the grid split by the blink of an eye. Steve Allan led the way from Steve B and Jon Boy.
The race was run in the same nuts conditions as was most of the afternoon’s speed frenzy. Drama unfolded on the warm-up lap as Bay-watch Brogan crashed to the ground - he remounted covered in all sorts of unmentionable stuff and joined the grid. Steve A and B made great starts and moved into the top five on lap two, but throwing caution to the wind at this early stage was to catch Steve A and Jon Boy out. Bay-watch, although he would have preferred to have been on a LA beach, dealt better with the hideous condition, combined with the crash damage sustained on the warm up lap, and brought the bike to the finish line in ninth place - keeping his 5th overall place in the series. A great job when his team-mates, although showing all the promise, can’t quite get their bikes to the finish line. Great things are to come from all the team, and we will continue to work, looking at Thruxton this Easter weekend.

See you all there.

Best Regards,
Brent Gladwin
GR Motosport Ltd