First points for pacy Beech - The Evesham Observer

First points for pacy Beech

Evesham Editorial 3rd Sep, 2014 Updated: 20th Oct, 2016   0

EVESHAM-based Jones Dorling Racing and their rider Ashley Beech scored their first points of the National Superstock 1,000cc Championship season in round nine at Silverstone on Sunday.

The race was included as a support race at the British round of the MotoGP and for JD Racing it was a chance to perform in front of over 60,000 fans at the historic 3.67-mile circuit in Northamptonshire.

It has been a busy time for the team and their rider Beech, having raced five out of the last six weekends and, after his best result of the season so far at Cadwell Park a week earlier, the team were hoping this was at last a change of fortunes after being plagued with technical issues all season.

Beech and the team had recently attended a successful test day at Silverstone so arrived with a good base set-up for their Kawasaki ZX-10R race bike.




Correct gearing would enable Beech to exit the corners quickly in order to reach speeds of almost 180mph along the straights and then good suspension settings to cope with the heavy braking into the slower parts of the circuit.

During the 20-minute practice session it was important for him to stay out and get as many laps as possible before returning to the pits and, with just a few adjustments to the suspension and a new front tyre, Beech then went out for the first qualifying session and put in some fast consistent laps to finish 14th quickest.


For final qualifying a few more minor changes to the settings were made and brand new front and rear tyres fitted and the team were delighted when Beech finished the session tenth quickest and would start the race from the third row on the grid.

During the session Beech had been timed at an incredible 175mph through the speed trap – the fastest Kawasaki and the fourth fastest overall.

“The bike is like a missile and handled so well I felt I could really push the bike without risking a crash.” he said.

When the race started Beech got off the line well and was holding his tenth position until on lap seven of the ten-lap race the safety car came out due to an incident and by the time the safety car returned to the pits there was only one lap remaining and it became a mad dash for the finishing line.

Beech moved up one place only to drop back again and coming into the last corner he was forced wide by another bike and crossed the line in 11th place, scoring his first championship points of the season.

Such was the pace, ten of the top finishers, including Beech, dipped below the lap record time from last season.

There is no time to rest as the team now move on to Donington Park for the next round of the championship on Sunday. Follow the team’s progress at www.jonesdorlingracing.com, on Twitter @JDR_Racing or on Facebook by searching JonesDorlingRacing.

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