StoneBaker continue to be top British team at Brands
01-08-2008
StoneBaker Racing continue to be the top-placed British team after the first timed qualifying session for Sunday's European Superstock 600 Championship race was completed this afternoon.
Although Dan Linfoot was the team's front-runner during free practice this morning, the accolade has now been grasped by his team-mate Gino Rea. Gino's lap of one minute 32.054 seconds put him in third place on the timesheets, just over four-tenths of a second away from leader Loris Baz (Yamaha) who lapped the 2.3-mile Kent circuit in one minute 31.628 seconds. The lack of grip Gino experienced this morning has now been partially resolved, although the rear of his StoneBaker Yamaha still requires attention.
Although Dan Linfoot lies seventh at the moment, with a lap timed at one minute 32.735 seconds, he has conserved his tyre supply for tomorrow's second session. In the Superstock 600 series the competitors are allowed three sets of tyres which have to last four on-track outings across the weekend. Most of the front-runners, including Rea, made a tyre switch this afternoon. Provided the weather stays fine on Saturday, Linfoot should be able to up his pace and move up the grid.
Linfoot leading Brit at Brands
01-08-2008
StoneBaker Racing's Dan Linfoot was the leading British rider at the end of opening practice for the seventh round of the 2008 European Superstock 600 Championship at Brands Hatch this morning, lying in sixth place overall. Team-mate Gino Rea was 11th.
Linfoot's lap of one minute 33.343 seconds was eight-tenths of a second shy of the pace set by Patrick Vostrarek (Honda) who topped the scoreboard with a time of one minute 32.481 seconds. The pace of competition is so fierce in this series that although Gino Rea was just over two-tenths of a second slower than his team-mate with a time of one minute 33.566 seconds, he lies five places behind Linfoot on the timesheet in 11th place.
Both riders have reported grip problems with the track, whilst Rea also found it difficult to get a clear lap in during the half-hour session. Suspension changes will be made to both StoneBaker Yamaha's before the first timed quaifying session gets underway this afternoon.
StoneBaker prepare for Brands Hatch
27-07-2008
StoneBaker Racing go into the seventh round of the European Superstock 600 Championship, to be held at the Brands Hatch World Superbike meeting this weekend, in confident mood. Yamaha-mounted riders Dan Linfoot and Gino Rea, along with joint team owner Andrew Stone, are all determined to put on a good show for the home crowd.
The highlights of the season so far for the squad have been a win and a third for Linfoot at Assen and Valencia along with two additional thirds for Rea at the Nurburgring and Brno. This year, they are the only team in the championship to have placed both their riders on the podium.
In terms of the series standings, Linfoot currently lies in third place overall and Rea fifth. Frenchman Loris Baz (Yamaha) heads the table with the Honda-mounted Czech rider Patrick Vostarek in second. There are four races remaining in the championship with 100 points still available.
At the last round at Brno, the StoneBaker riders crossed the finishing line less than two-tenths of a second apart having battled for third place against each other and a pack of other riders throughout an action-packed race. This weekend both men are looking for an even better result.
Normally held on a Saturday, the 11-lap race at Brands Hatch is scheduled to start at 4.45pm on Sunday August 3rd. Practice and qualifying sessions will take place as normal on the preceding two days.
Gino Rea:
"I can't wait for the Brands race with my family and friends watching. It's my home round and I enjoy riding there. I would liked to have done some testing at the track as the only time I've ridden on the Grand Prix circuit before was at the race there last year where I finished 11th, but I still think I can be up at the sharp end as long as we get a good setting from the beginning of practice. I would like to get a win before the end of the season and I think it is possible. I also want to be in the top three of the championship at the end of the year which won't be easy, but it's still very possible and I believe I can do it. My goal at the start of the season was to be in the top five and I am lying fifth at the moment with 100 points still up for grabs in the remaining four races."
Dan Linfoot:
"I'm feeling confident going into Brands. I feel I'm riding well at the moment and I'm going to be racing at home, with my friends and family supporting. So I'm sure if there is anywhere I'm going to put on a show it will be at Brands Hatch, along with the next round at Donington Park. We have a one-day test scheduled before the race where we are hoping to dial out some corner entry issues, which should stand us in good shape if we can improve our stability into the turns. I like the Brands Grand Prix circuit, although I haven't done many laps of it. Obviously as I'm still third in the championship and the front two are getting away, I need to claw some points back. So, if the elbows are needed, the elbows will come out!"
Andrew Stone: (Joint Team Owner)
"Our objective this weekend is quite simple: to get on the podium, preferably with a race win. The riders and team are working flat out to give all the home fans the result they deserve. No-one wants to win this championship more than we do. We've had one win and three additional podiums so far this year and I genuinely believe we can be on the podium at all of the remaining four races."
Sponsors
Team Beowulf Racing.
StoneBaker Racing contests the 2008 World Superbike European Superstock 600 championship with riders Dan Linfoot and Gino Rea.
We have just recorded our second-best result of the year with Gino Rea taking the runner-up spot at Brands Hatch. In the championship standings, Gino currently lies fourth and Dan fifth.
There is now a month-long break in the series before the action resumes at Donington Park between September 5th-7th.
