Luca Wilkinson

“Free Practice:ÌýAll about learning the track as this is another new one for me. I spent the whole 25 mins just trying to learn. Finished the session 2.9s off 1st so plenty of work to do.

“Qualifying:ÌýDidn’t go as well as I’d hoped, ended up coming 14th but the gap to the front had closed to 1.8s so I was happy with the progress. I was feeling more confident about the track and where I was for the start, knowing I could get a good start and hopefully get straight into the top 10 I was confident I could go forwards.

“Race 1:ÌýGot a fantastic start and managed to go from 14th to 8th of the start and up to 7th in the 1st lap. Worked hard to stay in the group but we got the gearing slightly too short so I struggled making any moves having to do everything on the brakes to keep with the leading pack, ended up coming P9. Really pleased with the finish and felt I had the pace to do more in race 2.

“Race 2:ÌýWe put in new gearing & it immediately made a difference. I got a good start from 11th on the grid and had a huge battle with 8-10 other riders and almost managed the win. I got a great drive & slipstream coming into the final chicane on the last lap but Lewis Mullen pulled off a great move & just dived past me to the apex. Tried everything to get him back before the line but he just beat me by 6/100th of a second taking the win and I came home in 2nd. Well done to Arnie Carr for his podium. So happy with that & my best race of the year. Also got awarded the Most Coverage Award by Clifford which was really cool. Amazing weekend and an incredible weekend for the entire Team with PB finishes for everyone.â€�

Zack Weston

“What a weekend it was, I didn’t have massive hopes for this round as it was a track I had never been to and only having two sessions to get to pace and have a set up that works isn’t easy but the team worked hard on and off my bike to get it perfect.Ìý

“PracticeÌýwas mainly about getting laps in and learning the track and that I did, I went out on scrubs and just did lap after lap learning and taking in as much as possible. I managed 36 laps across the two practices and closed the time to the front rides to around 1.8s which I was happy with considering the tyres I was on.

“QualifyingÌýdidn’t go as I’d hope I did manage to go quicker then practice but with people trying to get tows off of quicker riders messed up the end of qualifying but still happy with where I qualified for Race 1 – P22.

“Race 1: For the first time this year I actually got the bike of the line and didn’t lose a position.

“I got a really good start and just went for it, making up 8 positions in the first lap and getting right in the back of the front group and I had the pace to be with them but battles with a few riders and people not making the smartest of moves meant the front group got away and got a gap the rest of the field but after a hard fight and nearly getting wiped out I manage to finish the race in P16.

“Race 2: The pace I had in race one put my P10 on the grid for race two and I knew I had more pace in me so after another good start I got stuck in getting up to P8 and battling hard with everyone and setting a 1:20.0.

“After a chaotic 14 laps I managed to finish the race P12. I can’t thank the team enough for all the hard work they’ve put in this weekend making my bike the best it’s ever felt and making it possible for me to ride it how I know I can.

“Thank you to everyone who makes it ±è´Ç²õ²õ¾±²ú±ô±ð.â€�

BSB Round 4 Snetterton 300

Luca Wilkinson aka El Loco #76Ìý

FP: I went out and got back used to the track after not riding here since last year. Had a good feeling within 2 laps I had already beaten my personal best lap there and did a 2:04.062 putting me in 3rd place for free practice.

Qualifying: Really good qualifying overall, I went out at the back but couldn’t get a clear lap in for the first 6 minutes of the session so I pitted and went out with a clear track and put a time that put me on pole. I pitted again and we decided with the team to wait out the rest of the session to save the tires but with 4 minutes left another rider went quicker andÌýNick WestonÌýsent me out at the perfect time giving me the perfect lap with a slip stream and doing a time that put on Pole Position and my PB of 2:02:2 and half a second to P2 on the grid.

Race 1: Unfortunately not much to say about race one, I got a good start and got the hole shot lead for the first 2 laps but on lap 3 I crashed out of the lead at turn 3 putting race 1 to an end.

Huge thanks to the team for working late into the night to get the bike fixed.

Race 2: Starting in 7th after only putting in one flying lap from race 1, I got a good start and got straight into third, at turn 2 on lap 1 I got hit by 2 riders which pushed me wide letting the top 2 get a gap. Dropped back a bit and in the end I got 6th place but had a really good battle with @marleymackenzie andÌýBen JolifeÌýwhich was a lot of fun and great learning.

Overall a lot to take in with my 1st Pole and 1st crash in the year leaving a lot learned and still a lot to learn but we go again stronger and more confident for the next round at brands hatch.

Zack WestonÌý

Snetterton definitely isn’t near the top of my list of tracks I like but Overall a pretty good weekend, struggled with getting a good set up and overall speed through the traps but the team pulled together and got me a good bike set up for the race making the 11 laps feel much easier.

Got a shocker of a start for the race and dropped a few positions but got into my grove and put in some good laps getting past a few riders, battled with a few riders meaning I couldn’t carry on at that pace and catch the next group of riders but still enjoyed the race. A shame we only had one race this weekend as I felt I had more.

Roll on Brands! Thank you to everyone who makes it possible.

Craig Dance

Tough weekend but learnt a lot having a few issues with the bike but hopefully should be sorted for Brands.

FP1 and FP2ÌýI felt good, was just dusting of the cobwebs.

Qualifying: P32
Was struggling for pace since the bike set up was wrong and had no engine braking.

Race: DNF
Had a little front-end crash on lap 4 on turn 2 but we learn from these mistakes and I’ve learnt a lot.

Onwards and upwards for brands hatch my home circuit…

Hudson Cooper

Snetterton was a really important weekend for me as it marked my return to theÌýMoto4 Championship after missing time through injury. Coming back into it, I knew it was always going to be tough. Not only was I trying to get back up to speed physically and mentally, but with everything that happened at Oulton, it honestly felt like this was my first proper race weekend in the series because I can’t remember anything from the opening round.

We started the weekend byÌýQualifyingÌý13th on the grid. It was around where I expected to be, but after time away and getting back into the rhythm of racing the Moto4 bike in a championship environment, it gave me something solid to work from heading into the races.

Race 1, I finished 12th. It was a race where I was still finding my feet a little bit and building confidence back up lap by lap. It was valuable track time and an important step in getting myself back into the groove of the championship.

Race 2Ìýwas a lot more positive in terms of pace, race craft and set-up. I got a strong start and managed to work my way up to 8th in the opening few laps, which was a big confidence boost and showed that the speed was there. Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite hold onto that position all the way to the finish and crossed the line in 11th, but there were still plenty of positives to take away.

The biggest positive from the weekend was the pace in the final race. Although it took me a little while to get going, I ended up getting the 6th fastest lap-time in race 2, which is encouraging moving forward toÌýBrands HatchÌýnext weekend.

It shows that the pace is there, and now it’s about putting the full weekend together from the first session and converting that pace into stronger results.

BSB Round 5 Brands Hatch GP

Luca Wilkinson aka El Loco #76Ìý

FP: Not Great. Getting to grips with the track & a rider braked sharply. I had to swerve to avoid them, missed my brake point sending me into the gravel at Sheene’s. I hit the barrier which snapped the rearset, I manage to stay on but session over.

Qualifying: I went out treating the qualifying more like FP as everyone was a session ahead of me. The best I could manage was P12 which I wasn’t happy with but I took it on the chin.

Race1: I get a really good start making my way to P6 by turn 2 and tried my best to hold on to the leading group. Got passed but a couple laps later he crashed out promoting me back to P6.The rest of the race I was in a heated battle betweenÌýOakley RacingÌýandÌýLewis MullenÌý. On the last lap Lewis dove up my inside running me a bit wide and Freddy managed to get past both of us but I managed to drag Lewis to the line behind Freddy just beat me to the line, finished in 7th. Great race.

Warm up: Another incident! A rider ran wide through Hawthorns, I went to go up the inside but he pulled it back & I had to grab the brakes to avoid him & the bike ended up flipping over the barrier. The bike was badly damaged but the team did an amazing job to get the bike ready for race 2 and a massive thanks toÌýAndy Wales,ÌýLucas KingÌýSIMON,ÌýZack Weston.

Race2: I went out knowing there could potentially be something wrong with the bike. Good start to get in with the leading group but on lap one my right handlebar just slightly twisted in, tried to manage it for a couple laps but it kept moving so I came in got it done up and went back out. In the end I finished last but still enjoyed the expert pit boarding fromÌýNick WestonÌýandÌýKiera King.

Overall probably a weekend to forget but we move on & learn. On to Oulton next week.

Zack WestonÌý

Fp1/Fp2

Practice went really good I felt really comfortable on the bike I had a few issues on the old tyres I was using but overall very good, finishing p16 combined.

Qualifying.

Bit of a tricky one tbh, I put my lap time early on on my own in the session then spent the rest of the session catching slower riders on laps I was down on my Quickest but still happy with my position and felt I had more for the race.

Race 1

Unfortunately another rider crashed and I collided with their bike ending my race on lap 1, there was nothing I could’ve done to avoid it just wrong place wrong time.

Massive thank you to the teamÌýAdam CooperÌý, Kieron, Andy with their work on and off my bike everything was on point this weekend.

Craig Dance

My home round was looking to perform better than I did but learning loads every time I’m out.

FP1-FP2Ìýfelt good just learning the track since it was the first time on the bike here and had a little of at Druids but bike had basically no damage.

QualifyingÌýwas struggling for pace trying to get tow from someone then last lap finally got a tow and was up by a lot on my time but got red flagged at the final corner.

Race 1ÌýStarted P38 due to my grid penalty from Snetterton but I chipped away in the race and brought it home for a P24.

We go again for Oulton Park…

Hudson Cooper

Heading to Brands Hatch just a few weeks after Snetterton, I was feeling really positive. We made some good progress at the last round and I couldn’t wait to get back on the bike.

I’d only ever raced the Indy circuit before, so riding the full GP layout for the first time was an incredible experience. It’s such an iconic track and finally getting to complete a full lap was something I’ve looked forward to for a long time.

Free Practice

The first two practice sessions were all about learning the extra sections of the circuit and building confidence. Every time I went out I felt more comfortable, improved my personal best and started to understand where I could find more time. It definitely felt like we were moving in the right direction.

Qualifying

We made the most of every minute in qualifying, completing 14 laps. On my final lap, despite not having the ideal track position or a tow, I managed to set my fastest time of the weekend. Qualifying 12th and finishing just 1.5 seconds off pole position was something I was pleased with, especially around such a demanding circuit.

Race One

I made a solid start, although I got boxed in on the inside into Paddock Hill Bend. By the time we reached Druids I was up to eighth, but after the run through Cooper Straight I had slipped back to 11th as the pack shuffled around.

The race then settled into a brilliant battle with Thorley, Tyler and Aeziah. Unfortunately, on lap three I lost the front going into Druids. I managed to stop what could have been a big high-side, but I couldn’t save the bike. Sadly, Thorley was caught up in the incident and also crashed. Sorry Thorley.

Race Two

Starting from 14th on the grid, I made another good start and moved up to 13th early on. Unfortunately I just couldn’t quite stay with the group ahead, so it turned into a fairly lonely race.

After Thorley’s crash I focused on riding consistently, managing the gap behind and bringing the bike home safely. I crossed the line in 11th, collecting more valuable championship points and more importantly more experience.

Overall, there were plenty of positives to take away from the weekend. Every lap on the GP circuit helped me improve and I feel like we’re continuing to move forward with every round.

Next up is Silverstone alongside MotoGP. Racing on the world stage at one of the biggest events of the year is going to be an amazing experience and one I’m really looking forward to.

A huge thank you to everyone who came over to say hello throughout the weekend. Your support really does mean a lot.

Luca Wilkinson aka El Loco #76

Round 1 – Oulton Park

“Friday practice was OK. I didn’t feel great in the new leathers and had a small issue with the electronics on the bike (quickshifter and blipper), but it was OK. In qualifying I only got two laps in as the clutch failed, so we qualified at the back of the grid.

“Race 1 – Great start from last up to 14th and trying to push forward, but the new leathers really caused me pain. I’d never had arm pump and it was the worst feeling. I eventually had to retire on lap seven as it was becoming dangerous. So disappointed, but the right decision.

“Race 2 – Starting from P14 I had another brilliant start up to P8, settled in and was battling for P9, but the engine started overheating and I eventually got meatballed (black and orange flag). A really disappointing weekend, but the team worked so hard and we’ve now resolved the mechanical issues that were causing the problems. Roll on Donington Park.�

Round 2 – Donington Park

“Straight from my exams, it was a mad dash to get on track. Three laps to settle, then Nick pulled me in, told me what I needed to do, and I beat my previous PB by 2.1 seconds with a 1:41.9 to sit P9 by the end of the session. In qualifying I got onto the pace straight away and on my fourth flying lap went quicker still for a new PB of 1:40.8, putting me ninth on the grid. Really happy with a top-ten grid spot.

“Race 1 – A wet race! Not the best start as I spun up off the line, and on the first lap through Starkey’s a rider ahead lost the rear and sent me across the wet grass at 100mph – new underwear time! I jumped the access road and managed to rejoin just before Coppice, dead last. The safety car came out and caught the riders in front, so we lost the pack and I was 12.5s behind at the restart. I settled in, pushed as hard as I could, had a few little slides but brought it home in 9th, setting a time that put me on the front row in P2. Well pleased.

“Race 2 – I got a good start but Marley overtook, then up towards McLeans I dived up the inside of Ben to take P2, which I held until he got back past into the Esses. The first couple of laps we were all swapping positions, but with about five laps to go I got back into 2nd and tried to catch Marley. Unfortunately it started to rain slightly and I had a slide out of Melbourne which knocked my confidence, so I dropped back from the leading three. On the last lap Lewis came up my inside into Melbourne, then into Goddards I made a late dive up the inside and held it to the line, with Lewis only 0.01s behind. Very, very happy with the weekend and I can’t wait to go again at Knockhill.�

Zack Weston – #35

Round 1 – Oulton Park

“Definitely not the weekend I thought it would be – a bit of bad luck with technical issues that made the bike really difficult to ride. I did what I could in the races and brought it home. Donington is next weekend so we go again there. Thank you to everyone who makes it ±è´Ç²õ²õ¾±²ú±ô±ð.â€�

Round 2 – Donington Park

“Overall we made a good step with the bike. The team did an amazing job every session, solving technical issues and putting together set-ups. Qualifying wasn’t amazing as I couldn’t get into a rhythm, but I got stuck in during the race and moved forward. Race 2 started well and I was battling with a group of riders, but I struggled with rear grip in the latter stages. A massive thank you to the team for all their hard work this weekend. Roll on Knockhill, and thank you to everyone who makes it ±è´Ç²õ²õ¾±²ú±ô±ð.â€�

Craig Dance

Round 1 – Oulton Park

“A difficult weekend getting used to the bike and bedding in all the new gear in FP1 and FP2. Qualifying was decent in P30. I had pace and felt confident, but something felt wrong with the bike as I was basically last in every speed trap, which is unusual for me – we’re looking into it.

“Race 1 – DNF. On lap one a rider ahead had an issue and unfortunately I was directly behind him. I just managed to swerve in time but still ripped my fairings off, which meant I was shown the meatball flag to retire the bike. Race 2 – P31. I definitely felt I could have done a lot better, but it is what it is and we roll on to Round 2. Thanks to the team for getting my bike ready and looking fresh, and thank you to my sponsors who make all this ±è´Ç²õ²õ¾±²ú±ô±ð.â€�

Hudson Cooper – #27

Round 1 – Oulton Park

“The weekend at Oulton Park started on a very positive note as I continued to build confidence and pace in my debut season in the Moto4 British Cup. After running around the top ten in class throughout free practice, I qualified an impressive P7.

“In Race 1 I had a great start and was running competitively inside the top five. Unfortunately my race ended on the penultimate lap while running P5, after I lost the front through the dip in the chicane and crashed out of contention. I’d also like to apologise to Luke Fitchett, who hit my bike during the incident.

“During the crash I suffered a significant laceration to my neck after contact with the screen of the bike, as well as a knock to the head. The British Superbike Championship medical team were outstanding, providing exceptional care both at the circuit and during the assessments that followed. I was later diagnosed with concussion which, under championship regulations, ruled me out for 20 days – meaning I sadly missed Round 2 at Donington Park.

“While it was disappointing not to line up, the positives from Oulton Park far outweigh that. Qualifying P7 and battling with the front group for a top-five position showed the progress we’ve made and confirmed we have genuine top-ten pace in this highly competitive championship.

“I still attended Donington Park for Round 2 and took part in the Moto4 rider fitness test. It was great to support the NW Racing team all weekend, and I was also invited onto the BSB Radio commentary team for the Moto4 class, which was a great experience.

“My focus now turns to recovery. I’ll keep working on my fitness programme with my personal trainer at Storme CrossFit Ashby and come back stronger, fitter and even more motivated for the next round at Snetterton. A huge thank you to everyone who has messaged and offered support since the crash – it’s been massively appreciated. Thanks also to the entire NW Racing team, my chief mechanic Simon from Powertech UK, my sponsors, and everyone who continues to support me on this journey.�

The whole team now looks ahead to the next rounds at Knockhill and Snetterton, with everyone at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ wishing Hudson a speedy recovery.

Image credits: Torq Media

Luca Wilkinson aka El Loco #76

Friday Practice

“Friday’s practice went well. Small issue with the bike, but it wasn’t affecting my lap times, so we just rode around it.�

Saturday

Qualifying

“Went out and pushed on a bit, I knew I didn’t have to put it on pole, so I just rode smart and pushed for a few laps and put it on P2 with Ollie Sims on P1, with our lap times separated by 0.03 of a second.

Race 1

“Started the race but I noticed Ollie hadn’t gone to the grid. I pulled an 8-second lead after 3 laps and just brought it home in 1st place. Unfortunately, I came in to find out Ollie had crashed in the Minitwins qualifying and broken his collarbone.

Race 2

“Pretty similar to race 1; a good start, pulled a big gap and just kept at a consistent pace and brought it home in 1st place and secured the championship win.�

Sunday

Race 3

“It was cold so I had to think about how to ride so I didn’t overdo it. I put a gap to 2nd and brought it home in 1st place.â€�Ìý

Race 4

“My 1st wet race! Good start and just rode smart but after a few laps I caught some back-markers and lost a lot of time letting a few other riders catch. Sean took me into turn 1 after I ran wide, but I retook the position and pulled a little gap to bring it back home in 1st for the last time of the year and with the championship win.

“Fantastic last round with 4 from 4 wins. Big shout out to Ollie who I’ve battled hard with all year, not the way I wanted the year to end. GWS mate.

“Thank you each & every one of our sponsors supporters and friends.�

QualifyingÌý

“After a good test, doing pretty much every lap of every session, I was feeling good going into qualifying. Got out front and got some clear laps in, but just didn’t manage to put a fast lap together. I made a mistake and went wide at Coppice on my best lap, which was a bit frustrating. But not too bad in P7 and on the left-hand side of the grid going into turn 1.�

P7 // Best lap: 1.33.7Ìý

Race 1Ìý

“BSB champ, Kyle Ryde, was making another guest appearance and unsurprisingly started P1 right in front of me off the start. As the lights went out, he seemed to stall or get bogged down and I almost collided with him. It was a close one but managed to avoid him by rolling out of the throttle which ruined my start and put me in about P10.

“Luckily, two laps later, it was red-flagged and restarted for a five-lap dash. This time, I got a great start and ran in about 5th for a couple of laps. It was a scrappy race; I got passed and made a couple of nice passes myself. What seemed like five minutes later, the checkered flag was out and I realised I’d got my first podium of the year which I was over the moon about! The lap time wasn’t amazing, but it was just one of the those races where lap times didn’t tell the whole story.�

P3 // Best lap: 1.33.0Ìý

Luca Wilkinson

Round 2 – Oulton Park

“So, after the incredible (until it wasn’t) weekend at Brands, it’s been a full-on two weeks to get the bike fixed & ready forÌýBemseeÌýRound 2ÌýOulton Park.

“We owe a massive thanks to TeamÌýNW RacingÌýand a lot of other people for the huge effort to sort the bike –Ìýyou sure are the best!

“With beautiful weather, it was amazing to be at this iconic track for Luca’s first time.

We knew we would have some teething issues with the bike having such a big rebuild, but the team worked flawlessly and by the last three sessions, we were in a good position.

“Friday Qualifying went great, finishing P8 – P3 in class.

“Race 1 – Great race with Luca taking the F400 lead and finishing P9 – P3 in class. Very happy with that, having never ridden the track before and knowing the calibre of the riders in the F400.

“Race 2 – Another great start and again fighting for 3rd, Luca finished P4 in class behind the flyingÌýTeam Marshall Racing.

“Race 3 – Great start and into the class lead down into Cascades, Luca pushed hard and again managed a P3 in class behindÌýDavid Lindemann andÌýCraig Dance.

“We are so happy with the results, learning every lap, following some amazing riders who are happy to help and give advice to help Luca improve – we have to say a huge thanks for this it’s an incredible gesture and much appreciated. Each race Luca managed to close the gap to the class leaders, which is our aim this year.�

Zack Weston

Round 2 – Oulton Park

“Qualifying – After a good practice, I was feeling good on the bike and was happy with the setup. I didn’t get out at the front, but I was still able to set my laps on my own and put it on the front row!

“Race 1 – I got an amazing start from P2 and pulled the holeshot. After leading for a few laps and setting good pace, Nathan Harrison came past so I stuck in and tagged onto the back of him, finishing P2.Ìý

“Race 2 – After a good race 1, I was hoping for the same in race 2, it was a good first half of the race starting in P2 and pulling on P3, but the second half I struggled really bad with rear grip and dropped back into p3.Ìý

“Race 3 – After a disappointing race 2, I put everything into race 3. I didn’t get a good start, dropping back to P3, so I sent it into the lead down cascades T3. After a lot of moves and close racing, it came down to the last corner. I tried to drag it to the line but missed out on P1 by 0.03 seconds.

“Overall, a great weekend of racing, time with family and friends and some of our amazing sponsors.

“Huge thank you to all of my sponsors.�

Image credits:

Luca Wilkinson

“The dust has settled on the first race weekend on the newÌýKawasaki UKÌýZX-4RR at Brands Hatch and what an amazing weekend it was.

“First, we have to thank theÌýNW RacingÌýteam for all the support coming into this weekend. We have worked hard and everything was in place with the setup lookingÌýgreat.

“With the weather bright and sunny but very cold, in Friday practice we just chipped away. Happy with progress and with the whole team having put in good times, we were ready for qualifying.

“Racing on a mixed grid consisting of SuperTwins, Thunderbike Sport and the F400s made for an interesting mix of bikes. Qualifying went really well and Luca ended up P6 overall and P2 in class behind the ever-quickÌýCraig Dance.

“Race 1 – Great race where Luca ended up in P1 in class and 11th overall. Not a bad start.

“Race 2 – With the sun setting, it had gone very cold. Luca carried on pushing and put in a PB but didn’t have the pace to go with Craig and came home P2 in class and P12 overall.

“Race 3 – Great start and into the class lead down into Paddock Hill, after that Luca lead from start to finish to get P1 in class and P6 overall.

“Race 3 – Again, last race of the day and the sun was going down and the temperature was again dropping. Another great start and following Craig who was setting a great pace. Hitting PBs on every lap, Luca took advantage of a back marker and managed to pass Craig on the Brabham Straight. Unfortunately, that’s where the weekend went down fast. Coming into Graham Hill Luca lost the front on the brakes. He was fine but the bike decided to protest.

“Overall, it was a fantastic weekend for not only Luca but the whole team.â€�

Zack Weston

“Practice: I went out thinking it would take some time to get up to speed, but I felt really comfortable and confident on the bike, and I was able to get up to speed straight away, surprising myself and the team.

“Qualifying: After a good practice, I was confident going into qualifying. I didn’t quite get out where I wanted to but I was able to dig in and set a lap time that put me on the front row!

“Race 1: After an amazing qualifying, I was ready for race 1. I didn’t get the best start but it was a long race so I knew it was fine, it was a difficult race as it was 18 laps and I was struggling with rear grip but I managed it to the end and missed out on a podium by 0.1 seconds, to achieve P4.

“Race 2: After missing out on a podium in race one, I went for it in race 2, I got a good start getting into P2 into turn 1 and then taking the lead into turn 2 –Ìýit was a good race with lots of changes in positions and I was able to get up into P2 and finally get the podium.

“Race 3: After a good start, I had a huge slide out of T3 and dropped back 6 positions, I thought my race was finished, after a couple of laps I got back into my rhythm and picked riders of one by one, going onto the last lap I was in p4 and gave it everything and was able to get P3 on the line.

“Overall, a great weekend with some amazing racing, time with friends and family along with a some of our amazing sponsors and Club35 members.�

“Round 4 saw us go to the spectacularÌýDonington ParkÌý– another new track for Luca, but we had enlisted the awesomeÌýNW Racing to help learn the track on Friday morning with our mega instructor, Andrew Wales, booked for the afternoon. It was tough and Luca worked really hard learning the track, especially the section from Redgate to McLeans. Pleased with the pace, we were ready to go.”

Qualifying:

“We had a target, and Luca absolutely smashed it, with his first ever qualifying pole position and 0.5 under the track record.”

Race 1:

“Got the holeshot, but this was no walk in the park. Beat the official track record with a blistering 1:21:920Ìýand finished 2^nd behind Zack – just in front ofÌýKade Watt after a race-long battle which was cut short due to a red flag.”

Race 2:

“Great start and another race-long battle with Zack and Kade. Lost the lap record to Zack but gained the win – very happy with that.”

Race 3:

“Straight into the lead and Luca and Zack started to pull away. With a 1.8sec lead, it was looking comfortable until Luca lost the front in the last chicane and down he went, taking Zack with him so a disappointing DNF for both but no injuries and bikes fixable.”

Race 4:

“Despite the DNF, Luca and Zack were still 1 and 2 on the grid. The pace was a little slower this race which played into Luca’s hands as he settled in after the off in Race 3. Lots of place swaps ensued and with a bit of luck encountering the back makers on the last lap Luca, finished 1^st.

“So, to summarise, we went from a DNF to PRETTY AWESOME! As always, thanks to all our sponsors and all the help we’ve had along the way.�

Luca Wilkinson

“On Friday we did a track walk with the one and only Andy Wales – Luca’s instructor – and Aleisha Layton. In Friday’s practice, we chipped away at the times with lots of learning thanks to Andy.

“On Saturday, it was straight into qualifying. Not a great pace, but managed P4 in the very last lap and within 0.2 seconds off pole.

“Race 1 – I got the holeshot, but dropped to third halfway through the lap. Settled in and felt good hanging on to the second-place rider. Unfortunately, on lap 4, I was hit from behind and lost three places. With a bent shock adjuster, I couldn’t get my foot on the peg properly. Brought it home 5^th for some valuable points.

“Race 2 – Starting 7^th and another great start. I was again sitting in third but the group were all together. Red flag so a restart, followed by a four-lap dash. Not a great start and ended up on the outside of turn 1 on the still-wet kerbs. Dropped down to 6^th, the battle was on. Managed to work my way back up to 4^th and get the fastest lap so pole for Sunday’s race.

“Race 3 – Straight into the lead until lap 5 where he dropped down to 4th. Time to dig in. More laps of dicing, with backmarkers playing their part & a fair few place changes. Into the final lap and 3 changes for the lead ending in 1st at the line by just 0.002secs. So close he didn’t even know until we told him in the pits.

“Race 4 – Starting 4^th, great start into the lead but race red-flagged on lap 5. Restart running in 1^st but with two laps to go I hit a false neutral coming into turn 1 and dropped to 4^th. Last lap and it was three abreast going into turn 1, and I almost ended up on the grass, but had the inside line full ‘block pass’. So into the lead and set my personal PB and first time into the 1:06s – an amazing 1^st-place finish.�

Aleisha Layton

“Where do I start?! During Friday practice, we built up our pace gradually and were in the 1:08s which I was very happy with.

“Qualifying: the track was pretty busy and I just couldn’t get a clean flying lap in, so had to settle for P10.

“Race 1: I managed to get amongst the leading group, due to another great start which put me in P6 straight away. I managed to get up to P3 with one lap to go, but ended losing out and settled for P4. But this was a race I was very happy with.

“Race 2: The weather was a mixed bag most of the day, so dad tried a new setup and let’s just say it didn’t work… but another lesson learnt!

“Race 3: We woke up with the sun shining, so we went and did a track walk. Off the lights, I got my usual good start. But I just struggled to get going after that. I can actually say this was my worst race to date. This is something that’s been noted and I must work on.

“Race 4: After a weekend that basically didn’t go as smoothly as I liked or expected, this lit the fire for the last one before the journey home. I ended in P5 but was with the leading group and only 1.4 seconds off from the leader. So was super happy with this. I finally sort of woke up and set my PB of the weekend with a 1:07.4, which I believe was the second fastest of the weekend.

“I enjoyed the weekend but it was a weekend we learnt from the most. My first wet qualy. My first dry race which ended up full wet, on dry tyres. So, lots to take in. To me, all these new things are another step in the right direction and I’ll carry on giving it my best to get to where I need to be.�