Keep up to date with Niall’s progress in 2009. Read his race reports here!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Oulton Park Race Report 11th October 2009


In first qualifying I ended up 33rd but after walking the track I felt that
there were a few places I could make up time and improve my position.Next
qualifying was wet so I never got that chance but in the shoot out I felt much
better and finished 5th.Despite being quite far back on the grid I was looking
forward to having a good race.I had a good start and was up to 25th by the end
of the first lap.In the drying conditions I made up a few more positions and
finished 20th overall. 

 

Silverstone Race Report 27th September 2009


Silverstone was a weekend I'd rather forget!First qualifying went quite well
with me finishing 23rd.In second qualifying I had a small off on the third lap
pushing too hard on cold tyres.I had to watch as I slipped back to 29th place on
the grid.The lack of track time really affected my performance in the race.I got
a good start but as the race progressed my lack of confidence saw me slip back
to a disappointing 24th. 

 

Croft Race Report 13th September 2009

 

At this meeting we were running out of Bob Grant's Awning which was a great help as we managed to get a far better suspension set-up.In Qualifying I struggled to get on a good pace because I had never been out on the 600 at Croft before.By the time the race came I felt we had a far better suspension set-up and it was a far easier bike to ride than in qualifying.Starting 29th on the grid my goal was just to get a good start and get up with the faster guys to improve my times in the race.I was consistently over a second faster than I had been in Qualifying.Myself and another rider gradually closed down on the group in front and got with them with a few laps to go.A small mistake on the last lap blew my chances of improving my place but for my first race back after breaking two bones in my hand I was happy with finishing the race and 22nd place.Hopefully a better qualifying position at Silverstone will help my result and all being well I should be back to full fitness.

 

Latest News August 2009

Unfortunately I was forced to miss the latest BSB Round at Brands Hatch because I fell off my mountain bike while out training and broke two fingers in my left hand the day before we were due to leave for the circuit.I was pretty disappointed as I'd had my best result of 10th at the last BSB Round at Knockhill.I had some good results in Scotland just before this finishing third overall at the Scottish Road Races riding a stock bike in the Supersport Class.I also had a first place and three seconds at the recent North East Motorcycle Club Round at Knockhill.(Take a look at the Gallery.I had a visit from a very successful Scottish Rider of the eighties ,Ian Hogg.)I'm in plaster at the moment after a small operation on my finger but hope to be back soon.

    Knockhill Race Report

I was really looking forward to the next round of the BSB on the 3rd of July.This was the double header at my home circuit Knockhill.At the end of first qualifying I was 19th my best ever qualifying at the BSB.Second qualifying was a bit damp so I decided to wait to see whether to go out.With ten minutes to go I had only lost one place on the grid so I decided not to go out.This gave me 20th on the grid,still my best qualification of the year.

        The first race didn't go to plan.Another rider stalled in front of me on the grid so I got a really bad start.Then on lap 13 while following the safety car,another rider drove into the back of me.Initially I thought I could carry on but I had to pull off.This was when I discovered the subframe was damaged.

     I was really disapointed as I thought I might not make the second race Luckily Raceways had the parts we needed and my dad was able to fix the bike.

     In race two I got a much better start and I managed to keep my position through the race,finishing 10th overall.This has given me my first points of the season.

 

 

SNETTERTON RACE REPORT

 

Snetterton is a track that I've been to before on the 125 but not the 600.With it being a popular track for other riders,I knew that it would be a hard weekend.At the end of first qualifying I was 38th.I was hoping to improve on this in the second session but unfortunately it rained.I kept my dry tyres on hoping things might improve and I could go out but it didn't.This meant that I was in the shoot out race again.In the wet shoot out race I was too cautious at the start but managed to qualify.I was starting the race 39th on the grid so knew it would be a struggle.In the race I managed to fight my way up to 28th and I was pleased that my lap times had improved.

 

THRUXTON RACE REPORT

 

Again I'd only been to Thruxton once before.This time there was no shoot out race so typically I managed to qualify inside the top thirty qualifying 26th.I was really looking forward to the race but unfortunately there was an accident at the start which myself and a number of other riders then got caught up in.This was obviously disappointing but I did feel that there were a lot of positives from the weekend and I'm looking forward to Snetterton.

 

DONNINGTON RACE REPORT

 

Donnington is a track that I've only been to once before so I knew that it would be a hard weekend.Qualifying was difficult and I had to qualify through the shoot out race.I finished seventh in the shoot out which gave me 37th on the grid.I enjoyed the race and was in a battle with eight other riders throughout the race.I finished second in the race giving me 22nd in the race.

 
 
 

Oulton Park Race Report

At the second round of the British Superbikes we went to Oulton Park,a track I really enjoyed on the 125's.First qualifying went really well with me finishing in 25th place but in the second qualifying I struggled to up my pace suffering from arm pump in the closing stages with me falling back to 34th. In the shoot out race I got a qualifying position and held it throughout the race giving me 35th on the grid, I got a good start in the race making up a few places in the first lap.With three laps to go I was in 18th place and felt I could catch the two riders in front.Unfortunately I started to suffer from arm pump again and had to settle for 18th.I've found some ways to get rid of this problem including exercises so hopefully it won't be a problem in the future.

Brands Hatch Race Report

For the first round of the National Superstock Championship we headed off to Brands Hatch to race on the Indy Circuit.There was a field of fifty riders so we were divided into two groups for qualifying with the first fourteen in each group going through to the race.I just missed out finishing in 16th place less than 0.3 seconds behind 14th place.This meant I had to go into the shoot out race.The first ten from the race would fill the final spaces on the grid.I finished sixth in the race giving me 34th place on the grid for the main race.The race was red flagged but during the eight laps I worked my way up to 28th place.I started the re-run in 24th place and gained another few places to finish 21st.I was a bit disappointed but pleased that my fastest lap was just one second behind the fastest lap of the race.As this was only my second time racing the R6,I think this gives me a good start to build on for the next round at Oulton Park.

Scottish Championship First Round

On the weekend of the 4th and 5th April I had my first race on the R6 at the first round of the Scottish Championships at Knockhill.Qualifying went well with me qualifying in 5th position in the Supersport Class.

In the first race I had a steady start and cut my way through the grid to eighth.

In the second race I had a better start and managed to pull a five second lead on the riders behind running in fourth.The race was yellow flagged allowing the riders behind to catch up.I crossed the line in fourth just 0.5 seconds ahead.This means I'm presently fourth overall in the Scottish Supersport Championship.

Testing Spain 2009

For the first outing of the year we headed to Spain in search of better weather.We arrived at Cartegena on the Wednesday with four days testing ahead.On the first day I had a small off with fortunately no major damage to the bike.After that the week went perfectly with my times and confidence improving throughout the week.I am now feeling really comfortable on the bike and I'm really looking forward to the first race and the coming season.

Plans Confirmed for 2009

Niall has had his entry confirmed for the National 600 Superstock Championship.He will also be riding in the Scottish Championship.He will be riding a Yamaha prepared for him by Raceways.His first chance to ride his new bike will be when he goes out to Cartagena with Raceways at the beginning of March.

2008 Season Review

2008 was my first year racing in the Relentless GP 125 Championship.For the first half of the season I was not racing with a team. Despite this and the fact that I had never been to many of the tracks before,I never finished outside the top twenty.This was in a field of up to forty riders.For the second half of the season,I had the chance to ride with the Banks Race Team. This was an opportunity that I really enjoyed.I never finished out of the points with Banks Racing and achieved two top ten qualifying positions.I also finished on the Podium of the Academy Cup at my home round at Knockhill. I hope that the experience gained in my 2008 season will help with the move to National Superstock 600 in 2009.

Unfortunately it was very difficult to race in Scotland in 2008 because of expense and the need to practice south of the border.A high point was therefore winning all four races at the 60th Scottish Road Races at Knockhill.

Keep up to date with Niall's progress in 2009, click here.

  • 2008 Winner 60th Scottish Road Races GP 125 Class at Knockhill
  • Podium finish with Banks Racing in GP125 Championship

Niall in action and his race career in pictures. Click here.

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