Paul Young

Map Embassy Supersport riders Glen Richards and Paul Young found it tough going at their home circuit at Mallory Park today (29th June).

In a delayed race due to a sudden weather change, Paul Young failed to finish and Glen missed out on a podium for the first time this year finishing in 5th. It was a disappointing result considering it was the rider’s home circuit.

There was confusion on the grid whilst officials delayed the race, with Glen going out on full wet tyres and Paul starting on full dry’s. Glen managed to hold first place for 3 laps before Hudson Kennaugh pipped him to P1 and then rode his best race of the season so far, claiming the victory by a clear 20 seconds. Glen never gave up but suddenly found himself back in 5th with it all to do, probably a little too much and had to settle for 5th.

Paul meanwhile got off to a reasonable start but slowly started slipping down the pack unable to keep up with his tyre settings and decided to call it a day on lap 8 after dropping to 27th.

In a boost for both Paul Young and Map Embassy Racing, the Australian rider has made a full recovery from the ankle injury he sustained in a fall at Snetterton and will ride at his home round at Mallory Park this weekend.

The veteran rider said “I have taken it easy since Snetterton and although I haven’t ridden as yet I have done some light cycling and felt no pain so on that basis I will be going to Mallory with the intention of competing in the race on Sunday. Bar the crash at Snetterton it was a good weekend for me, I was right up there in free practice and in qualifying so I hope I can do the same this weekend at Mallory.”

It was a day of mixed emotions for Map Embassy at Snetterton today (Sunday 15th June). Glen and AJ both had podium finishes whilst Paul had an accident and looks to have broken his ankle.

Paul’s solid qualifying meant he things were looking better and came in the second row of the grid.  However, even after a great start … it wasn’t to last. Youngy luck seems to be a million miles away this year, he high sided at the end of the first lap which put a premature end to his race. In an additional setback for Paul there are fears he has broken his ankle.

Bar Youngy’s accident it was a good day for Map Embassy Racing with Glen further extending his lead at the top of the Supersport Championship.

Check the website tomorrow for further updates on Paul Young’s injury status and all the fallout from Snetterton.

British Supersport Results

1. Steve Plater - AIM Racing
2. Glen Richards - MAP Embassy Racing
3. James Westmoreland - Centurion Racing
4. Hudson Kennaugh - Raceways Yamaha
5. Ian Lowry - Relentless Suzuki by TAS

Glen Richards took 2nd place in a race at Donington Park today that was largely uneventful until an hour after the race had finished. Glen, who had put the Triumph 3rd on the grid behind the two Hanspree Ten Kate Honda’s of Jonathan Rea and Andrew Pitt was expecting a tough race and he got it.

In the opening five laps the Aussie managed to keep pace with the one and two placed Hanspree Honda’s, retaining his third place grid position before Ian Lowry on the Relentless Suzuki shook things up when he overtook Glen before squeezing into P1, beating Jonathan Rea and Andrew Pitt along the way. Lowry eventually lost the lead to the two

World Supersport riders but managed to fend off Richards for the remainder of the race and by lap 12 the top four had put some distance between each other and the rest of the pack to secure their positions.

However, it later transpired that Hanspree Ten Kate Honda had used unspecified race fuel in both of their competing machines which meant that both Jonathan Rea and Andrew Pitt were later disqualified. That turn of events meant that Glenn would now take second place behind Ian Lowry who was first.

Paul Young meanwhile had a somewhat trickier race as he had his own pack of competitive riders to deal with early on. From his 11th grid position he managed to climb to 10th where he stayed for four laps before slipping as low as 13th, but managed to steal 11th on the last lap which, after the World Supersport riders disqualification meant he was in the top ten at 9th.

Not for the first time this season, the Map Embassy boys were still hard at work in their pit box on Friday and Saturday night, long after most teams had closed their garages and left the track. This hard work and dedication seems to be paying off with another podium finish in a scorcher at Brands Hatch today (Sunday 11th May)

With the qualifying positions from the last Brands Hatch meet in place for today’s race the team were already in a good position to add to their success at Oulton Park. Glen was second on the grid, Paul ninth whilst AJ was second in his class too.

Glen and Paul both got off to bad starts with Glen dropping to 6th and Youngy back to 18th after a bump from Midge Smart forced his brake lever high, forcing him to slow down in order to readjust it but it still clearly affected him throughout the race. After three riders came off at the first turn the safety car came out for two laps. When it eventually returned to the pit the Map Embassy Supersport riders got their heads down and got back to work. Glen managed to climb to 3rd almost immediately and then a lap later passed Brogan on the HM Plant Honda to take 2nd, where he stayed throughout the remainder of the race, unable to catch Hudson Kennaugh on his Raceways Yamaha who had put his own result beyond doubt.

Paul did extremely well to climb in to the top ten considering the start he got and the technical problems that occurred after his bump with Smart. The bike and rider clearly have the capabilities, but Youngy is in desperate need of some good luck to get his year back on track.

1. Hudson Kennaugh - (Raceways Yamaha)
2. Glen Richards - (MAP Embassy Racing Triumph)
3. Steve Brogan - (HM Plant Honda)
4. James Westmoreland - (Centurion Racing Honda)
5. BJ Toal - (Virgin Media Yamaha)

10. Paul Young – (MAP Embassy Racing Triumph)

Due to the rescheduled meet at Brands Hatch, the Supersport and Superstock races had to be incorporated into the MRO schedule that was taking place at the track this weekend. One of those races being the Triumph Triple Challenge. So, as you would expect, the only Triumph factory backed team drew even more attention than we had enjoyed at previous rounds, with a hoard of Triumph fans and riders trying to get a glimpse of our garage and an autograph from our three riders. Needless to say I think the whole team, though they would never admit it, enjoyed the attention.

The team now have two weeks to prepare before the next race at Donington on the 26th of May.

After putting Paul’s his 675 fifth on the grid he jumped the green light at the start of the race but then stopped dead and fell back to seventh. Paul had managed to climb back up to sixth when the race was red flagged but was then penalised for his jump start. He was told he would have to ride down the pit lane under a regulated speed limit within the first three laps of the restart. After the restart Paul again did well to claw is way up to fifth before he had to go into the pit lane for the penalty. Paul rejoined the race in 20th position and managed to fight his way up to 17th by the time he crossed the finish line.

It was an unlucky break for Paul who felt he should not have been penalised in the second race as he hadn’t gained an advantage with his earlier jumpstart.

Paul said: “I was unlucky to be penalised yes, but I can’t use that as an excuse. One moment of lost concentration has cost me and the team dearly. I’m lucky that I only have six days to wait until I can make amends at Brands Hatch.”

Paul Young started well, leaping from his grid position of 12th to 6th on the first lap. The grid stretched out quickly and Young looked comfortable in his position. “ When the safety car came out I was in 5th and I still felt I was in the hunt for a podium but the rear tyre didn’t seem to like the slow laps and had cooled off once the race restarted so I felt a little off the pace after that”.

After falling back to 9th late on Paul decided to consolidate his respectable position and avoided getting in to a late tussle that might see him lose ground. “I’m a bit disappointed not to be in top five but will take the points for now. Some better luck in qualifying at the next rounds should see me improve on today’s result.”

To leave a message for Youngy, go to his ChatZone

As it turned out weathermen do know what they’re talking about sometimes. BSB teams and fans staying in and around the Brands Hatch circuit awoke to what can only be described as a blizzard. It seemed everyone’s prayers had been ignored.

As the team made their way to the circuit the weather gradually got worse and worse and by the time they arrived the entire track was covered in the white stuff. It didn’t look good.  At around 8:00am the paddock became a full on warzone. With most teams holding back on preparing the bikes for a race that might not happen the team’s rivalry and competiveness spilled over into a full on snowball war. After the battle claimed many casualties a ceasefire was agreed and all the teams then began a long and painful waiting game to see what races would be going ahead, if any.

By 11:30am, already behind schedule, official word came from the control tower that all races were cancelled. It was disappointing news for Map Embassy considering the qualifying results from Saturday, but a wise decision nevertheless. A two day race meet was scheduled for May 10th and 11th at Brands Hatch where the qualifying results from this weekend will stand.

he team began packing up and before hitting the road were treated to a full spread in the hospitality suite that was originally for the sponsors, who knew btter and rightly stayed away.

The team now turn their attention to the trip to Thruxton in a fortnight.

PRESS RELEASE : From Brands Hatch BSB organisers

Extensive snowfalls at Brands Hatch this morning have caused the opening round of the Bennetts British Superbike championship to be abandoned.   At 11.15am Sunday morning Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive of MotorSport Vision, the owner of Brands Hatch, announced that following a review of circuit conditions and the latest forecast, the meeting would be cancelled for the day.

“It is bitterly disappointing for all the fans who have come and of course for all the teams and organisations including the Brands Hatch team who have put so much into this weekend”, said Palmer.  “Apart from the inability to put on the great show fans expect from BSB, safety is our number one priority and this must not be compromised”.

“I have been very eager however to see if we could find a way not to just cancel, but postpone the first Brands Hatch event.   Fortunately a major benefit of MSV now running BSB is that following a review of our calendar, I am delighted to be able to immediately announce that we have rescheduled this meeting which will now take place on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit on 10/11 May.”

“All race day, weekend and grandstand tickets for today’s event will be valid for the new date with no extra charge.   The grids for all of the races within the BSB programme will be as set yesterday, 5 April.   The 10/11 May date was scheduled to be a BMCRC meeting and some races from this will be incorporated into the BSB event.”

“I am so sorry that so many people have had a frustrating day of uncertainty but can assure everyone we have done everything possible to minimise the disruption of such extreme weather in April.”

Jonathan Palmer
Brands Hatch Sunday 6 April 2008

Paul Young will partner Glen Richards in the Embassy Racing Triumph team in the British supersport championship …

Finally Paul Young has secured what he described as “the best ride of my career.”  Yes, Young has secured a berth on a team with pukka factory backing, an enthusiastic sponsor and full team backup for the 2008 British supersport championship.

Young had tested a Triumph Dayonta 675 for the Italian Caracchi team, set to race in world supersport, but expected funding for the Italian team failed to materialise.  However, Young, a sometime tester for SuperBike between his racing commitments, is clearly delighted with the way things have worked out.  “Embassy had Glen (Richards) riding with them in superstock last season for their first time in British bike racing, but the team, Embassy, has been car racing for years at a high level and they decided to expand their racing programme to Embassy moto,” explained Young. And very well they did too, with Richards winning the superstock title aboard a Yamaha R1.

“This ride has been a long time coming but, as the cliché has it, good things come to those who wait. I’ve never been as sorted so early in the pre-season with a team and bikes and a test programme, so it’s going to be good – although now I have to beat my team mate, which isn’t going to be easy,” laughed Young.

Young had a hand in the genesis of the Triumph Daytona 675 as part of his bike development work with the British company and he’s raced the 675cc triple in British supersport for two years – as a privateer. Young was working with a limited budget which curtailed his engine development work as well as engine and fuel-management systems which the British supersport championship demands if (dry weather) podiums and titles are to be a realistic proposition.

“I’ll be running my two 2007 bikes until such times as we no longer need them, but the first thing that will happen is that they will have Motec systems fitted, which is something that I could not afford to do for the past two years. I know the bike still has a lot of potential and although I had some good results (a podium at Knockhill in 2007), I know there’s more to come.”

With Young and fellow Australian Richards on the bikes allied to a good backroom team and a, decent budget behind them, we’re saying that the Embassy Racing Triumphs will be seen on the podium in 2008.