NEWS:

WEYMOUTH IS CUP RUNNER UP AS LINXCEL-SETON TUNING ROUND OFF THE SEASON

Linxcel-Seton Tuning's lead rider Andy Weymouth finished the season with a confident 17th place on his home circuit, in the final round of the British Supersport series at Brands Hatch. The result was good enough to give Weymouth second place in the 2008 Cup Competition – a great result considering his injuries during the season.

Weymouth came in well ahead of team mate Pete Spalding who produced a disappointing 26th place in a weekend which once again brought challenges as the Linxcel-Seton Tuning team mechanics strove to deliver the best machines for the riders.

“It was a dry weekend again, which is amazing after our experience earlier in the season,” said team manager Phil Seton. “In qualifying we tried a variety of new suspension settings, looking to gain an advantage.” That included fitting Spalding's bike with an alternative tyre, a move which backfired spectacularly as he crashed out at Paddock, his second off at the same spot this season.

Despite the dry weather, Saturday morning's practice was hampered by mist, which dampened the track. “It was only when we went out for the second session that we could assess the changes to the bike,” said Phil. It was not good news, as the modifications to the internals of the suspension had not worked, and there was little time to put things right.

“We were massively disappointed – it was the worst practice of the year,” said Phil. “We reverted to the original settings, and immediately saw a difference. Andy surpassed himself, knocking 0.7 of a second off his lap time. It was a fantastic result – he always gives his best.”

Pete, meanwhile, on a bike that had required a trip to Colchester for parts to repair it after the crash, never fully regained his confidence in the race.

Apart from Andy's Cup placing, the other highlight of the weekend was Linxcel-Seton Tuning's decision to run a third 600cc Yamaha, piloted by Liam Lyon.

“We put Liam on a bike in the National Superstock race,” said Phil. “Although it was a 2006 model and so outclassed by more modern rivals, he produced a great performance, finishing 7th in the first race, and reaching 6th before crashing out in the second race. I am hopeful we can do more with Liam in the future.”

Reflecting on a 2008 season of ups and downs, Phil Seton commented: “We are delighted to have worked together with Andy to get him runner up in the Cup competition. The year has been one of learning a lot about how to set up the new bikes for the various circuits in the championship, and the team has worked really hard with limited resources to help deliver the results.”

“With Linxcel's continuing support, I am sure we can build on this year's results to create even more of a stir next year.”

FRUSTRATION AT SILVERSTONE

A combination of rider illness and electrical gremlins took the shine off the Linxcel-Seton Tuning team's weekend at Silverstone in the penultimate round of the British Supersport series.

Andy Weymouth spent the weekend battling flu, but fought on to a brave 19th place, followed a dramatic finale as he required paramedic treatment. Team mate Pete Spalding followed Andy home in 20th, having battled with a misfiring engine through the race.

“The weekend's practice started very well, with Pete in fourth position after first practice,” said team manager Phil Seton. “But we couldn't seem to find a way to improve on his great start, and ended up qualifying in 17th.”

“Andy just continues to go for it as best he can, but was clearly suffering with the flu.” As a result, Weymouth qualified 25th on the grid.

“We made some major changes for warm-up, and Pete was confident it would help him go faster,” said Phil. Then, in a foretaste of what was to come, a problem developed with his quickshifter, requiring the team to obtain a last-minute replacement and fit it.

Once the race was under way, Pete's bike had an inconsistent misfire coming off the turn, dropping him back to 23rd place, after which he fought back to take the chequered flag in 20th position.

Meanwhile Andy was battling his own health, and fought to a brave 19th position, less than a second clear of Pete. “Andy got off the bike and collapsed, and we had to call the paramedics,” said Phil. “He was totally exhausted and dehydrated – most people in his condition would be tucked up in bed. He just doesn't give up.”

While recent results mean Andy is now confirmed as second place in the Cup competition, the team is hoping to get him and the bikes back to full health for the final round of the British Supersport Championship, scheduled for 10-12 October at Brands Hatch. “It's Andy's home circuit, so we're hopeful of a good finish to the season,” said Phil.

 

IT ALL COMES TOGETHER AT CROFT

The Linxcel-Seton Tuning teams first visit to the Croft circuit yielded one of the teams best results of the season, as riders Pete Spalding and Andy Weymouth made the most of their first dry weekend of racing this year.

“It was a fantastic weekend – the team are over the moon,” said manager Phil Seton, after Pete Spalding finished 7th and Andy Weymouth 13th in the latest round of the British Supersport series.

With the luxury of a drying track – and the promise of no more rain to come, for a change – Pete was able to rack up one of his best practice sessions of the season to date, qualifying 15th on the grid. “It was a phenomenal performance from him,” said Phil Seton. In contrast, Andy Weymouth, still suffering from a sore shoulder after his crash at Knockhill, was boxed in during his practice session, and qualified a frustrating 24th.

The Linxcel-Seton Tuning Yamahas proved a good match for the Croft circuit, despite the need to set up new gearboxes, and the lack of prior experience at the track. “We just worked very, very hard,” said Phil, “and looked to extract every ounce of advantage out of the changes we made.”

“Both riders started the race very fired up,” Phil explained, “and Pete was quickly into 12th, then 11th, then 10th.”

The charge was halted after five laps, as the race was red flagged. But the delay provided the team with another opportunity to tweak the suspension, and fit new tyres. Andy worked his way up to within 3 tenths of a second of British Supersport Cup competition leader Craig Fitzpatrick, finishing 13th, while Pete finally showed his form with a 7th place.

“The performances were great,” said Phil: “Pete was only 12 seconds behind the leader, over the whole race, and we came close to beating the works Yamahas, and all the works Kawasakis.”

The results have left the team in good spirits and raring to go for the penultimate round of the British Supersport Championship, scheduled for 26-28 September at Silverstone.

HIGHS AND LOWS FOR LINXCEL-SETON RACING AT CADWELL PARK

The challenging Cadwell Park circuit provided a tough weekend for Linxcel-Seton Tuning's riders in the latest round of the British Supersport series.

A freak mechanical problem deprived Andy Weymouth of a finish in the race on 25th August, while fellow rider Pete Spalding came home a solid 23rd.

It was a hard initiation for the team in their first outing to the course, where a combination of fast flowing corners and tighter sections provided a challenge in setting up the bikes. “It is essentially a compromise,” said team manager Phil Seton, “but by the end of our first day, we had a reasonable set-up.” To further complicate matters, a first round of practice was in the wet – suiting the Linxcel-Seton Tuning riders – before the weather dried up. By the end of practice, Andy had qualified 21st on the grid, with Pete 25th.

With the team still looking to extract every possible advantage, Phil continued modifying Andy's bike set-up right to the last minute, and even during a brief suspension early in the race.

However, Andy's race was over all too soon, as Cadwell's most spectacular feature, the Mountain, claimed him. The peak of the circuit is well-known as a spot where riders get airborne – and it proved to be Andy's undoing. “He was getting a good couple of feet of air,” said Phil, “but unfortunately, he had a disaster when he landed - his chain came off.”

“Unfortunately, the weekend was nowhere near as good as we were hoping for,” said Phil. “The Cup is now looking a very long shot for us. But anything can happen in bike racing.”

“And we did generate some spectacular pictures!”

LINXCEL-SETON TUNING'S BEST RESULTS THIS SEASON AT KNOCKHILL

A suspension breakthrough transformed the fortunes of Linxcel-Seton Tuning's riders in the latest round of the British Supersport series at Knockhill on August 10.

Team riders Andy Weymouth and Pete Spalding came home 15th and 16th respectively, with Andy once more scoring top points in the parallel Cup competition.

"It's a very good finish, and puts us in a good position for the rest of the season," said team manager Phil Seton.

The weekend started with all-new suspension for the Linxcel-Seton Tuning Yamahas. Rear units, which had been problematic at the last meeting, arrived rebuilt just in time for the race. But it was major change at the front where new internals for the forks, supplied by K-Tech, were fitted for the first time. "We immediately discovered it solved the pitching problem we had been suffering from all season," said Phil, "and as a result both riders had the confidence to push harder."

"Our special thanks goes to Pete from K-Tech, who came to the track to assist. He really helped us find our feet, and so we covered a lot of ground very quickly in setting the bikes up."

Early practice went well, with Andy 12th and just half a second off the leader's lap time, with Pete a second behind.

The rain came down for qualifying, requiring a different set-up for the bikes. Andy was instantly fast, claiming an early fourth on the grid, but crashed in the wet and so had to watch as others moved him down the grid to a final 17th as the track dried. Pete claimed 24th.

For race day, the weather turned dry, and Andy - nursing a sore arm and knee from his qualifying crash - was up to 10th on the first lap, before dropping back with braking problems, as a late-swap set of pads failed to deliver a promised advantage. However, the pair came home together, and it was smiles all round. "Despite the injuries from his crash, Andy rode very well," said Phil. "And it's great to see Pete on form and finishing well."

Pete, whose early season was dogged with problems, reflected on a solid performance. "It was a better day for me, and with the suspension a big improvement, things are now running perfectly. I'm looking forward to enjoying racing a bit more at Cadwell in a fortnight."

TABLES TURN AS SPALDING MARKS RETURN TO FORM

Linxcel-Seton Tuning's Pete Spalding, for too long the team's jinxed rider, marked a return to form at Oulton Park on 20 July in what turned out to be a tough weekend all round.

“We came to Oulton Park with Andy just ahead in the Supersport Cup, and Pete really needing a result – but a finish would have been good enough,” said team manager Phil Seton.

However, practice soon revealed problems with the rear suspension and a shock absorber splitting, putting oil onto the rear tyre. With no replacement unit available at the track, the team battled to find an effective solution, before finally opting to change to an Ohlins rear unit – generously loaned by Andy Yelland.

Qualifying saw Andy 25th and Pete 26th, the pair separated by just 8 one hundredths of a second. “Pete looked a lot more confident on the bike, and was looking like he was enjoying himself, which was very good to see,” said Phil.

To the race, and Andy made up several places into the first corner, although it was soon apparent that suspension problems which caused the rear wheel to come round on the rider, meant Andy was struggling for control. Having battled up to 17th position, the pitching eventually got too much for Andy, and he came off the circuit on lap 11 – disappointing for the team after all the hard work, and handing the Supersport Cup lead back to rival Craig Fitzpatrick.

Pete meanwhile rode a strong race, despite being hampered for three laps by the bike in front spewing oil and coating Pete's visor, leathers and the Yamaha. Following their retirement, Pete was able to press on and ride his way to 21st place. “Pete rode a fantastic race, it was one of his best finishes and good for the team,” said Phil. “I was pleased with the performance of all of the Linxcel-Seton Tuning team, especially both riders who got their heads down in some very difficult conditions.”

“We want to build on Pete's finish, and at Knockhill in three weeks I'm hopeful that Andy can take a win in the Supersport Cup and be pushing into the top 15 on the overall points rankings.”

WEYMOUTH LEADS THE CUP AS LINXCEL-SETON RACING FACE THE RAIN AT MALLORY PARK

Linxcel-Seton Tuning's lead rider Andy Weymouth has claimed top spot in the British Supersport Cup competition, following a solid performance in the latest, rain soaked round at Mallory Park on 29 June.

Weymouth came home 17th overall in the latest round of the series to ease into top position in the Cup rankings. But, in what is becoming a familiar twist, Linxcel-Seton Tuning's second rider Pete Spalding failed to finish.

“Mallory Park is a bogey circuit for both riders,” said team manager Phil Seton. “And we came to the meeting with no set-up data. But by taking each bike in a different direction, we soon found settings that worked – and both Andy and Pete bettered their personal bests in practice.”

The great British weather once again made life interesting, with the rain starting just as the bikes were about to begin the race. Although a quick tyre change could accommodate the track conditions, the light rain played havoc with the riders' visibility, providing enough moisture to wet their visors but insufficient to prevent droplets leaving drying marks.

“Andy doesn't favour riding in the wet, so it was a great result for him,” said Phil, “helped by his main Cup rival falling off and failing to finish.”

“Our problems with the visor fogging up were very frustrating,” said Andy Weymouth. “I had to drop my visor for the straights, then open it for the corners. As soon as the rain eased off, I started catching other riders up.”

Further back in the field, conditions for Pete were worse and he pulled up mid-race from 20th position, concerned his impaired view was dangerous. “It was a bitter disappointment for the team,” said Phil. “It was a very good weekend for Pete, right up until the race.”

For the next round on 18-20 July, it's a return to Oulton Park, which means the team will be able to learn from valuable data collected at the circuit during the championship's third round.

But, in the meantime, team manager Phil Seton is dusting off his leathers and has entered himself on one of the team bikes, in a meeting at Snetterton on 5-6 July. “It will be great to see how this year's bike performs first hand, in among a very strong field,” he said.

CUP GLORY FOR WEYMOUTH AS LINXCEL-SETON TUNING PUSHES AHEAD

Linxcel-Seton Tuning's lead rider Andy Weymouth made the most of home advantage at Saturday's British Supersport round at Snetterton.

Weymouth came home 12th overall in the latest round of the series,and first of the Supersport Cup riders past the post. But colleague Pete Spalding failed to finish, after another bout of the bad luck that has dogged his season to date.

“It was an interesting weekend,” said team manager Phil Seton. “We started full of enthusiasm. Testing a week ago meant we were further towards solving the handling problems that have held us back so far.”

“Instantly, Andy was on the pace, going faster than he's ever gone before at Snetterton. But it was soul destroying to discover that everyone else was going faster, too, so Andy qualified 21st on the grid. The only consolation was that he was just a second off the front row qualifiers; this year's control tyre has tightened up the spread of times. And we were very sure we had a good set-up for the race.”

After a tough start, Andy had soon caught rival Craig Fitzpatrick, who has taken Cup honours at every previous round, and overhauled him to finish twelfth overall, and the Cup competition victory. “It was our first Cup win of the season, and maintains Andy's second position in that competition as well as putting him 16th in the overall championship,” said Phil.

Pete Spalding's run of bad luck continued. “Pete was quicker in qualifying, with a personal best, and made some great steps forward, but it just wasn't to be,” said Phil. “His engine developed a problem on the third lap, and lost power; when he got a kick from it, he had to pull up.”

“We're looking forward to Mallory on the 29th,” said Phil, “and let's hope Pete can shake off the gremlins. The whole team is keen to get him to home in on the positives – and get a result on the board for Linxcel-Seton Tuning.”

STEADY PROGRESS AT DONINGTON PARK

The Linxcel-Seton Tuning team came away with a solid pair of finishes after a tough bank holiday weekend of racing at Donington Park.

Andy Weymouth completed the British Supersport race in 20th place, leaving him second in the cup championship; while Pete Spalding, who failed to finish in the two previous rounds, managed a steady 26th place finish.

“After the successful Brands Hatch GP round the team went to Donington Park full of confidence,” said manager Phil Seton. “However, I was slightly more reserved – it was going to be a hard weekend.” Sure enough, the settings on the Yamahas that had served the team so well at Brands Hatch did not take well to the slippery Donington Park track.

“We had handling problems on Friday, and tried a number of different settings,” said Phil. After the first session, Andy had qualified 24th with Pete 30th. Then the rain arrived, and with it went any hope of improving – the track spat Andy off twice in one lap. Commented Phil: “We needed another dry session.”

Ever looking for a better performance, Phil changed the bikes for the short pre-race warm-up, and opted to substantially modify the rear suspension just before the race began – based on the data gathered in the previous few laps.

“Race day was incredibly windy,” said Phil, “and Pete knew he would have to pull off a miracle to get in the points.” In the end, he settled for a finish and came in 28th. Andy, meanwhile, rose through the grid to finish 22nd, hauling in rival Marshall Neill in an enthralling game of cat and mouse that saw the Linxcel-Seton Tuning Yamaha's consistency beat the fading form of the initially fast Neill. With the two Ten Kate Hondas disqualified from their leading positions, the final positions were 20th for Andy and 26th for Pete.

“It was a good result for Andy, and good for Pete to get a finish once more – I'm sure that will build his confidence for the next round at our home circuit, Snetterton,” said Phil. The Linxcel-Seton Tuning team saw many positives from the weekend. “We have gleaned a huge amount of data from this round, and hope we can use this information to secure better qualifying positions at Snetterton on the 13th to 15th June. We will be working hard in the build-up to Snetterton to put the improvements into practice. As Snetterton is the team's local circuit, we hope that people will be able to come along and support us.”

LINXCEL-SETON TUNING BREAK INTO THE TOP TEN

The Colchester based Linxcel-Seton Tuning Team were celebrating the success of the former MRO Supersport 600 Champion Andy Weymouth this weekend

Charging Andy Weymouth again topped his previous best, with a ninth position at the Brands Hatch GP circuit on 11th May.

The finish was all the more remarkable as Andy overhauled no less than sixteen other riders, having started 26th on the grid.

“When we stood on the grid, it looked like a mile to the front,” said team manager Phil Seton. However, Andy's progress was dramatic and after the first lap he had ridden into 16th place. On the back straight, the bike's speed was evident as he made further passing moves.

“Andy's lap times were amazing,” said Phil. “Andy’s best lap time was faster than the works Honda rider who finished in 3rd place. If we can get a good qualifying position, who knows what can happen.”

“The race went to plan,” said Andy. “I was a second quicker per lap than I've ever been round the circuit before.”

Andy Weymouth has also cemented his position in the top 2 riders in the British Supersport Cup Championship, which runs within the Supersport Championship, with consistent 2nd place finishes. He has been narrowing the time gaps between himself and leader of the Cup Championship Craig Fitzpatrick and is confident that he can be on the top step of the podium in the very near future.

Phil Seton was particularly please with Andy’s performance “At the start of the year I felt that our riders had it in them to be in the top ten of this highly competitive Championship, and Andy’s performance this weekend proved I was right. The team have worked really hard to develop the 08 Yamaha R6’s and the improvements we have made have showed big steps in the lap times.”

The weekend was less happy for Pete Spalding. Despite practicing well, and being fired up for action, his race was cut short in the first corner of the race: “Someone braked early, Pete swerved and bumped into another rider – and he was off,” said Phil. Pete was one of three out of the race, and thankfully not badly hurt.

Commented a frustrated Pete: “We were getting faster and faster all weekend. I had a good start, and I knew I could keep up with Andy – but I'll just have to prove that another weekend.” Maybe Donington Park on 24-26 May, the next outing for the Linxcel-Seton Tuning team.

BEST RESULT YET FOR LINXCEL-SETON TUNING TEAM

Linxcel-Seton Tuning's British Supersport team scored their best result to date at Oulton Park's bank holiday meeting on 5 May. Lead rider Andy Weymouth finished second in class with a 12th place overall in what was effectively the second round of the 2008 series.

“It was Andy's personal best, and the team's best result to date,” said team manager Phil Seton.

But it was a weekend of highs and lows. Despite Andy's success, colleague Pete Spalding failed to qualify thanks to a combination of an accident and mechanical mishaps, and went home with nothing more than a few cuts and bruises to show for his efforts.

“We have so many positives to take from the weekend,” said Phil Seton. “The previous week, our testing session at Snetterton worked very well and so we arrived having made some significant handling improvements.”

Andy's performance was helped by judicious tyre choice. “There was a downpour just before the race,” said Phil. “We could see there was a dry line, so we changed his rear for a soft compound dry tyre.” The results were dramatic, and Andy was soon up from his starting position of 20th, into 14th place.

A final scrap with one of the Honda riders showed Andy where the Linxcel-Seton Tuning Yamaha still has room for improvement. “I had a great race, but the front end of the bike is still not where we need it to be,” he said.

Both riders were inside the top 20 after practice, and in qualifying Pete looked better than ever. “for 20 minutes it looked like he would be on the front row,” said Phil, as his wet tyre choice seemed to have the edge. However, a spectacular accident saw Pete off at one of the circuit's righthander, putting paid to his charge.

Quick work by the pit team meant Pete was out on his repaired Yamaha – only for the bike to fail on him. “We later discovered the pit lane speed limiter button had been damaged in the accident,” said Phil. “It was one situation where we could really have done with a spare bike.” As a result, Pete failed to qualify and had to sit the race out.

Commented Pete: “I was very frustrated, and angry with myself. I can't remember much about the accident, I got on the throttle early out of a double right-hander, and the bike slipped out – it was all over in a flash.”

The coming weekend brings an unscheduled trip back to Brands Hatch, to complete the snowed off first round. With starting positions of 28 and 30 already decided from the previous qualifying session, the Linxcel-Seton Tuning Yamahas are destined to be fighting their way up the grid. “The bad weather has done us a favour,” said Phil. “We have the chassis working much better and we're looking forward to some good results.”

Thruxton – early promise

The Linxcel Seton Yamahas qualified with Pete 18th and Andy 30th, as the team struggled to tame the new machines' handling. “There are lots of small design changes in this year's model, but they add up to big differences,” said Phil.

With the winter weather out of the way, Thruxton delivered sunshine and a dry, warming track – making for great racing.

The guys finished racing with Andy 20th and claiming second place in the privateers Cup competition, and Pete right behind him in 21st. “Their lap times were one to 1.2 seconds behind the winners,” said Phil, “a difference that's not insurmountable. Hopefully we can bridge the gap. It's handling that's the problem, not speed – we were regularly in the top five through the speed trap.”

“We're under no illusions,” he added. “Our budget is modest compared with the works teams, and they have vast experience of the tracks. We've set our sights on a improving our finishing positions – I want a top 15 at Oulton Park.” It remains to be seen if the improvements tried in testing at Snetterton the week before the meeting, will see the Linxcel Seton team climb up the rankings.

The great Brands whiteout

The season's opening race at Brands Hatch on 6 April never happened – the great British weather saw to that with a heavy snowshower on the morning of raceday. But the meeting did at least give the team valuable practice.

“We were out first thing on Friday morning, setting reasonable times, but nowhere near fast enough,” said manager Phil Seton. “We spent the day chasing our tails, trying to get the bikes set up right.”

Qualifying left Andy in 30th and Pete 28th on the grid, not great but not terrible either. The team was up early on raceday, only to watch the heavens open at 6.20am. With no sign of a thaw, the meeting was snowed off at midday.

The teams will be back to complete the actual race, using the grid times from the aborted meeting, on 11 May.