Kawasaki Masters Championship

Top Ten results Culham - Round One


Pos__Points__ Name
1___240_____Paul Smith
2___ 199____Paul Neale
3___ 170____Daniel Parker
4___ 169____Matthew Williamson
4 ___169____David Anthony
6___168____James Shaw
7___150____Bradley Lofthouse
8___147____Robert Minnitt
9___142____Zac Stealey

9___142____Peter Eccles

Culham Race Four Report

Formation ride for podium three

The brilliant sunshine, and clear blue skies over the Culham Moto Park in Oxfordshire, made way for the soft glow of early evening as race four of the 2009 Kawasaki Masters Championship got underway.

The start gate was soon straining under the combined power of over 30 Kawasaki KX250F machines. The gate dropped and the riders roared up Culham’s start hill, into turn one and round with no fallers.

As the ochre coloured mist of dust cleared, the familiar sight of Paul Smith leading the pack was followed by Gloucestershire rider Paul Neale, and an equally determined James Shaw.

Behind them, Bradley Lofthouse did not get the best of starts in eighth, but took advantage of a strong surge in lap two and moved up four places to forth, where he would finally finish the race.

Conditions took their toll however, with lap time averages increasing as the ruts robbed precious seconds. Holding station, Smith, Neale and Shaw rode in formation throughout the nine lap race always charging hard but never able to get the better of each other.

At race end it was indeed Smith who crossed the line first, from Neale and then Shaw to complete a fantastic weekend’s racing for the Kawasaki KX250F riders.

“It was harder to lap quick out there this time”, admitted Smith after the race. “I had a good time this weekend, I pushed hard and its great for me and the guys from Sandbach Scrap Metal and Disease clothing… let’s see what happens next!”

Second place Paul Neale was equally happy with his results and pleased to be able to analyse Smith’s riding technique first hand.

“I was behind Paul for a while just watching his lines and trying to match his times”, said an exhausted post race Neale. “I am better on hard packed tracks so my performance at Culham has been a real bonus”.

Third place James Shaw illustrated the highly competitive nature of the Championship when asked for his thoughts about a creditable third place. “OK, but not happy, I’ll only be happy when I win!”.

Culham Race Three Report

Rutted track challenges riders

Fittingly day two at the impressive Culham track dawned Sunny and bright and so it would remain all day.

The Summer like conditions encouraged a large crowd to attend the final day of the first AMCA British masters event of 2009, and to witness races three and four of the innovative Kawasaki Masters Championship.

With the track graded overnight, all riders in the Kawasaki one make series were familiar with its twists, turns and jumps and looked determined to improve on their day one standings.

As a full field left the gate and roared up the hill for turn one, expectations were high for all riders and their support teams. At the end of lap one Bradley Lofthouse – one of the weekends most improving riders – was in forth behind Paul Neale of Stonehouse, Daniel Parker and, heading the pack, that man again, Paul Smith.

A distant eighth on the first lap, James Shaw was on a mission and by lap five was circulating in fifth and then into second by lap eight – a position he retained until the end of the race.

Neale, was also determined to make progress on the second day of racing at Culham, and worked hard to stay on the tail of a dominant Smith who led from start to finish.

“That were harder that time”, said Smith afterwards. “I’d got some friendly banter from the guys overnight and thought I would make a real effort to win again today. The track was more rutted though and I certainly had a few moments out there”.

Culham Race Two Report

Smith double leaves pack chasing

Race two of the Kawasaki Masters Championship marked a back to back win for 32 year old Paul Smith riding the Sandbach Scrap Metal Kawasaki KX250F.

In a display that saw the Huddersfield rider, eat away at his times earlier in the day. Once again he was once again the only rider to post a lap in the 2min 8sec bracket at the immaculately prepared Culham Moto Park in Oxfordshire. In fact, his times round the sinuous hillside circuit were so quick he stood a very real chance of dipping into 2min 7sec territory as early as lap three of the race.

Running hard behind Smith, the chasing pack also improved their times in the second outing. Paul Neale arrived at the finish in comfortable second place ahead of James Shaw, who improved his points tally impressively over his first race finish lower down the pack.

“We are delighted to see such a strong field, and applaud Paul’s dominance of the first day of racing in the Kawasaki Masters Championship”, commented Kawasaki Motors UK Branch Manager, Howard Dale. “Equally encouraging is the movement in the field between races with different riders achieving second and third places in each outing”.

Culham Race One Report

Exciting opening race of 2009 Kawasaki Masters Championship

The inaugural Kawasaki Masters race, held on Saturday 14 March, was won in convincing style by Sheffield rider, Paul Smith with David Anthony in second and Matthew Williamson on the final step of the podium.

The 32 year old rider, who is making a welcome return to competitive motocross, added a dash of style to proceedings to win by a convincing margin.

The only rider running in the sub 2min 9sec bracket during the race, Smith also had the honour of the fastest lap of the moto as well.

“The start was not one of my best”, admitted Smith who has not ridden competitively for some time. “I was three quarters of the way down the pack at turn one but, after that, things just started to click”.

A winning margin at race end of some 20 seconds showed that the bike, team and rider package has certainly clicked.

“A big shout to my main sponsor Alistair at Sandbach Scrap Metal and to Disease clothing who also organise my mechanic”, said a grateful Smith. “To have them onboard this year for the first time, and to reward them so early with a race win, is the perfect start”.

For the Championship organisers, the AMCA, Ken Winstanley echoed Smith’s enthusiasm.

“A one make race like this in British motocross is rare, if not unique. We are delighted that the first race was such a success, and that the crowd here appreciated the close action of a full field of Kawasaki KX250F machines racing handlebar to handlebar.”

KX250F overview – lime green success in the white heat of competition

It hasn’t taken the KX250F long to become one of the main weapons of choice for discerning riders in the hotly contested MX2 class.

Having made what many consider the definitive two-stroke quarter litre MX machine, Kawasaki had a tough act to follow with their first 250cc thumper – and the KX250F has not disappointed.

The white heat of competition has quickly moulded and refined the KX250F, and the 2009 incarnation is reckoned to be the best yet.

Testers at MotoX magazine commented that the KX250F has been “…up there with the best in the power stakes repeatedly in recent years...”, and “with a totally revised frame and chassis, not to mention another slight improvement in engine performance, the ’09 KX250F has become the all round package to beat in the 250F class”.

So what of that package?

Well a new cylinder head has revised intake ports and stronger titanium valves deliver improved performance at all revs. In fact during the head casting process, the cores of the intake ports are actually given a special coating to make them smoother giving increased efficiency across the entire rev range.

Less mechanical loss from the transmission has been achieved by a reduction in oil capacity. Meanwhile the relocated scavenge oil screen is now accessed without splitting the crankcases which was a fair criticism of the original machine.

Moto magazine were also bowled over by the KX250F with Dave Willet commenting that it is, “…a weapon… it has so much power for a 250F and turns like a dream, with a few selective changes I feel you could have a bike that’s competitive in the Maxxis British Championship” – praise indeed.

With separate ignition maps to aid quick starting and then to reduce engine braking when a gear is engaged, the ’09 KX250F is certainly trick kit. Revised ignition timing also improves the feeling at low revs, while a lost spark control system gives better rev limiter performance too.

In fact Moto magazine went so far as to describe the KX250F’s overrun as “shrieking”, as well as saying the Kawasaki has “…been the best 250 for years, and for this year it’s improved significantly...it’s still the No1 for the rev happy race head”.

During the season we’ll come back to the awesome 250F and look exactly what makes that jewel-like engine tick…and conduct a comprehensive chassis overview. For now, rest assured that the bikes being used in the 2009 Kawasaki Masters Championship really do represent the best of the best.