Author: Naomi Morgan
After an incredibly tough start to the year for not just MSS Performance but the entire nation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Essex based team have decided to concentrate on a return to British Superbike Championship racing in 2021.
Following an eight year hiatus, the team’s much anticipated reappearance in the Superstock class is now being postponed even further, a decision that has not been made lightly and is to the disappointment of both Kawasaki and Team Owner, Nick Morgan.
“We have had an extremely difficult eight weeks in business as soon as the announcement was made that race tracks will close due to Covid-19. MSS trade globally so the effect from the pandemic has hit us hard, but we have started to bounce back and we will be more than fired up for the 2021 BSB Superstock 1000 Championship”
The MSS Performance crew will still be ever present in the British Superbike paddock as the official Team Green Technical Partner. The involvement of MSS Performance will be integral to the success of many other Kawasaki teams in various classes throughout the series, as they provide their expertise both on and off the track.
Additionally the team are excited to still be involved at Junior Supersport level with Australian rider, Seth Crump who is the Son of former Speedway World Champion Jason Crump and will be campaigning the MSS Performance prepared Kawasaki Ninja 400.
Kawasaki Motors UK Senior Racing Coordinator, Ross Burridge said, “Our plans for 2020 across the British Superbike paddock have of course been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact it’s had on many businesses across the country, including race teams. We do however remain confident that we can continue to have an exciting and successful season in 2020, albeit a shortened one and we can’t wait to see MSS Performance back on the grid at round one in 2021.”
Well that’s us back from our first round of 2020 at Brands Hatch with BMCRC in the Reactive Parts MRO Powerbikes, and to be honest we didn’t know what to expect from the weekends racing. Obviously like all racers and Teams you go to win, and after Max’s last showing at Brands Hatch Indy we felt we were in a pretty strong position even though he has moved up from Clubman to MRO Powerbikes. So we rocked up Thursday afternoon to get set up in the lower paddock, as always at the first round the weather was torrential and blowing a gail so after getting piss wet thru and freezing cold we eventually finished and headed up the road to the local Chinese for a feed.
No massive rush to get out for Friday testing as the circuit was wet and cold, so we sat out the first few sessions and headed out for some installation laps just before lunch. A couple more sessions in the afternoon and Max appeared to be going okay so we finished up smiling and relaxed, and getting prepped for Qualifying in the morning. After signing on and getting our programmes it was nice to see in black and white Danny Buchan as the current MRO lap record holder, and Max as well holding the Clubman lap record from the last round of 2019 both on MSS Performance ZX-10R’s.
Qualifying …reality check, Max is in a dismal 15th a fair chunk of pole and 5th row. To be fair he had issues with the bike running wide out of Clearways and a poor feeling from the front. So we made a few tweaks for the first and only race on Saturday and Max trundled out to the grid for 14 laps of adrenaline fuelled indulgence. So the chequered flag comes and goes, and he managed to clamber up to 11th but with a lap time that puts him 16th on the grid for the first race on Sunday. Once again you could see that he wasn’t comfortable on the bike, and that he was still struggling with confidence as the bike isn’t behaving like we need it to. It’s tweaking time …again !!
After a further debrief and a some more adjustments Max headed out to take his 16th place on the grid and a row 6 start on his Metzeler shod ZX-10RR , with changeable conditions the race is on. It was mint to see him battling and getting stuck in, plus having the confidence to run across the damp stuff and make time and places. Fast forward to another chequered flag and he comes in 6th overall and 5th in class just behind Ryan Warrington who was absolutely flying on his ZX-10R.
Our 2nd and last race Sunday you could feel Max was bang up for this one, track conditions were bloody awful so we took a punt on full wets as the race had been reduced to 12 laps. 2nd row start saw him get boxed in at turn 1 and 2 , but he worked hard and pushed through the field eventually getting into 2nd place and getting the second fastest lap of the race…this is what we came for, bike working well and rider performing well happy bloody days.
Huge shout out to following for making this happen Colchester Kawasaki, Metzeler Tyres, Finance Supermarket, Spark.IT GB Racing, Race Bolt, MK 75, Tru Tension, Pro Flooring, 6D Helmets, Clarke Welding Services thank you !
Seth Crump joins us @MSS Performance for the 2020 Hel Performance British Junior Supersport Championship
Young Australian race star Seth Crump is moving to the UK to race for MSS Performance onboard a Kawasaki Ninja 400 in the Pirelli Junior Supersport Championship.
Seth, the son of three-time Speedway World Champion Jason Crump, who is coming out of retirement this year to race for the Ipswich Witches, will race his first full season on the British scene when the season gets underway at Silverstone over the Easter weekend in April.
The sixteen-year-old from the Gold Coast, Australia, came to international attention when he won the Philip Island MotoGP support class race. Seth has also already won a round of the Australian SBK series in his class and has also ridden a wild card event in BSB at Donington Park.
Renowned Kawasaki tuning house MSS Performance has had success in every class of racing with green machines over a number of years from club racing to British Superbike. In 2020 they will be aiming to collect two titles to add to their ever-growing trophy cabinet, with Tom Ward and Chrissy Rouse eyeing the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship alongside Crump in the Pirelli Junior Supersport Championship.
Seth will be living in Colby on the Isle Of Man and when he’s not racing he enjoys rugby and cycling.
Seth will kick off the series at the opening Bennetts British Superbike round at Silverstone, after a day’s testing on April 1 at the home of the Formula One Grand Prix.
Speaking on his move Seth Crump said: “The best racing is in Europe and racing in England is an important step closer to that. All the classes in BSB are mega competitive and I’m looking forward to learning and working with MSS Performance to push on to the next level.”
MSS Performance owner Nick Morgan explained, “Seth obviously comes from good racing ‘stock’ but more than that he has a great attitude to the job in hand, rare in a rider so young. The Kawasaki Ninja 400 is a cracking little race bike and we’ve had some good results with them, so we’re looking forward to getting Seth dialled in for a year on the BSB tour!”
ROUND 1
SILVERSTONE NATIONAL – 10 – 12 APRIL
After supporting Kawasaki Motors UK as Team Green Technical Partner for the previous three seasons, MSS Performance will make an eagerly anticipated return to the paddock in a racing capacity next year.
Owner of MSS Performance, Nick Morgan is gearing up to run the official Superstock 1000 entry for Kawasaki Motors UK and Team Green consisting of a two rider outfit that will be challenging for race wins at every opportunity.
Experienced Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR rider and previous race winner, Chrissy Rouse will look to go one step further and aim for Championship success under the banner of the highly regarded Colchester based operation.
“I’m extremely happy to be staying on the Kawasaki after really getting to grips with the Ninja ZX-10RR and having a strong finish to the season this year. I’m very excited to get 2020 underway, I believe we have all the ingredients to have a successful campaign & I’m really grateful for the support of Kawasaki, MSS & all the sponsors who are making it happen,” Rouse commented.
Joining Rouse will be 2019 Superstock 1000 podium finisher, Tom Ward. Relishing the chance for a maiden Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR ride, the upcoming season couldn’t arrive soon enough for Ward.
“I’m so excited to be joining MSS Performance and Team Green Kawasaki, it’s something I’ve always dreamed of being a part of! The team looks like great fun and it’s mega to have Chrissy as a team mate as we are good friends. We have all the tools to have a successful season, I have a good relationship with the guys from K-tech & I have run their products for the last 5 years so this will help me massively. I just want to say a massive thank you to Nick & Ross for giving me this amazing opportunity,” said Ward.
Stepping back into the limelight with a team of his own once again, Kawasaki stalwart, Nick Morgan cannot wait to get the wheels turning with an extensive testing programme planned prior to what is sure to be a competitive season of racing, saying, “After a 7 year absence from the BSB paddock we are extremely excited to be coming back in 2020 as the Official Kawasaki Motors UK Superstock 1000 entry. Having signed Chrissy and Tom, I believe we have every opportunity to fight for the Championship.”
Kawasaki Motors UK Senior Racing Coordinator, Ross Burridge can see the podium potential for the MSS Performance effort saying, “Having worked with Nick originally when he ran his team, and more recently as our official technical partner, I am so happy to see him come back with a bang for next season! The rider line up is very strong, and with Nick’s unending experience with the Ninja ZX-10RR, I’m sure they will be battling at the front of the field straight from the off.”
Tom Ward
Cooper continued his dominance in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 class, fending off a last lap challenge from Lee Jackson. It was Cooper who led the field into the opening corner and over the line for the first time, but Jackson had found a way through by the end of the second lap. Moving back into the lead on lap four, Cooper set about building a small gap over the pursuing pack but a string of fast laps from Jackson in the closing stages, Who made a move on the final lap before running off track, eventually securing second behind the Buildbase Suzuki rider. Taylor Mackenzie completed the podium in third, having also run off track mid race.
Another Strong weekend for the MSS Performance supported Team of FS-3 Racing on the Kawasaki ZX-10RR taking them to 3rd in the Championship standings
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R Plug & Play Dash Logger
The Aim MXK10 is the New Motorcycle Dash Logger designed for the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R (2016-2019 Models)
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For more information contact us on info@msserformance.com or 01206913216