Held Racer Report: Leon Jeacock, Geo Davies & Smirk racing, Snetterton BSB

The Snetterton300 track was the next port of call for Leon and the Geo E Davies with Smirk Racing Team in the Pirelli National SuperStock1000 Championship. Having tested there earlier, Leon was confident of a good qualifying and race result. He was hoping to continue with the excellent form over the past couple of rounds.

Leon Jeacock: Photo by Neil Pidduck

Free practice one was held in sunny conditions and Leon was in scintillating form as he posted a time to bag fifth fastest. He was more than pleased with that as a starting base and was looking to build on that in second free practice. The pace hotted up in free practice two although he quicker again he fell to eighth place.

The team and Leon were feeling confident for the sole qualifying session on Saturday. He was aiming for a top ten grid slot and he achieved this going quicker again with a time of 1 minute 50.890 seconds and this placed him tenth on the starting grid of Sundays race. Making a good start in the race Leon held his position in the first lap bumping and boring and then all the weekends good work came to an abrupt end. Making a move to take seventh position on lap two Leon had a high side and crashed out of the race ending his point scoring run in a heap.

Speaking after the race Leon said “Snetterton has been another major step forward for us as a team, we haven’t been out of the top ten throughout free practice and qualifying and I felt strong on the Suzuki which led to my downfall in the race as I probably pushed to hard in the race causing the high side” “We go to Knockhill full of confidence and we are looking to getting back in the points again” he added that he wanted to thank all his sponsors for their continued support.

Held UK are pleased to support Leon Jeacock of 

Geo E Davies and Smirk racing! 

Held Racer Report: Sean Neary, Zoek Racing, Snetterton

ZOEK RACING SNETTERTON

Snetterton played host to round four of the Ducati TriOptions Cup this week with Sean Neary finishing his first race in fourth place but retiring from race two with a technical issue.

His Zoek Racing team mate Craig Currie was 14th in race one and 13th in the second race.

After qualifying on pole position for the first race, Lymm rider Sean Neary didn’t get the best of starts and completed the first of two laps in race one on Saturday in third place. Phil Atkinson demoted him to fourth on lap three but Neary powered back past to reclaim third one lap later. But his progress was short lived as on lap six Atkinson went past again and although there was less than half a second separating the two riders the red flag brought the race to a halt on lap eight and a result declared on positions on lap seven.

Neary commented: “The race didn’t go our way today as it was cut short which didn’t do us any favours for a podium however we didn’t have the pace to win.”

Neary lined up on the front row for race two on Sunday morning but things didn’t quite go to plan as, although he was running in fourth place for the first few laps he was forced to retire at half race distance with a technical issue. He said: “As race weekends go it was pretty poor!!  A technical issue with the bike meant we didn’t finish race two. Not ideal but on the positive side it can always be worse! We will work hard and come back strong for Brands Hatch. Thanks to the team for all their hard work.”

With a non finish to his second race Neary has lost his series lead but is holding a strong second place on 108 points.

Meanwhile Newark rider Craig Currie went well during qualifying to start the first race from the middle of the second row. He held eighth place on lap one but began to drop back and completed the 10 lap affair in 14th place to pick up two championship points.

Starting race two on Sunday from the fifth row it was always going to be a challenge to get up into the top 10 but Currie made headway and completed the race in 13th place to secure another three championship points.

Snetterton was a positive weekend for the Nottinghamshire rider as he got his first points of the new season on board and has made good progress with the Ducati.

The next round is at Brands Hatch over the weekend of July 20-22 when both Zoek riders will be seeking strong results to boost their points tally with Neary looking to regain his series lead and Currie to move further up the standings.

Held UK are proud to supply Sean Neary with leathers and gloves!

Racer and Held wearer Tom Weeden's TT report

So in hindsight TT 2018 wasn't all so bad..

I finished all 5 races, we overcame a multitude of problems in both practice and in the races themselves, I went faster than I've ever been before and I'm still in one piece and fit to race another day.

As a racer I'm never happy with my results.. they can always be better and that's what drives me to return each year and better my own achievements. I don't want to be out there just to make up the numbers and stack up finishers medals and bronze replicas. I need that silver replica on my mantelpiece..

However, on the bikes and budget that I'm running on in comparison to the teams I'm racing against I don't think I did myself an injustice.

The last 6 lap Superbike race was a real struggle. I caught a bug of some kind that's left me with no energy. I was in bits after lap 1 and was making mistakes all over the place struggling to concentrate. My body was aching all over and just to finish was a triumph in itself. The TT is a real test of body and machinery and we came out on top in that one. Probably the hardest race of my life just to get a finish.

I'll come back next year hopefully on new machinery and we'll build on what I've learnt this year in which is effectively my first full TT.

This time last year I was in a neck brace with an unstable fracture of the C6 vertebrae, an unstable fracture in my T5 and two other fractures in my T6 and 7 after crashing in the first Supersport race. So I can't grumble with what I've achieved this year really 🤷🏻‍♂️

Thoughts remain with Dan Kneen and Adam Lyon and their family and friends. Also with all other riders injured in crashes at this years TT, particularly fellow Maidstone man, Steve Mercer. Keep fighting mate.

Massive thank you to Steve Weeden, Andy, Heidi Cockerton, Steve Ryder-Clague, James Cherry, Ian West and Mick Feekings who all played a part in the team and worked tirelessly to allow me to live the dream. Thank you so much.

Shout out to my boy Brad Ray also for flying over to help out 🙌🏼

Also a huge thank you to my sponsors and all my Club 77 members for riding on board with me this season! This wouldn't be possible without you and I can't give my appreciation enough.

Thanks also to everyone who supported me on here and in person at the TT 🙌🏼

We're very proud of you at Held UK Tom! 

A true gent and a great racer!