K&N-Sponsored GR Motosport Team WD-40/STAUFF Connect Academy Develops Champion Riders

14 sept 2017

Mason Law leading the pack in a British Superstock 1000 class race

Mason Law (#20) is a rising talent in the competitive and important Superstock 1000 class

In 1995, an injury forced British racing champion Brent Gladwin to shift his focus from competitive racing to race team ownership. Since Gladwin became the Co-Founder and Managing Director of GR Motosport, the race team has amassed 12 British racing titles and a European championship.

The goal of the K&N-sponsored race team has always been to “promote young riders through to title glory.” That mission has been realized in spades. Recently, K&N had a chat with Gladwin about the current state of GR Motosport.

A Directional Shift

Winning is the ultimate goal in racing. Winning in the most visible and desirable classes has to be a major focus of modern team ownership. After all, race teams are funded by companies that want to boost sales based on success on the racetrack. With that in mind, Gladwin made some directional shifts for the current race season.

Liam Delves racing in the Motostar/Moto3 class

Liam Delves is a raw talent in the Motostar/Moto3 class

“We have made a few changes for 2017 in riders and categories we race in,” said Gladwin. “As reigning British Supersport champions, we decided not to defend that title and plan for the future in developing the Superstock 1000 team. It's something (in which) we have a strong history in winning national and international championships. With the demise of the 600s, the Superstock 1000 class has become the ‘Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday’ category for the motorcycle and motorcycle accessory manufacturers.”

In addition to the Superstock 1000 class, GR Motosport also competes in British Superbike and the Motostar/Moto3 racing classes. Here is an inside look at how the season is unfolding in all of the GR Motosport classes.

Superstock 1000

Tommy Bridewell and Brent Gladwin with the WD-40 Superbike

Tommy Bridewell (left) was welcomed to the GR Motosport Team by Brent Gladwin (right)

“(This class) is now the most important category for all the manufacturers to showcase, as it is a direct reflection on achieving sales on results,” emphasized Gladwin. “Again, we went against the flow moving established 600cc race and championship winner Mason Law up to the 1000, with a plan to develop for a championship attack in 2018.”

Law has proven to be up to the challenge of the new classification. His steep success curve has pleased Gladwin and has drawn the attention of the European racing community.

“Shocking the establishment, Mason won his 3rd race at Oulton,” said Gladwin. “(He) has gone on to take 3 more podiums and lap records, so things are really looking good for the future here.”

Law currently sits in the 5th spot overall in the Superstock 1000 class.

Superbike

While Superstock has emerged as the most corporately significant class for marketing, the Superbike class has always held a special cachet in racing. Superbike in Britain, as is the case in America, attracts some of the sport’s biggest stars. Both bike and rider selections were major considerations for GR Motosport going into the season.

Treacherous track conditions cost Tommy Bridewell a podium in Silverstone

“We built new bikes using the awesome limited edition 2017 Kawasaki ZX10RR,” Gladwin said. “The class this year was always going to be hard fought with so many ex-British and world champions in the class. We chose Tommy Bridewell because of his history of consistent results.”

Early in the season, Bridewell did prove to be consistent. However, Gladwin was looking for more finishes near the front of the pack.

“While Tommy has, until this last weekend, scored points for the team in every race, he has not finished regularly where the team considered possible - top-ten,” Gladwin said. “At Cadwell, he turned this around showing our true potential battling for 4th and taking two great top-tens. He repeated this at Silverstone although succumbing to the hideous weather crashing out of a certain podium.”

Motostar/Moto3

The Motostar/Moto3 series is low on engine displacement but high on racing entertainment. This year’s hopes for GR Motosport are placed on the shoulders of 16-year-old Liam Delves, a talented but inexperienced racer.

The KA-1016 air filter for the Kawasaki ZX10R

GR Motosport trusts K&N filters like the KA-1016 for the Kawasaki ZX10R

“The development of a new machine and young rider was always going to be very tough, but it is something we are really enjoying with each little success,” said Gladwin. “The bike is really getting there, and (it is) probably actually held back a little by the young rider’s inexperience, but both will reap rewards in the future.”

Sponsorship

“As you can see from our partners list, we love to be associated with companies who are market leaders in their field,” said Gladwin. “We know that K&N is the best in their field, giving us the best filter protection and performance in both air and oil flow. K&N also sits well alongside WD-40 who has long been a market leader.”

K&N is proud to be a part of a progressive and visionary race team like GR Motosport. If you ride the latest version of the Kawasaki ZX10R like the GR Motosport Superbike Team, K&N’s KA-1016 is the air filter for you.

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