Beech’s hopes go up in smoke

Ashley Beech was forced to retire after four laps at Snetterton.

MOTORCYCLE RACING: 

ASHLEY Beech was hoping for a change of fortune in round three of the National Superstock 1000cc Championship at Snetterton — but his race lasted only four laps.

The Moorside racer pulled up when smoke billowed from his machine.

After a huge crash at Brands Hatch in April and a loss of power at Oulton Park, this was the last thing Beech needed.

The Championship was resuming from a five-week break, during which time many of the riders competed at the Isle of Man TT and North-West 200 road races.

The respite allowed Beech’s JD Racing team to attend a test day at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, where the technicians identified a faulty throttle part. The component was replaced and power increased. Unfortunately final adjustments upset the suspension and he qualified only 25th on the grid.

Despite losing positions on the first lap, he had made up the lost ground when disaster struck on lap four. He saw smoke pouring from the side of the fairing and pulled on to the grass to retire.

Team technicians found that only a bolt had worked loose and oil had leaked out across the foot pegs and rear wheel. Had Beech continued he would almost certainly have crashed.

The next round is at Knockhill in Scotland on June 29.