AFB Racing

We have been involved with short circuit road racing for some years now and in that time prepared Harley's, Triumph's, Yamaha and top fuel Harley drag racers.

I first got involved with motor sport during the early 90's as team mechanic for the Redkir Redskins competing in Harley-Davidson's 883 Sportster championship. The team took runner up spot in 92 and won the championship in 93. We also had the opportunity to race at Daytona and finished a respectable 6th out of 80!

More recently I was approached by local rider and very good friend, Chris Pope, to offer sponsorship with his Yamaha R1, he was then competing in the New Era Pro Bike championship. After several near death experiences on the road it seemed like a good idea!.

 

 After a major in race engine failure we stepped up the support by way of a new bike, Chris has gone on to develop the bike into quite a formidable package.

Chris during our 2006 campaign managed 2nd spot overall losing out by just 12 points on the championship.

2007 was a year we would rather forget, hampered with technical issues and bad luck the whole year was a bit of a wash out. That's racing!

2008 This year we were having a crack at North Gloucester Road Racing. After a turbulent start to the season blowing 2 motors we settled in to finish overall 5th.

2009 We raced again with NG and bagged a pair of 4th spots in both their Power bike and open championships.

New for 2010 we have Yamahas much acclaimed R1 with cross plane crank. seeing them win just about every major event in 2009 we thought we must have some of that action!

2011 We will once again be competing in NG's Power Bike & Open Championship and will be keeping you up with the action as it unfolds.

We are always glad to receive visitors at race meeting so come and find us and enjoy our hospitality.

We'd like to take opportunity to thank Mike Pearce & Sons for their continued support with supplying Morris oils and Lucas disc pads for the team.

Why not support the team and purchase a AFB Racing T-Shirt, all the proceeds go back into the team to help keep us on track and out there, just click on the shirt

 

2011 Season, Once again we are competing in NG's Power Bike and Open Championship after finishing both in 4th position for the 2010 season we felt it needed another attack at it. Over the years we seem to have picked up a number of hangers on! Seduced by the size of our paddock set up, comfortable sleeping arrangements and fine cuisine the team appears to have grown, we now frequently have a 5 man line up and most of the principle manufacturers represented, we have Chris Pope-Yamaha R1, Mick Blank-ZX10R, Greg & Duncan Gibbson-Ducati 1098, Hiliary Phillips-Suzuki GSXR.

Saturday 19th Sunday 20 Mar Brands Hatch Indy Round 1& 2

The weekend started on the Friday practise very wet & very cold, not quite what we wanted, the bike had undergone a major overhaul over winter and we wanted to stretch its legs. The first meeting of the year saw the usual array of national stars set to dilute our points table. Saturday saw us qualify 22nd in the Phoenix open and 8th in the STP Powerbike finishing 15th & 7th respectively, must try harder! Sunday Q19th & 8th and finished 14th & 10th, not our finest hour and a best time of 49.95

Saturday 16th Apr Cadwell Park Round 3
Sunday 17th Apr Cadwell Park Round 4

You can't beat the leafy Lincolshire circuit on a sunny spring weekend, Friday was spent re-acquainting ourselves with the circuit without issue and sadly lacking a little pace. Saturday we qualified 11th in the open and 6th in the STP powerbike and raced to a 9th & 7th we still were looking for more speed, come Sunday we qualified 9th & 6th and raced to 8th and 5th spot posting a best time of 1.35.5 Chris enjoyed the racing but we still have work to do!

Saturday 14th May Pembrey Round 5
Sunday 15th May Pembrey Round 6

South Wales was threatening rain but we managed an entire weekend with dry racing, Saturday had us qualifying in the Open in 5th and the Power Bikes in 3rd, Chris raced to a 5th and a respectable 2nd. Sundays efforts in qualifying placed us on the grid in 6th spot for the Open and 4th for the Power Bike, Racing saw no advantage gained or lost with a 6th and we scored a 3rd in the P-B. all in all a productive weekend with some exciting racing, Championship standings. Open 8th, Power Bike 3rd.

Sunday 5th Jun Mallory Park Round 7

Mallory, Qualified Open 13th. Power Bike 9th.    Race Open 11th. Power Bike 8th

Saturday 9th July Oulton Park Round 8

Oulton, Qualified Open 23. Power Bike DNF.    Race Open 10th. Power Bike 8th

Saturday 13th Aug Anglesey Round 9
Sunday 14th Aug Anglesey Round 10

Anglesey, the north welsh circuit is a real twisty stop start sort of place, we have struggled to get this R1 to turn in since getting it and with no previous data from the track having suffered an engine failure here last year we knew it would prove testing, after taking some "Advice" for set up our Saturday was a trial to say the least, Chris seemed unable to get any grip and after what appeared a promising qualifing of 4th & 5th was only able to produce a 6th & 7th racing. It was decided that we should abandon the "Help" that we had and find our own path, major suspension and geometry changes found us in a position to bag a couple of 3rd's on the Sunday. Championship standings. Open 4th Powerbike 3rd.

Saturday 3rd Sept Castle Coombe (Non Championship Round) I have been finding it hard to keep up to date with these reports so my dear friend Dee has offered to step up as my official press officer and will be handling the editorial from now. Over to you Dee.  

 

Saturday 3rd September Castle Combe 

Pro-Bike National

Stone the crows!!!

What drama for Team AFB at this 60th Anniversary of Castle Combe race curcuit!!

Two parts of the team were racing....Pope'y (Chris) and Blanky (Mick), in two races.

Blanky is not keen on the 1.85 mile track, whereas it is one of Pope'y’s favourites!

Results....No ...Castle Combe was not about results!

It was about Team AFB pulling together against the odds and against time. It was not about what you know, but who you know (that has a workshop close by)!

 

Blanky decided the track was not the one to be cutting his teeth on, riding the new zx10, so after Race One, he headed for home.

Pope'y who was riding well in the first few laps of Race One had to retire due to a small technical hitch....the sub-frame broke!

 

Back at base camp which was cited on paddock position 46 – the damage was scrutinised. The R1 could be repaired but welding equipment was required.

A reconnaissance mission of the usual friendly NGR faces was undertaken by Chris on his pushbike – but to no avail.

However, all was not lost! Shamus of www.afbdragracing.co.uk has a workshop within
‘very fast’ driving distance.
 

Broken sub frame at the ready, the intrepid duo, aka the Tech and the Rider, okay ...Andy and Chris, set off in the Subaru, a borrowed SatNav on hand, to Yate...and Shamus’ workshop!

Several welds later....The frame restored to an integrity sufficient for Chris’ frame, was embedded back into the ‘rhubarb and custard’ bike with help from Team AFB member-Duncan.

Fortunately due to the 60th Anniversary celebrations, there were several parades of vintage motorcycles, which worked in the Team’s favour, in rebuild time.

And so to Race Two..... Chris rode like a demon, duelling with Ducati rider Lee Reveley and got a 4th position!!! you can check out the action on the link, your on board with Lee Reveley    YOU TUBE

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to everyone for the help!

Thanks to Gordy & Dee for pics!
 

 

Saturday 17th Sept Pembrey Round 11

Well as is often the case at Pembrey, the weather played a large part in the weekends racing. Raining stair rods one minute and sunshine and rainbows the next, put tyre choice of slicks or wets into a constant state of flux!

Pope’y and Blanky were the two AFB racing representatives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Saturday in both the Phoenix Open and the Powerbikes Blanky suffered two DNF's. He had some significant familiarity issues with the ZX10, as well as the usual tyre problems.

Despite the wet/dry tyre dilemma, Pope’y managed a 3rd in both Phoenix Open and Powerbikes!    

 

 

 

 

Sunday 18th Sept Pembrey Round 12

Sunday in the Phoenix Open Blanky finished 3rd with Pope’y 4th. The Powerbikes was a reversal of fortune with Pope’y taking 3rd and Blanky 4th.

     

Oh and some fun was had also!!                                    

 

Saturday 15th Oct Thruxton Round 13

 A one dayer with considerable Team AFB support and the last race of the NGR season!
Team consisted of Pope’y, Blanky, Greg and Duncan Gibson.

                    

 In the Phoenix Open Pope’y took 5th , Blanky 11th.

The Powerbikes was red flagged after 4 laps so Pope’y had a 6th and Blanky 7th, Duncan DNF’d.
In the Sound of Thunder Duncan was placed 4th and Greg 16th.

Ah...but what of the drama, the incidents that pursues Team AFB, like night follows day!

During qualifying practice, the R1 suffered clutch problems with the friction plates braking!! So lunchtime Andy spent replacing said plates, and the R1 rose like a phoenix to race in both the Open and Powerbikes without further calamity!
 

 

As always the bikes command the utmost respect due to their versatility, the ZX10 can be seen here as a tray and chip stand!
 

 

 And so endeth the 2011 season.

 

 

 

Championship standings after 13 rounds

Rider	Open	Powerbike	Sound of Thunder
Chris	3rd	3rd	Not Entered
Mick	5th	6th	Not Entered
Dunk	10th	Not Entered	6th
Greg	Not Entered	Not Entered	12th
Hilz		20th	Not Entered

 

 

Team AFB NGR Championship 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provisional race dates for AFB Racing 2012

Date	Track	Event
Sat 3rd Mar	Pembrey	ACU Test
Sun 4th Mar	Pembrey	ACU Test
Sat 17th Mar	Brands Indy	NG Round 1
Sun 18th Mar	Brands Indy	NG Round 2
Sun 29th Apr	Mallory	NG Round 3
Sat 19th May	Pembrey	NG Round 4
Sun 20th May	Pembrey	NG Round 5
Thurs 31st May	Donnington	NG Test
Sat 2nd Jun	Donnington	NG Round 6
Sun 3rd Jun	Donnington	NG Round 7
Sat 30th Jun	Oulton	NG Round 8
Sat 28th Jul	Cadwell	NG Round 9
Sun 29th Jul	Cadwell	NG Round 10
Fri 17th Aug	Anglesey	NG Test
Sat 18th Aug	Anglesey	NG Round 11
Sun 19th Aug	Anglesey	NG Round 12
Sat 1st Sep	Castle Combe	NG Round 13
Sat 6th Oct	Thruxton	NG Round 14