Cape Town : Day 1

The Bikefin Honda Racing Team has arrived in a rainy Cape Town yesterday. Today the team will set up it's camp and prepare the bikes for the weekend. The weather forecast isn’t looking too good. But the team spirit is good and everyone is devoted to make it a success. The Killarney racetrack is a challenge in itself and it’s even a greater challenge when it’s wet! More to follow soon!

Ready to Roll!

The Anassis Racing team engineers have worked around the clock to finish the two new BikeFin Honda CBR600RR’s for this weekend’s race in Cape Town. The team hits the road tomorrow for the long trip to Killarney 1800 km’s. Talking to the team, everyone is exited to go racing again, after a break of almost four weeks. Sandro Carvalho is flying in directly from Luanda – Angola to Cape Town and is eager to put his gained experience of the bike into practice and is looking forward to learn another new track.  Lance Isaacs is happy that everyone is now on the same specification Honda CBR600RR and is very pleased with the team efforts to have them ready for his hometown race. Brent Harran, after his victorious regional race in Cape Town is amped up to repeat the same at the Wesbank Super Series. The team can’t wait for the gates to drop on Friday first practice, follow this space!

Pre Race Report : Cape Town

With only six days to go until the first practice session for the second round of the WSS SA Superbike series in Cape Town, the team principle of the BikeFin Honda Racing Team, Brad Anassis, calls it a very interesting development that has been going on. The sole focus of the team is now on racing the Honda CBR600RR in the Supersport class. Ever since the last race in Kyalami the team has been working hard understanding the chassis of the 600cc CBR and the setting up. Having all three riders, Clint, Lance and Brent on the same bike has delivered awesome data to compare. At his home track, Lance Isaacs should be strong as ever but he can’t rule out the highly competitiveness of both Brent and Clint. During last weekend’s test at the regional event in Cape Town, Clint was very fast and only being plagued by an electrical gremlin that kept him of the top step of the podium. In order to avoid any problems, the BikeFin Honda Racing Team with crew chief Alf Swanepoel has build two new bikes for Clint and Lance. Lance was still competing on an old 2010 bike till now. Brent Harran is looking very strong too and showed his potential during the regional races with an overall win. Brad Anassis predicts that all three BikeFin Honda’s are going to be in the top five and is silently hoping for a one-two-three but with the closeness and eagerness, it is hard to say in which order Lance, Clint and Brent will finish. You can only imagine what will happen at the Anassis Red Bull party after the chequered flag drops.

Race Report: Killarney 19/03/2011

The BikeFin Honda Racing team competed last weekend at Killarney (Cape Town) at the Regional Superbike event in preparation for the nationals next week. The team dazzled with impressive results during Saturday qualifying and races. Clint Seller, was the fastest in the 600 class on his BikeFin Honda CBR600RR and very interesting he was only 0,9 second slower than the 1000cc BMW of Gildenhuys,  Lance Isaacs claiming second position in the 600 Class. The races saw a surprise domination of Brent Harran on the BikeFin CBR600RR claiming a second place in the first race and a win in the second race. Brent then took the overall win of the day with Lance winning the WP club members and a fine finishing third in the overall standings. Clint Seller had a few electrical issues to contend with so instead he focussed on the bike set-up during the race day and in doing so brought home some very valuable and important bike data. With these results in the pocket, the BikeFin Honda Racing team is ready to take on the competition in 9 days time at Killarney during the Wesbank Super Series.

A view at Corporate Headquarters

While the team perpares for the next race in Cape Town at the Killarney Raceway, we wanted to give you a glimpse of our corporate head quarters. The Bikefin Honda Racing team is based at the Portable Shade factory in Pretoria – Gauteng. The team is very proud to have a full time staff working around the clock optimizing the bikes before the coming event in less than 10 days time. Optimally equiped with a Dyno, separate workshops for the bikes and metal preparations. In a highly secure environment, the highly skilled engineers try to find that little extra to make it a winning weekend. The headquarters houses a board room where most of the awards are on display.

(The pictures of our Headquarters.)

Honda SA : Press Release

Honda South Africa makes this press release following the findings of Motorsport South Africa (MSA) National Court of Appeal No. 150 handed down on 4 March 2011.

Allegations have been made that Honda South Africa has been found guilty of, inter alia, “Cheating” in the South African Superbike 2010 Championship.
Insofar as this may be the perception:

At no stage has Honda South Africa of the Bikefin Honda Racing Team been found guilty of “cheating” in the 2010 South African Superbike championship. To the contrary, MSA National Court of Appeal No. 150 found that there was no basis upon which MSA Court of Appeal No. 377 (the previous court of appeal seized with this matter) could have made any reliable findings or that there was any collusion between the any of the appellants.

MSA National Court of Appeal No. 150 found that the homologation process that had been followed by Honda South Africa to homologate the “Evo Honda” had been incorrectly interpreted and applied.

Honda South Africa and the Bikefin Honda Racing Team have, at all times, acted transparently with relevant officials of MSA in the process that was followed to homologate the “Evo Honda”.

At no stage did Honda South Africa and/or Bikefin Honda Team mislead any officials of MSA, competitors or members of the general public. The “Evo Honda” Was used in the latter part of last year with the approval and endorsement of MSA officials.

The fact that MSA National Court of Appeal No. 150 has found that the process followed by Honda South Africa to homologate the “Evo Honda) was incorrectly interpreted and applied, does not allow for any inference that Honda South Africa and/ or the Bikefin Honda Racing Team “cheated” in the South African Superbike 2010 Championship.

To the extent that any allegations are published that Honda South Africa and /or the Bikefin Honda Team “cheated” or mislead anybody in the 2010 South African Superbike Championship, Honda South Africa and/or Bikefin Honda Team will take such steps as are deemed necessary as a result of these completely untrue and unfounded allegations. (Click on image to enlarge)

Race 1: Post race report

Midrand – South Africa, Kyalami Grand Prix Race Track 5th March 2011.

Round 1 delivered an extremely satisfying weekend for the BikeFin Honda team, regardless of the withdrawal from the Superbike class due to the MSA ruling on the CBR1000RR. Team BikeFin Honda will be competing in the 2011 SA Super Sport 600 championship. The squad displayed their talent by qualifying first and second on the grid as well as showing the potential of the CBR600RR Honda. Clint Sellers, freshly back from the USA put his Honda CBR600RR on pole position with team mate Brent Harran in P2 making it a historical 600 qualifying for the BikeFin Honda team. For team rider Lance Isaacs, qualifying was a little more challenging as it was the first time he was able to mount his machine as he had not had a chance to ride the 600 in the Friday practice with all his focus still on the large one litre machine. However, talent shone through as he was short only point one of a second to make it onto the front row, his lap time saw him slot into the second row in P8. Sandro Carvalho, the team’s international rider from Angola was still learning the difficult Kyalami track in P17.
Race 1 saw the crowd on their feet for the duration as seven riders banged and bashed their way around the extremely fast Kyalami Grand Prix circuit. The lead changed several times during the ten lap race seeing Sellers in second place, less than a second off victory with Brent coming home in fifth.  Lance Isaacs was not able to complete the first lap as an odd mechanical failure on the gear linkage mechanism forced him to make an unplanned pit stop and in doing so missing the first two laps.
Race 2 - history was made when Brent Harran claimed his first ever pole position, leading the race from the start. This was the first time the team’s young gun has ever lead a SA championship race. Clint Sellers took the lead from Brent to fight for the win throughout the race, in the end coming home in third position, again less than a second between three riders across the line. Lance Isaacs, starting from 7th on the grid, worked his way up to finish in sixth with Brent in seventh.

In a turn of events the Kawasaki rider, David Mcfadden, who won the days races was caught cheating. MSA gave him a R3000 fine and a three race suspended sentence. Sandro Carvalho didn't finish the second race, however he showed his potential by putting down some solid laps times in race one. The BikeFin Honda team left the first round of the Wesbank Super series with a lot of confidence and is well geared up for the next round at Cape Town, the home ground of Lance Isaacs.(The pictures of the day)

Recap of Day 1:

Clint Sellar and Lance Isaacs were right on top of the table before the unfavourable ruling on the BikeFin Honda CBR1000RR. The 600's showed nothing less at the track yesterday, during the first practice day at Kyalami. Clint Sellar finished the day as second fastest after being quickest earlier in the day. Brent Harran completed the day in 5th and Sandro Carvalho showed great speed on his first time out at Kyalami.. (The pictures of the day)

Round 1 - Day 1 : Free Practice

The BikeFin Honda race team 2010 CBR1000RR homologation was over turned this morning following a ruling by MSA national court of appeal. The mornings ruling leaves us gob smacked and I attach below for your perusal the original homologation document given to us Motorsport South Africa allowing us to officially compete. BikeFin Honda racing team will address these issue early next week. Lance Isaacs, unable to race the CBR1000RR (Superbike) will therefore join the forces of Clint Sellar, Brent Harran and Sandro Carvalho in the Supersports qualification and races tomorrow.

Pre Race Weekend Quotes

Anticipation is the name of the game right now, according to team principle Brad Anassis, when asked for a  quote on the coming race weekend. With the 2010 championship still undecided, it's a matter of waiting until the pending legal issues on the CBR1000RR with MSA (Motorsport South Africa) come to a close. Brad adds that he's "more determined than ever to show what the BikeFin Honda Racing Team is made of."  When asked on the same note, Lance Isaacs continued: "I am starting with mixed feelings about the start of the season." Referring to the undecided crowning of the champion, but he continues "I am mentally and physically fit to race."
Clint Sellar, the new recruit of the team is "looking forward to racing at home again and have some fun on his new BikeFin Honda's." Brent Harran, the man of very few words, "is going to put his head down and going for a double win." As for the team photographer Eric Buijs, he's just keen to capture all the activities of the team and share as much as possible with the fans during the weekend.

Final Test Done!

Yesterday the BikeFin Honda Racing team completed the final test before the season opener this weekend at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. Lance Isaacs, Clint Sellar and Brent Harran all found a record lap setting pace in the two hour morning session. Sandro Cavalho had to miss the final practice due to other commitments. Team principle Brad Anassis and his team are confident to have A Rocking Start on Saturday. (The pictures of the test)