YOUNG BRITS READY FOR HOME BOXERCUP CHALLENGE
23 July 2004 - BMW Motorrad GB

Britain’s young BoxerCup riders are fired-up to fight on their own tarmac in the sixth round of the international BMW Motorrad BoxerCup series, which will be held alongside the MotoGP event at Donington Park this weekend.

Championship contenders, Richard Cooper (21), Barry Burrell (17) and Calvin Hogan (18) are in hot pursuit of the new
YoungStar championship (for the best rider under the age of 21). Niall Mackenzie, Gus Scott and Derek Shields will add to the UK contingent at this weekend’s event, riding VIP BMW R1100 S machines.

“I’m looking forward to this weekend because we [the British riders] will have had more experience on this circuit than the rest of the BoxerCup field,” said Nottingham-based Cooper. “It’s the first chance that we should have an real competitive edge.

“I’d like to come away from this weekend and lead the
YoungStar series,” continued Cooper. “At the moment I’m in second position [six points behind Guillaume Dietrich] and I think this weekend is my chance to get ahead. Ideally, I’d like a repeat performance of my result at Oulton Park last year [where he won the race]. ”

The youngest member of the BMW Motorrad Great Britain team Barry Burrell from County Durham is eager to get on track at Donington, but confesses that he hasn’t had much experience at the circuit: “I have done a couple of track days at Donington Park, but I have never raced there. I’m in the running to win the YoungStar championship [currently third, with three rounds to go] so hopefully I can improved my position this weekend.”

Eighteen-year-old Hogan is the newest member of the UK BoxerCup team and is keen to impress at his home round: “I’m really looking forward to this weekend. It’s a track I actually know, so I’ll be able to enjoy the race. I have raced at Donington before [not on a BMW] and done a couple of track days. When I tested the BoxerCup bike there I was achieving consistently quick lap times, so ideally I’d like secure a top ten finish this weekend.”

Ex-500cc GP ace and British Superbike Champion, Mackenzie will be racing a R1100 S in BMW motorsport livery at Donington Park. The flying Scotsman has never raced a BMW motorcycle before and had his first chance of testing the BoxerCup bike at Donington Park recently: “I loved riding the BMW. It was difficult to know how fast it would go and I was pleasantly surprised.

“I’m looking forward to see what I am up against this weekend. I have heard that some of the guys racing in the BoxerCup series are tough riders, so I’ll be looking at the opposition carefully during qualifying on Saturday.

“At the moment I’m totally relaxed about the race, if I was racing a Superbike I would know what to expect and I guess that’s why so I’m relaxed right now. I’m determined to enjoy my Donington Park experience. It’s really good to be back and be apart of the MotoGP scene and it would be a dream come true if I finish on the podium, but realistically I am aiming for a top ten finish.”

Cooper is placed 7th in the BoxerCup championship, Burrell is 12th and Hogan is 17th. The UK team is the youngest team contesting the 2004 BoxerCup series and all are eligible for the new
YoungStar championship, which will see one lucky youngster (under the age of 21) take home a brand new Mini Cooper at the end of the year. Cooper is second in the series, Burrell is third and Hogan is fourth.

Fans of the BoxerCup series will have the opportunity of meeting Britain’s young hopefuls along with other BoxerCup riders at Roy Pidcock Motorcycles in Nottingham for a social BBQ on Friday 23 July at 7pm. Roy Pidcock Motorcycles are located at Fields Farm Road, Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire, NG10 3FZ, or call 0115 946 2233.

Official
scheduled times for Donington Park round

Friday 23 July

18:10-18:40 – free practice

Saturday 24 July

17:15 – 17:45 – first qualifying session

19:00-19:30 - second qualifying session

Sunday 25 July

11:30 – International BoxerCup race (18 laps)

Footnote
The 2004 BoxerCup is Richard Cooper’s third year in a series that is staged alongside the elite MotoGP championship (excluding the opening round at the Daytona 200). Richard’s impressive riding ability, while still a teenager, helped him secure a race win in his debut year at Spa. He then repeated the feat at the UK round of the 2003 series at Oulton Park. Last year Richard finished sixth overall – ahead of many world-class riders.

Barry Burrell had his first taste of international racing when he joined the BoxerCup series last year and showed his youthful ability by taking the race lead at the Oulton Park and Assen rounds. Impressively, he also set the lap record at Assen. With 14 championship points, Barry is now third in the BMW YoungStar championship for the “best rider in the series under the age of 21”. The winner will be presented with a Mini Cooper at the end of the series.

ACU Academy graduate, Calvin Hogan is the GB team’s new recruit and is excited about testing his precocious racing talent on the international stage.

www.worldofbmw.com

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