Gossip from the Cartagena pit lane

Joe Dickinson and Graeme Gowland were both at the Barry Symmons-run Cartagena Pro Test with their ex-Eugene Laverty Parkalgar Hondas that they’ll race in British Supersport this year.

16-year old Manxman Dave Pearce looked impressive on the Ian Lougher-run Black Horse Finance Kawasaki he’ll be racing in Junior Superstock this year.

Relentless by TAS Suzuki’s roads team Cameron Donald and Bruce Anstey were also testing at Cartagena. They didn’t arrive until Saturday though. Their bikes run kit ECUs and don’t have lap timers.

Splitlath Aprilia riders Chris and Joe Burns are running Maxton suspension equipment but are still waiting on new swing-arms on the BSB Evo bikes. They also need their upgraded electronics to unleash some horsepower from the RSV4.

Gary Johnson – racing in BSB Evo this year for AIM Suzuki as well as the major road races – crashed out of the test on Saturday and was taken to hospital for a check-over but escaped serious injury.

Steve Plater was testing the Honda he’ll race in National Superstock this year. It was his first time on Metzeler race tyres.

This was the tenth year of Barry Symmons’ Pro Test pre-season testing at Cartagena.

This year there were 82 riders including 6 Spaniards and one Italian.

Barry said he had to turn away 24 supersport/superstock riders but that no GP250 riders booked in.

Surprise of the Test
 
Apart from Dan Linfoot’s times, what about Alastair Seeley’s efforts on the Relentless by TAS Suzuki – having never seen the track before and only getting two full days of riding?