David Kennington Racing

Welcome to DKracing, the home page for all the latest news and information about my motorcycle Racing career. On this webpage, you will be able to keep up to date with all of my racing action from the Isle of Man and the UK, from short circuit racing to real road racing. You can find out about my racing career, past to present; also more importantly, information about my team and sponsors, without which, a lot of my progression and success would not have been possible. I hope you enjoy the site and hope you return soon for all the latest news!

Latest News

25th October 2011: Sorry for the delay guys and girls!

It’s been a couple of weeks since the Endurance Race at Jurby. Debuting in the lightweight 400/650 class, I teamed up with 2011 400cc Champion and Forgotten Era Champion Rob Sells on his Yamaha FZR400RR (1989). With a wet practice we were steady away. As the Endurance start positions are taken from you race number, qualification times were not an issue and we were starting in a very healthy 10th place. We flipped a coin as to who would make the ‘Le Mans’ style start and Robs wrong choice on the coin toss meant he took the start.

Running across the track and mounting his bike, Rob got away well, although half way down the straight he was clipped by another rider causing him to miss a gear dropping us to 15th overall. Within 10 laps though, Rob was destroying the field and had us up to 5th place overall and 1st in class. We decided to pit every 40 minutes to refuel and swap rider. On my first stint, adapting to the 400 style, I held our position following closely behind the Martin Bullock mounted Callum Collister who was in 4th position overall. The session went well and I handed back over to Rob. He then did something very unexpected, he took 4th place overall overtaking Johnny Heginbotham (Callums team mate) into the pit straight turn and then proceeded to pull away! It was going well then all of a sudden Rob lost power, and position. He came pushing into the pits. On inspection, he had ran out of fuel! Martin and Chris then overfilled him as a safety precaution, bump started, and with me at the helm we were away again. The session went well and we had increased our lead to 5 laps. Once again Rob took over and increased this to a 7 lap lead in the Lightweight Class and 5th overall. Rob pitted and I mounted for the final stint. On my 3rd lap in, disaster struck! The bike locked up into turn one, I grabbed the clutch and she started running again, although it was obvious there was a huge lack of power. I pitted immediately. We were out of oil, we topped it up and rejoined the track for one final lap. Unfortunately, with 20 minutes of the 4 hr race left, the engine had gone. I pitted as I did not want to drop oil on track or cause danger to any other riders. We were so close. Fortunately, so close to the finish, I was allowed to push the bike across the line on the last lap to still finish the race, and due to our enormous lead we had built up, finish the lightweight class in 3rd position! A great achievement all things considered. The race was great fun and I have to thank Chris, Burnsy and Rob’s dad Dave for pit crewing for us, and of course Rob himself for asking me to ride with him, it was a great privilege and so close to a win!

Now the season is finished I have a few months to reflect on the rollercoaster that was 2011. A season that started with crashes, turned into near podiums, a win at the Southern 100, and podium at the Manx Grand Prix. I have to thank everyone for all their help. EAM Aviation, Definition Dance Company, Eamon McGee and all of Team Morning Motorsport to name a few. It’s been fantastic! As for 2012? A question mark it is. Without any sponsors and lack of funds, I am unable to make any comment as of yet. We will have to see how the winter progresses. Watch this space!

3rd October 2011: DK racing made a return to the short circuits on Saturday for the final round of the ARA Championships. With one set of 12 lap races each day on different circuits, it was a new format for everyone. In Saturdays meeting I was struggling on the brakes as I qualified on the 3rd row in the Center Championship race and the second row for the 600 race. Although the brakes are better on the Yamaha compared to the Honda I had raced all season, adjusting to the shorter braking distances was quite a challenge. After a reasonable start I held 8th position for the entire Center race, struggling with rear traction as the rear tyre chewed up. The 600 race was a similar affair, after a great battle on track with my old adversary Andy Fenton, I made a last lap pass up the inside of him at Snuffys corner to finish in 5th at the chequered flag. A great move at one of the fastest corners on the track.

With an overnight stay at Jurby, the team made a few adjustments to try to improve the set up and the rear tyre wear problems of Saturday. Unfortunately they didnt make much of a difference, coming home 8th again in the Center race. I made a brilliant start in the 600 race and was up to 3rd in front of Championship leader Mark Madsden-Mygdal but on the 3rd lap outbraked myself off the main straight running off the track and returning in 7th position to finish the race.

The results didn't reach my high expectations after returning to my TMM Yamaha but was still a great meeting. I finished 10th in the Isle of Man Center championship and 7th place in the 600 Championship. Down on last years results but I think shows what we put into the roads we lost on the track. Congratulations to Roger Maher for winning the Center title and Mark Madsden-Mygdal for winning the 600 Championship. I have to say a huge thanks to Laxey PLF, CBG Contractors, Peter Astell Burt and the Definition Dance Company for helping supply tyres and fuel. Without them we would not have made the start line due to financial difficulties after losing our title sponsor.

Finally, we are pleased to announce we will be riding our final race of the year, the ARA 4hr Endurance. I will be riding in the lightweight class, making my debut ride on a Yamaha FZR400RR. I'm really looking forward to riding a different machine and have to thank my team mate for the event Rob Sells for making it possible. Rob won this years 400cc Championship on the bike so we hope to be very competitive!

See you at the endurance on the 9th of October!

Photos courtesy of Martyn Wilson, Martyn's Foto's, & Christopher Smith.

6th September 2011: After all the preparation, and a cancelled first practice, the 2011 Manx Grand Prix got under way on the Monday evening of practice week under great conditions. Setting off in the second group of controlled riders with pre race favourite Wayne Hamilton, we followed the Marshal round at a steady pace. Although this felt slow in many places, through the likes of Kirk Michael I was surprised at how fast certain corners came up on me. After the controlled lap we where released from the holding area for our first timed practice laps. Steady away with a lot to learn I posted a first lap of 100.061 mph and a second of 103.111 mph to comfortably lead the newcomers leader board on the first night.

Due to an early crash on Tuesday evenings practice, the evening was disappointingly cancelled meaning we missed a second night of practice. On Wednesday, the weather was still good and the newcomers were finally allowed to share the track with the Junior and Senior classes. Riding with these more experienced competitors meant I was able to learn more about the Islands 37 ¾ mile circuit, taking my practice speed up to 107.710 mph putting me second fastest on the newcomer leader board behind experienced Irish road racer Hamilton. With the weather forecast bad for Thursdays practice, the team prepared the bike with a wet set up. True to form, the heavens opened and the rain came. With so much qualification time lost already, the clerk of the course decided to carry on and run the evenings practice. Steady away and building up slowly I managed to clock a wet speed of 98 mph to lead the newcomers session once again.

With one more practice session left before the first race, everyone was hoping for a dry session, the morning rain lifted to leave near perfect conditions for the final Friday evening practice. With help from local rider Johnny Heginbotham in the morning, I was confident of a good practice session to ready myself for the Saturday evenings race. I went out targeting the fast sections of the track like Ballagarey and Sulby. Clocking 164mph through Sulby speed trap and a final lap time of 111.254 mph we were ready to race, leading the newcomers time sheets and placing 20th out of 91 entrants in the Junior class.

Lining up on Glencrutchury Road for the start of Saturdays race was the most intense moment of my life, with my closest friends in their fireproof overalls and my wife Kimberley around me, the two minute board was shown. The grid cleared, we all lined up, I closed my visor and it was time to race. I was 7th away, I accelerated away faster than I had ever been down Bray Hill. I passed the first rider ahead of me through Union Mills and the second through Crosby. I passed another at Greeba meaning I had made at least 30 seconds on these competitors. I came into Ballacraine to see my first board showing me in P2 +18.0, I instantly knew Hamilton had taken the lead starting first on the road. Concentrating hard, I tried to remember everything I had been told, passing all the riders in front of me by Ramsey with the exception of the race leader. I came into the Gooseneck to see my next board saying P3. My steady run into Ramsey had cost me time; my friend and fellow competitor Jonathan Woodward had slipped his triumph into 2nd place. Unfortunately Woodward then crashed at the Nook, towards the end of the lap, taking me back to 2nd place. Nearly everybody pitted on lap 1 with the exception of Karl Foster who took over 2nd place. The team made an excellent stop and we were away again. William Davison slipped into 2nd place by the time we got to Ramsey demoting me down to 4th, at this point I started to panic a little, and push hard. I came into the Verandha on the mountain faster than I had ever been, which was too fast! I started to run wide, and wider, I couldn’t turn the bike, I was panicking by this point. I stuck my leg out to try get the wind to turn me but hit the kerb on the exit. I stayed on track ... just! A moment I would never want to re-live! I calmed myself down and got my head back into the race. With Karl Foster pitting on lap 2 I was back in 3rd at the start of the final lap. I hooked up all my lines and at last I got all the fast sections correct, I was then passed on the road by Davison into Glen Helen. I knew at this point he had 20 seconds on me. I re-passed him into Ramsey and tried to break away. He stayed on my tail over the mountain and passed me again into Signpost Corner. I then got my final pit board telling me I was 22 seconds down on 2nd place and 67 seconds clear of 3rd. I crossed the line to take a podium. I was greeted by all the team, and last years winner Tim Venables, which was very moving as he had won the race on the same bike 12 months earlier. A great moment of my motorcycling career and my life!

After some celebratory drinks with the team on Sunday, it was time for my final race on Monday, the Junior Manx Grand Prix. It was wet, very wet, with riders doubtful of completing the race I chose to ride. My target was to finish, and if possible claim my second Silver MGP Replica of the week. In the dry, I was confident of a top fifteen placing. In the wet, I did not know. After being moved to number 36 from 60, we had a clearer road in front of us at the start. It was wet all the way to Cronk-y-Voddy, It then dried all the way to Ramsey where I struggled for stability on the wet tyres, then exiting Ramsey it was wet again. I smoothed out my second lap, passing the fatal accident of Wayne Hamilton at the 13th milestone. We pitted and struggled to remove my rain Jacket, costing us around 5 seconds, I was boarded as 25th place at Glen Helen, and the same again at Ramsey. On the final lap, the track was around 60% dry, I plugged away staying as safe as possible to cross the line in a great 27th place and also claiming a Silver Replica as I had set out to do, a great result for myself and the team!

The Manx Grand Prix was the most amazing experience of my life, I learned so much about myself and the people around me. Most of all the value of the love and friendship of those around me, it's moments like at the Veranda in the newcomers race where so much flashes through your eyes and mind, but the sheer thrill and excitement means you carry on regardless. Without the people around me these two weeks would have never been possible. Russell Moore, Martin Burns and Christopher Ward especially. I have to thank Martin and Warren for buying my wet tyres, Manx Independent Carriers for contributing towards my entries and Station Garage for supplying the bike. There are many more thanks including all the Marshals which I just can’t fit in, but the biggest thank you of all is to my wife, Kimberley Kennington, you're amazing!

Unfortunately, after the success of the MGP, Station Garage have decided to pull out of production 600 racing, with spiralling costs and the current economic climate, they have decided to sell their Honda CBR600R I have raced all season, I would like to thank them for their help and support this season, especially at the Manx Grand Prix and the Southern 100. This means with one final two day meeting left of the season, we shall be back out on the TMM Yamaha, although at present we have no funding for tyres. If there are any sponsors out there who can help us in any way to finish the season it will be much appreciated! We want to finish the season on a high and fight for a much deserved podium in the final round of the ARA Championship, watch our Facebook feed for all the latest news!

Speak Soon!

Photos courtesy of WP Fotos, Martyn Wilson and others.

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