GETTING THE LOWDOWN BEFORE THE SEASON BEGINS, DAVE NEAL CHATS TO A TRIO OF NATIONAL SUPERSTOCK RIDERS ALONG WITH CURRENT BRITISH TALENT CUP CHAMPION AND JUNIOR SUPERSTOCK CONTENDER, FRANCO BOURNE ALONG WITH HIS MENTOR, FLAT-TRACK SUPREMO, PETE BOAST.
The Superstock paddock is awash with fast talent and bright characters and after chatting with a few across testing, we thought we'd chat to another selection from the Superstock classes. This week we bring you Joe Sheldon-Shaw, Luke Hedger, Levi Day and Franco Bourne.
Sheffield's Joe Sheldon-Shaw is a quietly-spoken rider who goes about his business in the right way. After learning his trade in the smaller classes a step up to the National Superstock championship two seasons ago propelled the protectmyincome.com Suzuki rider into the lions den. It's a tough class but there's nowhere better to learn how to handle the big bikes than amongst the talent-filled grid of the 1000cc class. It hasn't been a easy transition for Joe, it's a tough class after all, but every season he's making steps in the right direction.
Next up is Jones Dorling Racing's Luke Hedger, one of the fastest riders in pre-season testing and getting the confidence back that he lost during a Supersport tenure that wasn't the ride he'd hoped it to be. As a double British champion, the path to continued success should have been less beset with problems but he's happy in the new team and confident for the season ahead, boosted by the recent arrival of his baby daughter, Mabel.
Levi Day is one of the most approachable and well-respected riders in the paddock. A title contender season upon season in the Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup, the likeable Aussie returns to the Superstock fold after a debut season in the Championship with Aprilia in 2019. Levi chats about his career path, family life and the riding school he runs back home in Australia as well as his preparations for the coming season with his new team, Powerslide Motorcycles.
Finally, Franco Bourne joins us for a Sunday morning chat over a fine brew made by his grandma alongside his mentor, Pete Boast. It was Franco's first time on a podcast and he was a little nervous but as the chat went on he relaxed a little more and enjoyed it, Franco talks about his career to date and the emotions of the epic final race of BTC at Brands Hatch last year. Boasty was his usual effervescent self as we chatted about Franco and the assistance from Chris Walker this season, Scarborough and his Champions Flat Track School in his/our native Lincolnshire.
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