Once again, I have been persuaded to help Astro JJR in the up-and-coming BSB season. We will have a similar set as last year with the crew but are heading an exciting new direction. This year we are entering the Quatro Plant British Supersport Championship as the official factory supported Triumph team. We are now rebranded as Astro JJR Triumph and will be running the ST765RS Street Triple
The Standard bike will be rebuilt by us as the 765RS Daytona with full race bodywork, at this time Triumph do not actually manufacture a race bike so there’s plenty of work to be done prior to our 1st test in March
We have managed to retain the stalwart of the team riders Shane Richardson, some of you will have met Shane over the past years, this year he’s fired up for a crack at winning the championship.
Richardson said: “At Triumph when we all got together for the first time, to see the size of the effort around you as a rider, it just feels like a really good place to be. I’m very excited and quietly confident.
“People have asked if I will need to change my riding for the triple but there are changes between every bike. We’ve got a great team and a good pre-season line up and we’ll work through it all”
Rhys Irwin completes the team line up after podium finishes and a top ten finish in last year’s Supersport title fight as he prepares to make the switch to line up on the Street Triple RS.
Irwin said: “It’s so good to be in this situation with a factory team and a great opportunity. I’m looking forward to grabbing it with both hands. It also helps me that the bike’s narrow because I’m pretty compact myself, the slim line setup feels good.”
So new year new challenge for all of us, it starts in earnest the first week in March with a few days testing in Spain then it’s back home and into the official BSB test dates with the first race 15th April at Silverstone
Hope to see a few of you at the races
Steve Grundy
