KMR Kawasaki brought their 2012 road racing season to an end at the weekend with both team owner Ryan Farquhar and Jamie Hamilton taking to the track at Oliver's Mount, Scarborough, the latter taking three top five finishes on the ZX-10R Kawasaki.
For recently retired Ryan, it was very much an emotional affair as he completed three parade laps with a number of his fellow racers to thank the crowd for their support during his illustrious 18-year career which saw him record no less than 98 race victories at Scarborough alone. Having brought over all 7 of his KMR machines, Ryan was joined on track by TT legend John McGuinness, Ian Hutchinson, Michael Dunlop and Guy Martin as well as by Jamie and Robbie Silvester with all six delighted to ride Ryan's bikes and pay tribute to him.
It was business as usual for Jamie though as he took part in both day's racing although he was forced to miss both Supertwins races around the narrow, woodland circuit after a spill during Saturday morning's qualifying session - although uninjured, it wasn't possible to repair the bike in time. Instead, he focused on the three Superbike races and the weekend couldn't have started any better on the ZX-10R Superstock machine with a superb third place in the opening leg of the Darran Lindsay Superbike trophy, which was held in perfect, sunny conditions. Although he had to give best to Guy Martin and Dean Harrison he duly kept Michael Dunlop and Bruce Anstey behind him for an excellent podium finish.
Sunday saw cooler, cloudier conditions and a brilliant start to the second leg of the Superbike saw Jamie slot into second place behind Harrison. A lap later Martin was also through but Jamie was experiencing brake problems which was all too plain to see when he overshot Farm Bends and with the ongoing issue, John McGuinness pushed him back to fourth on the fifth lap. Nevertheless, aided by a fastest lap of 1m46.159s, the seventh fastest lap ever around the circuit, he was able to keep hold of fourth, comfortably ahead of Anstey and Ian Lougher.
The feature International Gold Cup race was the final event for Jamie and he slotted into fifth at the end of the first lap, both him and Dunlop losing time when Michael Pearson highsided in front of them at the Memorial. This was how the positions remained and, despite having changed the brake pads in between the races, Jamie again had problems on the brakes and was forced to again take the slip road at Farm Bends. He kept going though and was rewarded with a solid fifth place for his third top five finish of another successful weekend.
Speaking afterwards, team owner Ryan commented; "It's definitely been an emotional day, probably more so than I'd imagined, but I was really pleased to have been able to do the three parade laps so a big thank you to Peter Hillaby and the Auto 66 Club for allowing me to do it and for all their support over the years. I've always enjoyed coming to Scarborough so it was perhaps fitting I brought the curtain down on my career here. It was great to see such a big crowd and hear them applauding me so a big thank you to them too whilst it was also a pleasure to see all the boys out on my bikes. I've enjoyed some great battles with them, and other riders like Keith Amor, over the years and it was quite unique seeing rivals out on my bikes - I felt very priviliged and humble for sure."
"On the racing side of things, Jamie had another strong weekend and although it was shame he had to miss the two Supertwins races, where a podium and/or win would have been on the cards, he had three fine rides in the Superbike races. Despite the brake problems, he gave it his all and his lap times were excellent whilst beating Michael and Bruce is a fine achievement so it was a fine way to end his year."
"Life's going to very different for me now but I really want to stay involved in the sport so will doing all I can to keep KMR Kawasaki going and at the forefront of the road racing results. That's my goal now so, fingers crossed, I'll be in the paddocks in 2013. Finally, I'd just like to say thank you to everyone that's supported me during my career, it's meant an awful lot and I'm incredibly grateful for everything."
Pictures by Stephen Davison - Pacemaker Press International
