Bradley Ray Earns Silverstone Moto2 Wildcard

Lydd teenager Bradley Ray will make his Grand Prix debut at the Silverstone MotoGP, after being granted a wildcard into the British Moto2GP onboard an FTR.  After careful negotiations between Steve Bones and Roger Keys, Brad’s manager, the former owner of the FTR factory has agreed to loan his FTR machine for use at this year’s race. This means that Brad will be the only rider on the Moto2 grid with the British based chassis underneath him, in the British Grand Prix. Ray, who this year has been competing on board the factory Vyrus Moto2 machine in the European CEV Moto2 Championship and also racing in the National Superstock 600 Championship in the UK with the Motobreakers team, achieving a podium in only his second race onboard the latter Kawasaki ZXR-600, but now he has his sights set on making a name for himself on the world stage. Silverstone is a circuit that the 18-year-old Ray has enjoyed much success at, and with the eyes of the world watching his first appearance in the Moto2GP class, and possibly the only wildcard on the grid, expect the youngster to ride with no fear. A jubilant Ray said after receiving the news of his wildcard: “I’m so happy to be given this opportunity to do my first wildcard at my home Grand Prix at Silverstone. For this I need to say a massive thank you to everyone from FTR and Steve Bones who have made this possible for me. “I’ve been riding my Vyrus Moto2 in the European CEV Moto2 Championship so I have the bigger bike experience, but it’s going to be a big step and a big experience at the GP, but I know the track really well and I’m looking forward to finding a good setup on the FTR Moto2.” The team is now set on raising funds for event, and any type of donation is greatly received. You can donate through the website, www.thefabcrowd.co.uk, which will help fund the weekend, making you play a huge part in what is set to be an exciting debut in the Moto2GP class for Brad.

Top Ten Performance From Ray At Knockhill

Bradley Ray finished the sixth round of the Pirelli National Superstock 600 championship in 10^th position, after a battling weekend North of the border.

Following the news that the Vyrus Racing Team would not be competing at the third round of the European Moto2 CEV Championship at Aragon due to machine issues that the team were ironing out, Brad decided he wanted to keep bike fit and made his way north, and to the Knockhill Circuit in Fife, where he turned his attention to the sixth round of the Pirelli National Superstock 600 Championship.

And from the off Brad worked hard with his team to find the right setup around the tight and twisty Scottish track. After making changes to the suspension, Brad improved his time by four tenths of a second, from the free practice session to place him provisionally 13^th on the grid.

But come Saturday, the second qualifying session was cancelled altogether after heavy overnight rain forced an issue with the track surface meaning a delay in proceedings, which forced the organisers to cancelled the final qualifying for the Superstock 600’s. Meaning Brad would line up on the grid for Sunday’s race in 13^th place. 

From the lights Brad got a good start and ran in seventh place after the first few laps, but was then embroiled in a battle with Chrissy Rouse. On lap 10 he was pushed wide at the final corner by an ambitious pass from Rouse, which pushed Brad wide. But he then regroup, and as the race was stopped on the 14^th lap due to rain, Brad had worked his way back up to 10^th place.

After the race a frustrated Ray said: “Its was my first time round Knockhill on a 600 this weekend, and from the first free practice I wasn’t too far off the pace, I was only about nine tenths of a second behind the quickest man, and from that it gave me confidence ahead of qualifying. I qualified 13^th, after really digging in deep on my last lap. We made a few changes before the second qualifying but then the weather meant we couldn’t go out, so I’d start 13^th for the race.

“I got a good start and I was up to seventh at one point, until Chrissy Rouse hit me going into the final hairpin and that run me wide, which meant I went back to about 12^th, I worked my way back through the pack but then the rain came and they red flagged the race.

“Its’ been a good weekend all in all, but I can’t wait for Brands Hatch now.”