Tough Season for Millson has Silver Lining

Shannonville Ont. - September 10, 2009 - RMP Racing’s Pro Superbike racer and team owner Ross Millson wrapped up a challenging season at this past weekend’s finale of the Parts Canada Superbike Championship at Shannonville Motorsport Park.

On Thursday Millson attended a trackday hosted by Hot Lap Events and utilized the extra track time to dial-in his #39 Inside Motorcycle / Tri City Cycle sponsored Suzuki GSX-R1000 before the upcoming weekend’s race. Millson turned some of his quickest lap times ever on the Shannonville - Pro Track layout.

Friday’s practice times were respectable but Millson new he still had more in the reserves and felt confident a top ten qualifying effort was not out of the question.

Saturday’s weather was optimum for qualifying and Millson was hungry for a strong result as he took to the track. Millson used the first two laps to get the tires up to temperature and then began to pick up the pace to ensure a prime spot on the grid for Sunday’s feature race.

Shannonville’s 2.45KM (1.5 mile) Pro Track layout is known to present a variety challenges for racers and their teams. This weekend would be no different. Over the weekend numerous racers experienced the challenge of corner 2, tossing the riders and their bikes into the infield.

Beginning his fourth qualifying lap Millson would also find himself bitten by corner 2. Although the crash appeared horrific Millson was uninjured. However, Millson’s Suzuki GSX-R1000 was in no condition to compete in Sunday’s race.

Without a backup bike Millson and his crew began loading the bike and its remnants. His season was over.

As the remainder of Saturday’s qualifying sessions began to wind down. Millson and his crew was unable to accept that this is how their season would end. Fellow racers and teams stepped up and offered the use of whatever spare parts they had.

With what remained of the bike and the donated bits and pieces Millson and his crew began to resurrect his mangled motorcycle.

A late night and an early morning effort proved successful. The bike was rebuilt and was now sporting a flat-grey primer paint job beneath the sponsor decals. Millson took to the track for the Sunday morning practice session to give the bike a thorough pre-race shake down and achieved a surprisingly decent time of 1:07.843.

Millson started at the back of the grid in Sunday's feature race and would hang on to the ill-mannered bike for the entire 20 lap race. Millson crossed the finish line in fourteenth place.

“This was the kind of season that no one expects to happen to them at the beginning of the year.” said Millson. “I really need to thank Mark and Blaine for all their help this year and for helping me finish the season on the track. I also must thank, Sean Huffman and the GoLo Cew as well as Clint McBain and Erick Beausejour for helping with all the spare parts.”

Millson's fourteenth place finish allowed him to complete his season thirteenth overall in the points standings.

As RMP Racing's team owner there was certainly reason to celebrate. Team development rider Steven Nickerson put in a stellar performance at each and every round of the Honda CBR125R Challenge which resulted in winning the Championship.

“It’s been a really tough year for me but having Steven bring home the CBR125R Championship title for the team helps take a bit of the sting out of this season.” Millson commented.

The entire RMP Racing team would like to thank their friends and family members for their continued support and their dedicated sponsors; Inside Motorcycles, Zox Helmets, Motovan, 2010 Canadian Motorsports Expo, Infinet Designs, Turn 2 Sportbike School, Essential Image, MotoConcepts and CRC Racewear. Additionally Ross Millson would like to thank; Tri-City Cycle and Sport (Suzuki), Race Tech, Vortex, Hindle, G.M.D Computrack Ontario and Niagara Powersports.