Shawn Giles taking pillion rides at ASBK Eastern Creek 2009.

*Note: This is a post I have been meaning to write for some time. Finally- here it is!

Since departing the Australian Superbike series in 2009, I have watched the series with a great deal of interest. The racing has been by-and-large fantastic and certainly the top five riders have shown they are world class and put on a worthy show in the company of WSBK, MotoGP and the V8 Supercars.

Where possible, I have helped out a number of riders and people involved in the series- from media training, to PR, advice on social media, disaster management and more. For this I have not been paid a cent. (more…)

Australian motorcycle racer Blake Leigh-Smith is gearing up for what could be the most important season in his racing career when he competes in the 2011 Spanish Moto2 championship.

The Australian 125cc GP champion of 2008/9 has packed his bags and headed to a new home base in Barcelona, the spiritual home of European motorcycle racing, where he will be aboard a BRP Racing 2011 FTR Moto2 bike.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for me, I’m so keen to get started with developing the bike and getting out there”  said the 21 year old Gold Coast based racer. “BRP Racing is owned by Ben Reid who I raced for in 2009 in Australia and we won the Australian title together so I am confident we can develop a great package to challenge for podiums. The Spanish Moto2 Championship is a perfect springboard into the world Moto2 championship, so I want to give it my all.”

With the series first round not far off, Blake flew to Barcelona over the weekend and he will shortly have four days of familiarising and testing aboard the new 600cc Honda powered Moto2 bike. Though racing in Australian Supersport in 2010, aboard a 600cc Suzuki machine, the transfer to Moto2 will take some adjusting, despite the similarities.

Says Blake: “For my career, heading back to a ‘proper’ GP bike is a big step forward. This is where I want to be! As far as riding the FTR bike is concerned, while I haven’t raced this bike yet, I imagine the Moto2 bike falls somewhere between a 125GP and a 600 SuperSport bike.”

For Blake Leigh-Smith, this is not a year of merely participating- he wants to be a factor. “My goals will change over time, but for round one I am aiming for a top 15 finish. Beyond that I want to be up the front battling for podiums and wins!”

Round one of the Spanish Championship (CEV) kicks off at the world famous Jerez circuit across the weekend of 15-17 April.

Fans and sponsors can follow Blake’s progress via his Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/BlakeLeighSmith Blake Leigh-Smith would like to thank supporters Maritimo Australia www.maritimo.com.au,  BRP Racing and ThomasrDotorg Media Services www.thomasr.org

Though we know each other well- this week I am happy to announce a new and ongoing relationship between Walkinshaw Performance and my media services company ThomasrDotOrg.

I’ll be putting the social in their media, the viral in their videos, the it in their Twitter and when the situation calls for it, Superchargers in their Commodores (ok, perhaps not).

So… Check out:

• Facebook Fan Page
• Twitter/WalkinshawPerf
• YouTube

Speaking of YouTube- here’s the first video I shot and edited for WP:

BP hate making money, love making life tough.

This morning while riding the scooter, I stopped at the BP in Carlisle street East Caulfield for fuel.

I did not see the above note until I was off the bike- but I ought to have noticed as the “other” cars queuing were steadfastly not taking the end option (this is the pump closest to the street).

Reasoning (!?) that it was not night time (in fact about 7:30am) I though that the operator would just let me fuel up, given that stealing would require me to put my helmet and gloves back on.

But no. He used the little PA to tell me it was a pre paid. Annoyed, but in a hurry I scooted in and put $10 on the counter while he served someone else.

After putting in the usual $8 to fill the scooter with 98 Premium, I went inside. I questioned why the policy was in place “that’s the spot where people drive off from the most.” He was just a poor schmuck serving customers, so I chose not to argue the idiocy of the decision.

That said, maybe BP- British Petroleum are listening:

• The locals who frequent your outlet know that the far end bowsers are pre paid and therefore a pain. They would rather queue than use them.
• Others no doubt go elsewhere as your outlet is busy at that time of day.
• People such as me will never go there again, such was the inconvenience.
• I am posting this to tell other people what goes on.
• Now, remind me how much money you lose when that bowser is not prepaid?
• How much are EFTPOS bowsers?
• Or a sign that says “your fuel will not start to flow until you present your face to the high definition camera at the booth.” Then buy a fake one.
• Read De Bono and think: We need creativity in order to break free from the temporary structures that have been set up by a particular sequence of experience.

So ask yourselves BP- just how much money have you saved by doing this?