“This past weekend I joined 饾悘饾惈饾惃饾惍饾悵饾悷饾惃饾惃饾惌 饾悜饾悮饾悳饾悽饾惂饾悹 for Round 2 of the 饾悕饾惃 饾悑饾悽饾惁饾悽饾惌饾惉 饾悜饾悮饾悳饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾煏饾煋饾煄饾悿饾惁 饾悇饾惂饾悵饾惍饾惈饾悮饾惂饾悳饾悶 饾悅饾悺饾悮饾惁饾惄饾悽饾惃饾惂饾惉饾悺饾悽饾惄 饾悮饾惌 饾悆饾惃饾惂饾悽饾惂饾悹饾惌饾惃饾惂 饾悘饾悮饾惈饾悿 饾悊饾悘 饾悳i饾惈饾悳饾惍饾悽饾惌, teaming up with 饾悏饾惃饾惉饾悺 饾惄饾惈饾惃饾惍饾悵饾悷饾惃饾惃饾惌 and 饾悏饾惃饾悶 饾悇饾惀饾惀饾悽饾惉. At around five and a half hours long (or until the first bike completes 750km), it was a perfect opportunity to build race fitness, find some rhythm again, and get solid seat time. Huge thanks to the team for the invite and the trust they showed me鈥攅specially with 饾悏饾惃饾惉饾悺 饾悘饾惈饾惃饾惍饾悵饾悷饾惃饾惃饾惌鈥欚潗� 饾悳饾惈饾悶饾惏 饾惀饾悶饾悮饾悵饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾惌饾悺饾悶 饾悕饾悮饾惌饾悽饾惃饾惂饾悮饾惀 饾煍饾煄饾煄 饾悳饾惀饾悮饾惉饾惉 heading into the round.

“The conditions couldn鈥檛 have been better, with sunshine throughout the weekend. Qualifying went smoothly, landing us 饾煋饾惌饾悺 饾悽饾惂 饾悳饾惀饾悮饾惉饾惉 饾悮饾惂饾悵 饾煆饾煍饾惌饾悺 饾惃饾惎饾悶饾惈饾悮饾惀饾惀.

“The race itself had its challenges. A few red flags and safety car periods played against us, costing time as the field bunched up鈥攂ut that鈥檚 endurance racing. Josh took the start, I handled the middle stints, and Joe closed out the race. Both Josh and Joe set an impressive pace, and I managed a couple of strong 40-minute sessions to support our charge. Thankfully, apart from the stoppages (and we hope everyone involved is okay), the event ran clean for us.

“After hours of consistent teamwork and focus, we crossed the line 饾煈饾惈饾悵 饾悽饾惂 饾惌饾悺饾悶 饾悕饾悮饾惌饾悽饾惃饾惂饾悮饾惀 饾煍饾煄饾煄 饾悳饾惀饾悮饾惉饾惉 饾悮饾惂饾悵 饾煆饾煄饾惌饾悺 饾惃饾惎饾悶饾惈饾悮饾惀饾惀鈥攁 result the whole crew can be proud of. Endurance racing relies as much on those behind the wall as the riders themselves, so a massive thanks goes to Phil Proudfoot, Andy Read, and Nick Ellis for their sharp strategy, pit coordination, and relentless effort throughout the day.

“It鈥檚 been fantastic to race again alongside Josh and Joe, who have both progressed brilliantly into the BSB Sportbike Championship since we last shared a grid. Wishing them and the team the best of luck for Oulton Park BSB this coming weekend.

“Next up for me is Andy Read鈥檚 Honda K4 at Cadwell Park in May, followed by the Pre-TT Classic on the Billown Course.

“Finally, a huge thank-you to all our sponsors and supporters鈥攜our backing makes weekends like this possible.”

鈥淚t was the final round of the year for Brook Built Racing at the 33rd and final running of the Gold Cup that鈥檚 run since 1989.

鈥淚t was a team effort, with Russell covering SuperSport and SuperTwin+, and Ben Long on SuperSport.

鈥淲et weather kicked off Saturday鈥檚 qualifying at the legendary Oliver鈥檚 Mount. Grip was there, but confidence took time to build. I qualified for all races 鈥� albeit toward the back 鈥� but Ben Long found his rhythm early, securing P10 in SuperSport B. I ended with a top 10, while Ben got his first win at Olivers Mount. Not bad for the tight and twisty circuit!鈥�

S饾悮饾惌饾惍饾惈饾悵饾悮饾惒 饾悋饾悽饾悹饾悺饾惀饾悽饾悹饾悺饾惌饾惉

• Free practice on the Aprilia RS660 & Yamaha YZF-R6.
• Wet qualifying: P22 (SuperTwin), P21 (SuperSport Group 2).
• Race 1 (SuperTwin): Red flags galore! Restarted multiple times before finally finishing P15.
• Race 2 (SuperSport B): I came home P17, Ben stormed to P4 from P10.
• Race 3 (SuperTwin restart): P15 again, setting me up for a better grid on Sunday.

饾悞饾惍饾惂饾悵饾悮饾惒 饾悋饾悽饾悹饾悺饾惀饾悽饾悹饾悺饾惌饾惉

• Race 4 (SuperTwin): Wet again, but I found my groove 鈥� P14.
• Race 5 (SuperSport B): Gained confidence, climbed to P13. Ben led most of the race, just missed the win 鈥� P2.
• Race 6 (SuperSport B): I sat this one out to preserve the R6. Ben took full advantage 鈥� hole shot to victory his first win at Oliver鈥檚 Mount!
• Race 7 (SuperTwin): Best start of the weekend, smooth ride to P9.

饾悓饾悽饾惂饾悽饾惁饾悮饾惀 饾悳饾惈饾悶饾惏, 饾惁饾悮饾惐饾悽饾惁饾惍饾惁 饾悶饾悷饾悷饾惃饾惈饾惌

鈥淗uge thanks to Gary 鈥楯ake鈥� Dicken & Andy Fenton for keeping us fuelled and focused. With limited resources, Brook Built Racing wrapped up the season proud and strong.

鈥淭he Steve Henshaw Gold Cup gave us everything 鈥� wet, dry, red flags, drama, and that unforgettable win for Ben. A fitting way to close the season for Brook Built Racing. We are planning to add a different (new to us) class next year (more later) Roll on 2026!鈥�

Practice & Qualifying Week

• Sunday: In favourable conditions, the team completed two laps with a best speed of 114.7mph, a solid start to the week.
• Monday: A red flag incident at Black Dub cut the session short, with Ady stopping safely at Ballaugh.
• Tuesday Evening: Cooler conditions and a delayed start saw riders released in pairs. A strong 116.3mph lap was recorded, with testing focused on shock modifications, including stiffer springs and extended setup.
• Wednesday: No MGP session, but two laps were completed on the Classic SBK Kawasaki ZXR7, averaging 114mph, confirming fuel capacity reliability.
• Thursday & Friday: Further testing and refinements, with laps focused on suspension changes, oil management, and grips.

Race Weekend 鈥� MGP SuperSport & MGP Senior

• Saturday (SuperSport): Despite a pit stop delay due to fuel spillage, the team gained valuable experience in high-pressure conditions, finishing 11th overall with a near-118mph lap.
• Monday (Senior): Starting 4th on the road, Ady moved up to 3rd and maintained strong pace through the opening laps. After a clean 50-second pit stop, the team secured a competitive 7th place finish.
• Unfortunately, both the Classic Superbike and Classic Senior races were cancelled due to weather.

Team Reflections

The 2025 campaign showcased both the performance potential of Brook Built Racing machinery and the resilience of the team. Consistent lap speeds over 114鈥�118mph, combined with successful adjustments to suspension and fuelling strategies, demonstrated clear progress throughout the week.

Team Principal Russell Brook said: 鈥淲e are proud of the effort from everyone involved in Brook Built Racing at this year鈥檚 MGP and Classic TT. The results reflect our determination, and the lessons learned will help us take another step forward next season.鈥�

Images: Tracy鈥檚 Pictures

饾悓饾惃饾惂饾悵饾悮饾惒 饾悇饾惎饾悶饾惂饾悽饾惂饾悹

鈥淭hings kicked off smoothly as planned. The goal was to re-familiarise myself with the course before pushing for a qualifying lap in the second session. Unfortunately, due to an incident in another class, that second timed session was cancelled.鈥�

饾悡饾惍饾悶饾惉饾悵饾悮饾惒 饾悇饾惎饾悶饾惂饾悽饾惂饾悹

鈥淲e opened with a timed session, but qualifying ultimately stood based on Monday鈥檚 first outing. I had qualified, though not quite where I hoped to be. The Mike Kerruish Plumbing Lightweight Race got underway, but a sudden downpour after lap one put an early end to racing for the night.鈥�

饾悥饾悶饾悵饾惂饾悶饾惉饾悵饾悮饾惒 饾悇饾惎饾悶饾惂饾悽饾惂饾悹

鈥淩acing resumed with a full restart of Tuesday鈥檚 race, using Monday鈥檚 times to set the grid. I didn鈥檛 have the strongest slot but managed a solid start and enjoyed being back on the legendary 4.25-mile Billown circuit. I finished a respectable 20th in the main race.鈥�

饾悡饾悺饾惍饾惈饾惉饾悵饾悮饾惒 鈥� 饾悜饾悮饾悳饾悶 饾悆饾悮饾惒

鈥淭he rhythm changed with racing held throughout the day. Having made the main race, I was also selected for the consolation race, which turned out to be a competitive scrap among notable riders. I launched brilliantly from the third row, securing second at Ballakeighan, holding it until Cross Four-Ways where I dropped to third. Racing in a tight pack on closed roads demands sharp instincts聽鈥� balancing attack and defence while predicting others鈥� moves. The Brook Built Aprilia RS660 proved highly competitive. After easing off on defence, I found myself down in fifth, but I knew I could claw back. I made it to fourth going into the final lap and, after another rider’s misstep at Ballakeighan, grabbed third and held it to the chequered flag. That podium finish was a vital lift for the week.

鈥淭he second Bushy’s Brewery Lightweight Race started as well as could be from the grid position I had. I quickly made up a few positions and enjoyed racing around the Billown circuit; it was a solid ride, to come home in 17th place.鈥�

饾悁饾惉饾悽饾悵饾悶 饾悷饾惈饾惃饾惁 饾惈饾悽饾悵饾悽饾惂饾悹

鈥淚鈥檓 also finding my place as team principal for Brook Built Racing. At the Southern 100, Adrian Harrison piloted the Brook Built Yamaha R6, qualifying for the main SuperSport race and finishing 24th and 21st in his respective outings.鈥�

Pic credits: Tracys Pictures/David Glossop

鈥�The Southern 100 Road Races are one of the highlight meetings. As with most other road races, I entered the lightweight (Super Twins) on the Brook Built Aprilia RS660, and SuperSport races on the Yamaha YZF R6. The meeting was hampered by some incidents on track, Nobel鈥檚 hospital capacity and poor weather, but racing took place.

鈥淎fter mediocre qualifying due to taking no risks in poor conditions, I managed to get satisfactory results, enjoyed the racing immensely, and my team-mate (Adrian Harrison) made the podium on the second Brook Built Racing Yamaha R6.鈥�

Monday Eve Practice and Qualifying

鈥�The weather over the weekend and Monday had been bright and sunny; perfect conditions and everyone was looking forward to a good start to the weeks racing. I had two practice and qualifying sessions for the lightweight and the first Super Sport practice in the schedule. Unfortunately, after a serious incident during the newcomer sighting laps, the evening got delayed and due to no capacity at Nobel鈥檚 Hospital, the race had to be cancelled. This was a big blow to everyone.鈥�

Tuesday Evening practice, qualifying and lightweight race

鈥淗aving lost the first night, we were straight into Lightweight qualifying, then Super Sport, followed by the first Lightweight race. Weather conditions were poor with rain and the occasional dry spell meaning the track never dried fully.

鈥淲e had three laps in the Lightweight to qualify, being my first outing on track I rode safely to refamiliarise myself with the circuit and conditions; others were more willing to take more risk, or just adapted to the conditions better, but I managed to qualify 29^th in second last grid slot.

鈥淲ith a few laps completed, the Super Sport qualifying was a little better, and in four laps I managed Row 5 in the B final 鈥� the first race planned to run next day.

鈥淣ext up, we were heading out of the paddock to line up for the first Lightweight race. Conditions had deteriorated to heavy rain, and the dark clouds made visibility poor, especially for us further down the grid. Right from the start, visibility was poor from the spray coming from other bikes, the rain and poor light. I made a few places off the line and decided to play safe and get to the finish line in the reduced (to 5 laps) race. I managed to complete the first race in 24^th 辫辞蝉颈迟颈辞苍.鈥�

Wednesday Racing

鈥淲e all passed scrutineering and waited in parc ferme for racing to begin. It rained all day and didn鈥檛 stop for the evenings racing; the day was cancelled with no racing taking place.鈥�

Thursday Racing

鈥�With the delays and cancelled sessions, I had a Super Sport race (one got cancelled) in the morning and the second Lightweight race in the afternoon. Without any rain, the track got better as the day went on, being fully dry after only a handful of races.

鈥淚n the Super Sport race, conditions were mostly dry. I opted for a front wet tyre combined with a dry rear as it was difficult to fully judge the conditions. I had qualified on row 5 while Adrian, my team-mate, had made pole position. I made a good start and made my way to 9^th position for most of the race, until I out-braked myself on the last corner going into the last lap and lost three places. We all seemed to be running the same pace as we stayed together without swapping places on the last lap. I finished 12^th and thoroughly enjoyed racing at the Billown circuit for the first time this meeting. A nice bonus was learning my team mate had made second place on the podium.

鈥淔or the second Lightweight race, we started from our original qualifying position, middle of the back row for me. I managed a great start, making several positions and passed more during the first lap. I caught the next group at the end of lap 2 and getting set to make a pass when the red flag came out near the end of lap 3 after an incident at Stadium Corner and the race was called a result. I鈥檇 made it to 15^th from 29^th and have to say it felt like the best two laps I鈥檝e done at the S100, leaving the circuit with a big smile.

鈥淎lthough it was a challenging S100 this year for everyone including the organisers, who I must commend for making tough decisions and keeping the meeting going, the new start procedure gets a big thumbs up from me; I didn鈥檛 hear any negative comments about it, it was a good meeting. Seeing old friends and making new ones I left the meeting in great spirits.

鈥淚鈥檇 like to thank my personal helpers: Grahame Collinge and Chris Haynes for getting me out on track each evening, also the second half of the Brook Built Racing team helping Adrian Harrison. His dad Conrad, Nick Colley and son, Mucky Al, and Steve Hebden.

“Also, a special thanks to our sponsors and supporters who make going racing easier.”

Main photo credit: Tracey Harrison Photography