Relentless Suzuki
Encyclopedia
Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing is an International road racing team based in Moneymore
, County Londonderry
in Northern Ireland
. The team is the former TAS Suzuki, and from the 2007 season onwards Relentless
energy drinks, a product of Coca-Cola
, has teamed up with TAS. The team is owned by Hector Neill, and his son Philip Neill is the team manager.
and Ian Lowry
rode for the Relentless Suzuki team in the British Supersport Championship. Laverty came out on top of a Relentless 1-2 in the championship, taking 6 wins to Lowry's 1.
For 2008 the team stepped up to the full British Superbike Championship for the first time, with Laverty the sole rider. He finished 9th in a consistent season, just failing to make the podium on several occasions. Lowry continued in Supersport, taking 2 wins and 3 further podiums on his way to third in the series.
Laverty departed for the AMA in 2009, allowing Lowry to move onto the superbike alongside Atsushi Watanabe
. Lowry had a strong year, finishing fifth overall and narrowly missing out on the team's maiden podium a few times. Watanabe struggled for much of the year, amassing only 14 points and never breaking in to the top ten. The team did not enter a Supersport bike for this year, but instead fielded a Superstock GSXR1000 for roads rider Alastair Seeley
, who won the championship in dominant fashion. Seeley won the first 9 rounds, and took 3rd in the tenth before stepping up to the BSB class for the final 2 rounds. Seeley will be joined by the returning Laverty in BSB for 2010.
So far in 2010, Laverty has finished strongly, always finishing inside the top 10, including a maiden win for the team in a damp & difficult race 2 at Oulton Park. After Oulton Park, Laverty was fourth in the standings with 65 points after 3 rounds. Alastair Seeley has also been strong, only dropping out of the top 6 once, also getting a podium (3rd) and only narrowly missing out on another 3rd in Oulton park. Alastair Seeley is currently fifth in the standings. Both are currently on to qualify for the 'Showdown'.
Adrian Archibald
and Bruce Anstey
rode for the team in 2007. After enjoying much success on the road racing scene as TAS Suzuki, the Relentless Suzuki team seemed to have started where they left off. At the North West 200
, Bruce Anstey scored a hat-trick of race victories for Relentless, and at the TT
he scored another win in the Superstock race.
For the 2008 season, the team have signed Australian rider Cameron Donald
to ride in the International road races and one of the British Championship classes.
Philip Neill was extremely pleased with his signing, saying, "Cameron is a phenomenally talented rider with a good level of technical ability. He also has a great personality and PR skills to match, so obviously we are delighted to have him on board for 2008. My dad and I have actually had our eye on him for quite some time. He was unlucky to miss out on some international races this year due to injury, but he has all but dominated the national scene in Ireland for the past two years. His second place at the 2006 TT in the Senior race was very impressive, especially as he also recorded a lap of 128mph in only his second appearance in the Isle of Man."
At the 2008 Isle of Man TT
Donald led Anstey home in a Relentless 1-2 in the Superbike race. Donald then won the Superstock race and Anstey the Supersport in another successful campaign. They were unable to repeat these results in 2009, Donald breaking the lap record in practice but then being forced to miss the races after injuring his back and shoulder and Anstey claiming a solitary second place in the second Supersport race after being plagued by reliability issues.
The 2009 North West 200 Races
were more successful, Anstey claiming second places in the supersport and superbike races, with Donald placing fourth in the latter, and Seeley winning the superstock race.
The Isle of Man TT
2010 was almost a complete wash out for the relentless team with only one podium coming from Bruce Anstey
on the Friday Senior TT
race. Looking forward into 2011 Hector and the boys at Relentless have signed fast talking Lincolnshire lightning bolt Guy Martin
to their road racing Team.... No other signing for 2011 season have been confirmed as yet.
Moneymore
Moneymore is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,369 in the 2001 Census.It is an example of a Plantation village in Mid-Ulster. It was the first town in Ulster to have piped water.-Geography:...
, County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The team is the former TAS Suzuki, and from the 2007 season onwards Relentless
Relentless (drink)
Relentless is the brand name of an energy drink created in February 2006 by The Coca-Cola Company. It has been compared to energy drinks such as Red Bull, and is known for its sweet taste. The drink has also been the subject of court proceedings for breach of trademark by Relentless Records...
energy drinks, a product of Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, has teamed up with TAS. The team is owned by Hector Neill, and his son Philip Neill is the team manager.
British Championship
In 2007, Michael LavertyMichael Laverty
Michael Laverty is a motorcycle racer from Toomebridge, Northern Ireland. He is the 2007 British Supersport Champion, and has raced regularly in British Superbikes, plus occasional races in the World Supersport series and in American AMA Superbike Racing...
and Ian Lowry
Ian Lowry
Ian Lowry is a motorcycle racer who has spent much of 2010 without a ride.-Moving to racing:A former chef, Lowry started off in the British Supersport class in 2006...
rode for the Relentless Suzuki team in the British Supersport Championship. Laverty came out on top of a Relentless 1-2 in the championship, taking 6 wins to Lowry's 1.
For 2008 the team stepped up to the full British Superbike Championship for the first time, with Laverty the sole rider. He finished 9th in a consistent season, just failing to make the podium on several occasions. Lowry continued in Supersport, taking 2 wins and 3 further podiums on his way to third in the series.
Laverty departed for the AMA in 2009, allowing Lowry to move onto the superbike alongside Atsushi Watanabe
Atsushi Watanabe
is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima and graduate of Komazawa University, he was elected to the first of his two terms in the city assembly of Aizuwakamatsu in 1982, to the first of his...
. Lowry had a strong year, finishing fifth overall and narrowly missing out on the team's maiden podium a few times. Watanabe struggled for much of the year, amassing only 14 points and never breaking in to the top ten. The team did not enter a Supersport bike for this year, but instead fielded a Superstock GSXR1000 for roads rider Alastair Seeley
Alastair Seeley
Alastair Seeley is a motorcycle road racer, currently competing in the British Superbike Championship. He was the 2009 British Superstock champion, and also has a strong record in road racing...
, who won the championship in dominant fashion. Seeley won the first 9 rounds, and took 3rd in the tenth before stepping up to the BSB class for the final 2 rounds. Seeley will be joined by the returning Laverty in BSB for 2010.
So far in 2010, Laverty has finished strongly, always finishing inside the top 10, including a maiden win for the team in a damp & difficult race 2 at Oulton Park. After Oulton Park, Laverty was fourth in the standings with 65 points after 3 rounds. Alastair Seeley has also been strong, only dropping out of the top 6 once, also getting a podium (3rd) and only narrowly missing out on another 3rd in Oulton park. Alastair Seeley is currently fifth in the standings. Both are currently on to qualify for the 'Showdown'.
Road Racing
Adrian Archibald
Adrian Archibald is a motorcycle racer from the same town as the legendary Joey Dunlop.Archibald won 2 races at a sombre 2003 Isle of Man TT riding for TAS Suzuki, however the races were overshadowed by the death of Archibald's team-mate, David Jefferies. Archibald then left the TAS team after the...
and Bruce Anstey
Bruce Anstey
Bruce Anstey is a professional motorcycle road racer. He is now signed to race for Padgett's Honda, having previously ridden for Relentless Suzuki which is based in Ireland. He made his Isle of Man TT debut in 1999, he completed his first race in the Lightweight 250 class, finishing 7th...
rode for the team in 2007. After enjoying much success on the road racing scene as TAS Suzuki, the Relentless Suzuki team seemed to have started where they left off. At the North West 200
North West 200
The North West 200 is a motorcycle race meeting held each May in Northern Ireland. The course, made up of public roads running between the towns of Portstewart, Coleraine and Portrush is one of the fastest in the world, with speeds in excess of . It is one of around fifteen events run on public...
, Bruce Anstey scored a hat-trick of race victories for Relentless, and at the TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
he scored another win in the Superstock race.
For the 2008 season, the team have signed Australian rider Cameron Donald
Cameron Donald
Cameron Donald is a motorcycle road racer who has raced at the Macau Grand Prix, the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT Races. He lives in Warrandyte, Victoria in Australia, and works as a plumber during the off-season...
to ride in the International road races and one of the British Championship classes.
Philip Neill was extremely pleased with his signing, saying, "Cameron is a phenomenally talented rider with a good level of technical ability. He also has a great personality and PR skills to match, so obviously we are delighted to have him on board for 2008. My dad and I have actually had our eye on him for quite some time. He was unlucky to miss out on some international races this year due to injury, but he has all but dominated the national scene in Ireland for the past two years. His second place at the 2006 TT in the Senior race was very impressive, especially as he also recorded a lap of 128mph in only his second appearance in the Isle of Man."
At the 2008 Isle of Man TT
2008 Isle of Man TT
2008 Isle of Man TT Festival was held between Saturday 24 May and Saturday 7 June on the 37.733-mile Snaefell Mountain Course and was the 89th Isle of Man TT Race...
Donald led Anstey home in a Relentless 1-2 in the Superbike race. Donald then won the Superstock race and Anstey the Supersport in another successful campaign. They were unable to repeat these results in 2009, Donald breaking the lap record in practice but then being forced to miss the races after injuring his back and shoulder and Anstey claiming a solitary second place in the second Supersport race after being plagued by reliability issues.
The 2009 North West 200 Races
2009 North West 200 Races
The 2009 North West 200 Races took place on Saturday 16 May 2009 at the 8.966 mile circuit, dubbed "The Triangle", based around the towns of Coleraine, Portrush and Portstewart, in Northern Ireland...
were more successful, Anstey claiming second places in the supersport and superbike races, with Donald placing fourth in the latter, and Seeley winning the superstock race.
The Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
2010 was almost a complete wash out for the relentless team with only one podium coming from Bruce Anstey
Bruce Anstey
Bruce Anstey is a professional motorcycle road racer. He is now signed to race for Padgett's Honda, having previously ridden for Relentless Suzuki which is based in Ireland. He made his Isle of Man TT debut in 1999, he completed his first race in the Lightweight 250 class, finishing 7th...
on the Friday Senior TT
Senior TT
The Senior Tourist Trophy is a motorcycle road race that takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival; an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. The Senior TT is the Blue Riband event of the festival and takes place on the Friday of race week. The Marquis de Mouzilly St. Mars...
race. Looking forward into 2011 Hector and the boys at Relentless have signed fast talking Lincolnshire lightning bolt Guy Martin
Guy Martin
Guy Martin is a British motorcycle racer and mechanic. He has primarily competed in road racing events.-Early career:...
to their road racing Team.... No other signing for 2011 season have been confirmed as yet.