Clayton Grover, the reigning BEMSEE MRO Cigma Racing Clubman 1000 champion, showed promise at the Official Bennetts BSB Test weekend at Donington Park. Fresh off his championship-winning season, Grover used the event to assess the condition of his Grover Racing and Exclusive Fishing Yamaha R1M following a crash in Spain and to start working on finding a suitable setup for the upcoming season.
When asked about his expectations before the weekend, Grover stated, “After a crash over in Spain, it was a test weekend to see how the bike was, see if it was straight, and make sure all the repairs went as they should. Start to work out the bike and find a set up that can work as we are basically starting afresh with geometry and electronics. No pressure in times as hadn’t done the track at pace before.”
The step up to the Pirelli National Superstock class was an eye-opening experience for the former Clubman 1000 champion, who quickly realized the importance of data, feedback, and setup. “It made me realise the importance in data, that feedback and set up is way more important. At club level, I was able to ride round any issues and still be successful. The speed difference is a big jump,” Grover explained.
Despite the challenges faced, Grover and his team made progress in finding a setup that worked with the resources available. “We started to find the right set up with what we had, there is still a lot more testing to do. I was within 6% of the fastest lap so more than happy to be there for qualifying and we understand what we need to do for the next test days,” he said.
However, the weekend was not without its difficulties. “I struggled a lot with setup, felt like I was riding harder than ever before and going slower than I’ve been. I need to work out a ‘testing’ to do list and be stricter with it. I had some problems with the bike after the crash but we have found them before the first meeting. I missed the best condition session at the end and feel my times weren’t where they should be due to lots of changes,” Grover admitted.
Looking ahead to the next test day at Oulton Park, Grover plans to focus on developing the electronics, testing with a data logging system, and working on riding more smoothly. When asked about his expectations for the season, he replied, “I’d like to be in the points by mid-season in the dry. There’s a lot to do but believe we can.”
While there is still room for improvement, Grover’s performance at the Official Bennetts BSB Test weekend shows promise, and with the right approach and support, the reigning BEMSEE MRO Cigma Racing Clubman 1000 champion has the potential to make progress throughout the season.
Grover would like to express his gratitude to all the family and friends who have joined the team on groverracing.co.uk, as well as to Exclusive Fishing for their continued support. He also extends his thanks to everyone who dedicates their time and effort away from the race weekends to ensure that he can compete at this level.
