Chris "The Stalker" Walker: News RSS Feed

Stalker back at Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:47:00 +0000

Chris Walker is back in the Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki BSB team.

Walker was re-instated after the team was completely restructured on Monday following the news last week that the original team owner Dan Cheevers had been arrested on a drugs charge.

Pete Extance of Bournemouth Kawasaki is now the new team owner, while engineering specialists Pr1mo remain as the title sponsor.

Walker said: Im delighted to be back on board with the team. It was important to me, not just to be on track in BSB 2012 but also to be on a bike like the last one I raced last year.

Riding his 2011 bike wont however be possible. That was owned by Cheevers and is no longer available so a new bike is being sought in full race trim since its late in the winter to start building a superbike from scratch.

Walker said: There are some loose ends to tie up but Im pretty confident well be sorted and Im looking forward to getting back on track with the team.

Walkers BSB team-mate will be James Hillier, last years Bournemouth Kawasaki rider.

Pr1mo Kawasaki ran Walker in BSB last year but this winter he was dropped in favour of Joe Burns by Cheevers. The team in accordance with this years two man BSB team rules, linked with Bournemouth Kawasaki who intended to continue with James Hiller.

New team owner Pete Extance said: Its great to have Chris Walker back on board. We originally joined forces with the Pr1mo team because of the Walker connection and I wasnt happy going racing without him.

Im delighted hes back on board and that Pr1mo have remained as the teams title sponsor and weve made a commitment to go racing without Dan Cheevers.

The difference now is that its not two teams amalgamated, its one complete team and Im the one shouldering the responsibility of being the owner. Chris is so important to the team; hes not just a figure-head hes also going to be a mentor to the young lads in the team.

MCN Motorcycle Show Excel 2nd-5th Feb

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:29:00 +0000

The Chris Walker Race School will be present on the Kawasaki Stand N208. Its your last chance to get your Launch Pack so make sure you look us up!

''The Stalker'' is also appearing in the Live Arena Revolution Show alongside Neil Hodgson, Dougie Lampkin, John McGuinnes, David Knight & Niall Mackenzie!!

http://www.mcnmotorcycleshow.com/

Chris Walker Race School Ltd Edition Launch Pack

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:09:00 +0000

There's still time to get yours in time for Christmas!!

Call 01455 844078 or book online: www.chriswalkerraceschool.com

Chris Walker chooses Kawasaki Ninja for new Race School

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:35:00 +0000

Inextricably linked with Kawasaki and enjoying considerable racing success on Ninja machines, including his historic Assen World Superbike race win Chris Walker is set to unveil a long held ambition to launch a Race School based at the Mallory Park circuit in Leicestershire.

Walker has spent a considerable time planning the new school and the adoption of Ninja ZX-6R machinery is just one aspect of the overall concept as he explains;

There are plenty of track days available in the UK for people to rock up and just go round and round making the same mistakes all day and not progressing. What we are offering is a different level altogether. This bespoke Race School represents a total experience based on what I would expect as a customer.

Committing to personally supervise each event and act as one of the many top name tutors at the school, Walker will operate a fleet of brand new Ninja machinery available for customers to ride plus leathers and other protective gear adding to the quality focus of the day. Along with race machines and protective clothing, the school has also partnered with other significant sponsors like Maxxis tyres, Scorpion Exhausts, Motorex lubricants, DID and Vesrah plus the Mallory Park circuit itself all of whom Walker is sure will benefit from the positive exposure.

Clients will be treated like racers from start to finish with grid girls to meet them at the start of the day, a briefing then overview from myself followed by Warm Up, Free Practice sessions and finally, a Superpole session. Well cover braking, accelerating, lines and gears as well as rider positioning, all with myself and other top BSB racers as tutors working directly alongside our guests on and off track throughout their experience.

Superpole will allow all riders to exploit what they have learnt in attempt to set their fastest lap time around Mallory Park and then, as a fitting racer style end to the day, a podium celebration with awards and Champagne, just like an actual race event.

With live on-screen timing plus on-bike video and other innovative ideas like a ladies only day planned for the school, customers can also move on at a later date to taste the ultimate Kawasaki track experience on the awesome 200 horsepower Ninja ZX-10R as Walker explains;

Mallory Park is such a great place to run our school. Riding the Ninja ZX-6R, every single client will learn more about bike control and their lap times will reflect this. We will then invite each to apply for the Pro Race School on the mighty Ninja ZX-10R. As a British and World Superbike race winning bike, the Ninja ZX-10R is the ultimate adrenaline rush. Well ensure that everyone on a Pro-Rider school feels the same as I did when I stood on the top step of the podium at Assen as a Kawasaki WSB rider.

Launching the school at Motorcycle Live! with the cost for the Supersport school at under £300, Walker and his team will be on hand every day as part of the Kawasaki Motors UK stand offering a special Launch Edition gift box which includes everything you will need for your day on track! Wiz Knee Sliders, Chris Walker Race School T Shirt, Ear Plugs, Kawasaki Racing Key ring and Pen, Visor graphic and Maxxis Stickers..

Of course its been a huge effort, concludes Walker, The reward for our customers will be a truly unique and memorable day. The Chris Walker Race School will represent the ultimate Kawasaki track experience, of that we are certain."
Contact details:

Web: www.chriswalkerraceschool.com

Email: enquiries@chriswalkerraceschool.com

Tel:01455 844078

KBC Stalker Replica Helmet Special Offer!!

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:30:00 +0000

KBC VR-2R Stalker Replica Helmet Special Offer!!

Now only £129.99!!

The www.walkerthestalker.com shop is still the only place you can purchase your Stalker Replica & recieve the Official Stalker Helmet Sticker set - Visor sticker & Stalker sticker for the back.

http://www.walkerthestalker.com/blog/shop/index.php?cid=3

Pr1mo Kawasaki Racing Team Press Release Round 6 Snetterton

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:29:00 +0000

Pr1mo Kawasaki Racing Team Press Release Round 6 Snetterton

The weather was hot & so was the pace at the new Snetterton 300 Circuit in Norfolk last weekend where some 43,000 spectators turned up to show their support for the hotly contested British Superbike Championship. The Pr1mo Kawasaki Racing Team had a very successful & enjoyable weekend, gaining their best qualifying result of the season & two top tens, equalling their best results from Thruxton.

Stalker pushed hard in qualifying & finally made it through to Q3 & put the Pr1mo Racing Kawasaki on the third row. This represents his highest qualifying position of the year and indicates how well Stalker is riding at the moment and how fast the bike is being developed. Modifications with the new swingarm and engine performance improvements are helping the team move closer to the front and if it wasn't for a poor qualifying tyre that started to "chunk" on lap two, we are sure that we could have been looking at a second row start.

On Sunday the sun was shining and as the track temperature climbed to over 40 degrees we knew tyre wear would play a major part in this race. In Race 1, Starting from 9th on the grid, Stalker got a fantastic start and was up to third position by the first corner. It was a long & eventful race what with the pace car being deployed but Stalker battled on to finish 8th & top Kawasaki & top privateer team. This is a fantastic result for the team and another tremendous ride by Chris.

Chris started race two in 16th position based on the lap times from race one. The conditions were cooler so we knew the pace would be even faster for race two. Stalker, yet again had another fantastic start running in seventh position after the first few corners. At the end of the first lap he had slipped back to ninth after having taken to the grass to avoid Rutter entering the pits. The race was then red flagged when Alex Lowes bike spilt oil on the track after an engine failure causing Steve Brogan and Simon Andrews to crash. After a 15 minute delay, whilst the oil was being cleared, we were to restart in 9th position for a nine lap sprint race. At the restart, Stalker was on the charge again, holding fifth position but eventually slipping back with a few rear grip issues to finish the race in 8th place. Another great result for Chris and the team who again finished top Kawasaki.

Team Owner Dan Cheevers " With other teams having tested here at the new circuit & us not having had the chance we were anticipating a tough weekend. So to qualify in the highest position of the season so far & equal our best results of the year was testament to the team's dedication for improvement to the Pr1mo Kawasaki & Stalker's no hold bars attitude."

Development will continue with the bike and using the data from this weekend we now have some more ideas to help improve the bike for the next round at Oulton Park, Cheshire on the 15^th-17^thJuly. Pr1mo Racing would also like to wish Simon Andrews and Steve Brogan a speedy recovery!

Stalkers Garage Sale!!

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:14:00 +0000

Stalkers Garage Sale!!

From Black Beauty to a Twinshock RM, from Boost leathers to a Padgetts team shirt...there is something for everybody if you fancy a bit of Stalker memorabilia!

Over the years Chris has managed to save one of every set of leathers he has ever raced in (apart from the 1995 Padgetts Honda Texport ones!!) & an item of team gear for his own private collection...he has donated on occasion the odd extra item to charity or has given an extra set to a sponsor as by way of a thankyou but this is the first time ever Chris has put additional items up for auction. Stalker needs to make some extra room for a couple of reasons...Firstly to make way for Rosie's toys & first wheels & secondly for a couple of exciting business ventures Chris has in the pipeline for 2012....watch this space!!!!!!!

Therefore this is a one off opportunity to win yourself a genuine part of Chris Walker Racing History Memorabillia! Once these duplicates have gone there will never be another opportunity to bid on such items as he will never be selling his own personal collection.

Check out these links on Ebay & make sure you click on ''see other items'' to see whats in the Stalker's Garage Sale! Or just go on Ebay & search ''Chris Walker'' to join in! Theres no reserve on any items & they're not on sale elsewhere so all items will go whatever the price! Here's hoping it all goes to a good home!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290582734203&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290582736486&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Pr1mo Racing Press Release Knockhill

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:16:00 +0000

The Pr1mo Racing Team & Chris Walker built on their success at Thruxton to be competitive all weekend at a rather wet Knockhill.

Chris chipped away at his times during the practice sessions finishing Saturdays practice in 5^th place. The weather conditions improved throughout the first of the qualifying sessions & with a gamble on tyres & little time left Chris went out on intermediates only having to go onto wet track on the hairpin to pass a slower rider which caused him to slip off at low speed. Although there was little damage the chequered flag was out by the time he could remount & unfortunately he had slid from top ten to 23^rdleaving Pr1mo Racing out of the running for Q2.

In warm up, on a drying track, Chris picked up his pace & finished 5^th. However having to start the first race from P23 was always going to be difficult and the team had to rely on one of Stalkers trade mark fast starts to try and bring them into contention. He was up to 15^th by the first lap & Stalker showed great tenacity and determination to battle his way up to 12th place during the race with four laps remaining. However the bike had developed an intermittent problem with the fuel pump but Stalker managed to hang on & finished the race in 14th position.

From the lap times in race one Chris bumped himself up the grid to P14 for race two. Again he got a great start and continued to reel in the riders ahead. He worked his way up to the battle for 5th place with some impressive overtakes which included Rutter and Mason on the same lap. The whole team were urging him on, lap after lap, and he eventually brought the bike home in 7th place which is our best result of the season.

It was great to see Stalker producing another good result after Thruxton which shows that the team are making good progress. Stalker rode a fantastic race and we hope to carry this momentum onto the next round in Snetterton.

Team Owner Dan Cheevers We came to Knockhill with some good updates for the bike & development is really moving forward now. The relationship between Ray and Chris is really paying off, they are an awesome combination, but what is really outstanding is the way Stalker is gelling with the bike and riding in truly awesome form. We are all looking forward to Snetterton.

Well done to the team and great job Stalker!

Pr1mo Racing has confirmed that it has parted company with British Superstock rider Paul Curran after a challenging start to the 2011 British Superstock Championship. The decision was made by mutual agreement between both parties after a difficult qualifying session at Knockhill. Pr1mo Racing will now concentrate on focusing its efforts in British Superbikes with Chris Walker.

Team manager, Danny Cheevers The team and Paul Curran have decided to part company by mutual agreement. I would like to thank Paul for his efforts so far this season and wish him well for the future.

Stalker Stars at Focused!

Mon, 16 May 2011 10:56:00 +0000

For more information, please click the link below.

http://www.focusedevents.com/news_info.asp?ID=298

Stalker Superbike Circuits with M10 Fitness

Wed, 11 May 2011 10:09:00 +0000

Of interest to the many riders that I speak to over a race weekend is how Stalker trains for riding a Superbike. Up until now youve not had the chance to learn about the hard work that goes on behind the scenes of Stalkers training world.

Stalker is not only one of the older riders on the British Superbike grid but hes also with a brand new team and riding a brand new undeveloped bike and its partly down to his superior conditioning that allows him to still be running up there with the top 10 riders.

When I speak to other riders they tell me that their training comprises of cycling, random weights and the famous core! Little do they know about the detailed periodised planning of phases that go into designing an off season or competitive season for Stalker.

Firstly the type of training that most riders do is very non specific and secondly the weights they lift are mainly from a mashed together old school body building programme. They dont take into account the strength or specific energy system requirements of the sport.

Heres an example of why strength training and not just core training is important. If your shoulders, neck and back arent strong enough, your core alone will not support you through the full race distance. As soon as you start to get tired in the upper body you shift to try and use other parts of your body to compensate. Not only does a drop in strength slow you down but it also dramatically affects your reaction time. So when people tell me that strength is not as important as fitness in Superbike racing I normally have plenty to say!

All the hard work that has been put in over the off season can be lost very quickly when the season starts. Plenty of travelling, hard long race weekends and the injuries that can occur occasionally take their toll. As the season moves further on riders are getting tired, losing muscle mass and losing strength. In season training is a very important area to consider.

So when it comes to in season training with Stalker I focus on a few main areas, maintenance of flexibility, maintenance of strength and my special Superbike conditioning circuits. A typical session in season when there is enough of a gap between race weekends involves strength work after a specific warm up and then finished with a timed circuit and neck training.

Now that the season has started, its very important to know what you should be doing in season. Its very important to not lose any strength that youve gained in the off season and its certainly important to maintain your level of conditioning. The other main area that I concentrate on with Stalker is recovery. This doesnt just mean protein shakes post workout, it means rest and recovery, stretching, massage and the all important chill time! Whilst recovery drinks are very important after training, a full weekend of racing takes its toll on the body and a full recovery strategy is very important.

So to give you an idea of the circuits Stalker does, heres one of them:

A1 Box drops with fat grips battling ropes 20 reps

A2 Grappler anti rotations 20 reps

A3 Sprawl 10 reps

A4 Lateral box shuffle with fat grips battling ropes 20 reps

A5 Power bag shifts 20 reps

A6 Thrusters 20 reps

The circuit is performed 4 times through without a break. Stalkers time is recorded and he works to beat it every time (and he does!!).

Over the next few weeks Ill be posting some pictures and maybe videos of the exercises Stalker uses so you can give them a try.

Also in this series will be some cool neck exercises that many Motocross and Superbike riders often overlook when they write themselves a program.

Mark Coles

Strength and Conditioning Coach - Training Stalker since 2008

M10 Fitness

www.m10fitness.co.uk

Oil or Nothing....

Mon, 09 May 2011 10:36:00 +0000

Pr1mo Press Release Oulton Park

Wed, 04 May 2011 20:57:00 +0000

The sun shone down again at last weekends British Superbike race meeting at Oulton Park, Cheshire. The fortunes of the Pr1mo Racing squad were a little less favourable than the weather but the team are still making good progress on the development of the new Kawasaki ZX10R & improvements are coming steadily.

After an excellent showing in the morning warm up with Chris pushing a lot closer to the pace setters recording the ninth fastest lap, Team Pr1mo Kawasaki came across a major electrical problem on the warm up lap that left the Stalker 30% down on power, as the dash went blank. Chris still managed to battle against the odds to bring the ZX10R home in 16th, just missing out on points.

The second superbike race was not without its problem again, as the quickshifter malfunctioned, forcing the Stalker to use the clutch for manual gear changes, losing vital time and drive in key areas of the circuit. Chris as always however, showed his determination and skill, to bring the ZX10R home just outside the top ten in a very creditable eleventh, and setting a lap time just over half a second off the factory bikes.

Stalkersays "Obviously I was frustrated with the first race, when the dash went down on the starting grid, leading to a no points finish. Fortunes changed however for the second race, and I forced my way up to eleventh on the last lap, despite problems with the quickshifter. A big thank you to all the boys behind the scenes who came up with the chassis settings and closed the gap on the factory boys with regard to lap times. There is great camaraderie within the team & the problems we had blend into insignificance compared to the progress were making.

Riding for Pr1mo in the Superstock class Paul Curran endured a difficult weekend at Oulton park, but after spending more time improving his feel for the bike he bounced back on race day with a rewarding win in the Superstock1000 shoot out qualifier.Paul says "At last I have been able to make the bike feel more like my own, and obviously I'm over the moon with the shoot out victory. I now need to take this confidence on to the main race where I will be battling as hard as I can for a result.After the win in the shoot out race, Paul started confidently, but very far back on the grid. Paul managed to work his way from the back of the 40 strong riders, and ended up finishing 27th when the chequered flag dropped. With more headway made in bike set up this weekend, we look forward now to Croft, where Team Pr1mo hope to be nearer to the front runners, and Paul can show his true potential.

Team Manager Dan Cheevers Although we had problems Im very pleased with the effort put in from the whole team to get over them, I think Chris is riding superbly & with the coming updates to the machinery we should put a better bike under him for croft. I thought the team worked even better together here at Oulton & are gelling well.

Pr1moRacing Team will be back at Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire 13^th-15^th
May.

Image courtesy of Tim @ Impact Images Photography

Pr1mo Press Release

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 22:00:00 +0000

Temperatures soared & the pressure was high for the
season opener at Brands Hatch this weekend. This didnt faze Chris Walker &
the Pr1mo Racing team who started their season very positively. Even with an
all new team, new bike & very little testing Chris Walker got to grips with
developing the new Kawasaki ZX10R & put in two fantastic races scoring a 10^th
in race one & 11^th in race two leaving him joint 10^th
in the championship between the Samsung factory teammates of Hopkins & Kirkham.

Chris said I came here hoping for top tens but the
reality of that was far from easy against such a wealth of factory machinery
but Im absolutely made up with the results & the way the team worked to
make those results possible at such an early stage. Id like to say a massive
thank you to all concerned & all the support over the weekend.

Team Manager Dan Cheevers was very pleased with the progress
& results this weekend but is focused on improvement. Stalker has done us all proud, most of all
myself, I felt like a proud father seeing the bike come across the finish line
for the first time & in the top ten. Im over the moon with what we have all achieved
this weekend. As ever though I will be striving for improvement from everybody
in the team & cant wait to get back on it at Oulton Park this weekend.

Unfortunately the weekend was not quite so successful for
young Paul Curran on the Pr1mo Superstock 1000. Paul lost the front at Druids while
pushing hard during qualifying forcing him to enter the shoot out race to be
able to make the grid for the main race on Monday. Due to a technical issue whilst
running in fifth place he was forced to retire rendering his race weekend over.
Paul was obviously very disappointed that he couldnt make the race but remains
positive & excited for Oulton Park this coming weekend having been ultra competitive
until his problems hit.

A big thank you to all our sponsors & supporters. The
Pr1mo Racing Team will be back in action at Oulton Park in Cheshire this coming
weekend 30^th April 2^nd May.

Image courtesy of Tim @ Impact Images Photography

2011 STALKER SHOP OPEN!

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 09:41:00 +0000

THE 2011 STALKER SHOP IS NOW OPEN!

GET YOUR OFFICIAL 2011 STALKER T FOR JUST £15 WITH FREE DELIVERY!

ALSO AVAILABLE ARE STALKER'S REPLICA HELMETS, OFFICIALY STICKERS & PR1MO HOODIES & T SHIRTS!

Motodirect Launch RST Race Ready off the peg leathers

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:32:00 +0000

Welcome Kawasaki return for Walker

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 23:32:00 +0000

Associated with Kawasaki at key points during his hugely successful career, Chris Walker returns to the Japanese brand and the UK Superbike paddock for the 2011 season. British and World Superbike race winner, Walker will front a single rider team under the Pr1mo racing banner and has a brand new bike to master in the shape of the much praised Ninja ZX-10R.

Not everything is new to the highly experienced Walker however, and the coming season sees him reunited with Kawasaki tuning expert, Ray Stringer, bringing decades of engine development experience to bear on a power-hungry race series.

Certainly Walker is relishing the prospect of the very latest Ninja and the next few weeks will see him start an accelerated development programme for the Pr1mo machine.

I'm really excited about riding the new ZX-10R. I've raced the last three generations of the Kawasaki flagship Superbike and enjoyed good results on every one of them, but the twenty eleven model definitely promises to take Kawasaki to another level. It's going to be the lightest and most powerful superbike Ive ever raced and should be a force to be reckoned with, especially on the tight and twisty British tracks, said Walker.

With the pedigree of Stringer and the obvious performance potential of the new Ninja to rely on, Walker sees the joining of the new team and the established tuner as a winning combination;

I am pumped to be working with a brand new team and sponsors and being able to have a major input into the bikes development. Ray Stringer has very high expectations for the new bike's engine power and the chassis is a major step forward in terms of racing. He has already built a motor for our Superstock rider Paul Curren and with very minor tweaks within the rules has achieved over 200 BHP at the rear wheel... So what's my superbike going to be like?"

And of the loyal Stalker fans, Chris commented;

I'm personally really excited about going green again and most hard core Stalker fans will feel the same way too Im sure. My best ever years of racing have been with the green team, from schoolboy motocross to WSB, so these being my latter years of racing it's great to be back where I feel I belong.

Certainly his arrival rounds off a successful series of rider and team negotiations for Ross Burridge, Racing Coordinator for Kawasaki Motors UK, who said;

Having Chris back on a Kawasaki in BSB is the icing on the cake. We now have an amazing representation across all the major championships in the BSB schedule and everyone that rides a Ninja ZX-6R or Ninja ZX-10R has a chance to cheer a myriad of riders and teams towards the podium in 2011.

Press Release

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 06:39:00 +0000

Pr1mo may be a new contender but is sure to set the track on fire!

Pr1mo has thrust itself firmly into the motorcycle racing arena with the support of its founders Joe and Enzo, who for many years have shared a vision... a vision where British engineering and racing are united and finally this vision is now a reality.

Pr1mo has been born out of the wealth of engineering knowledge, experience and quality spanning over 37 years. This, and with Joe and Enzos passion and firm belief of retaining engineering in the UK, Pr1mo are extremely proud to support British engineering and know that this is only just the beginning for Pr1mo with planned expansion already on the horizon!

With a great line up and dedicated team, Pr1mo are proud to be a part of the Superbike racing circuit...