Ryan Strafford, a Superbikes racer who counts TR Fastenings as one of his sponsors, has had an incredible 2017 season on the track, finishing in an impressive second place overall in the Golden Era superbikes category.
Over 34 races, Ryan racked up 12 wins, 17 second places, 4 third places and only had one race where he didn’t finish on the podium. Ryan’s RS Racing team finished every race and didn’t experience any mechanical breakdowns, a testament to the commitment and determination of RS Racing. “Racing is often described as a solo sport but without the backing of a great team, the bike becomes unreliable and inevitably the rider will fail to finish,” explains Ryan.
Ryan started the RS Racing team with his father in 2011 and by 2014 he had won his first championship. Along with two other team members, Ryan races at tracks across the country - including Brands Hatch and Donington Park - on his Honda RC-51 SP2 motorbike, on which the TR logo proudly sits. Ryan established his relationship with TR via his role at Press-Form Machinery Ltd, the UK’s official agent and service partner for Haeger Insert Presses. TR, Press-Form and Haeger have a special three-way relationship, giving sheet metal customers access to high quality parts, industry-leading machinery and consultancy.
Ryan Strafford comments: “It’s been a fantastic season for me and the rest of the RS Racing team and we are getting stronger and stronger all the time, which is a great feeling. Finishing second is a brilliant achievement, and I’m so grateful to the team, everyone who supports us, and to TR and my other sponsors. Having sponsors who care as passionately as I do about this incredible sport really does spur me on, and I’ll definitely be looking for a first place finish next season!”
Mark Belton, CEO at TR Fastening’s parent company Trifast Plc, adds: “Having had the pleasure of meeting Ryan, seeing him in action and even having a sit on the bike myself, I’m absolutely blown away by the talent, passion and dedication that he and his team pour in to their racing.
“As a global manufacturing business, it’s wonderful for TR to be associated with a sport which champions the excellence in design and engineering which is showcased by these incredible bikes. Ryan tells us that when he develops his bike for next season, a major focus will be on lightweighting, which is an area we are heavily involved in for our Tier 1 automotive customers. We want to congratulate Ryan for a fantastic season and thank him for introducing us to the thrilling world of superbike racing!”
Photos: © Ian Boldy
Will joined Fastener + Fixing Magazine in 2007 and over the last 12 years has experienced every facet of the fastener sector – interviewing key figures within the industry and visiting leading companies and exhibitions around the globe. Will manages the content strategy across all platforms and is the guardian for the high editorial standards that the brand is renowned.
