Jonathan Rea #65

Peak Performance continues it seemingly never ending relationship with Jonathan Rea as he moves up to the World Championship with Ten Kate Hanspree Honda on The CBR600RR.  Having finished second to his team mate Kiyo in the British Superbike Championship, they both join the Ten Kate team. 

However Jonathan is competing in the Supersport championship for 2008 as part of a 3 year deal with the team which sees him move onto the Superbike in 2009.

Darren commented, ‘I’ve known Jonathan since he was 15, so that’s almost 7 years.  If I’d done an armed robbery I’d be out with good behavior by now’.  Jonathan said of Darren’s continued involvement in 2008, ‘is he ever going to leave?’

Craig Jones, 1985-2008

Craig Jones has died as a result of head injuries sustained during Sunday's World Supersport race at Brands Hatch. The 23-year-old lost control of his Parkalgar Honda through the fast Clark Curve towards the end of lap seven of the restarted race, whilst battling for his first WSS victory in his home event.

Jones was sitting in a close second position at the time of his accident, sandwiched between Ten Kate Honda riders Jonathan Rea and Andrew Pitt. As Jones accelerated through the fast right-hand turn that leads onto the home straight, he lost the rear of his CBR600RR, sliding almost completely sideways before being pitched violently backwards onto the asphalt.

World championship leader Pitt attempted to take avoiding action, but was left with nowhere to go and appeared to clip Jones as the Englishman spiralled uncontrollably down the track. The race was immediately stopped and Jones was later diagnosed with a serious head injury. Jones was initially treated at the scene of the accident and then transferred to the Circuit Medical Centre - where the Clinica Mobile states he was resuscitated four times - before being flown by Air Ambulance to the Royal London Hospital. The former Foggy Petronas World Superbike rider arrived in an 'extremely critical condition' and was placed in a pharmacological coma by doctors to try and stabilise his condition. Unfortunately the head injuries he received were too severe and he died at 00.32 on Monday 4th Aug with his father Steve and partner Karen by his side.

Jones was still credited with second position behind good friend Jonathan Rea in the Brands Hatch race and sits fifth in the 2008 World Supersport standings. Jones had taken four podium finishes from the nine rounds and it was considered only a matter of time before he claimed his first world championship race victory.

Fitness trainer Darren Roberts paid this tribute, ‘I first met Craig at a Red Bull event back in 2003, aptly called the Red Bull Soap Box race. He was intrigued by what I did for a living and as a young up and coming racer wanted to know more about training. At the time I had my hands full with some young and unknown riders in the Red Bull Rookies Programme called Jonathan Rea and Eugene Laverty, but as is the way with these things our paths kept crossing. I actually started working with Craig when he went to WSBK with Foggy and his love of McDonalds (or Filthy Rons as he called it) always scuppered our weight loss plans.

I also experienced Craig’s skill on four wheels when visiting Peterborough to train at his local gym, I say four wheels but there were very rarely four wheels in contact with the ground at any one time. His driving ability scaled new heights for me on our winter training camp last December in California with a 6 ltr Escalade at his disposal and the traction control turned off. There wasn’t s single traffic light over the two weeks that didn’t have two fat black lines leading away from it, with what appeared to be a 12 year old with a mad grin driving and a bald bloke clinging on for life in the passenger seat. In the end I just resigned myself to going round corners where I either had a great view of where we were going or where we’d just been, his all action sideways style was everywhere – not just on track.

Not content with showing the people in the area where we were staying how sideways a massive SUV can get, Craig had to add the element of danger. Returning from a trip to Red Bull US head office in Santa Monica I made the fatefull error of pointing out the Compton area of LA as we headed south down the freeway. ‘We’ve gotta go!’ shouted Craig, and sure enough we had to drive down Compton in the Escalade with the windows down and the itrip blaring ‘Straight outta Compton’ through the stereo with me trying to film it on his mobile. Getting lost and finding ourselves in the middle of ghetto gangster central in a dead end street attracting a lot of attention, we made our escape with Craig’s signature 4 wheel sideways drift, smoke pouring from the tyres onto the main road with Craig shouting ‘you want a piece of this..?!?!’ out of the window. This training camp was in danger of ending in a basement somewhere, tied up with pool balls in our mouths.

This was Craig, this was Jonesy – always on the edge and when you’re bald and old like me he was hard to keep up with.

I was supposed to be going to Brands, but Craig and Jonathan both said there was nothing for me to do – so unless I’m working I won’t go to a race. I had a text conversation with Craig the morning of the race. I don’t like calling them race weekend, I simply drop a good luck text with a stupid comment. It was the usual text banter, but you never think that’s the last time you’ll have any contact with them. Even if it was what would you say? What could you say? Anyone that’s involved with racing knows the risks, and as tragic as it is - this is the 3rd rider I’ve worked with since 2003 who’s been killed.

Craig was a small lad who made a big impression, and his loss is a massive tragedy for everybody and for racing. My thoughts are with his mum, dad, Karen and the kids – they’re living in a nightmare that has come true. The worst possible thing that could happen, has happened and nothing anyone can say can make it easier. I have the luxury of dealing with it as I have the others, I’m not. I still think that the phone will buzz with the next text from Craig, ‘What’s happening Nobby, lets make a plan’ or with his latest weight on one of the several sets of scales he used all over East Anglia. I haven’t accepted anything or come to terms with anything. All I’ve got is some great memories and the unique privilege to say I knew him and he was in my life, and that’s what I’m holding onto.’