British Superbikes: Ex-Irish champion Rainey played key role in Brookes' championship success
- Published
NI-born crew chief Ryan Rainey with 2020 BSB champion Josh Brookes
While most Northern Ireland bike fans were rooting for Glenn Irwin to win the 2020 British Superbike title one man's professional interest meant his foot was firmly in the camp of eventual championship winner Josh Brookes.
Twice Irish short circuit champion Ryan Rainey is crew chief for the Australian PBM Ducati rider who claimed his second BSB title at the final round at Brands Hatch in October.
The 39-year-old was in his second season as Brookes' right-hand man in the garage of the most successful team in the history of the BSB series.
Brookes went into a much-anticipated final round as one of five riders who could win the crown and ran out a 21-point victor thanks to wins in the final two races.
Relief the primary emotion
"We were mega-pleased to win but it was more relief than anything else in the end as Josh went in as favourite for the championship but it took us three or four rounds to really get going. It ended up more difficult than it should have been," explained Templepatrick-based Rainey.
"There was a change to the tyres this year, we were using World Superbike tyres and it affected us a lot more than we thought. All our previous settings went out the window.
"World Superbike machines have electronics but BSB bikes don't, they have no traction control, so with the tyres designed for WSB we had to alter the geometry to try and dial the chatter out, move the bike about and change the settings.
"It took us a while to work it out as we were starting from scratch everywhere we went."
Making amends after going close in 2019
Brookes won his first BSB title in 2015 but was pleased to secure another at Brands after having also finished runner-up in the championship on four occasions.
"We were so close the previous season when we lost out by just five points to Josh's team-mate Scott Redding so it was a long winter thinking about that, what we may have done differently, but we have made amends.
"Josh is the most honest rider on the grid about his own performance and that of the bike and he is also mentally strong. He loves getting out front, setting the pace and controlling the race.
"There are no excuses with him and he is a dream to work with - he knows what he wants and has bags of experience.
"It was good for the team boss Paul Bird too as it was an eighth title for him. We have the best team in the paddock, totally professional, and I completely trust the crew I have around me."
Swapping spanners for leathers - and vice versa
After beginning his career in the paddock as a mechanic for former Irish champion road racer James Courtney, Rainey swapped his tools for leathers, winning the Irish Supersport Championship in 2001.
He called time on his racing career in 2007 and subsequently worked as a member of the TAS Racing team during 2009 and 2010, 'spannering' for the likes of Alastair Seeley, Cameron Donald and Bruce Anstey.
After taking a few years out from the sport, the County Antrim man was employed as part of the PBM team competing in the MotoGP series with Australian Broc Parkes.
Ryan Rainey in action at Kirkistown in June 2016
Rainey made a successful comeback to racing in 2015, winning the Irish Superbike Championship, but a crash at Bishopscourt the following year put pay to his racing exploits.
He was appointed as crew chief to Glenn Irwin with the PBM Ducati team in 2018 and believes his experience as a rider helps him in his current role.
"I think it helps because I understand both sides of it, not just what I see on a laptop but the knowledge I have from having been on a race bike.
"It's not just crunching numbers and analysing data - many technicians understand that but have never been on a motorbike. They see chatter, they know what it looks like, but they have never felt it," he added.
Preparation and planning
Rainey's work as crew chief involves 'doing his homework' at home in preparation, then taking charge of his rider's side of the garage from Thursday to Sunday of a race weekend.
The relationship between rider and crew chief is a crucial one as the racer explains issues and mechanical changes to the bike necessary to give him an extra edge and more confidence.
"We discuss where we are with the bike, have a meeting every evening, make a plan and then go out the next day and try to execute that plan," he explained.
"We have all the data off the bike so we look at that, but first and foremost we take Josh's comments on board and try to back that up with the data.
"He knows what he wants and at the end of the day it is down to the rider in the end as to what he prefers, what he is happy with."