Nigel Snook

The team principal

THE ‘S’ IN FS-3 Racing, the team which runs Danny Buchan in BSB, used to run a PLC, partly to support an expensive Ducati habit. That included club racing on a 250 single, followed by a 1299 Panigale for track days all over Europe and sponsoring Darren Fry in the Ducati Trioptions Cup. So, when Darren retired from racing starting a team together seemed like a good idea. Fry runs a company that makes coffin linings (really) which had room at the factory for a workshop, and Nigel signed the cheques. It would be a mistake to think that Nigel is just a fan with what he charmingly calls ‘a bit of spare’ from the sale of his company. ‘We’re all suckers for top-level motorcycle racing, but you have to do it properly.’ That means running Kawasakis in Superbike, Superstock and Junior Supersport the primary objective being, Nigel gestures to the top of pitlane, ‘getting into one of the top-three garages.’ This is not just a matter of signing more cheques. FS-3 have a good spread of trade sponsors but Nigel is upbeat about the idea of a commercial sponsor, which raises the question – what can BSB offer a sponsor from outside the motorcycle industry? All of a sudden I am not talking to a fan but to an astute businessman: ‘The profile of the crowd. This is a family affair, it’s not just blokes. A lot of good, normal people. It’s not like taking your kids to a football match in East London, is it?’ The weather is terrible but Donington is packed with family groups and there are a lot of notably non-motorcycle industry names emblazoned on the trucks and hospitality units that fill the paddock. Mr Snook has a point.

‘We’re all suckers for racing, but you have to do it properly’