Firestarter Flint launches BSS and roads effort

Keith Flint, of Prodigy fame, is set to expand his Traction Control race team for 2014, moving into British Supersport as well as launching a road racing campaign.

American James Rispoli, who wild carded in the National Superstock class at Brands Hatch for the team, will ride an ex-Tyco Suzuki supersport machine, while Steve Mercer will remain with the team for superbike, sport and stock classes at the international road race meetings.

Flint, who has sold over 20 million albums, is a passionate biker, and regularly competes in club races and track days, and his Team Traction Control have won two national endurance titles in the past.

Multiple AMA champion Rispoli said: “I am so excited to get the opportunity to race full time overseas and to do it in such a prestigious series as the British Superbike Championship is amazing. I have had some experience of the events at the final Brands Hatch rounds over the past two seasons and now this is a chance to have a full season to prove what we are capable of. I know I will need to learn the tracks but I think we can come to grips with that pretty fast and try and be pushing for some podiums and top positions throughout the season.” 

Mercer, who finished third in the World Endurance Superstock class in 2013, added “I’m really excited about this opportunity. I’ve never really had properly competitive machinery, so this team, with the support of Tyco Suzuki, is definitely my chance to shine, and I can’t wait to get out on track; I’ve been flat out training already to make sure I’m as a fit as possible come the tart of the season.”

Flint concluded: “The time is right now for us to move to this level and I am really excited by the whole thing. I have been a fan of the championship for several years and that is the foundation of why I started a team in the first place. The feeling of this announcement is like the first time that the band played at Glastonbury; it is the big time. We have won back to back titles at club level in the endurance series and now it feels right to move to the next level. “