JW Racing/JT Performance Centre’s James Westmoreland looks set to become a regular challenger for the race win in the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport championship and took his second podium in as many races at Knockhill this weekend.
Westmoreland who finished fourth in the championship last season now sits in the same position in the championship a mere point behind third place rider Daniel Cooper of his previous team Centurion Racing after taking a third and a second place in the past two rounds.
Westmoreland season looked bleak due to a previous arrangement falling through causing him to run his own team to contend the 2009 season.  Things are now certainly paying off, including a stunning 11th place finish as a wildcard in the World Supersport Championship at Donington Park two weeks ago.
Westmoreland said: “The season started off slow, the bike is new to me and so many things went wrong.  We didn’t have a bike until two weeks before the start of the season, it is one of Glen Richards bikes from last year.  It took a couple of rounds to get the bike setup for me as we had not had any testing.”
“My original deal fell though and what we are doing now was the only way to ensure I could race.  We started the season on the back foot a bit, we had two or three issues, just little things, but I think we have done well and are there now.  To be scoring points and fourth in the championship is not bad.”
“I now have second bike prepared by John Trigger of JT Engine Builders, he was Glen Richard’s crew chief last year.  As we find improvements we do them on both bikes to keep the bikes the same as one another.”
Westmoreland has had a recent breakthrough with the gearing setup and since then has gained vital points towards the championship title, he was sixth in the standings after constantly obtaining top tens. 
Now he has leaped to fourth, 28 points behind current championship leader Steve Plater, who he battled wheel to wheel with on Sunday proving his ability and confidence to run with the experienced.  Westmoreland strongly kept his second behind Bruce Wilson after Plater crashed out to rejoin further down the order continuing his good run at the Scottish circuit.
At Knockhill a circuit he quite likes he has finished on the podium four out of five times in racing there and this weekend now has also broken Leon Camier's lap from 2006 adding to the 125cc lap record that he currently holds.
 
However, Westmoreland and his dedicated team fight another financial battle off track, Westmoreland said: “We haven’t got the funding to do the whole seasons, we took a gamble when we went to World’s, it could have turned out to be a waste of time and money, but it wasn’t.”
“But you have to take the risks to get noticed, you’ve got to be out there as much as possible and yes also getting good results helps.  We are doing everything right to attract people, good bike and good results.”
“I would just like to say thank you to everyone that is part of JW Racing, the team members, sponsors, fans, my Family and friends, we are really gaining momentum in this Championship and it is going to be a great second half of the season."
For more information or to discuss possible sponsorship for the Hull rider log onto www.jameswestmoreland.com.