Chris Walker (motorcyclist)
Chris Walker (born 25 March 1972[1] in Nottingham) is a British motorcycle road racer and former scrambler with the nickname The Stalker.[2] He is a four-time runner-up in the British Superbike Championship,[3] and a former race winner in the Superbike World Championship. For the 2015 season Walker signed for Tommy Hill's Be Wiser Kawasaki Team aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R in the British Superbike Championship,[4] following his 2014 season with Lloyds British GBmoto squad.[5] Team manager Hill left in August, 2015,[6] and the team folded in September, leaving Walker without a ride for the final two race meetings of the season.[7]
| Chris Walker | |
|---|---|
Chris Walker riding the Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha during the 2009 British Superbikes championship at Snetterton | |
| Nationality | English |
| Born | 25 March 1972 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, East Midlands |
| Current team | Santander Salt Kawasaki Sidecar |
| Bike number | 9 |
| Website | Walker The Stalker |
In early 2016, Walker announced he would no longer participate in superbikes, instead switching to the British Sidecar Championship, initially with a two-year contract. With no previous experience, Walker stated he was excited by the future opportunities.[8][9][10]
Like Formula One legend Ayrton Senna, Walker developed Bell's Palsy in 2002 which paralysed part of his face.[11][12] He lists his determination as his best feature, and his love of puddings as his worst. He usually races #9. He returned to the grid in 2021 taking on the Ducati TriOptions Cup.
Early years and British Superbike Championship 1995–2000 Edit
Walker only started road racing in 1995 after many years as an accomplished motocross rider, but by the end of that year and into 1996 he rose through the ranks with ease and had ridden in Grands Prix and scored points.
In 1997 he challenged for the prestigious British Superbike championship with Yamaha, finishing as runner-up to experienced team-mate Niall Mackenzie. He switched to Kawasaki for 1998, winning in the season's first race, before it became clear that the Yamahas of Mackenzie and Steve Hislop were the bikes to beat. Injury to Hislop allowed Walker to take 2nd in the series again, a feat he repeated behind Troy Bayliss’ Ducati in 1999.
He came agonisingly close to the 2000 title, when an engine failure in his Suzuki took him out of a winning position with just three laps remaining of the final race at Donington Park, leaving Walker in tears and gifting the title to GSE Ducati’s Neil Hodgson. He did however take a second place at Brands Hatch in the World Superbike round that year, the best of his many wild card entries in the UK rounds (and occasionally Assen in the Netherlands) over the years.
500 cc World Championship 2001 and World Superbikes 2002–2006 Edit
Walker made an attempt at the 500 cc World Championship in 2001. He predicted that "For me it's going to be the toughest year ever",[citation needed] which proved accurate, as the factory Shell-sponsored Honda was hard to ride and forced Walker to override, resulting in many huge crashes. In 2002, he moved to the Superbike World Championship, initially with the Fuchs Kawasaki team.
Walker placed 6th in the championship for GSE Ducati in 2003, and 11th for Carl Fogarty's Foggy Petronas team in 2004, respectively teamed with James Toseland and Troy Corser (both of whom won the title the next season, Toseland riding the 2004 Fila Ducati to success and Corser the Alstare Suzuki in 2005).
In 2005, he joined the PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse team, proving to be the most consistent Kawasaki rider in terms of pace and results, securing one podium finish (3rd place, round 6 at Valencia) and finishing 7th place overall.
2006 saw Walker teamed up with Frenchman Régis Laconi and Spain's Fonsi Nieto on a Kawasaki Europe backed ZX-10R for PSG. Walker secured his maiden Superbike World Championship race win on 3 September 2006 in Race 1 at Assen, Netherlands in his 131st race. Starting the race in 13th position, and dropping to 26th position at the first corner following an excursion onto the grass, Walker braved the torrential rain and a high rate of attrition to win in a time of 44 minutes, 23.501 seconds. He came 9th overall in the championship, 19 points ahead of Nieto as the highest Kawasaki.
Despite his finishing position, Walker was subsequently dropped by PSG for the 2007 season, while Kawasaki still supported PSG as an official factory team.[13][14]
Return to the British Superbike Championship 2007 Edit
Walker initially struggled on the Rizla Suzuki in the British Superbike championship, occasionally outpaced by rookie team-mate Cal Crutchlow. When Neil Hodgson tested the bike[15] some speculated that Walker's ride was under threat. The team insisted it wasn't, and at Oulton Park he took third in race one, in tricky conditions which saw many top riders (such as Jonathan Rea, Gregorio Lavilla and Tom Sykes) crash out. This was only his second podium of the season. His points tally for the year was 225, comparing favourably to his team-mate's 152.
World Supersport 2008 Edit
He was not retained for 2008, but raced in the Supersport World Championship for the very first time in and 2008, for the GIL Kawasaki team alongside teammate Katsuaki Fujiwara.[16] However, the bike was not competitive, and he switched to the Paul Bird VK Vent-Axia team in World Superbikes for the final five rounds of the season.[17] He opened with minor points at Brands Hatch, but crashed twice at Donington Park.
British Superbike Championship 2009–2013 Edit
For 2009 he was optimistic of a top British Superbike Championship ride, as all the established good riders are gone.[18] He ultimately joined the Henderson Yamaha team, but struggled for much of the year. He was competitive in race 1 at Mallory Park until chaos and controversy struck. He was running second when Josh Brookes lost control of his bike and catapulted race leader Simon Andrews, dropping oil from Brookes' Honda. Walker was one of five other riders who either crashed or downed their bikes to avoid crashing. The red flag was shown, but these seven riders were excluded from the results, due to an unexpected application of the rules. Brookes received a two-race ban for his mistake.[19]
For 2010 Walker was released by the Motorpoint Henderson Yamaha. It looked like he would not be racing in 2010, but he arranged a deal with on a privately run Suzuki tuned by former BSB rider Ray Stringer just a week before the opening round.[20] After 2 races Walker was offered a ride in the MSS Kawasaki team when Simon Andrews was injured in a crash while guesting in World Superbikes. He returned to the Suzuki once Andrews was fit again, but raced for SMT Honda at Snetterton, scoring the team's best 2010 results of two sevenths and an eleventh in the process[21]
During 2011 and 2012 Walker rode for Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki,[22] and for 2013 he rode with Quattro Plant Kawasaki.[23]
British Superbike Championship 2014 and 2015 Edit
After a season with Lloyds British GBmoto on a Kawasaki ZX-10R, for 2015 Walker changed to Be Wiser Kawasaki Team, again riding a ZX-10R, for a team owned by Alan Greig, having Be Wiser Insurance as main sponsor and part-sponsored by Dickies industrial clothing.
As the oldest rider competing in British Superbikes, Walker's extensive experience with superbike machines and Kawasaki makes him ideal as lead-rider to develop the new squad, partnered by Danny Buchan, fresh from his 2014 success as Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Champion.[5]
Former BSB rider and 2012 Champion Tommy Hill was team-manager, making his return to racing after three years' absence developing his graphic design business.[4] Hill left in August, 2015, and the team folded in September, leaving Walker without a ride for the final two race meetings of the season.[6][7]
British Sidecar Championship 2016 Edit
Walker competed in the 2016 British Sidecar Championship with 2012 World Sidecar Champion passenger Ashley Hawes in the chair.[24] With over 6 podium finishes already this year and a 100% race finish record, Chris and Ashley lie a comfortable 4th in the championship with only 4 races remaining.
British Superbike Championship 2017 Edit
According to an article by Oli Rushby on Motorcycle News.com, Chris Walker sustained injuries during the "eight round of the 2017 MCE British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park after a nasty crash in Friday’s Sidecar session."[25] Rushby went on to report that "[t]he multiple BSB runner-up crashed his Kawasaki-powered Santander Salt outfit at Mansfield and was taken to hospital with suspected back injuries", before being "confirmed he sustained a break to his T4 vertebrae... as well as a broken nose."
2019 Edit
Walker is planning on participating in the Hyundai Construction British Sidecar Championship with TAG Racing[26] with the support of team-mate Tom Christie.
Personal life Edit
Chris' father John was the proprietor of John Walker Superbikes, a retail motorcycle dealership in Langley Mill, Nottingham, which also owned Fox's Kawasaki in Mapperley, Nottingham, and Wraggs Motorcycles in Mansfield.[27]
Chris Walker lives in Ollerton, Nottinghamshire,[28][9] and also runs a Ducati & Kawasaki dealership Chris Walker Motorcycles in Grantham www.chriswalkermotorcycles.com [29]
Career statistics Edit
Stats correct as of 9 July 2012
By championship Edit
British Superbike Championship Edit
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Pos | Pts | Ref | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | ||||||
| 2007 | Suzuki | BHGP 5 | BHGP 8 | THR 9 | THR Ret | SIL 3 | SIL 4 | OUL Ret | OUL 9 | SNE 9 | SNE 9 | MOP 9 | MOP Ret | KNO 5 | KNO 6 | OUL 3 | OUL 8 | MAL 4 | MAL 6 | CRO 8 | CRO 10 | CAD 8 | CAD 6 | DON 6 | DON 4 | BHI 7 | BHI 6 | 7th | 225 | ||||||||
| 2009 | Yamaha | BHI 14 | BHI 8 | OUL 11 | OUL 9 | DON 5 | DON 3 | THR Ret | THR Ret | SNE 6 | SNE 17 | KNO 7 | KNO 5 | MAL Ret | MAL 12 | BHGP 9 | BHGP Ret | BHGP 12 | CAD 11 | CAD 6 | CRO Ret | CRO 11 | SIL Ret | SIL 11 | OUL 9 | OUL 14 | OUL 7 | 9th | 141 | [30] | |||||||
| 2010 | Suzuki | BHI 9 | BHI Ret | THR Ret | THR 15 | MAL 6 | MAL 5 | KNO 10 | KNO C | 10th | 130 | [31] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kawasaki | OUL 8 | OUL 11 | CAD 7 | CAD 8 | [32] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Honda | SNE 11 | SNE 7 | SNE 7 | BHGP 22 | BHGP Ret | BHGP 13 | CAD 11 | CAD 15 | CRO 9 | CRO 12 | SIL 9 | SIL 8 | OUL 16 | OUL Ret | OUL 9 | [33] | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Kawasaki | BHI 10 | BHI 11 | OUL 16 | OUL 11 | CRO Ret | CRO 13 | THR 8 | THR 8 | KNO 14 | KNO 7 | SNE 8 | SNE 8 | OUL 14 | OUL C | BHGP 5 | BHGP 15 | BHGP 15 | CAD 10 | CAD Ret | CAD DNS | DON Ret | DON 9 | SIL 17 | SIL Ret | BHGP 12 | BHGP 5 | BHGP Ret | 12th | 105 | [34] | ||||||
| 2012 | Kawasaki | BHI 12 | BHI C | THR NC | THR 15 | OUL 7 | OUL 1 | OUL 9 | SNE 7 | SNE 7 | KNO Ret | KNO Ret | OUL 7 | OUL 12 | OUL 11 | BHGP 6 | BHGP DNF | CAD 13 | CAD 11 | DON 8 | DON 10 | ASS 15 | ASS 14 | SIL 10 | SIL 8 | BHGP DNF | BHGP DNF | BHGP 9 | 9th | 138 | [35] | ||||||
Superbike World Championship Edit
| Year | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Pos | Pts | Ref | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | |||||
| 2002 | Kawasaki | ESP 10 | ESP 7 | AUS 9 | AUS 9 | RSA 8 | RSA 9 | JPN 11 | JPN 13 | ITA Ret | ITA 10 | GBR 14 | GBR 4 | GER DNS | GER 9 | SMR 7 | SMR 8 | USA 11 | USA 10 | GBR 6 | GBR 8 | GER 9 | GER 15 | NED Ret | NED 7 | ITA 11 | ITA 12 | 9th | 152 | [36] | ||
| 2003 | Ducati | ESP 3 | ESP 4 | AUS 7 | AUS 6 | JPN Ret | JPN Ret | ITA 6 | ITA 6 | GER 5 | GER 3 | GBR 9 | GBR 8 | SMR 5 | SMR 8 | USA 5 | USA 3 | GBR 3 | GBR Ret | NED 5 | NED 8 | ITA Ret | ITA 5 | FRA 3 | FRA 3 | 6th | 234 | [37] | ||||
| 2004 | Petronas | ESP 3 | ESP 7 | AUS 10 | AUS 8 | SMR 6 | SMR 13 | ITA 8 | ITA 7 | GER Ret | GER 7 | GBR Ret | GBR 12 | USA Ret | USA Ret | GBR 9 | GBR 4 | NED 12 | NED 10 | ITA Ret | ITA 16 | FRA 8 | FRA 8 | 11th | 128 | [38] | ||||||
| 2005 | Kawasaki | QAT 14 | QAT Ret | AUS 9 | AUS Ret | ESP 4 | ESP 3 | ITA 8 | ITA 8 | EUR 6 | EUR 6 | SMR 8 | SMR 11 | CZE 4 | CZE 10 | GBR 5 | GBR 4 | NED Ret | NED DNS | GER | GER | ITA 6 | ITA C | FRA 7 | FRA 5 | 7th | 160 | [39] | ||||
| 2006 | QAT Ret | QAT 16 | AUS 10 | AUS 10 | ESP 23 | ESP 7 | ITA 11 | ITA 9 | EUR 6 | EUR 8 | SMR Ret | SMR 4 | CZE 7 | CZE 10 | GBR 7 | GBR 8 | NED 1 | NED 14 | GER 11 | GER 10 | ITA 12 | ITA 14 | FRA 6 | FRA 8 | 9th | 158 | [40] | |||||
| 2008 | Honda | QAT | QAT | AUS | AUS | EUR | EUR | ESP | ESP | NED | NED | ITA | ITA | GBR | GBR | SMR | SMR | CZE | CZE | GBR 15 | GBR 15 | GER Ret | GER Ret | ITA 18 | ITA 15 | FRA 15 | FRA 15 | POR 17 | POR 19 | 31st | 5 | [41] |
Supersport World Championship Edit
References Edit
- ^ walkerthestalker.com, Archived 14 May 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2022
- ^ "Chris Walker the Stalker". www.walkerthestalker.com. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ "Chris Walker profile". Motorcycle Racing Online. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ a b Motorcycle News, October 2014 Tommy Hill returns to BSB as team boss with Be Wiser Kawasaki Retrieved 14 November 2014
- ^ a b Horton, Paul. "Wiser move for Walker" Chad, local newspaper, 13 November 2014 p.111 Accessed 14 November 2014
- ^ a b Hill leaves Be Wiser Kawasaki after ‘differing ideas’ Bike Sport News, 25 August 2015, Retrieved 10 October 2015
- ^ a b Be Wiser Kawasaki withdraw from BSB Motor Cycle News, 28 August 2015, Retrieved 10 October 2015
- ^ Stalker switches to sidecars for 2016! Motorcycle News, 13 January 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016
- ^ a b Chris Walker moves from superbikes to sidecars 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Newark Advertiser, 21 January 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016
- ^ 'Why I'm moving to sidecars' Bennetts, 4 February 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016
- ^ BBC Sport, July 2002 Walker primed for GSE Retrieved 14 November 2014
- ^ . Archived from the original on 5 September 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
- ^ http://www.robmacracing.com/team/rider.asp?rider=Chris%20Walker&champ=superbike[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Kawasaki, PSG-1 part ways". 4 November 2008.
- ^ Soup :: Hodgson To Test Suzuki Superbike :: 06-18-2007 20 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ http://www.kawasaki-racingteam.eu/road-race/gil/ GIL Kawasaki team
- ^ Good progress for Chris Walker on debut World Superbike test - | Motorcycle Sport | WSB | BSB | MotoGP | TT & Road races | MCN
- ^ Haslam to WSBK with Stiggy Honda? | WSBK News | Sep 2008 | Crash.Net
- ^ 'Reckless' Brookes banned for two BSB rounds - News | Motorcycle Sport | BSB Results | MCN
- ^ Error 29 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ SMT boss ‘over the moon’ with Walker debut
- ^ Walker and Hillier sign for Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki Racing Mirror, November 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2014
- ^ Dickies Workwear Retrieved 20 November 2014
- ^ Houltby, Neil. "Chris Walker & Ashley Hawes". Neil Houltby Photography - Lincoln, Lincolnshire, UK. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ "BSB: Walker injured in sidecar practice smash". Motorcycle News. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "BSB: Chris Walker to return to British Sidecar Championship". BikeAndRace. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ John Walker Superbikes Limited (dissolved) Open Corporates Retrieved 20 November 2014
- ^ Ollerton race ace Chris Walker qualifies for MCE British Superbike Championship Showdown Chad, local newspaper, September 2014, Retrieved 20 November 2014
- ^ https://www.chriswalkermotorcycles.com/
- ^ 2011 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli 9 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Stalker inks 11th-hour deal with private Suzuki | BSB News | Mar 2010 | Crash.Net
- ^ Walker to ride MSS Kawasaki at Oulton - News | Motorcycle Sport | BSB Results | MCN
- ^ Racers-Republic | Walker replaces Iddon at SMT Honda
- ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2015-01-20.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ (PDF). MotorSportVision Racing. 8 July 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- ^ bebo.com - Profile from Chris Stalker Walker <chrisstalkerwalker>
- ^ 2003 Standings Riders - FIM Superbike World Championship - worldsbk.com 24 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Motorcycle Racing Online – World Superbike championship review 2004
- ^ Motorcycle Racing Online – 2005 World Superbike statistical summary
- ^ World Superbike Championship, 2006 - MotorSM.com 1 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Walker signs for Vent Axia Honda - visordown.com
- ^ World Supersport: New Kawasaki signing Chris Walker speaks to MCN - | Motorcycle Sport | WSB | BSB | MotoGP | TT & Road races | MCN
External links Edit
- Personal Website
- Column by Chris Walker from 2002
- Chris Walker full profile