Glenn Scott with Agro Kawasaki for FIM Euro Superstock 1000 campaign in 2017
Dutchman Rob Vennegoor continues supporting Australian riders by signing Glenn Scott for 2017 FIM European Superstock 1000 campaign.
Previous Aussies to ride with Rob include Dave Johnson, Gareth Jones, Jed Metcher, Adrian Nestorovic, Russell Holland, Chris Seaton, Troy Herfoss, Robert Bugden, Corey Snowsill, Mike Jones and Bryan Staring.
Agro On-Benjan-Kawasaki has finalized the team for the 2017 European Superstock three riders lining up for the Dutch-based team as Glenn Scott lines up alongside Toni Finsterbusch and Wayne Tessels.
Australian Glenn Scott has raced in the World Supersport Championship in the last two years, but he suffered a compound fracture to his left tibia and a fracture to his left fibula after a low-side crash at Aragon in Spain in 2016.
After his crash, Scott – 24 years old – has been doing everything physically possible to keep his dream alive and he can’t wait to be back on track riding the fast Kawasaki.
Glenn Scott
“I am excited to have signed with Agro On-Benjan-Kawasaki for the 2017 season. They are a professional, passionate and determined team which suits me perfectly. I think we will have a great season together working towards solid results throughout the season. The 1000cc championship will be a new experience for me stepping from Supersport but I am ready for the challenge ahead.”
Team Manager Rob Vennegoor let us in on the history behind his team and his involvement with Australian riders over the years
“I became part of the racing industry at a young age, my father loved motor racing and took me to several tracks in Holland. At age of 18 years I knocked on doors from race teams to see if I could help them finding sponsors… at first I didn’t succeed, but I was focussed to make it happen.
“At the end of 2002 Ten Kate asked me if I could help, and little by little I succeeded and found some sponsors, as TKR already in Netherlands was a famous name in racing. I got known in 2003 at TKR with Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge, two great guys and I like them a lot. This was my goal from that moment on if I would start my own team it will be with Australians. That attitude to be far away from family, friends and make the real focus to make it happen was for me very impressive!
“I didn’t wait long, I was dreaming about my own team, and I did…with what I learned at TKR I understand how to build a team
“2005, with money from my own bank account, I asked with help from well known MotoGP Yamaha mechanic Trevor Tilbury (thats RT in RT Motorsports, Rob & Trevor), I hired a Yamaha R6 from a german IDM team for € 3000 each race….I invited my first Kangeroo David Johnson, who was based in England, to ride the bike in IDM Sachsenring 2005 and we succeed directly with a P6! This was the birth of RT Motorsport, my own team.
“For 2006 we contracted David Johnson, again for the Dutch Superbike season on a private Yamaha R1, with almost no money we start the season, but with knowledge and an enormous passion, we finished second in the Championship and a win in the last round behind Ten Kate Honda rider Arie Vos, a great effort for the whole team.
“In 2007, again with David Johnson, an okay start but a big crash and injury at street track Eemshaven when Davo highside in the chicane before the railway…he really hated the street tracks, Eemshaven and Hengelo…now he loves road racing haha. David came back on the podium but decided to leave NL and take an offer in BSB.
“2008 we finished 2nd again in championship with Dutch rider Bob Withag, but I am still thinking I want a Kangaroo back..why? Simply, we worked in 2008 with Bob Withag, he had his best season ever…but as he knows everything in NL, what we also know, it was difficult also with sponsors and the motorcycle industry, it feels like two captains on a ship..that was not the way with Australians..they come from far away and mostly all had the attitude to succeed in Europe, without influence from family/friends etc..you had them alone and could teach them the way it works.
“That made it to 2009, as Brendan Roberts told me take Gareth Jones…I didnt know him..but met him and his mum at BSB Brands Hatch at end of season 2008..a very nice bloke and mum travveling all 2008 season around the tracks in Europe to try and succeed in FIM SST1000 on a poor Suzuki, sleeping in a swag on the stairs from Magny Cours paddock….respect..than you must have the right attitude to succeed!
“Without knowing much more we say yes to Gareth and 2009 was a hilarious season, Gareth came – saw and conquered..He won the second race of the first round at Assen from the Dutch Championship, won five races in total through the season, many podiums on NL but may the nicest podium…IDM Superbike Oscherleben 2nd race…in the first Gareth was already 5th in the 2nd he became 2nd!! On our old 2007 Yamaha R1 in 2009 mixed up in a field of Factory KTM/BMW/Honda and Yamaha’s! Sensational that he was on the podium with Werner Daemen and World Champion SSP600 Jorg Teuchert, they looked at him..who you are? Yep I am a Kangaroo haha, great!
“This gave me so much good feelings working with Gareth that he could continue in our team for 2010 as we became an IDM Superbike team on Honda. I searched directly for another Aussie as I wanted a complete Australian team, I found through my friend Rod Tingate, he mentioned to me Jed Metcher. Jed was completely unknown with Europe but he trust me and start racing next to Gareth in IDM Superbike. It was not easy for Jed, and early that season Karl Muggeridge who rode for Holzhauer – Honda told me…Rob put Jed back on a 600 and he will win. I listen good to Karl and let Jed first ride the superbike, he did better and better but before the last round in Hockenheim I told him, Jed I want to put you on a 600. Jed asked why, I say listen you can’t spend family money every year, you need to build a result behind your name, for people getting to notice you. He understand and I organised that he could ride for our tuners team in 600IDM on a Yamaha at the last round, he came 6th. But I also organized that he could test the MTM Superstock 600 bike at Zolder. MTM was at time one of the best teams in WSBK SST600. We made a deal with the team that Jed could do a wildcard for the team at WSBK Magny Cours that same year. Jed immediately won that race! Stunning but a really good choice, mentioned by Karl at first. In 2010 Aussie Chris Seaton I invited for a triple Kangaroo start at the big Rizla Racing day event in NL, and Russell Holland replaced Jed on the Superbike at Hockenheim.
“That made it easy for 2011 to choose, Gareth had a great season in 2010 and was growed to a newborn factory rider in IDM, I could leave him on his own with good feeling, and I decided to go with Jed. I build togheter with MtM the MtM- RT Motorsports team in WSBK SST600 with Jed as #1 rider..we all know the result..Jed was Champion in his first year SST600! I was enormously happy and as I also managed him from 2010 till 2016, I can say that title survived him to the good and difficult times until this year. Sadly Bennie Wilbers destroyed this year his career…Jed was done empty..I still feel not so good about it, as it is a sad end..but! One thing I learned is important for sure for Australians to invest family/sponsor money to go overseas. Make the right choises and try to build as soon as possible a result behind your name, that will help the rider to survive in Europe.
“In 2011 I also organized that Adrian Nestorovic came to MtM, a good bloke that made it to podium finish in WSBK SST600. As I always search for new talend it was mentioned by Kev Curtain for me to talk with Mike Jones. He was very good on the 600 Yamaha in Australia and I invited Mike to join MtM in 2012 for WSBK SST600 Nurbirgring and Portimao, he did a great job and I helped him with the deal for 2013 with Agro On-Racedays-Honda. Was the structure good in the beginning..no..but with our help Racedays changed his technical team to the Benjan brothers on our request. It goes slightly better with Mike but it was hard for him, may to be in Europe, his school, the bike…it was not the right package unfortunately. Mike returned to Australia and Kyle Smith took ove his bike and won the last round. Still feel sorry for Mike, but he shows now again how good he is!
“In 2012 I started RT Racing Support to help/manage riders and helping any team that asked me, in that way Suzuki Europe asked me if I knew good riders for their IDM Superbike team, I introduced Troy Herfoss and he was really interested…his European career was born. Later on in the season I organised that Robert Bugden rode for the same team.
“Late 2015 I sitted down with my longtime sponsor/friend Agro On and told him, I love racing but I didn’t want to spend more energy in investing in other teams, why we not start a team again togheter with Benjan? They have equipment and knowledge to run a team, I organise it with sponsors/suppliers and technical suppliers. So we did…in Jerez 2015 we talked with Kawasaki Europe, and our three year plan/deal was born. Being Kawasaki Euorope team in WSBK Superstock 1000 and try to make it to a champions team in three years…not easy as last season the Kawasaki was also not easy..but with my all time favorite Bryan Staring (I hunted to get him on my bike since 2008) on the bike, we had a potential podium contender. Sadly Bryan had a big injury after two rounds…our season was hard as our other two permanent riders not were from the level Bryan Staring, so not very good for development. That put us a little back, but with replacements Bobby Fong, Luke Jones and Jack Kennedy we fought back. And at Lausitz Bryan returned with a glorious second place in the race. For the coming 2017 season we now have a strong team with Wayne Tessels, Toni Finsterbusch and again a Kangaroo Glenn Scott.
“I never met Glenn, just know his name and his results. Also his awful injury this year… If you know where he has come from as a racer ,as a person, then already have huge respect for him how he build his life!
“Glenn recovered from his injury and I am proud to have him as my 12th Kangaroo on board, with the whole team we will fight with passion and dedication to succeed with Glenn and the others.
“A point that I like to make for young Aussies that want to go overseas, think very well what you want to do, don’t throw huge money in for example CEV Moto2 for a backmarker team, listen to people you can trust and choose for an option in where you can build your name fast..say 1 or 2 years with investment, then you must have reach your goal to survive! I know also Jed and others spewing to pay for a ride, but being honest and realistic, if knowbody knows you when you young, why should you have a free ride? You need to build results behind your name, start in a class/series where you can be straight away succesful like Jed did, or Gareth, or Troy, or many other Aussies. Jack Miller started also in IDM 125/Moto3 in 2010! Now he is in MotoGP…the coin can also turn into the good way…
“I love to work with Kangaroo’s and will continue in that!”
A list of Aussie riders Rob has helped over the years
- 2005/2006/2007 – David Johnson – RT Motorsports
- 2009/2010- Gareth Jones – RT Motorsports (Champion in 2009)
- 2010/2011: Jed Metcher – RT Motorsports, Champion in 2011 (2012 WSS Rivamoto, 2013 IDM SSP Suzuki, 2014 BSB PR Racing, 2015 BSB PR Racing and Gearlink, 2016 IDM BMW Wilbers)
- 2011: Adrian Nestorovic – RT Motorsports (MtM)
- 2010 – Russell Holland – RT Motorsports
- 2010 – Chris Seaton – RT Motorsports
- 2011: Troy Herfoss to IDM Superbike Suzuki
- 2012: Robert Bugden to IDM Superbike Suzuki
- 2012: Corey Snowsill to MtM WSBK SST600
- 2013: Mike Jones to Racedays WSBK SST600
- 2016: Bryan Staring – Agro On – Benjan – Kawasaki
- 2017: Glenn Scott – Agro On – Benjan – Kawasaki
