— Brookes wins BSB Rnd 2 at Thruxton
Race one:
1: Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda)
2: Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) +2.794s
3: Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +13.136s
4: Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +13.566s
5: Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +14.435s
6: Michael Laverty (Samsung Honda) +18.433s
Race two:
1: Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki)
2: Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) +0.664s
3: Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +1.443s
4: Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +1.526s
5: Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda) +2.719s
6: Luca Scassa (Padgetts Honda) +15.445s
Championship standings:
1: Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda) 49
2: Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) 47
3: Jon Kirkham (Samsung Honda) 43
4: Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) 40
5: Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 38
6: Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 24
Report
Ian Lowry sensationally secured a maiden race victory following a hard-fought slip-streaming battle in the first of the two races at the second round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Thruxton and then a fifth place put the Padgetts Honda rider at the top of the title standings.
The Ulsterman had been on the pace throughout the weekend and he harassed reigning champion Tommy Hill for much of the first race and as the Swan Yamaha rider struggled for pace in the closing stages, Lowry timed his move at Campbell to perfection.
“That was an absolutely fantastic result for me and the team,” enthused Lowry. “It worked out so well. I was able to sit there, watch Tommy setting the pace and then when he started to struggle a bit with five laps to go I knew where to make the move on him.
“I had the grip and was able to take him and pull away – it was jus
t awesome coming round and seeing that I had a lead of one second,” added Lowry.
Aussie Josh Brookes snatched the victory for Tyco Suzuki in race two with a dramatic last lap move to deny Hill, who had to settle for second best again just ahead of the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki duo of former two times title winner Shane Byrne and Stuart Easton.
The next round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship takes place at Oulton Park on 5/6/7 May.
– Tyco Suzuki Report
Australian Josh Brookes produced a stunning display of bravery and determination on his way to victory earlier today in the second British Superbike race at Thruxton in Hampshire. The Tyco Suzuki rider also posted the fastest lap of the race.
Despite his third placed podium in race one, Brookes’ best lap time forced him back onto the fourth row of the grid for race two. In the early stages he had to deal with heavy traffic, moving from thirteenth to fifth, before hunting down the leading quartet of Hill, Byrne, Easton and Lowry who were almost five seconds in front.
Once on their tail he picked them off one by one, having the confidence to squeeze every last bit of power and grip from his new GSX-R1000 Superbike. It was Brookes’ first win of the season and his day’s haul of 41 points moves him into second place in the championship table – with four valuable podium credits also recorded.
Alastair Seeley who held second place in the championship table coming to Thruxton, had a tough day finding the sweet spot with his dry set-up and posted uncharacteristic finishes of 15th and 21st.
Manxman Conor Cummins enjoyed his second consecutive weekend racing in British Championship, and although he was also struggling to find the perfect set-up for the ultra-fast Thruxton circuit, he scored National Superstock points in 12th place. Guy Martin made his Tyco Suzuki debut today in preparation for the upcoming international road races, but retired in the early stages of the same race.
Josh Brookes
“That was a satisfying win. I knew from race one I could do it, but I also knew after race one I needed a good start. I messed the start up and thought immediately, ‘this is going to be tough’ especially after one lap, as I could see the leaders were so far away. The team did a great job for me today and I had so much confidence in the new GSX-R that I could pass almost anywhere. Once I had a clear track I set out to make smooth fast laps with not a single mistake, because that was my only chance to catch the leaders. Once I caught them… I knew I’d win.”
Alastair Seeley
“It’s been a character building weekend to say the least. In the wet we have already proven how fast and competitive our package is, but I struggled to replicate that in the dry and I’m very disappointed what we achieved today. I’ll take a day or two to reflect then it’s re-load and go again at Oulton.”
Philip Neill – Team Manager
“After a great start to the championship last week with Alastair, it’s especially satisfying to have a one hundred percent podium record and also to hold second place in the championship at this point. Josh was obviously at his very best today and we all know how good he is when he’s in that kind of form. However, I must say I do believe that second race was the best I’ve ever seen him ride. I’d like to give a special mention to Josh’s crew today as together with Josh and the K-Tech Suspension engineers they have worked superbly all weekend. They stayed fully focused, concentrating on achieving the best possible race set-up and it paid off. Obviously there is a long way to go in the championship, but hopefully we have given our new title sponsor Tyco and of course Suzuki the best possible start. Alastair struggled this weekend in dry conditions but was at his brilliant best in the wet. Unfortunately at Thruxton if you are a bit off with set-up it is hugely magnified. It just wasn’t his weekend but I’m confident he’ll be back stronger at the upcoming rounds.”
– Samsung Honda
The Samsung Honda team endured a tough second round of the British Superbike Championship at Thruxton with Jon Kirkham taking a pair of seventh places with Michael Laverty scoring sixth and thirteenth.
In the opening race, Kirkham got caught in the pack on the first lap, which saw him drop down the order and then a determined ride saw him work back up to seventh. Michael Laverty started thirteenth of the grid and he also worked his way through the field to sixth place. In race two Kirkham equalled his seventh place whilst Laverty had a challenging race to finish thirteenth.
In the Superstock 1000 Championship Jason O’Halloran scored another podium finish third on the Samsung Honda. He had a strong start from the front row of the grid before a safety car period following a crash on the opening lap. O’Halloran dropped down to fifth but fought back in the closing stages.
Jon Kirkham: “I was blocked on the opening lap of the first race and dropped back to about 16th and had to fight-back so all things considered I am really happy with that result. I made a bad tyre choice in the second. In the first race I had 14 good laps but in the second I only had six good laps so I should have stuck with what I had. At least I have some points in the bag from this meeting.”
Michael Laverty: “It has been a tough weekend really and in the first race my grid position gave me a lot of work to do. In race two I said to the team to go to a harder tyre but it was a mistake as our bike works well around here with the softer tyre. When they put the harder tyre in we had to make too many changes to the bike and we did have any grip.”
Jason O’Halloran: “As soon as soon as the safety car came in I thought we could make a charge but there were riders coming passed me at what felt like every corner and it messed up my rhythm a bit. We were fast on the straight but I was struggling with grip in some sections. Another podium is a great result for me and the Samsung Honda team.”
Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “It wasn’t the best day in the office for us and we had a few tyre situations that didn’t work how we had hoped, but at the same time two results are better than two DNFs. We now have a good amount of data to look through and we can then benefit from that. For Jason O’Halloran it was fantastic to get another podium finish.”
– Gloucester Racing Report
McConnell and Richards Secure Double Victory For Smiths (Gloucester) Racing
The Smiths (Gloucester) Racing team enjoyed their best weekend to date in the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship protected by Datatag with a fantastic double victory at Thruxton this weekend.
Both Glen Richards and Billy McConnell took a race win each whilst Richards also took a third in Sunday’s second race giving the team even more reason to celebrate at their local track. Luke Mossey also finished in the top five in both races to crown a brilliant weekend for Alan Smith’s team.
2009 British Supersport Champion Richards qualified on pole position for Saturday’s sprint race and he was never out of the top two places. Second in the early stages, Glen was part of a five-rider battle for the lead, and eventually took control of the race on lap 10. Hitting the front, the Australian never looked back and pulled away to take his and the team’s first victory of the season.
Whilst he was celebrating, team-mate McConnell was cursing his bad luck as he was part of the same five-rider group and led on lap five but no sooner was he at the front then he was in the pits with a broken rectifier. Mossey, meanwhile, worked his way through the pack from a fourth row qualifying position to claim a well earned fifth place.
Sunday’s longer 18-lap feature race was better still with a scintillating six-way battle for the win with all three Smiths riders in the mix. The lead changed hands on numerous occasions but it was McConnell who prevailed, the Australian winning by a narrow margin from Irishman Jack Kennedy, to put Saturday’s disappointment firmly behind him. Fellow countryman Richards, who also led the race, was only two tenths of a second further back in third with Mossey in an excellent fourth.
Metzeler National Superstock 600cc rider Johnny Blackshaw also gave the team plenty to cheer about as he finished in fourth place despite the handicap of riding the entire race with no clutch. He narrowly missed out on a podium but it was a superb effort and has moved him up the championship table.
Glen Richards: “Getting the first win of the season has got our championship up and running and after a disappointing Brands Hatch meeting, first and third is the perfect way to bounce back. Tyres are always an issue here but everything went well in the first race and I was in the right place at the right time, taking full advantage and edging away from the pack just when I needed to. The second race was just great to be part of and really enjoyable and fair play to Billy, he rode really well. We came here to get some strong points and that’s what we did so full credit must go to the team. They’ve given me a fantastic bike and it’s a great package which is working really well.”
Billy McConnell: “I’m back to where I want to be and everyone’s been working so hard and to get the win is a tremendous feeling. We were unlucky in the first race with a broken rectifier but everything was flawless in the second race. After the ups and downs of 2011, the team have given me a great opportunity and everything I possibly need so a big thank you must go to them. We’re back on track now and I can’t wait until the next round.”
Luke Mossey: “I’m really pleased with my results this weekend and although I struggled a bit in the wet and didn’t qualify as high as I would have liked, my race pace was really good. I was able to run with the leading group in both races and we were all running a similar pace which was great fun to be part but also made it difficult to overtake. We’ve proved this weekend we have the pace to run at the front though so with some solid points on the board, I’m really looking forward to Oulton in a few weeks time.”
Johnny Blackshaw: “I’m pleased to get fourth but it’s also a bit disappointing as I burnt the clutch off the line and from that moment on it was difficult to get the drive out of the corners. The bike’s set up so well though that I could just ride the wheels off the bike and run at the front. I didn’t do anything daft and kept picking off the riders in front of me and although I felt we had the pace to win this weekend, it’s good solid points on the board. The team are doing a great job and the bike’s a missile so it’s great to be back at the sharp end and it bodes well for the rounds ahead.”
Rebecca Smith, Team Manager: “It’s simply been a great weekend for us. When my dad started the team in 2010, the goal was to firstly win a race and then the championship and we’re standing here now with two wins under our belt so that’s the first part done. With some good weather, we were confident of having two good races and apart from the technical problem with Billy’s bike in race one, it’s all gone to plan.
“The wins for Glen and Billy were superb and we’re over the moon with them but equally pleased for Luke and Johnny too. They both rode brilliantly and their confidence is high now so they can both go to the next round knowing they have nothing to fear. We’ve proved this weekend we have the pace to win races and we’re confident in everything we’re doing so the next round can’t come soon enough.”
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship race 1 (12 laps)
1 Glen Richards (Triumph)
2 Sam Warren (Yamaha)
3 Ben Wilson (Kawasaki)
4 Jack Kennedy (Yamaha)
5 Luke Mossey (Triumph)
6 Christian Iddon (Triumph)
DNF Billy McConnell (Triumph)
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship race 2 (18 laps)
1 Billy McConnell (Triumph)
2 Jack Kennedy (Yamaha)
3 Glen Richards (Triumph)
4 Luke Mossey (Triumph)
5 Ben Wilson (Kawasaki)
6 Luke Jones (Triumph)
Championship standings (after two rounds)
1 Kennedy 55.5pts
2 Warren 55pts
3 Wilson 47
4 Richards 45
5 McConnell 40
6 Iddon 35.5
10 Mossey 24
National Superstock 600cc Championship (14 laps)
1 Tim Hastings (Kawasaki)
2 James Rose (Yamaha)
3 Jake Dixon (Yamaha)
4 Johnny Blackshaw (Triumph)
5 Ben Burke (Yamaha)
6 Josh Wainwright (Kawasaki)
Championship standings (after two rounds)
1 Dixon 41pts
2 Rose 40
3 Hastings 31
4 Wainwright 23
5 Lodge 21
6 Whitaker 18
– Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki
The Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki squad enjoyed a successful weekend with a decent haul of silverware at round two of the MCE British Superbike Championship at Thruxton this weekend.
Following on from the difficult conditions at Brands Hatch last week, double British champion Shane Byrne added a podium and a fifth place finish to his score as team-mate Stuart Easton bounced back to form to record a fourth and fifth place finish on Paul Bird’s Kawasaki ZX-10R.
Had it not been for a dislodged brake lever in the opening race, Byrne could have been challenging for victory while Easton was also battling in the leading bunch as they finished in fourth and fifth places but it was in the second race where they showed true championship potential.
Londoner Byrne led for much of the race with Scotsman Easton holding third but after the 20 lapper, Shakey eventually claimed third with Easton an impressive fourth.
As a result Byrne holds fifth in the standings, one place ahead of Easton going into the next round at Oulton Park in three weeks time.
Continuing his fantastic form was the team’s Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship rider Keith Farmer who claimed a second successive victory for the Penrith-based Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki team.
The young Ulsterman followed up his win in the wet at Brands Hatch with a scintillating ride in the dry to head the series by 18 points going into the next round.
Shane Byrne: “It’s frustrating to lead for much of the race and not to win but I’m reasonably happy with the results. We have made great improvements and have proved we are capable of running at the front so hope we can get a winning run underway at Oulton Park.”
Stuart Easton: “I’m pleased with how this weekend has gone and we have learned a lot, not least I can mix it with the leaders so despite feeling a bit stiff, I’m happy with a fourth and fifth place. We’ll be stronger at Oulton and so will the bike.”
Keith Farmer: “After Brands Hatch people were saying I could only ride in the wet so I was determined to come here and prove to everyone that I could do it in the dry as well and that’s what I did! We’ve been making improvements to the bike all the time and moving forward and it was faultless throughout. There was a bit of drama on the last lap at the chicane when Brogan ran into the back of me but I just lifted the bike up a wee bit and got to the flag for a great win.”
Paul Bird: “A good weekend for the team and all three riders have done well. Although we’re disappointed not to win, both Shakey and Stuart proved they are major championship contenders and Keith is showing the class we know he has and continued to impress me. We have made huge strides so roll on Oulton for our local round and hopefully we can continue our good start to the season.”
– AP Kawasaki Report
The AP Kawasaki team enjoyed a good day at Thruxton in Hampshire with another decent points haul at round two of the Metzeler National Superstock 600cc and 1000cc championships.
The best result again came from Thamesmead rider Josh Wainwright in the 600cc category with sixth place whilst Brentford’s Freddie Russo and Australian Patrick Medcalf recorded 11th and 19th in the 1000cc division respectively.
With a brilliant second place in qualifying, Wainwright made a great start to the 14-lap race and slotted into second position before briefly being shuffled back to fifth. As the race progressed, Wainwright battled back up to third but a missed gear on lap seven which dropped him back to eighth although he fought back strongly and climbed up to sixth just over a second adrift of second place at the chequered flag. The result saw him consolidate his fourth place in the championship table.
In the 1000cc race, Russo slipped back from his 10th place starting position to 14th at the end of the first lap but as he got into his rhythm he was able to move forward. Picking off riders in front of him, Russo almost made it into the top ten at the end of the 15-lap race but had to settle for 11th although the five points saw him move up to eighth overall after two rounds of the championship.
For Medcalf, he was encountering the high-speed Thruxton circuit for the first time and his cause wasn’t aided by mixed conditions in qualifying which kept him down in 28th place on the grid. Nevertheless, he put in another strong ride and was rewarded with 19th place, only five seconds off another championship point.
Josh Wainwright: “The race was going so well for me and after a great start, I was exactly where I wanted to be but as I was changing down for Campbell, I went down to first gear instead of second and the whole bike locked up and I had no option other than to take to the grass. I managed to rejoin in eighth and got my head down and reeled the group in so to come through to sixth and get some more good points is very pleasing. The bike’s great and the team are mega so it’s been a great start to the year.”
Freddie Russo: “Thruxton’s one of those tracks where you’re unable to test so it was always going to be a bit uphill so I guess today was the best of a bad job. We made a lot of changes to the bike for Q2 but the rain meant we couldn’t use them and so we ended up using someone else’s settings from last year, which didn’t quite work out. I was sideways a lot during the race and there wasn’t a lot of grip but it was the same for everyone so it’s another solid result. I was hoping for a top ten and only just missed out on that so we’ve got plenty to build on and can make more of an impression as the season wears on.”
Patrick Medcalf: “The circuit’s great but it’s hard to get your head around as a newcomer and losing Q2 to the wet conditions hurt me a fair bit. The race went well although it was hard to find a good rhythm but I kept chipping away and coming through to 19th after being 28th on the grid is pretty pleasing. We’ll keep battling away, work on the positives and eliminate the negatives and look for some good track time at Oulton.”
Alan Greig: “It’s been another good weekend for us and although I felt Josh was pushing a bit too hard, when he rejoined the race, he regrouped well and rode smoother and quicker. If there had been a couple more laps he could well have got on to the podium. Two top six finishes in the first two rounds is great and he’s already handily placed in the championship table.
“Freddie’s been struggling this weekend with a lack of data but he’s learnt a lot in a short space of time and he was still able to put in a very impressive ride. He’s a bit disappointed that he wasn’t able to find a better set-up but joint eighth in the championship is a fantastic effort. Likewise for Patrick who came through well for 19th. It’s another new track for him and, arguably, one of the toughest to learn so it was another strong ride and has built up his confidence that little bit more.”
Metzeler National Superstock 1000cc Championship race (15 laps)
1 Keith Farmer (Kawasaki)
2 Howie Mainwaring (BMW)
3 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
4 Victor Cox (Kawasaki)
5 Jonathan Railton (Kawasaki)
6 David Johnson (BMW)
Championship standings (after two rounds)
1 Farmer 50pts
2 O’Halloran 32
3 Mainwaring 24
4 Jenkinson 22
5 Brogan 20
6 Cox 20
Metzeler National Superstock 600cc Championship (14 laps)
1 Tim Hastings (Kawasaki)
2 James Rose (Yamaha)
3 Jake Dixon (Yamaha)
4 Johnny Blackshaw (Triumph)
5 Ben Burke (Yamaha)
6 Josh Wainwright (AP Kawasaki)
Championship standings (after two rounds)
1 Dixon 41pts
2 Rose 40
3 Hastings 31
4 Wainwright 23
5 Lodge 21
6 Whitaker 18
– Quattro Kawasaki Report
A disappointing round saw Foray low-side his Kawasaki ZX-10R in lap 2 race 2 and Mason retire 13 laps later with an electrical fault.
In the previous race (race 1) both riders suffered with tyre degradation at the Hampshire circuit that resulted in a P12 finish for Mason and P20 for Foray.
Mason said. “I believe we made the right tyre selection for race 1. I made a good start, but by lap 10 I was nursing the rear tyre just to bring the bike home. I am disappointed with the finish, but I was happy to add to my points tally. My DNF in race 2 was later isolated to an electrical fault on the bike.”
“This is only the second round in the series, and we are not a million miles away from where we need to be. Over the next couple of weeks we have some development on the chassis, so I am really excited to out developing the bike before we head to my favourite circuit at Oulton Park for round 3.”
Freddy Foray commented.” This was my first time at Thruxton and I really liked the circuit. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish in the points in both races due to being off the pace in race 1, because of grip, and my early exit in race 2, as a result of my low-side.”
On his low-side crash he added.” I just lost the front-end and landed hard on my shoulder. Fortunately, I only bruised my right-side, so will be back testing with the team after a short break in France.”
John Jameson added. ”Thruxton can be a very demanding circuit and we are disappointed with the results, but over this round we have learnt a lot about the bike set-up for both riders. We are able to use Gary’s knowledge of the bike. However, we need to work harder with Freddy, as his knowledge has come from riding a Suzuki, which is very different. This is only the second round and we have made great progress, so it is important we continue our development before the next round at our home circuit in May.”
– Ian Lowry Report
Ian Lowry was in a confident mood as he arrived at Thruxton Circuit for round two of the MCE British Superbike Championship this weekend. The Irishman gained a solid fourth place at Brands over Easter Weekend and was keen to continue his form, which he did in style in race one of the Superbike race at Thruxton taking a fantastic debut Superbike win on the Padgetts Honda.
Ian had been running well all weekend in dry and wet practice and he was eager to gain his first ever podium place in the British Superbike Championship, he did that in style by getting a stunning race win over the 20-lap race and won by 2.7 seconds from his nearest rival Tommy Hill. Ian had planned the race well conserving his Pirelli tyres and sitting comfortably behind Tommy Hill for the first half of the race; he made a strong pass into Allard and was leading his first Superbike race. He soon got his head down and bridged a gap between himself and Tommy and took the win.
In the second race Ian got a good start and was second out of turn one but dropped to third after the opening lap. Despite using the same compound tyre in race two he struggled for grip during the race and dropped back to fifth, instead of pushing too hard and making a mistake he settled for fifth position and took the lead in the overall British Superbike Championship.
Ian – “I’m absolutely over the moon with the first race result everything just went right and the Padgetts Honda team were perfect. I knew I had the pace to run near the front this weekend and everything in the first race just went according to plan and it was mint. I just followed Tommy and wanted to see where he was struggling, I knew I had to make a break and made a clean pass on him for the lead. It was important to keep focused and not lose concentration it made things easier knowing I had managed to pull a small gap and I didn’t need to do anything stupid and throw away the win. The bike and team were perfect it was just awesome.
I was a little unsettled in the second race for the first opening laps and maybe that was because I’d put a bit of pressure on myself. I made a few mistakes at the start and I knew I needed to settle down, get my head straight and get into a rhythm, by which point the front runners had made a break at the front. I knew my lap-times were good but I just wasn’t able to catch the leaders and make a pass, I had a few issues with grip and a couple of times I thought I was going down but I just knew I had to settle down and take the fifth place. I’m now leading the British Championship and it’s a position I’ve never been in before but it’s a mega feeling. I can’t wait for Oulton in a few weeks, I would just like to thank everyone who has had the faith in me this year and hope I can continue to prove myself and ride well.”
– Vancraft Triumph
Jimmy Hill and Josh Caygill headed to round two of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Thruxton Circuit, the two Vancraft Triumph Supersport riders broke themselves into the superfast circuit very gently. Jimmy has not raced here since 2010 and was eager to put the demons to rest. The youngster gained a strong 11th place in the opening race and his team-mate Josh Caygill rode a hard race and was locked in a tight battle and finished in 22nd place.
The second race was action packed throughout the whole race but Jimmy and Josh both struggled with rear grip issues on the very abrasive, bumpy and fast Thruxton Circuit. Jimmy qualified in 16th place and came through to 13th place despite suffering with severe arm pump for the majority of the race. Josh qualified in 25th place for race two and finished in 22nd position.
Jimmy Hill – “Thruxton is such a hard circuit to get right and get a good set up on, it’s also one of my least favourite circuits as I’ve suffered injuries here before. The Vancraft Triumph team worked hard all weekend and I was able to salvage some Championship points in both races and walked away uninjured. Race two today was difficult and I had tyre problems which led to me having to hold on tighter, which in turn led to bad arm pump. I just wanted to finish with some point and hopefully move on to Oulton and things will be good there.”
Josh Caygill – “The weekend started well for me and I ran well during free practise on Friday when it was dry. It was then wet on Saturday and we made a lot of changes on the bike to try and get a good set up but we did struggle to get a set up that worked well for me on the Triumph, we made a lot of changes over the weekend and never seemed to get the ideal one. I hope things will be different at Oulton as I want to keep improving and moving forward.”
Metzeler Superstock 600s
Joe Collier racing for the Vancraft Triumph team in the Superstock 600 Championship made his debut appearance at Thruxton this weekend and once again proved he is a very good rider in a very difficult and competitive Championship. He qualified in ninth place but dropped back to 14th during the race but had to take avoiding action to avoid hitting fallen riders in the first turn.
Joe Collier – “I’ve realised Thruxton is a really difficult track to learn and it was hard to get it right but I really enjoyed it, I managed to adapt to the track quite quickly and put in some good times throughout the weekend. The Vancraft Triumph guys worked really hard to make sure I understood what I needed to do. I was a bit disappointed with the race result but it is still Championship points but I was not happy because I dropped back from my qualifying position. It was a bit hairy out there and I had to take avoiding action on a few occasions to avoid being taken out myself.”
– Sidecars
The 2012 Eastern Airways British F1 Sidecar Championship descended upon the Thruxton circuit in Hampshire at the weekend and with fine weather for both races, the competitors served up a tremendous treat. The ultra-fast, bumpy circuit saw close racing throughout the field with the action into the final chicane often seeing the outfits three abreast as they fought for supremacy but it was Roger Lovelock/Rick Lawrence who came out on top with a convincing double victory.
Lovelock/Lawrence took pole position in extremely wet conditions on Saturday, just 0.026s clear of Ben Holland/Lee Watson and it was this pairing that set the pace in the early stages of the opening 10-lap race, Scott Lawrie/James Neave slotting in behind them in third as the sun burst through the clouds. Craig Chaplow/Jason Crowe were pulled off the grid though with collapsed steering whilst a coming together at the chicane at the end of the first lap saw Mark Edwards/Lee Barrett come off worst with a damaged wheel arch.
As the race settled down, it became a superb three-wheel battle for the lead between Lovelock, Holland and Lawrie with the trio coming up Woodham Hill into the final chicane three abreast on more than one occasion. All three took their turn at the front as the race looked like it would go down to the wire but just as Lawrie began to edge away on lap 6 his race was over with a broken gear linkage leaving Lovelock and Holland to fight it out. Meanwhile, there was another equally close three-way dice behind with Johan Reuterholt/Aki Aalto, Barry James/Calum Lawson and Edwards, complete with flapping fairing, all fighting it out for what was now the final podium place.
John Holden/Andy Winkle suffered their second blown engine of the weekend whilst Andy Peach/Charlie Richardson were also out with a broken gearbox but in the battle for the lead Lovelock reclaimed the lead on lap 7 and was able to ease away from Holland in the final stages to take his second win of the season by 2.4s. The amazing Reuterholt, a paraplegic since 1994, looked like he’d got third place sewn up but lost out in a last-lap sort out at the chicane and instead it was local driver Edwards who took a brilliant debut British Championship podium. James squeezed through for fourth with Reuterholt slipping back to fifth whilst Stephen Kershaw/Robin Wilson took sixth. John Clarke/Stuart Graham, Gary Horspole/Rob Briggs, Greg Lambert/Shelley Smithies and Ian Drowne/Ken Edwards completed the top ten.
Sunday’s longer 14-lap race followed a similar pattern but Edwards was out of luck almost immediately, retiring from third place at the end of the first lap. Kershaw was also forced out early on having lost passenger Wilson whilst a similar fate befell Irishman Kyle Young, Stephen Mullen falling out at the chicane. Lovelock had no such worries though and although he came under pressure early on from Lawrie he was able to see off the challenge and pull away in the second half of the race to complete a superb double victory.
Lawrie slipped back into the clutches of Reuterholt and Holland and eventually fell behind them and it was Holland who grabbed his second successive runner’s up spot on the podium after another great battle with Reuterholt. The Swedish driver had to settle for third, his first British Championship podium, with the slowing Lawrie in fourth. James/Lawson had a lonely drive into fifth as did Clarke/Graham in sixth but the battle for seventh went all the way to the flag and it was Ben Bygrave/Paul Knapton who prevailed to give the Buildbase BMW its first finish of the season. Peach/Richardson were less than a second behind with Horspole/Briggs and Lambert/Smithies hot on their tails.
Lovelock now heads the Championship table with 86 points followed by Holland on 50 and James on 46. The series now has a break before resuming at Snetterton, Norfolk on May 25-27.
– CN Racing
After the disappointment of round one at Brands Hatch last weeeknd, the CN Racing team got their Metzeler National Superstock 1000cc Championship season up and running at Thruxton on Sunday with both Danny Buchan and Gavin Hunt recording strong top ten finishes.
Buchan qualified the highest of the three-rider team in 11th but a brilliant start saw him leap up the order to hold fourth at the end of the first lap. Part of a nine-rider group battling back for the win, the Basildon man found himself overpowered in some sections of the ultra-rapid Hampshire circuit and although he was never dropped, he had to settle for eighth place at the end of 15 hard fought laps.
Isle of Man rider Hunt, who’s enjoyed some of his finest moments at Thruxton, looked strong throughout qualifying and he was right in contention with the leading pack in the early stages, just over a second behind team-mate Buchan. However, a missed gear was enough for him to lose the tow and he wisely settled for his position, taking a fighting ninth place for his first points of the season also.
The third member of the team, Josh Day, was forced to take part in Saturday’s last chance Shoot-Out race after only managing 40th in qualifying but 10th place allowed him to take the last spot on the grid for Sunday’s main encounter. With a lowly grid position though, it was always going to be difficult for the Cirencester rider although he put in a fine ride and overhauled numerous riders to take a fighting 23rd place.
Danny Buchan: “I got a really good start in the race and surprised myself a bit so got the elbows out and tried to keep the rest of the boys behind me. The chassis is working superbly but we’ve been struggling a bit for top end speed and with Thruxton being such a high-speed circuit, I lost a few places. I was trying to make the ground up in the twisty bits and also maintain the tyre for the last third of the race but it was chewed up by mid-race distance so it was a battle to the end. I’d like to be higher up obviously but, after the disappointment of Brands, it’s good to get a good, solid top ten result and get points on the board.”
Gavin Hunt: “I was right with the leading group for the first third of the race but missed a gear out the back of the circuit and it was enough to lose a little bit of ground and also the tow. I was safe in my position, comfortably ahead of the rider behind me, so just backed off for the final third and brought the bike home for a solid top ten finish. The bike’s working really well and we’ve found a really good set-up now so it’s a good result and something for us to build on.”
Josh Day: “I’ve been struggling a bit with the set-up of the bike but we’ve been making progress all weekend and the bike’s been getting better all the time. The wet weather set-up was great but we’ve got a bit more work to do in the dry and I’m still getting used to the bike in those conditions. Coming from last on the grid was a big ask but to get up to 23rd is pleasing and I certainly passed a few people. The bike’s more than capable so if we can keep improving, I won’t be too far away.”
Dwayne McCracken: “Overall, it’s been a good weekend and whilst the weather’s been difficult for everyone again, our wet weather set-up now is pretty much spot on. There’s still a bit of work to be done in the dry but both Danny and Gavin scored good top ten positions and we’ve got to be happy with that. Josh had a tough weekend but worked his way through the field well and passed a lot of riders so that was pleasing to see. We’ve got some solid points on the board now so we can look forward to Oulton Park, move forward and look at getting all three riders into the top ten.”
– Bournemouth Kawasaki
Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki were in action at Thruxton at the weekend for the second round of the 2012 British Superbike Championship but it proved to be a tough race day for the team as they left with just a solitary point to their name. After a brilliant fifth place in qualifying for Chris Walker, hopes were high for strong results but clutch and tyre problems meant he was only able to finish the second race in 15th place. Team-mate James Hillier was unable to add to his points tally but rode strongly to finish in 17th and 20th in the two races.
Four-times runner-up in the British Superbike Championship, Walker qualified the ZX-10R just 0.04s off the front row for the first 20-lap race, and a great start saw him running well in the top five. However, he was in trouble almost immediately with his clutch and he was forced to pull into the pits on just the second lap. He rejoined the race and posted a lap that placed him 17th on the grid for the second race where he was involved in a 7-rider battle for 12th throughout. He eventually finished in 15th for an extremely hard-earned point.
For team-mate Hillier, competing at his local circuit, he was disappointed to have only qualified in 28th place but two strong and determined rides saw him move significantly through the field on both occasions. Unlucky to miss out on the points in the first race after finishing 17th, he battled with round 1 race winner Alastair Seeley in the second and eventually got the better of him to finish in 20th.
Meanwhile, fresh from his 23rd place at Brands Hatch, Kyle Wilks was forced out on the opening lap of the Metzeler National Superstock 600cc Championship.
Speaking later, a disappointed Walker said; “It’s been a long day and having shown a lot of promise throughout practice and qualifying, it’s hugely disappointing to come away with just one point. We couldn’t have done a better job in qualifying and were rightly looking forward to the two races but the clutch trouble in race one put paid to that. We then had to use a harder tyre in the second and it didn’t work for me as I would have liked so we’ll just have to put it behind us and look forward to Oulton.”
Team-mate Hillier commented; “I’m really pleased with how I rode today and although I didn’t manage to get in the points, it’s been a good days racing for me. I struggled a bit with my set-up during qualifying but we had good pace in both races and I was able to move forward significantly, finishing considerably higher than where I started. Like I say, I’m pleased with my riding but with the field being so strong, it’s not reflected in the results. I need to work harder in qualifying though to give myself a better chance as it’s hard work coming from a long way back.”
Pete Extance, team owner, added; “It’s been a tough day at the office and having qualified so well ending up with just one point is hard to swallow. I’m gutted for Chris as he deserved better but there was nothing he could do after the clutch problems. He battled extremely hard in the second race and did well to stay on after being hit on the first lap and it was certainly a hard earned point. James battled very well and did a great job in beating Seeley so he can be pleased with two very, consistent performances. All we can do is put today behind us and regroup fitter and stronger at Oulton.”
The team now have a well-earned three week break with the third round of the BSB series taking place at Oulton Park, Cheshire on May 5-7.
