James Ellison delivers his first BSB double victory at Brands Hatch BSB
James Ellison vowed to battle for two race wins ahead of the second round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch today (Sunday) and the JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider kept his promise to deliver his first double victory in the series.
The Cumbrian rider started from pole position in both races and defied the immense pressure of his rivals in each of the races as the pack closed in during the final stages of both races following Nissan GT-R Safety Car interventions.
Ellison was setting an incredible pace to break the lap record in the first race to claim the victory by 1.368s from the four time champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne, which he repeated in race two to fend off the PBM Kawasaki rider by 0.356s.
Byrne fought back from his second row start in the opening race as he bid to close down the Buildbase BMW of Ryuichi Kiyonari. The Kent-based champion could only make a move stick on the final lap to move second, whilst Kiyonari was denied third place on the drag to the line by Josh Brookes on the Milwaukee Yamaha.
Honda’s Jason O’Halloran enjoyed his best result to so far in the series, fifth ahead of Stuart Easton.
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In race two Ellison again made the break off the line with Kiyonari, Byrne and Brookes in close contention. As the JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider edged ahead of the pack, Byrne was shadowing Kiyonari in a bid to move ahead, which he pulled off with a move down the inside at Paddock Hill Bend.
Brookes had his sights firmly set on a double podium finish and as he hunted Kiyonari for third, the Buildbase BMW rider made an uncharacteristic error at Druids, running wide and giving the Australian the opportunity he needed to claim third place.
Kiyonari held fourth ahead of Easton and Tommy Bridewell who completed the top six for Tyco BMW.
The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship now heads to Oulton Park for round three on 2/3/4 May.
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James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) – Double race winner – “We came here after Donington Park where we were so unlucky after winning the first race and then having a problem in race two, so this is a really good feeling. We have learnt a lot from that disappointment and the changes we have had for this weekend made a big difference.
“This weekend has been the best I’ve ever done and now I hope we can keep it going like this across the year because in other seasons we have started strongly but have not been able to hold it together. It is a good feeling to walk away from Brands Hatch with two wins, as particularly in the second race, Shakey (Byrne) was closing in a bit and he made me work hard.”
Race one
1: James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki)
2: Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +1.368s
3: Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) +1.453s
4: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Buildbase BMW) +1.479s
5: Jason O’Halloran (Honda Racing) +3.218s
6: Stuart Easton (PBM Kawasaki) +3.826s
Race two
1: James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki)
2: Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +0.356s
3: Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) +0.484s
4: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Buildbase BMW) +3.229s
5: Stuart Easton (PBM Kawasaki) +3.714s
6: Tommy Bridewell (Tyco BMW) +4.397s
Championship standings
1: Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) 85
2: James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 79
3: Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) 58
4: Stuart Easton (PBM Kawasaki) 42
5: Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) 33
6: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Buildbase BMW) 28
Josh Brookes – R1: 3rd, R2: 3rd, Championship position: 3rd – “I actually thought my chances of podium were gone by the mid-part of race one. Then the safety car came out and it bunched everyone back up again. I set about trying to do a good finish to the race, and because we were all bunched up, it was all to play for again. As it was, Shakey forced a pass on Kiyo and they both lost a bit of momentum and I went into the last turn and actually nearly ran into the back of Kiyo – it was really close! It was a heart in the mouth type situation, but I got a slingshot effect, on to the start-finish straight and I was able to squeeze between the two of them for third position. In race two, once we get about maybe six or eight laps in, I started to make ground on Shakey. James [Ellison] was disappearing which was a bit annoying – it means you’ve got just got to do something. You can’t do it in that race but something’s got to change going forward to try and make that back. I just focused on trying to catch Shakey, and I thought I was doing a good job, but not good enough. The pace was good, but we were both doing it so I had to take third.”
Broc Parkes – R1: 8th, R2: 11th, Championship position: 15th – “Today hasn’t been too bad; it feels like I have been improving all weekend and we have made big steps forward since the first sessions on Friday. I felt more comfortable in the races and I had a good battle with the guys and did the best job I could. I got boxed in at the start of race two and then I came through the pack. I feel like we have made the next step and we know there is still more to come.”
Billy McConnell: “Everything was going really well up until qualifying which was a bit of a nightmare but it was just one of those things and I just got stuck in and kept chipping away in the races. It was hard going from so far back on the grid and with a lack of track time compared to everyone else, we’re up against it a bit. Everything’s brand new to us and we’re having to try different things all the time but I’m really happy with the bike and we’re consistently running in the top ten now. I surprised myself a bit in the first race to pass so many people and perhaps race two was a little bit disappointing but, overall, I’m happy and we can take a lot of positives away with us.”
Christian Iddon – “Not the race-day we wanted obviously. Yesterday we were really happy and did an amazing lap time. We made some tweaks in warm up and I was really happy but then on the first lap went and spat myself off. I was pretty much upright and so far out the corner I crashed on 97% throttle, so not really sure what happened. I knew as soon as I was out the seat I was in trouble, not from my crash; but from what was happening behind and I could see Jack [Kennedy] doing everything to stop. It’s a pretty clean break and I was passed fit to race, but on the sighting lap I didn’t think I’d be able to. We lowered the foot rest and added some seat foam as I couldn’t get my leg up. I was a bit wonky but knew on the warm-up lap I could race. I did my best to get some points and keep us in the hunt for the Showdown. We came strong towards the end of the race and I could make some passes, so not bad considering.”
Josh Waters – “It’s been another difficult weekend, made even harder around here with everyone’s lap-times so close. We’re still struggling with corner entry but for the last race we changed the bike quite a bit and it felt better again, despite the result not showing it. We’ve moved in the right direction and even though it’s not progressing as fast as we’d like, we’re moving forward and we have some ideas to take to the test at Oulton next week.”
Shane Byrne: “We were up against it a bit this weekend but I was feeling better in myself and with the bike although we still haven’t quite cracked it with the set-up. The team worked really hard throughout and we continued to make progress with the bike better in race one than it had been in qualifying. I was over the moon with second place and it allowed me to start the second race from the front row. I tried my absolute hardest and maybe if I’d got by Kiyo a little bit earlier, I might have been closer to James. As it was, I couldn’t get close enough but hats off to him and also to PBM and everyone in the team for doing such a great job this weekend.”
Stuart Easton: “It wasn’t the strongest weekend I’ve ever had and I’ve never really had the grip I’ve wanted so I wasn’t able to run the pace of the front group. I was a bit disappointed with sixth in the first race and although it was a top six finish, the gap to the front three was too big and although I was a bit closer in the second race we need to work on bridging that gap as I want to be closer to the front.”
Ian Hutchinson: “It’s been quite a tough weekend as it’s such a short circuit, it’s hard to stay out of trouble! My season’s all about the big road races and the last thing I wanted was to get caught up in someone else’s accident but I was happy with my results, particularly as I lapped quicker than what I’ve ever done before around here. We’ve achieved what we set out to achieve and it will be nice to get to Oulton Park and put in plenty of laps around a fast, flowing circuit.”
Danny Buchan – “Well that was another pretty tough weekend for me, I felt really good on the bike on Friday and was keen for a good result this weekend but knew how important it was to finish both races. I was pushing pretty hard in the morning practice and the track temperatures were slightly cooler and it just caught me out on the exit of Graham Hill Bend, spitting me over the bars. I landed pretty heavily and it knocked the wind out of me, I took a bash to my elbow and had to go to the med centre to be assessed before qualifying. They passed me fit to ride and despite being a bit sore I got through qualifying and was fairly happy with my grid position. I was feeling good for the race and once again the Be Wiser Kawasaki team worked so hard for me to fix the bike before qualifying and overnight to make sure everything was perfect. I had a big problem off the start in race one and I couldn’t get the bike to go, I hooked up into second and I was away but I’d dropped several places and knew it was going to be tough. I worked hard and made some passes on each lap, to finish was progress and I got a couple of Championship points also. I got a much better start in race two and I was pushing but just wanted to ensure I brought the bike home in one piece and get some points on the table to kick start my season. I’m happy with the second race and the progress we have made and look forward to a more consistent weekend at Oulton Park.”
Chris Walker – “It was frustrating getting the results I did when the pace was there in the races but it’s tough to come from a long way back on the grid. The Be Wiser Kawasaki is more than capable and all the ingredients are there to be running at the front, we just need to get the recipe right earlier in the weekend to allow us to qualify better. Both here at Brands and at Donington we’ve left ourselves too much to do from way back on the grid and did our fastest lap of the whole weekend on lap 20 of race two. A lap time that last year was good enough for a podium starting from the second row on the grid, this year put me back in 17th today for race one! The field is stronger than ever this year too but it’s coming, the team are working great and it’s only a matter of time now.”
Michael Rutter – “It has been a good weekend with the Gearlink Kawasaki team, we always knew it would be a mountain to climb as we were pretty much starting from scratch with the bike. The team worked really hard all weekend and we made a number of changes after every session and each time it was making a difference. It was good to be able to help Michael and the Gearlink team with the Kawasaki ZX-10R. We made a lot of progress and do hope it can continue as the season progresses.”
Stapleford holds off Ryde in Motorpoint Supersport race to increase title lead
Luke Stapleford held off the determined challenges of Kyle Ryde to win the second round Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Feature race by 0.140secs with Jake Dixon running third in a typically hard fought thriller.
Glenn Irwin, riding the Gearlink Kawasaki, made the early running but Profile Triumph rider Stapleford who had missed the morning warm-up session as his team continued to work on his bike was always close and took the lead on the seventh lap.
Ryde, the winner of the Sprint race yesterday, was on the move, fourth on the opening lap, he smashed the lap record on the eighth lap to go third and four laps later he was running second, but over half a second down on Stapleford.
The pressure was on Stapleford, but he held on, taking the race by 0.140secs, and he reflected: “It has been a tough weekend, we’ve gone through three motors, missed the morning warm-up but the team made a tweak and we’ve been consistent in the race though Kyle pushed us all of the way.”
Ryde said: “The race was run at an unreal pace and I can’t complain with second place this time.” Dixon, to his delight, completed the podium finishers on the Smiths Triumph, thanks to a last lap move to take Irwin. Dixon commented: “we’ve had a struggle so I am made up with this third place.”
James Rispoli took fifth for Team Traction Control Yamaha ahead of Irwin’s Gearlink Kawasaki team-mate Ben Wilson while Bjorn Estement took the honours in Supersport EVO category.
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Feature race result
1: Luke Stapleford (Profile Triumph)
2: Kyle Ryde (PacedayZ Trackdays Yamaha) +0.140s
3: Jake Dixon (Smiths Triumph) +4.688s
4: Glenn Irwin (Gearlink Kawasaki) +4.786s
5: James Rispoli (Team Traction Control Yamaha) +16.589s
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship standings
1: Luke Stapleford (Profile Triumph) 86
2: Jake Dixon (Smiths Triumph) 74
3: Kyle Ryde (PacedayZ Trackdays Yamaha) 74
4: Glenn Irwin (Gearlink Kawasaki) 62
5: Ben Wilson (Gearlink Kawasaki) 40
Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship
Josh Elliott took his maiden victory and with it the lead in the series as Alastair Seeley slowed, dropping back to fifth place on the final lap, with Adam Jenkinson coming through to take second place ahead of Hudson Kennaugh. Riding the Morello Kawasaki, Elliott had made the early running before Seeley nosed his Tyco BMW ahead on the eighth lap and looked set for victory until the final moments when he dropped back. Former champion Hudson Kennaugh took third ahead of James Rose.
Josh Elliott: “It’s been a brilliant weekend and to get my first win in the Championship feels great. I had a wee crash in free practice which knocked the edge off my confidence a bit but I regrouped and with some changes to the front end of the bike, which gave me more feel, I was able to take pole. I made a good start and tried to set the pace and keep a nice rhythm but I had a slide at Clearways which allowed Alastair to get by and after that I decided to sit behind him and let him set the pace.”
Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship (24 laps)
1 Josh Elliott (Morello Racing Kawasaki)
2 Adam Jenkinson (Yamaha)
3 Hudson Kennaugh (BMW)
4 James Rose (Kawasaki)
5 Alastair Seeley (BMW)
Pirelli National Superstock 600 Championship
Mason Law made it two wins in as many races as the NMT No Limits Kawasaki rider held off the close attentions of Australian Ben Currie while Tarran Mackenzie grabbed third place on the final lap from Matt Truelove with Chrissy Rouse fifth.
Santander Consumer Finance KTM British Junior Cup
Kevin Keyes led throughout to end the hat-trick hopes of Cameron Fraser who left his challenge to late, having to ride hard to come through from fifth in the early stages. Fraser, the winner of the two Saturday races upped his game on the tenth lap, carving through in one move to go second, but by then Keyes was some 2.5secs clear and en route to victory. Fraser took second place by a whisker from Chris Taylor.
Ducati TriOptions Cup
Defending champion Dennis Hobbs completed the opening round double as he held off the determined Rob Guiver, who came through from seventh on the opening lap, by 0.141secs after 15 hard fought laps. Marty Nutt, who had led the opening couple of laps, took third ahead of Sean Neary.
Hyundai Heavy Industries British Sidecar Championship
Ricky Stevens/Ryan Charlwood took a comfortable victory over Andy Peach/Charlie Richardson to take the lead in the title standings. Stephen Kershaw/Rob Wilson took third place ahead of defending champions Sean Hegarty/James Neave and Roger Lovelock/Aki Alto.
HEL Performance British Motostar Championship
Scott Deroue finally got the better of series leader Taz Taylor to take his second victory of the campaign though it was a close run thing, with only 0.057secs between them after 18 laps in which the lead changed several times. Ed Rendell took third place as Moto3 riders dominated with Josh Owens, twelfth overall, the top 125GP rider from Ryan Longshaw and Jamie Edwards.
