Double Podium For Irwin At Brands Hatch
Be Wiser Ducati Racing Team rider Glenn Irwin secured his best points haul of the season so far when he claimed a superb double podium at round six of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch in Kent today.
Aboard the factory-backed Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R for Paul Bird’s Lake District-based team, 28-year-old Glenn from Carrickfergus in County Antrim stormed to second place from pole position in the opening 20 lap race before repeating the feat in the second of the day’s races to move up to third in the title race.
Irwin battled hard in both races where he fended off series leader Leon Haslam’s Kawasaki but try as he might, he couldn’t get the better of Australian Josh Brookes aboard a Yamaha who took a double victory but despite his frustration at not securing his first victory of the season, the Ulsterman racked up important Podium Points in his quest for the title.
Meanwhile younger brother Andrew, still deputising for the injured reigning champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne, continued his meteoric rise in the Superbike ranks and started the opening race from eighth on the grid. The 23 year old didn’t make the best of starts and dropped down the order initially before bouncing back to claim ninth at the flag.
Starting 11th on the grid for race two, a better start saw him running inside the top ten again and was hopeful of his best result of the season but as the race wore on, he slipped down as he lost some power due to a technical issue, but he still brought the bike home to a creditable 12th place to maintain his 18th place in the standings.
Glenn Irwin: “The first race was a bit of a game between Josh and me with both of us sitting back and not showing our true pace. I then got my head down and got into a nice rhythm and I came close to getting by Josh on the final lap, but I wasn’t quite close enough, so second place was a good result to start the day. The second race was a fair bit faster and it was important for me to have a bigger gap to the riders behind me. I had a bit of an issue early on when I hit a false neutral and Josh was stronger than me in some areas whilst I was stronger than him in others. I really tried hard as seen in the lap times and whilst you always want to win, I’m pleased to get my first double BSB podium today. Full credit to Josh and to my team so roll on the next round.”
Andrew Irwin: “This weekend’s probably been better than what it looks on the results sheets but overall I’m happy with my results. I’m learning all the time in terms of having two races in a day and having longer races than what I’m used to. My one lap pace is really good, but I need to work on my consistency across the full race distance and manage the tyres a bit better as I made a couple of mistakes today. I can’t be disappointed though and the team are doing a great job whilst the Be Wiser Ducati is amazing to ride so I’m already looking forward to Thruxton.”
Johnny Mowatt, Team Co-ordinator: “It’s been a good weekend for the riders and collectively as a team who have worked well throughout the three days. With pole position and two second place finishes, Glenn has ridden superbly all weekend and with a strong haul of points, he’s firmly cemented himself in the top six of the championship. Andrew has also had a solid weekend and if it hadn’t been for the exhaust issue in race two, he’d have come away with two top ten finishes. He can be happy with his performance though, so we can look ahead to the next round at Thruxton in a good frame of mind.”
Bennetts British Superbike Championship race one (20 laps)
1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
2 Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati)
3 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
4 Jake Dixon (Kawasaki)
5 Christian Iddon (BMW)
6 Peter Hickman (BMW)
9 Andrew Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati)
Bennetts British Superbike Championship race two (20 laps)
1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
2 Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati)
3 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
4 Jake Dixon (Kawasaki)
5 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)
6 Christian Iddon (BMW)
12 Andrew Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati)
Bennetts British Superbike Championship Points (after six rounds)
1 Haslam 242pts
2 Dixon 162
3 Glenn Irwin 145
4 Brookes 130
5 Ray 115
6 Buchan 111
7 Byrne 98
18 Andrew Irwin 30
The next round takes place at Thruxton over the weekend of August 3/5. For further information, please visit www.pbmuk.net and www.pbmuk.net
More, from a press release issued by McAMS Yamaha:
MCAMS YAMAHA CELEBRATE R1 ANNIVERSARY AS MONSTER ‘KING OF BRANDS’!
Capping a packed weekend of Yamaha celebrations around the 20th Anniversary of the iconic YZF-R1, Josh Brookes took an incredible double win and Monster Energy ‘King of Brands’ accolade. There was more excitement for the team as Tarran Mackenzie held a scintillating third place through race one before a crash and Matt Truelove took a season best fourth in the Pirelli Superstock 1000 class.
Practice was a happy hunting ground for the McAMS squad with both riders featuring highly in the standings in each session. With confidence high going onto the all-important three stage qualifying, the pair upped the pace with both riders going through to ‘Q3’ for the first time. With fast times being slammed in all around, Josh took second place and Taz a fantastic fourth…just 1/1000th of a second off a front row start!
Come race day the YZR-R1 machines were unveiled on the grid in stunning red/white colour schemes in tribute to the original 1998 machine. The riders were interviewed for the massive crowd alongside Tarran’s father Niall and Tommy Hill, Yamaha Champions in 1996/7/8 and 2011 respectively.
So with the scene set and a man for big occasions, Josh stepped up and lead the race from the off, fending off the close attentions of Glenn Irwin to take his first win for McAMS Yamaha. With the fastest lap earning him race two pole position, the determined Antipodean gave even more effort to chalk up victory number two and be awarded the ‘King of Brands’ Monster Energy trophy. Crucially he also jumped up the standings to fourth position.
Continuing his stellar Rookie form; young Taz had a great launch off the grid for race one and battled with a host of experienced racers for third place throughout the race. The atmosphere in the pit garage was tense as the young rider tried to hold off Leon Haslam but unfortunately he crashed out uninjured at Hawthorns corner. Clearly disappointed, he regrouped for race two but a poor start put him down the order. In true ‘Mackenzie’ style however, he pushed past top riders to end in a superb fifth position, his best result to date.
Saturday’s two-part Pirelli Superstock 1000 race saw Matt Truelove really come into form as he battled high up the order, logging a 7-4 score, with the fourth place Matt’s strongest showing in this ultra competitive class. Unfortunately Matt had a brake issue in the third race.
It was yet another dominant double win for Pirelli Superstock 600 rider Ryan Vickers as he continued to impress on his Mototechniks Yamaha YZF-R6.
Josh Brookes said; “It was fantastic timing to get this double win in front of all the Yamaha fans in this R1 20th Anniversary race so I’m well happy to repay them with that. I knew I only had a small advantage so was really trying to hold on from the pressure from Glenn. Also, I’m a man of my word, so I’ll shave the moustache off after this double win!”
Tarran Mackenzie said; “We made a massive step forward this weekend and we were fighting up in the front positions in practice and qualifying. I was so close to the front row but even closer to the podium before disaster. I’ve been beating myself up about it a bit but I’ve got to be happy with the pace, I know I can do it now!”
Matt Truelove said; “It’s been a good weekend except for the brake problem in the final race. I feel like I’m closer to where I should be and although we still have some things to work on we’re definitely getting there.”
Ryan Vickers explained; “That’s more like it after the disappointment of Knockhill so I’m well happy. The next few circuits are ones I really like so it’s all good.”
Team Manager Grant Bunting summed up; “What a mega weekend and the timing obviously couldn’t be better! Josh was in amazing form throughout and he’s put his Championship attack into top gear now. What can I say about Taz, to be racing in the top three against that competition was amazing, the crash was unfortunate but honestly we’re just proud of the way he was pushing. It was also great to see Matt go in Superstock, he’s really found form now. We also put ourselves under a bit more pressure with the bodywork change and pre-race display but the team responded exceptionally. Basically, more of the same at Thruxton would be spot on! ”
More, from a press release issued by Smiths Racing:
Top Six At Brands Hatch For Hickman
The Smiths Racing BMW team enjoyed a strong day of racing at Brands Hatch today with Peter Hickman scoring two top ten finishes at round six of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship races to move into the top ten of the overall standings at the half way point of the year.
A solid performance in qualifying yesterday saw Peter start from 11th place on the grid for the first 20-lap race and with an excellent start he slotted into eighth place at the end of the opening lap. Despite slipping back to tenth two laps later, the 31 year old from Lincoln quickly regrouped and by half race distance he was back up into eighth place.
Lap 11 saw him move past Richard Cooper to take over seventh place and with Tarran Mackenzie crashing out of third on the penultimate lap, Hicky was promoted up the order to sixth which was where he finished for ten well-earned points.
The second race saw Peter make a good start but at the second corner, he got pushed wide and he found himself down in 15th place at the end of the first lap. With plenty of work to do, he set about his task diligently and with some good overtaking manoeuvres in the closing stages, he was rewarded with tenth place for his second top ten finish of the day.
With former World Superbike Champion James Toseland in his corner this weekend, team-mate Sylvain Barrier made good improvements during free practice, improving his lap times in each session but after qualifying in 20th place for the opening race of the day, Sunday started in the worst possible way when he crashed at Paddock Hill Bend during morning warm up. He was uninjured but when he went out on the sighting lap, he encountered a technical issue and had to sit the race out.
The Frenchman was forced to start from last place on the grid for the second race and worked his way up to 21st place with some consistent lap times but as the race wore on, an electrical issue meant the bike was cutting out and rather than risk a crash, he pulled in on lap 17. Despite not scoring points across the two races, he was happy with the progress he’d made across the weekend.
Peter Hickman: “Qualifying continues to be my Achilles heel but I’m satisfied with two top ten finishes today, particularly the sixth place in race one. I made a good start in both races and my pace was strong at the end of each of them, but the second race was obviously affected by the coming together which dropped me down the order. The changes we made to the bike this weekend were all positive and although I was losing a bit of time getting onto the straights, I was strong elsewhere so overall it’s been a positive day.”
Sylvain Barrier: “The results don’t show the progress I’ve made this weekend and if it hadn’t been for the crash in morning warm-up, I think we could have scored some points today. The bike is good, but I still need to work harder myself, particularly on my body position as this is sometimes holding me back. It’s been good to have James helping me this weekend as he’s given me some great advice so, hopefully, we can get back in amongst the points next time out.”
Darren Jones, Team Co-ordinator: “Overall, it’s been a good weekend and we’ve learnt a lot as we’ve tried a lot of new things, the majority of which have been positive. Pete’s still struggling to nail qualifying but P6 and P10 are good results and it’s nice to see him back in the top ten in the standings. Although the end results don’t show it, Sylvain’s probably made more progress this weekend than at any other round and the crash in morning warm-up was a strange one as it didn’t look like he’d done anything different. It had a knock-on effect for the rest of the day, but he stayed positive and worked hard so I’m sure he’ll be rewarded for his efforts soon.”
Bennetts British Superbike Championship race one (20 laps)
1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
2 Glenn Irwin (Ducati)
3 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
4 Jake Dixon (Kawasaki)
5 Christian Iddon (BMW)
6 Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)
DNF Sylvain Barrier (Smiths Racing BMW)
Bennetts British Superbike Championship race two (20 laps)
1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
2 Glenn Irwin (Ducati)
3 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
4 Jake Dixon (Kawasaki)
5 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)
6 Christian Iddon (BMW)
10 Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)
DNF Sylvain Barrier (Smiths Racing BMW)
Bennetts British Superbike Championship Points (after six rounds)
1 Haslam 242pts
2 Dixon 162
3 Irwin 145
4 Brookes 130
5 Ray 115
6 Buchan 111
10 Hickman 68
24 Barrier 5
The seventh round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship takes place at Thruxton over the weekend of August 3/5th. For further information, please visit www.smithsracing.co.uk and www.smithsracing.co.uk
More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing BSB Press Office:
GALLANT RIDE FOR JASON O’HALLORAN AT BRANDS HATCH
Still suffering with an ankle injury Honda Racing’s Jason O’Halloran put in a brave effort this weekend at the sixth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch in Kent.
Riding the undulating and physical 2.4-mile GP circuit, ‘The O’Show’ finished both races aboard the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade and collected a handful of points towards his championship challenge. O’Halloran is now sitting outside the top-ten with 66 points, just two points away from tenth-place.
Taking the positives from the weekend, the Aussie has made progress since the last outing with his leg strength and was able to finish the opening race 14th and the second race in 15th, with consistent lap times and good pace.
Meanwhile for teammate Dan Linfoot the weekend ended early in race one. Having made his way up from 19th place, Linfoot crashed out on the sixth lap at Westfield while running 15th. The Yorkshireman was declared unfit for the second race of the day with a suspected fractured left scaphoid.
After a mixed weekend at Brands Hatch, the Honda team will now regroup ahead of the next round, which takes place at Thruxton on 3-5 August.
#4
Dan Linfoot
This weekend has been mega frustrating and another one of those weekends unfortunately. I didn’t have a great qualifying and I had started to make progress in race one, but had an early crash into Westfield and as a result I have done some damage to my scaphoid. The full extent is unclear at the moment, so I’ve got to have some further checks and scans this week. It’s so frustrating as I am just back from injury; we had such a good first round on the podium and now another injury and another set back. We’ve just got to see what the prognosis is now on the injury and take it from there.
#22
Jason O’Halloran
I do have positives to take away from this weekend, we’ve come away with two race finishes and some points when at the moment for me to complete a full race distance is a struggle with the injury. If you think back to Knockhill two weeks ago, I didn’t complete two races and very nearly didn’t complete one! This weekend we have progressed and in the second half of race two I was stronger than the second half of the first race, so I made another step forward. There’s no hiding at the moment it’s a struggle for me, I just can’t do what I want to do on the CBR, but that’s just a time and patience thing and it’ll come soon enough. It’s frustrating as we all know we’re capable of more and we can be up there, which we proved at the start of the season with podiums in the first three rounds. We train all pre-season to be our best and I am now riding injured against guys that are at their best, so it is a struggle! We will get stronger each round and we will be back there soon!
Havier Beltran
Team Manager
We arrived at Brands with high expectations asking is this the turning point, can we make things better and can our results be stronger? From Friday to Saturday both Dan and Jason struggled here and yes we did manage to turn it around for Jason in qualifying, but Dan was on the back foot really the whole way through. We need to understand this and where it was coming from, it could be down to a number of things with travelling and riding different machines – so a few things may have contributed to this and we need to understand and move forward in the best way. With Jason two weeks ago he struggled to race, this weekend he has been stronger and completed two races. We know we have another big step to get Jason into the Showdown and it will be difficult, it’s all very well being in there but you’ve got to be there at the front to make a difference and we do have some work to do. I’m confident going to the next round as Jason will have made another step, but we’re not 100% there and we’re still on the road to recovery.
More, from a press release issued by RAF Regular and Reserves Kawasaki:
Strong results for Dixon at Brands
Jake Dixon’s strong run of form in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship continued at Brands Hatch on Sunday with the RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki rider claiming two fourth place finishes in the two races to maintain his second place overall in the title standings.
The weekend started well immediately and having set the second fastest time overall during the three free practice sessions, Jake took that good form into qualifying on Saturday afternoon and a time of 1m24.768s meant he went into Sunday’s opening 20-lap race in third place and on the front row of the grid.
Second place in morning warm-up further cemented Jake’s position as a race favourite but a sluggish start saw him back in sixth place at the end of the first lap and a lap later this had become seventh as Luke Mossey overhauled him.
On lap eight, Jake moved back ahead of his Kawasaki rival and although he left it late, he took over fifth place on the penultimate lap with a good overtaking manoeuvre on Christian Iddon. Good fortune then came his way shortly afterwards when third placed Tarran Mackenzie crashed which promoted him up the order to fourth and this was where he finished to add 13 more points to his Championship total.
The second race later in the afternoon saw him again complete the first lap in sixth place but by lap six he was up into fourth and closing in on the leading trio of Josh Brookes, Glenn Irwin and Leon Haslam. However, grip issues with the front tyre meant his pace ebbed and flowed during the second half of the race and he had to settle for fourth place and although it meant his run of six successive podiums came to an end, he still sits in second place overall at the half way stage of the season.
Jake Dixon: “We worked really hard during practice to get a good bike for the races and although it was hard work to get a front row position during qualifying, I managed it and with good race pace, I felt in a good place going into race day. However, the warmer temperatures didn’t help us at all and the front tyre kept overheating which meant I lost time to the three riders in front of me at various stages of the race. I’d close up to them only to drop back a few laps later.”
“On the positive side of things, we’re in a lot better position compared to where we were 12 months ago here and I only lost two points to Leon (Haslam) in terms of podium credits. The next round at Thruxton is a circuit that should suit us and having gone well there last year, I’m confident we can do the same again this time around.”
Lee Hardy, Team Owner: “We worked really on the race set up during practice and although we inherited a bit of chatter during qualifying – perhaps due to having a lighter fuel load – which affected Jake’s out and out pace, he did what he needed to do to put the bike on the front row so we were in a good position for the first race. We were confident that Jake could run at the front and challenge for the wins so we’re a bit disappointed to come away with two fourth places.”
“His pace at the beginning of each race was good but by the time he got to the front three, the front tyre had overheated and he had to back off which was why you saw him drop back in each race. Jake had to wait for the tyre to cool down and the feel to come back to him before he could push again but the results are the best we’ve ever taken here in the Superbike class so we can’t be too downbeat. As well as Leon, it’s clear Glenn and Josh are both now in the mix so we’ll be looking to get back on the box at Thruxton.”
Round seven of the Championship takes place at Thruxton, Hampshire on August 3-5.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship race one (20 laps)
1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
2 Glenn Irwin (Ducati)
3 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
4 Jake Dixon (RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki)
5 Christian Iddon (BMW)
6 Peter Hickman (BMW)
Bennetts British Superbike Championship race two (20 laps)
1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
2 Glenn Irwin (Ducati)
3 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
4 Jake Dixon (RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki)
5 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)
6 Christian Iddon (BMW)
Bennetts British Superbike Championship Points (after six rounds)
1 Haslam 242pts
2 Dixon 162
3 Irwin 145
4 Brookes 130
5 Ray 115
6 Buchan 111
More, from a press release issued by Buildbase Suzuki:
McConnell and Buildbase Suzuki win at Brands
Billy McConnell raced his GSX-R1000 to victory in the second National Superstock 1000 race at Brands Hatch this weekend, bouncing back from the disappointment of crashing out of Saturday’s race.
In the Bennetts British Superbike class Richard Cooper qualified on the third row and raced to a strong seventh placed finish in race one. In race two he bolted off the line to slot into second in turn one, before settling into fourth place. Running at a competitive pace, he was unlucky to crash out of the position at Paddock Hill bend on the sixth lap.
Unfortunately it was a weekend to forget for Bradley Ray, as he struggled to find a setup that gave him the confidence he needed to be competitive. He finished 13th and 16th. However, he now heads to the Suzuka 8-Hour to compete with the Yoshimura Suzuki team, while McConnell will also be competing with Team R2CL Suzuki.
Billy McConnell, “The crash in race one was a weird one. Honestly it felt a little like I hit something because I tucked the front in a place I’d not had any problems or movement before, even when on a really fast lap, so it was a weird one. I felt I had the pace that race and today’s, but after crashing at Knockhill I rode a little more conservative. Today I tried to make a break before the final lap as I knew it was going to be a last lap battle as the group was strong. It didn’t turn out to be a huge break but it gave us enough. I’m looking forward to Suzuka now. I’ve always wanted to do it so it’s a great opportunity with a great team, and I’ll definitely be bike fit when we get to Thruxton.”
Richard Cooper, “I’m so disappointed to crash out of race two but so pleased with the performances and the work we’ve done this weekend and the last few rounds. Seventh in race one was good but just needed to go one better to keep the improvements coming and we were looking good. Made a good start and when I made a mistake and lost time to the podium group, I was able to recover and make the ground back up again, so I was feeling really strong. I just tipped in like I had done the laps before and lost the front. It’s a real shame but to be running up with the leaders shows we’re making big strides, we just didn’t finish it off. But we”re back in the mix, I’m uninjured, so we’ll take the positives like we always do and move onto the next one.”
Bradley Ray, “There’s not much to say to be honest, it wasn’t a good weekend for us. We just couldn’t find a good setup for the two races. We struggled in race one and made a big change for race two but it didn’t work sadly. I just didn’t have a good feeling and couldn’t push as I needed to. So we’ll put it behind us and take what we’ve learned. Suzuka’s next for me and hopefully we can battle for the win and at least come away with a podium. Then it’s Thruxton where we’ll come back strongly.”
Superstock race one result: 1. Joe Collier, 2. Josh Elliot, 3. Alex Olsen, DNF. Billy McConnell.
Superstock race two result: 1. Billy McConnell, 2. Keith Farmer, 3. Alex Olsen.
Superbike race one: 1. Josh Brookes, 2. Glenn Irwin, 3. Leon Haslam, 7. Richard Cooper, 13. Bradley Ray
Superbike race two: 1. Josh Brookes, 2. Glenn Irwin, 3. Leon Haslam, 16. Bradley Ray, DNF. Richard Cooper.
More, from a press release issued by Movuno.com Halsall Racing Suzuki:
HALSALL SQUAD CELEBRATES BRANDS SUCCESS
THE Movuno.com Halsall Racing Suzuki team has taken huge steps forward after banking a solid haul of points as the Bennetts British Superbike Championship returned to Brands Hatch.
In the squad’s second round under the reign of team manger Colin Wright, series newcomer Chrissy Rouse scored an 11th and a 14th at the Kent track as Superstock rider Tom Ward celebrated a seventh place finish.
Rouse, who made the step up to Superbike action earlier this month, had once again emerged the strongest of the series rookies in qualifying, making his way into Q2 to start today’s opening race from 15th.
After a strong start he began to pick his way through the pack, making several moves to climb up to 11th, finishing just outside of the top 10 as he scored his first ever BSB race finish.
And race two brought similar success. Starting 14th on the grid he held his position throughout the 20-lap race to take another points finish – and was also the highest finishing Suzuki.
“I’m really happy, it’s been a fantastic weekend and I’m pleased with the results, particularly the first race,” he said. “I thoroughly enjoyed both of the races as I feel I’ve learnt so much more about the bike.
“Of course, there is still a long way to go but I’m thrilled that I can take home points in just my second BSB race, and to know I was so close to the top 10 is a real boost for me.
“I’m definitely making good progress. I’m learning more about the Superbike and how I need to ride it to get the best from it, and the improvement from my first race a fortnight ago is clear. I’m really excited about doing it all over again at the next round.”
In the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship, Tom Ward banked his best result of the year so far as he crossed the line seventh in Sunday’s dramatic race.
The Canterbury-based rider bounced back from a tough race on Saturday where he scored a DNF after a coming-together with another rider, to enjoy his best race since stepping up to the 1000cc machine this year.
Despite not scoring any points on Saturday, his best lap time was enough to secure him 13th on the grid, and this time he was determined to make the most of it. Getting a good start, he was lucky to avoid a huge crash involving five riders on the opening lap which brought out a red flag.
“We made a change for the race and it turned out to be the right way to go,” he said. “Luckily I didn’t get caught up in the big crash; I was just on the outside of it. When we restarted I just concentrated on getting away well and trying to keep up with the frontrunners.
“The bike felt really good and I made a few moves to pick off a few people and then I got as high up as sixth. I was able to see the lead group and I was trying to keep up with them but my pace just dropped a little bit towards the end.
“I had a bit of a tussle with Leon Jeacock in the closing laps and he got me at the end, but I’m certainly not disappointed with seventh. I feel I’ve really turned a big corner with the bike and it’s been my best race so far. I’m buzzing for the rest of the season now.”
Team Manager Colin Wright was happy with his team’s progress. “It’s been a good day, we’ve got two riders in the points and the improvements by everyone are clear to see,” he said.
“We need to remember that this was only our second race meeting together, it was just Chrissy’s second time on a Superbike and it’s been very much a case of us all still getting to know each other and how we all work.
“I am happy with both of the riders’ progress today. Chrissy has once again shown me that he has what it takes and deserves to be in this class, while Tom has also taken a huge step forward.
“It certainly bodes very well for the second half of the season, and these results have fired everyone up to come back even stronger at Thruxton in a fortnight.”
More, from a press release issued by OMG Racing:
Podiums and progress see OMG fly at Brands Hatch
OMG Racing came to Brands Hatch fighting hard for success in the sixth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship. Not only did Gino Rea improve his pace throughout the weekend on the Superbike but Josh Elliott gave the team their first podium in the National Superstock 1000 class, setting the champagne flowing.
Ex GP star Gino Rea came to Brands Hatch with plenty of optimism with a top ten set firmly in his sights. Whilst a top ten has been put off for another day; there were plenty of other positives to come from the weekend. With Gino making it through to Q2 once more, as well as improving his race pace by a significant amount in race two.
#GinoRea44
“For my first time on the bike on the full GP circuit, it really hasn’t been a bad weekend and it’s been a progressive weekend too. Yes, maybe we’d all like the progress to be quicker but this championship is so competitive. We improved our pace from race one to race two by a considerable amount and that is a big achievement alone. One of the other major positives was that despite Richard Cooper, the other Suzukis were right in front of me. We were able to watch Bradley Ray closely which was something really positive and interesting. Overall, the positions we’ve left Brands Hatch in do not reflect the positive mood in the team and the progress we have made this weekend.”
Josh Elliott’s weekend was magnificent, with the Ulsterman delivering OMG Racing’s best set of results; racing consistently inside the top ten from the get-go on Friday. He continued his great form at the Brands Hatch GP circuit with a 7th in race one, whilst he put the Suzuki on the podium in race two, much too the delight of the team. On Sunday for race three, the ex Superstock 1000 champ was 4th and tantalisingly close to a win.
#JoshElliott10
It has been an incredible weekend at Brands Hatch. I can’t explain how good it feels to be back battling at the front. The OMG Racing team have worked so hard over the weekend to improve the bike for me and they have done an amazing job, so a massive thank you to everyone! It felt great to be standing on the podium once again and giving OMG Racing their first ever podium felt special. We will work hard now to build on this weekend and look to be even better at the next round.”
Team manager, Paul Curran, was pleased with the progress that Gino had made throughout the weekend and was elated that Josh Elliott had got the team their first podium in the British championships.
Paul Curran, Team Manager
“Whilst being mixed, this weekend has been a step forward for the team in many ways. Josh has come in and given us our first podium which has really lifted our spirits and makes all the hard work and effort worth it. Josh has achieved the first of many, and I am sure the next podium will not be too far away.
“For Gino, he’s never ridden the Superbike before and I think that it has taken him a little bit longer than we all thought to be fair. Gino did a great job moving into Q2 for a second consecutive occasion and he got through when other riders – who have been doing hundreds of laps around Brands Hatch GP on a Superbike – didn’t make it through. All in all, the weekend has had more positives than negatives and that reflects in the buoyant team atmosphere as we plan for Thruxton.”