Editorial Note: American John Hopkins crashed during Qualifying Knockout Session Three Oct. 14 at Brands Hatch. Hopkins broke both knees and fractured two vertebrae in his lower back. He underwent surgery in England on Oct. 15 and is expected to make a full recovery, according to posts he and his team made on social media.
Top Four For Hickman As Smiths Finish Top BMW Team In BSB 2017
The Smiths Racing BMW team concluded their 2017 MCE British Superbike Championship season at Brands Hatch where it was a good end to the year with points in all races for Peter Hickman and Lee Jackson, with Hickman claiming an excellent fourth overall in the final points table after the triple-header race weekend.
Strong throughout free practice, Hickman missed out on the final stages of qualifying and had to settle for tenth on the grid for the first of the weekend’s three races yesterday where he battled his way to an eventual seventh place despite an overheating engine causing the clutch to slip.
With glorious conditions at the Kent venue today and in front of the largest Brands Hatch crowd in recent years, Peter completed the first lap of the opening 20-lap race in eighth place and although he slipped back to ninth at one stage, he soon regrouped and by lap 15, he’d jumped back up to sixth where he stayed until the finish.
Lining up on the third row for the third and final race around the 2.43-mile Grand Prix circuit, a slightly sluggish start once more saw the Lincoln rider drop back to tenth place but by half race distance, he’d worked his way back up to eighth and with two more overtaking manoeuvres he took a good sixth place at the chequered flag. With 27 points over the course of the weekend, it also meant he claimed a fine fourth overall in the standings which was both his and the team’s best ever MCE BSB position.
Team-mate Jackson found life difficult during practice and qualifying, starting yesterday’s race from 19th but he took full advantage of other rider’s misfortunes to work his way up to a fine eighth place at the conclusion of the 16-lap race. The Lincoln rider couldn’t quite replicate that form today but the 21 year old scored points in both races with 13th and 14th seeing him complete his season in 16th overall.
Peter Hickman: “It’s been a tough final round and we never quite got the bike set up as I would have liked. I struggled off the line in yesterday’s race and then the bike overheated which caused the clutch to slip so, all things considered, seventh wasn’t bad. The team swapped engines overnight but I got bullied at the beginning of the first race today so I was happy to finish sixth. We made more changes to the bike for the second race and it was the best it had been all weekend so I was able to be a lot more consistent. I was one of the fastest riders on track at times but the overheating issue returned and I only just managed to hold Dan Linfoot off on the run to the line. I’ve finished every race bar one, have never been lower than ninth and to finish fourth overall behind three world class riders is a good achievement. We were the top BMW team and everyone at Smiths Racing has been fantastic all year so a massive thanks to everyone.”
Lee Jackson: “The weekend started well on Friday and I had a really good feeling with the bike but it didn’t work for me in qualifying. I couldn’t get into a good rhythm so P19 was far from ideal and it left me a lot of work to do in the first race. I regrouped though and worked my way up to tenth and with two good moves, I overtook two riders on the last lap to take a good eighth. Today though, I was struggling again and things didn’t quite click so P13 and P14 wasn’t the way I wanted to end the year. I’m disappointed but it was points in all three races and a big thank you to the Smiths BMW team and all the sponsors for everything they’ve done for me in 2017.”
Rebecca Smith, Team Manager: “We’ve struggled all weekend with different things but we regrouped and both riders scored points in all three races which is definitely something to be pleased with. And with Peter taking fourth overall, we can’t be disappointed especially when you look at the three riders that finished in front of him. I’ve said all year that none of it would be possible without a great team and that’s exactly what we’ve got so a huge thanks to all concerned. We’ll hopefully be back in 2018 for more of the same.”
MCE British Superbike Championship race one (16 laps)
1 Shane Byrne (Ducati)
2 Christian Iddon (BMW)
3 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
4 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
5 James Ellison (Yamaha)
6 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
7 Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)
8 Lee Jackson (Smiths Racing BMW)
MCE British Superbike Championship race two (20 laps)
1 Shane Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati)
2 Christian Iddon (BMW)
3 James Ellison (Yamaha)
4 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
5 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
6 Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)
13 Lee Jackson (Smiths Racing BMW)
MCE British Superbike Championship race three (20 laps)
1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
2 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
3 James Ellison (Yamaha)
4 Michael Laverty (Yamaha)
5 Christian Iddon (BMW)
6 Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)
14 Lee Jackson (Smiths Racing BMW)
Final Championship Standings (after 12 rounds)
1 Byrne 637pts
2 Brookes 634
3 Haslam 631
4 Hickman 578
5 O’Halloran 567
6 Dixon 562
16 Jackson 96
For further information, please visit www.smithsracing.co.uk and www.smithsracing.co.uk
More, from a press release issued by Tyco BMW:
LIGHTNING BOOST FOR TYCO BMW AND IDDON IN SHOWDOWN FINALE
The British Superbike Championship finale at Brands Hatch saw Tyco BMW end the season on a high with a hat-trick of podiums and the Rider’s Cup. Christian Iddon, sporting his racing hero inspired ‘Lightning McQueen’ helmet design, was on the podium twice with two second places.
Irishman Josh Elliott won a hard-fought third place in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 race, once again placing himself and the Tyco BMW team back on the box.
The Tyco BMW team would like to extend their great appreciation to BMW Motorrad, Tyco Security products and all their sponsors and technical partners, all of which are invaluable to the team effort. Also a big thanks to the Racesafe marshals, BSB staff and all who help to put on the most competitive Motorcycling Championship in the world.
Here’s to 2018!
Team Manager Philip Neill: “’After a difficult season through injury this was a very nice way to end our British Superbike season and to thank our partners Tyco Security Products and BMW Motorrad. It goes without saying without their support together with each of our sponsors and technical partners we would not have the opportunity to be here. Thanks also to our team members and each of our riders for all their efforts throughout the year. Finally to the BSB team for organising the best race series anywhere.”
Christian Iddon #24: “Winning the Rider’s Cup is personally not a great acheivement as it means I wasn’t in the showdown but it is hopefully some payback to the Tyco BMW squad who have really given me their all this year as they did last year. We shall all work hard to make sure we are in a good place to fight for the Championship next year.
It’s a shame how the middle of the season panned out but it’s great to finish the season on a high, we raced well and the boys gave me a great bike. It’s definitely a direction we can go in for next season, so for me everything is positive. A big thank you to all the team for putting a great bike underneath me, sponsors for their continued support and of course the fantastic BSB fans – see you all in 2018!”
Josh Elliott #10: “I’m Delighted to finish the season on the podium for myself and the Tyco BMW team. It was a difficult weekend and qualifying 9th gave me a lot of work to do. We made a change for the race and it really made a big difference which gave me the chance to push forward and challenge at the front. Massive thank you to everyone in the Tyco BMW team for their relentless effort and for giving me the opportunity to ride for the last half of the season.”
For more information please contact: [email protected] or visit www.tycobmw.com
More, from a press release issued by RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki:
Challenging final weekend for Dixon and RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki
The final round of the 2017 MCE British Superbike Championship season proved to be a challenging weekend for Jake Dixon and the RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki with just a solitary 12th place finish in the three races at Brands Hatch to show for their efforts.
The weekend started strongly for the 21-year old as he posted the second fastest time in Friday’s opening free practice session but a heavy, high-speed crash at Hawthorn later that afternoon put both rider and team on the back foot. With the Kawasaki ZX-10R rebuilt for Saturday, Jake posted the eighth fastest time in qualifying to line up in the middle of the third row for that afternoon’s race.
However, his race was only three laps old when he crashed out at Clearways, after water leaked from another rider’s machine caused no less than five riders, including Jake, to go down. With considerable damage to the bike once more and a quick restart, there wasn’t time for the team to make the necessary repairs and the 21-year old was a reluctant non-starter.
As a result, he was forced to start Sunday’s first 20-lap race from 22nd on the grid and although he managed to work his way up to 16th, he was forced to retire from the race just after half distance. That just left one race to go with the Ashby resident lining up on this occasion in 14th and in the middle of the fifth row.
He held station in 14th for the first five laps before jumping up to 11th on lap six and it looked like this was would be where he finished his 2017 season but former World Superbike Champion Sylvain Guintoli got the better of him in the closing stages to leave him in 12th place at the chequered flag.
Nevertheless, he finished the season, his first full year in the BSB class, in an excellent sixth place overall, the undoubted highlights being his double victory at Knockhill and further podiums at Thruxton, Cadwell Park and Silverstone.
Team-mate Jordan Weaving was also having his final outing of the year in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship race where he qualified in 16th place on the Briggs Equipment Kawasaki. Completing the first lap in a fine tenth place, Adam Jenkinson pushed him back a spot on lap six but with some consistent laps, he successful held onto 11th to pick up five more points with the result seeing him complete his maiden year in the class in an excellent 12th overall.
Jake Dixon: “From a weekend that started so brightly, it’s turned out to be the opposite and not how I wanted to end the season at all! Everything was looking really good on Friday when I was second quickest in FP1 and running in the same position in FP2 up until I crashed. It wrecked the bike and left me feeling very sore and from that moment on it was a rollercoaster ride. The team did a great job, as they have all year, in preparing the bike for qualifying and the first race but I was down before I knew it again when Dan’s bike spilled water onto the track.”
“The bike took another beating and nothing was going right for us but we regrouped for Sunday only for a vibration in the first race to hold me back. It wasn’t ideal but the boys did everything to get me back out and although I got a finish of 12th in the final race of the year, I wasn’t able to show what I could do so it’s a real shame our year ended in this fashion. Like I say, it’s not the way we wanted to end our season but we’ve shown what we can do this year and we’re going to come back in 2018 and firmly challenge for the title.”
Lee Hardy, Team Owner: “It’s been a very tough weekend and the crash on Friday really put us on the back foot. Up until then, the bike was working well and Jake was setting some very good lap times but he lost the front at 155mph and it was a big, expensive crash. We had to replace practically everything but he qualified in the top ten only to be an innocent victim of a problem with Dan Linfoot’s bike. It meant another rebuild and although the bike was built to the same specification as before any rider will tell you it never feels exactly the same.”
“Jake was obviously sore after two big crashes but he soldiered on and whilst we may not have got the results we’d hoped for this weekend, if anyone had said to me at the beginning of the year that Jake would finish in the top six, I’d have taken it. He’s put in a mega season in his first full year and has probably over-achieved so we’re looking forward now to a strong winter with a view to fighting for the Championship throughout 2018.”
“Jordan had a strong end to his year and with a few, small changes to the team set-up, he fought back well after qualifying and only just missed out on another top ten result. He too has had an excellent first year in his respective class so now it’s a case of pressing on and pushing for the top six next year. Thanks to all the sponsors for being behind us all the way and helping us achieve what we’ve achieved.”
Final MCE British Superbike Championship Standings (after 12 rounds)
1 Shane Byrne (Ducati) 637pts
2 Josh Brookes (Yamaha) 634
3 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki) 631
4 Peter Hickman (BMW) 578
5 Jason O’Halloran (Honda) 567
6 Jake Dixon (RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki) 562
Final Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship Standings (after 12 rounds)
1 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki) 362pts
2 Richard Cooper (Suzuki) 352
3 Michael Rutter (BMW) 225
4 Chrissy Rouse (BMW) 206.5
5 Adam Jenkinson (BMW) 146.5
6 Mason Law (Kawasaki) 144
12 Jordan Weaving (Briggs Equipment Kawasaki) 80
More, from a press release issued by Bennetts Suzuki:
Superstock win and Superbike top-10 for Cooper and Bennetts Suzuki at BSB finale
The Bennetts Suzuki team signed off the 2017 MCE British Superbike championship season with another race win for Richard Cooper in the Superstock 1000 class, as he narrowly missed out on the championship crown racing the all-new GSX-R1000 in its debut season.
Cooper was also standing in for the injured Taylor Mackenzie in the Superbike class, and took a brace of top-10 finishes from the weekend’s three races, retiring out of race two early – and from another potential top-10 – to ensure he was on the grid for his final Superstock outing of the season. His teammate, Sylvain Guintoli, recovered from a crash in yesterday’s race to come from the back of the grid to take two points-scoring finishes to cap off the year.
Racing the all-new GSX-R1000 this season, the Bennetts Suzuki team was quickly up to speed in the highly competitive Superstock 1000 class, winning at the first round of the year at Donington Park. Cooper arrived at the final round 15 points adrift of the championship title, and did his part by winning the race, leading from start to finish. His title rival, Danny Buchan, finished second, to take the championship by 10 points.
In the Superbike races, Cooper finished in 10th place in Saturday’s race, while Guintoli suffered a fast crash on lap three at Clearways, losing the front on fluid dropped by another machine.
Cooper, racing in the same retro livery he used in his wildcard at Assen, was racing inside the top-10 in today’s opening Superbike race, before pulling in. He then raced to another 10th in the final race.
Guintoli, coming from the back of the grid, came through the pack to finish 12th in today’s first race, and followed it up with an 11th in the third and final race of the weekend.
Richard Cooper, “It’s been a good weekend and a nice way to finish the season. Superstock was still the main focus, that was the championship I’ve been racing for this year. Today, I did what I needed to do but to be honest it was always going to need a lot of luck. In Superbike, I’m really happy with the performances to be fair. I was coming into a weekend where everyone else has done 12 rounds, and has already been to Brands Hatch before, so to get two top 10s is really good. It could have been three, but I pulled in ahead of the Superstock race. It was good for me but also it’s given the team a lot of new data to work through over winter.”
Sylvain Guintoli, “We were unlucky this weekend. In race one I got some fluid on my visor and I thought it had started to rain, and so did the guys in front. We slowed up but I was already leaning the bike over. Bradley [Ray] was on the inside and I actually hit his bike and went down. It was a fast one and quite lucky to get away with it with so many others going down as well. But with the way the rules work, it ruined the rest of the weekend. Only the lap times from the restarted race counted for the grid, so I was at the very back. I managed to come from 22nd to 12th, which was good. The last race was better and we reduced the gap to the front. All-in-all a tough weekend, but the bike was a lot better than last time we were at Brands and felt like we’d made some improvements, it’s just a shame the weekend went how it did.”
Taylor Mackenzie missed the weekend’s action through injury, but was present to support his teammates at the final round of the season. Mackenzie suffered a broken foot in race two at Silverstone, after notching up a seventh placed finish in race one. He missed the following round at Oulton Park, but then suffered a broken shoulder and torn rotator cuff at Assen during qualifying.
Taylor Mackenzie, “It was difficult being a spectator today. As a racer you always want to be out there. It’s been an up-and-down year, but we showed our potential early on with some strong results. I also had a run of some bad luck which cost us points in the middle of the season. The back end of the season saw us, as a team, make some big steps with the bike, and from Silverstone we were able to kick on, but unfortunately that’s where my season ended. I’ve learnt a lot, and I am looking forward to coming back stronger next season.”
Steve Hicken, team manager, “It’s been a solid weekend to finish a challenging year. As we keep saying, we always knew it was going to be a year of development – it always is with a brand new motorcycle. But we’ve made a lot of progress from day one to where we are today. In the GSX-R1000’s debut year we’ve come within 10 points of the Superstock 1000 championship, and taken a win in the British Superbike championship, as well as plenty of other strong results.
“Today, we knew lifting the Superstock title was a long-shot, but Cooper did what he needed to and took another win. Then, to come in for only his second round on the Superbike and take two – what could have been three – top-10 finishes also shows the level he and the bike are at, and he’s done a great job this weekend and given us lots more data to go away and work on over the winter.
“Sylvain was unlucky in race one this weekend and that’s probably dented our hopes of better results this weekend. It was a fast one and the bike took a bit of a knock, and in the races he’s had to come from quite far down on the grid, but each time he’s worked his way forward and taken two point-scoring finishes. As a team we’ll go away now and work hard to come back strongly next season.”
Superstock race result: 1. Richard Cooper, 2. Danny Buchan, 3. Josh Elliot
Superbike race one result: 1. Shane Byrne, 2. Christian Iddon, 3. Josh Brookes, 10. Richard Cooper, DNF. Sylvain Guintoli
Superbike race two result: 1. Shane Byrne, 2. Christian Iddon, 3. James Ellison, 12. Sylvain Guintoli, DNF. Richard Cooper
Superbike race three result: 1. Josh Brookes, 2. Jason O’Halloran, 3. James Ellison, 10. Richard Cooper, 11. Sylvain Guintoli
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport:
Three podiums for Tyco BMW to wrap up the 2017 BSB season.
Munich. The 2017 season of the fiercely contested British Superbike Championship (BSB) has ended with another successful weekend for the BMW riders. The final round was held at Brands Hatch (GBR) and saw three podium finishes for the BMW S 1000 RR. Christian Iddon (GBR / Tyco BMW) secured two second-places in the Superbike class (BSB SBK) races. In the overall championship standings, Peter Hickman (GBR / Smiths Racing) is the highest placed BMW rider, finishing the season in fourth. In the Superstock class (BSB STK) race, Tyco BMW rider Josh Elliott (GBR) was third on the rostrum.
To wrap up the season, the fans at Brands Hatch witnessed a grand finale with no fewer than three races held in the Superbike class. Iddon was second in both races one and two. In the final race, the Tyco BMW rider crossed the line in fifth. The results also secured Iddon the “Rider’s Cup”, the trophy for the best rider in the championship standings outside the title showdown.
The showdown is contested during the final three race weekends of the season between the top six riders in the standings after round nine. One of them was Smiths Racing rider Hickman, who this season qualified for the showdown for the first time. At the final round, he claimed two sixths and one seventh place to finish the season in fourth overall.
Christian Iddon: “It’s great to finish the season on a high. We raced well and the boys gave me a great bike. It’s definitely a direction we can go in for next season, so for me everything is positive. A big thank you to all the team for putting a great bike underneath me, sponsors for their continued support and of course the fantastic BSB fans – see you all in 2018!”
Peter Hickman: “I’ve finished every race bar one, have never been lower than ninth and to finish fourth overall behind three world class riders is a good achievement. We were the top BMW team and everyone at Smiths Racing has been fantastic all year so a massive thanks to everyone.”
In the Superstock class it was Elliott’s turn to secure a podium finish for the BMW S 1000 RR. The Tyco BMW rider was third, while Chrissy Rouse (GBR / Mission Racing) followed directly behind in fourth. Joe Collier (GBR / Team IMR) and Adam Jenkinson (GBR / Northern Escalator Installations) also claimed top-ten results, finishing in ninth and tenth respectively. In the Superstock class championship standings, the highest placed BMW rider is Michael Rutter (GBR / Bathams SMT Racing) in third place. Rouse ended the season in fourth overall with Jenkinson in fifth.
More, from a press release issued by Bathams SMT Racing:
Tough weekend at Brands for Rutter and Bathams/SMT Racing
Michael Rutter and the Bathams/SMT Racing team had a tough end to their domestic 2017 season at Brands Hatch at the weekend with the Bridgnorth rider having three challenging rides in the MCE British Superbike Championship.
With an excellent third place overall having already been wrapped up last month in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship and with next month’s Macau Grand Prix on the horizon, Michael and the team opted to take advantage of the three races and track time available for the Superbike class to get the BMW S1000RR dialled in.
Having only competed in the Superbike class, comfortably recognised as the best and most competitive domestic Championship in the world, once this season – at Thruxton in August – it was always going to be challenge for Michael and the team but they acquitted themselves well in free practice and qualifying, posting some competitive times, and lined up in 21st place for Saturday’s opening 20-lap race.
However, it was only three laps old when the red flag came out after Dan Linfoot’s Honda deposited water onto the track at Clearways, which resulted in five riders crashing out. Unfortunately, one of those was Michael, which was naturally a huge disappointment especially as he’d worked his way up to 17th at the time. Battered and bruised, the bike was also significantly damaged which meant a rebuilding job for the team ahead of Sunday’s two races.
The 2.43-mile Grand Prix circuit in Kent was bathed in warm sunshine on Sunday but Michael was out of luck in the opening race being forced to retire just after half race distance. That just left one race remaining and after a race long battle with regular Macau GP sparring partner Martin Jessopp, Kyle Ryde and James Westmoreland, he crossed the line in 20th, relieved to finally get a full race distance under his belt.
Michael Rutter: “We always knew it was going to be a tough weekend as everyone else has been riding their Superbikes all year whilst they’ve also had two previous outings at Brands Hatch but with third in the Superstock class already wrapped up, it was an opportunity for us to have three races on the Superbike and also get the bike prepared for Macau next month. It’s such a tough class with so many good riders and whilst the results weren’t what we hoped for, it’s been an invaluable weekend.”
“The crash on Saturday put us on the back foot and with the bike being quite badly damaged and myself being knocked around a bit, it was far from ideal. The bike didn’t quite feel right in warm-up on Sunday and an electrical problem brought my second race to an early end but I was determined to get a finish and I’d have pushed the bike over the line in the last race if I’d had to! It was an enjoyable battle and we’ve learnt an awful lot with the bike and made some definite progress so we can head to Macau with a clear direction to work in.”
The Macau Grand Prix, where Michael will be joined in the team once more by 2015 and 2016 winner Peter Hickman, takes place on the 3.8-mile Guia circuit on November 16-18.
MCE British Superbike Championship race one (16 laps)
1 Shane Byrne (Ducati)
2 Christian Iddon (BMW)
3 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
4 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
5 James Ellison (Yamaha)
6 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
DNF Michael Rutter (Bathams/SMT Racing BMW)
MCE British Superbike Championship race two (20 laps)
1 Shane Byrne (Ducati)
2 Christian Iddon (BMW)
3 James Ellison (Yamaha)
4 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
5 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
6 Peter Hickman (BMW)
DNF Michael Rutter (Bathams/SMT Racing BMW)
MCE British Superbike Championship race three (20 laps)
1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
2 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
3 James Ellison (Yamaha)
4 Michael Laverty (BMW)
5 Christian Iddon (BMW)
6 Peter Hickman (BMW)
20 Michael Rutter (Bathams/SMT Racing BMW)
More, from a press release issued by Morello Racing Kawasaki:
Championship success for Buchan and Morello Racing
Danny Buchan and the Norwich-based Morello Racing Kawasaki team ended their season on a high note on Sunday when second place at Brands Hatch saw them clinch the 2017 Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship. Buchan ended the year ten points clear of season-long rival Richard Cooper to take his second Superstock title also giving the team their second Championship having previously been victorious in 2015 with Josh Elliott.
Having run inside the top two in both of Friday’s free practice sessions, Danny was in confident mood heading into qualifying in Saturday and a time of 1m27.651s early on initially put him quickest. However, after making a stop for a new tyre, the Basildon rider tipped off at low speed at Druids and, with only seven laps completed in the session, he had to settle for third place and the outside of the front row.
Sunday again saw good, dry conditions at the Kent venue with Danny safe in the knowledge that sixth place would be good enough to see him clinch the Championship. He wasn’t looking for that position though and although he slipped back to fourth off the line, he was soon back up to second and just half a second behind Cooper.
The duo, the class acts of the field in 2017, pulled clear of the rest of the field but although Danny closed to within 0.15s of Cooper with just three of the 14 laps remaining, he wasn’t specifically targeting the race win. With no heroics required, he shadowed Cooper for the remainder of the race and second place, his 17th podium of the season, saw him add the 2017 title to his previous 2014 success.
Meanwhile, new recruit for the weekend Josh Day qualified in 18th place with the Cirencester rider just over a second adrift of pole position. A good start saw him move up to 16th place and, consistently lapping in the 1m28s bracket, he was able to hold his position throughout.
Danny Buchan: “I’m over the moon to have wrapped up the Championship but after the crash on Saturday, which was my fault, it made it a lot more nervous than what I would have liked. I was desperate to get the first lap out of the way and leave the crazy bunch behind me whilst I knew I didn’t need to take any unnecessary risks. Following Richard was all I needed to do and whilst I felt strong enough and quick enough to get by for the win, there was no need for any heroics. Winning races is great but winning Championships is even better so to take my second title feels great. The team have been brilliant all year and we’ve had a lot of success so a big thanks to everyone at Morello Racing Kawasaki.”
Steve Buckenham, Team Owner: “It’s fantastic to be champions again and to do it twice now in three years is a real achievement for everyone connected with the team. It was definitely a nerve wracking race though but, as has been the case throughout the year, Danny and Richard had that little bit more than the rest of the field so edged clear. Danny could have gone for the win but taking the Championship was more important and we’ve done exactly that. We’re only a small team but we keep taking it to the bigger teams, which is a nice feeling but we don’t want to rest on our laurels and are already making plans for 2018.”
Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship race (14 laps)
1 Richard Cooper (Suzuki)
2 Danny Buchan (Morello Racing Kawasaki)
3 Josh Elliott (BMW)
4 Chrissy Rouse (BMW)
5 Luke Hedger (Aprilia)
6 Sam Clarke (Yamaha)
16 Josh Day (Morello Racing Kawasaki)
Final Championship Standings (after 12 rounds)
1 Buchan 362pts
2 Cooper 352
3 Rutter 225
4 Rouse 206.5
5 Jenkinson 146.5
6 Law 144
8 Rogers 130.5
More, from a press release issued by Öhlins UK:
SHANE BYRNE TAKES INCREDIBLE SIXTH BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE EIGHTEENTH TITLE FOR ÖHLINS!
In one of the most dramatic races ever witnessed, Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne took an emotional sixth British Superbike Championship crown, which also meant an incredible 18th ‘BSB’ title for Öhlins, in just 21 seasons.
Battling Leon Haslam and Josh Brookes in an ultra tight points table, Byrne won the day in front of a massive 58,000 fans at his local Brands Hatch circuit, on his Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R machine.
Byrne was one of eight of the ten leading British Superbike finishers using Öhlins Superbike forks and shocks, with technical support from the renowned Swedish suspension brand. In the more production based Supersport 600 class Keith Farmer took his Appleyard Macadam Yamaha YZF-R6 to the title, heading up a strong field of runners (top eleven in the standings) using Öhlins FKR cartridge kits and TTX36GP shock absorbers.
It has been a dominant year for Öhlins in the well attended British Superbike series with competitors from all classes signing up for product and expert support from the state-of-the-art service unit in the paddock.
In attendance, Chris Witter, General Manager Öhlins Distribution & Test Centre commented, “What an incredibly dramatic finale, in what is arguably the biggest domestic motorsport series in the world! Congratulations to Shane Byrne and his squad and commiserations to Leon Haslam who had such a strong season. To crash out of contention in the final race was a cruel ending to a riveting season for Leon and his team, but we look forward to seeing them back fighting strong next season.
Although it is a great accolade to share in the success of winning high profile championships, the large volume of competitors interested in Öhlins products from across the whole paddock wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of our highly skilled team. Consequently, we are looking to increase our BSB support service even further in 2018 and it’s with thanks to our race manager Richard Brendish and his team of technicians, plus Andy White from our service centre Kais that we can say with confidence Öhlins is the No.1 choice for BSB riders.”
Öhlins British Superbike Championship Successes
1996 – Niall Mackenzie – Cadbury’s Boost YZF750- Öhlins
1997 – Niall Mackenzie – Cadbury’s Boost YZF750- Öhlins
1998 – Niall Mackenzie – Cadbury’s Boost YZF750- Öhlins
1999- Troy Bayliss – INS GSE Ducati 996 – Öhlins
2000- Neil Hodgson – INS GSE Ducati 996 – Öhlins
2001- John Reynolds – Reve Red Bull Ducati 996 – Öhlins
2002- Steve Hislop – MonsterMob Ducati 998 – Öhlins
2003- Shane Byrne – MonsterMob Ducati 998 – Öhlins
2004- John Reynolds – Rizla Crescent Suzuki GSXR1000 – Öhlins
2005- Gregorio Lavilla – GSE Airwaves Ducati 999 – Öhlins
2008- Shane Byrne – GSE Airwaves Ducati 1098 – Öhlins
2009- Leon Camier – GSE Airwaves Yamaha YZF-R1 – Öhlins
2010- Ryuichi Kiyonari – HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR – Öhlins
2011- Tommy Hill – Swan Yamaha – Öhlins
2013- Alex Lowes – Samsung Honda – Öhlins
2015- Josh Brookes – Milwaukee Yamaha – Öhlins
2016- Shane Byrne – Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R – Öhlins
2017- Shane Byrne – Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R – Öhlins
For more info on the full line-up of Ohlins products visit www.ohlins.com
UK ÖHLINS CENTRES:
The full line-up of Öhlins Centres in the UK are; BG Motorsport, Crescent Motorcycles, ERS Racing, FTR Suspension, Harris Performance Products Ltd, JH Performance, JHS Racing, Kais Suspension Services, MCT Suspension, MH Racing Services, Mick Gardner Racing, P&H Motorcycles, PDQ Motorcycle Developments.
For full details see; https://www.ohlins.eu/en/products/motorcycle/dealer/united-kingdom/
You can also follow Öhlins stories and view images in the following ways;
youtube.com/user/ohlinsracing
twitter.com/ohlinsracing
Facebook- ohlinsracing