Byrne In Command With Snetterton Double
Shane Byrne continued his almost perfect start to the 2014 MCE British Superbike Championship at Snetterton this weekend with a resounding double victory at the Norfolk circuit which further extended the Sittingbourne rider’s championship lead.
With another pole position half a second inside the lap record aboard the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, the former triple MCE BSB champion grabbed the lead immediately in the first 16 lap race and although a safety car period closed the pack together, he opened up a small gap when the race resumed. Pulling out a couple of tenths of a second each lap, the lead was up to 1.3 seconds as the race entered its final part and although Yamaha’s Josh Brookes reduced the deficit at one point, Shakey ran out a comfortable winner by over four seconds in the end.
With fastest lap in race one giving him pole position once again, the second race saw Byrne again take the lead from the beginning although it was once more close with Brookes nosing ahead at half race distance. Shakey retaliated immediately and although his lead was only a quarter of a second going into the 13th lap, it proved to be unlucky for Brookes as he crashed out giving Shakey the breathing space he needed and he duly completed his second MCE BSB double of the season.
The win meant Byrne has taken five wins out of the six races to date for the Penrith based team, finishing second in the only other one to lead the title race by 45 points after three rounds. He has upped his tally to a record 56 MCE BSB wins and took his total of career double wins to 12. He has also opened up a gap of 14 points in the important Podium Credits score which will become vital when the end of season Showdown takes place to decide the winner of the series.
Team-mate Stuart Easton experienced vastly differing fortunes and all he had to show for his efforts was a 13th place in the second race. Having qualified mid-pack, the Hawick rider went out on the opening lap of the first race with a broken water hose clip and that meant he had to start from the back of the grid for the second race. However, the reigning British Supersport champion battled his way through the field and was rewarded at the end of the weekend with three more championship points that keep him well in contention with the top six for a Showdown placing.
Shane Byrne: “I’m really, really happy with how this weekend’s gone and the win in the first race was just what we needed. I tried really hard at the beginning with my plan to open up a bit of a gap and then conserve the tyre and control the race. That part worked but I backed off a bit too much and the boys caught up so I had to push again. I kept my eye on the big TV screen to see what the gap was and when Josh closed in towards the end; I had one last dig and brought the bike home. For race two, my crew chief felt that if I could lap consistently I’d be in a good position so I tried hard from the word go and towards the end of the race I managed to build up a bit of a buffer. The last couple of laps were a bit sketchy so I was pleased to see the chequered flag and take the win. It’s very early days in the season though and there’s a long way to go so we’ll just keep doing what we’re doing.”
Stuart Easton: “Snetterton’s a circuit where I’ve traditionally struggled but I put that to the back of my mind and approached the weekend in a positive frame of mind. Having had a good start to the year I was keen to maintain that form but, unfortunately, the results didn’t materialise although it wasn’t through a lack of trying and the team have worked so hard this weekend. We tried lots of things to get the bike where I wanted it to be but it was simply bad luck that put us out of the first race. It left me on the back of the grid for the second race but I plugged away and those three points could be vital. I’m only four points adrift of fifth place so we’ll put this one behind us and move on to my home round at Knockhill where I’ll be looking to put a smile back on my side of the garage.”
Paul Bird: “Two pole positions and two race wins for Shakey means we can’t ask for much more than that and to win five of the opening six races is a dream. He promised me he’d do it and he kept his word but it’s still very early days yet in the championship. Stuart had some bad luck in the opening race with a part that shouldn’t have broken and he was always on the back foot for race two but I’m pleased he scored a few points.”
MCE British Superbike Championship Race One (16 laps)
1 Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
2 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
3 James Ellison (Kawasaki)
4 Tommy Bridewell (Yamaha)
5 Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW)
6 Chris Walker (Kawasaki)
DNF Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
MCE British Superbike Championship Race Two (16 laps)
1 Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
2 James Ellison (Kawasaki)
3 Tommy Bridewell (Yamaha)
4 Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW)
5 Julien da Costa (Honda)
6 Dan Linfoot (Kawasaki)
13 Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
Championship standings (after three rounds)
1 Byrne 145pts
2 Ellison 100
3 Brookes 85
4 Bridewell 69
5 Linfoot 51
6 Walker 49
7 Easton 47
The Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki MCE British Superbike Championship Team is running alongside the PBM MotoGP Team with riders Michael Laverty and Broc Parkes. Additionally, Paul Bird is running a full campaign in the REIS BTRDA Rally Series as well as selected International events in his Ford Focus WRC07. Both bike racing teams are sporting the colours of British Racing Green in deference to the team’s proud British heritage.
The next round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship takes place at Knockhill over the weekend of June 27/29th. For more information, please visit www.britishsuperbike.com and www.britishsuperbike.com
More, from a press release issued by Milwaukee Yamaha:
DOUBLE PODIUM FINISH AT SNETTERTON FOR MILWAUKEE YAMAHA
The Milwaukee Yamaha team celebrated a double podium finish at the third round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Snetterton today with Josh Brookes and Tommy Bridewell scoring a second and third place respectively in Norfolk.
In the opening race of the day Brookes was pushing to close on Shane Byrne on the final lap, with the gap narrowing by some strong lap times from the Milwaukee Yamaha rider. However a mistake put Brookes onto the grass and he was able to rejoin and still claim second place. For Bridewell he pushed hard throughout the weekend and started his day solidly with a fourth place to build on for race two.
The second race again saw Brookes piling on the pressure at the front of the field before a huge high-side on the exit of Montreal left him winded and out of contention. This left Bridewell to fly the flag for the Milwaukee Yamaha team, which he did in style by pushing for second place over the final laps, before ending third to secure his first podium finish of the season.
Brookes said: “It has been a mixed day. I feel like I lost my first race when James came passed me; we had the safety car and once we started the race again Shane got the gap. I then had to get by James and I then pulled a gap but I just didn’t have enough to close and pass for the win. I pushed as hard as I could throughout the race and I made a mistake on the last lap, so I was lucky to hold on to second.
“The crash in race two had me winded for a while but I am ok. I just tried to close the gap to Shakey on the exit of the corner and I just gave it too much gas; unfortunately giving it more throttle wasn’t the answer. I was riding so hard for the results and we will just have to keep trying to see if we can get the better of them next time out.”
Bridewell said: “We have been making steps forward all weekend and I feel that we have been getting closer here. It’s great to be back on the podium as the start of the season hadn’t really completely gone to plan at the first tracks we have been to. We have worked hard to get comfortable with the bike and this weekend I have risked it a bit to get the results and it paid off in race two. Shakey and James (Ellison) had the legs on me in the second race at the end, but it was nice to pressure Josh and I feel that we have made some headway.”
Team owner Shaun Muir concluded: “I am obviously happy that we have had two podium finishes for the Milwaukee Yamaha team and for Tommy who has really grown over this weekend. He really showed his pace and it was a great result for him and his confidence. For Josh he was back on the podium again in race one and then he was trying to claw down Shakey in race two and made a mistake. It was a shame to end his race with a crash but I am sure that both riders will be ready to come out and fight again at Knockhill.”
For more information visit www.milwaukeeyamaha.com
More, from a press release issued by Buildbase BMW Motorrad:
Kiyonari showsTitle Fighters pace at Snetterton with fourth and fifth place finishes – Westmoreland suffers unlucky double-DNF.
The third round of the 2014 MCE British Superbike Championship – the first following a five-week break – is over and the Buildbase BMW Motorrad team have departed from Snetterton with two Title Fighters-worthy finishes after Ryuichi Kiyonari crossed the line in fourth and fifth place in the two BSB races.
His team mate James Westmoreland was hit by a streak of bad luck, being caught behind a big accident and forced off the track in race one and having his bike cut out in race two after it was rebuilt from the frame up by the team.
The first BSB race was incident-heavy, with the safety car deployed after multiple accidents on the third lap. Unfortunately, Westmoreland was unlucky enough to be right behind one of the crashes, forcing him to divert onto the grass. Westy rejoined the field in dead last and had worked his way up to the top ten in a stunning comeback, when he lost the front at Nelson and caused significant damage to his BMW S 1000 RR Superbike. While the team raced to essentially build him a new bike in the two hours before race two, Kiyonari went on to finish fifth place.
Race two quickly came around and the Buildbase BMW Motorrad technicians had managed to complete James’ bike, allowing him to line up on the grid in sixth position, next to team mate Kiyo in fifth. As the lights went off and the race started, Kiyo had a storming launch and found himself in fourth position. Westmoreland sadly retired on the first lap as a loose wire ended his day’s racing. Kiyo was keeping pace with the front riders until running wide on a corner, which let two riders past and left him back in sixth place. However, the Japanese racer pulled back two places and finished fourth by the chequered flag – equalling BMW Motorrad’s best BSB result once again.
Lee Jackson finished sixth in the delayed and shortened Pirelli National Superstock 1000 race. Initially scheduled at the start of the day’s racing, the Superstock fixture was delayed until immediately after the first BSB race – and shortened to just six laps. Lee started well in the sprint race, keeping up with the front of the pack on his BMW HP4 and making the most of his second-row start. By the end of the race, he’d kept the speed up and fended off a late challenge from Adam Jenkinson to finish sixth. Following the race, Jackson is now seventh in the championship.
Ryuichi Kiyonari said: “Today was not a big improvement over Friday and Saturday, mostly because the conditions were so cold and windy. I prefer hot weather, it suits me and my riding style. But now I have ridden the BMW in this kind of conditions, so we’ll know how to make the most of it. That’s probably a good thing as we are at Knockhill next round! I feel good on the bike, I am getting to know the S 1000 RR and the team very well and I feel really happy about everything. I had my fastest lap sections of the weekend at the end of race two, so we all feel like we are closing in on the perfect setup – and that will let us push for podiums and more.”
James Westmoreland said: “This was one of the worst racing days I’ve had in a while. The reason it’s so frustrating is that the feeling I’ve got on my bike is just incredible, it feels so good. As you could see in the first race, after being forced off and being dead last, I was on track to finish sixth. I crashed, and that was my mistake, though. The second race is one of those racing incidents, the boys did an amazing job building me a brand new bike in just over two hours – but unfortunately it didn’t quite work out. We’ll regroup, we’ll be all guns blazing at Knockhill – it’s a track I really look forward to riding at. I feel so good on the bike that this weekend isn’t going to upset me too much.”
Lee Jackson said: “It wasn’t a bad race, but it was a bit disappointing – sixth place after finishing on the podium here last year isn’t great. I didn’t quite get into a rhythm – but it was such a short race, six laps is not long at all. I do feel that I let the team down a bit with a sixth place, they’ve all worked so hard to get my bike working so well. But, on the bright side, I had the fastest lap of the race all the way until the last lap and we’re consistent. Bring on Knockhill, it’ll be a tough weekend but I’ve got the determination to go out there and win for me, for BMW and for the team.”
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, race one result:
1) Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
2) Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) +4.133s
3) James Ellison (Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki) +4.882s
4) Tommy Bridewell (Milwaukee Yamaha) +6.839s
5) Ryuichi Kiyonari (Buildbase BMW Motorrad) +12.073s
6) Chris Walker (Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki) +19.202s
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, race two result:
1) Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
2) James Ellison (Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki) +2.164s
3) Tommy Bridewell (Milwaukee Yamaha) +3.631s
4) Ryuichi Kiyonari (Buildbase BMW) +9.210s
5) Julien Da Costa (Honda Racing) +13.509s
6) Dan Linfoot (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) +17.539s
The fourth round of the 2014 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship takes place at Knockhill in Scotland on 27-29 June 2014.
More, from a press release issued by Quattro Plant Kawasaki:
Linfoot moves up to fifth after strong Snetterton performance
Dan Linfoot’s strong start to the 2014 MCE British Superbike Championship continued at round three of the series at Snetterton on Sunday with the Quattro Plant Kawasaki rider taking two more top seven results to move up into fifth place overall in the Championship table.
Having qualified the Kawasaki ZX-10R in 11th place for the opening race, the Knaresborough rider made a superb start to the opening 16-lap race and immediately slotted into fifth spot. An early crash brought the safety car out and when racing resumed, Dan was pushed back to sixth by former Champion Ryuichi Kiyonari before becoming embroiled in a race-long battle with fellow Kawasaki rider Chris Walker. In the end, Dan missed out on sixth by just 0.069s and had to settle for seventh place.
The second encounter saw him start from the more advanced position of seventh and the third row of the grid and although he briefly slipped back to ninth in the early stages, he was able to steadily move forward during the course of the 16 laps. Keeping former MotoGP rider John Hopkins at bay throughout, Dan was back up to seventh by three quarter race distance and when Josh Brookes crashed out on the 13th lap, he was promoted to sixth, a position he duly held on to the chequered flag for his second successive weekend haul of 19 points.
Meanwhile, team-mate Howie Mainwaring was back with the team for his first race outing of the season after sustaining shoulder injuries in pre-season testing. Having been out of action for well over two months, getting in amongst the points scorers was going to be a tall order for the Aylesford-based rider but he put in a solid weekend of riding and although he was forced to retire from the first race, he finished 16th in the second and could consider himself extremely unlucky to miss out on his first Championship points of the season.
Dan Linfoot: “I’m pleased with how the weekend’s gone and although I’d naturally want more than a sixth and a seventh, I’ve racked up two more consistent finishes in and around the top six. If you do that week in week out during the course of the year, you’re going to put yourself well in contention for a Showdown position and that’s obviously our aim. The straight line speed of the bike is excellent, which makes it easier to connect all the dots, but I still feel there’s more to come from me in terms of how I’m riding. I’m rushing into the corners a bit too quickly so I need to adapt my style a bit and if I can do that, I’ll be able to carry more corner speed and put myself in a lot better position. I want to move on to the next level and push for the podium but we’re heading the right way and to be in fifth overall at this stage of the season is a good start.”
Howie Mainwaring: “It feels good to be back but I’ve been out of action for a long time and we essentially used the weekend as an extended test session. It was good to be out there racing again but my shoulder’s still not 100% and whilst my fitness is very good, I’m not bike fit and that will only come with laps on the bike. Getting a full race distance under my belt in the second race was pleasing and we’ve made some good progress with the bike throughout the weekend. The team have worked really hard and everything’s going the right way so I’m looking forward to building on what we’ve achieved this weekend and getting myself further up the leaderboard next time out.”
Pete Extance, Team Owner: “It’s been a great weekend for Dan and he’s been strong throughout, right from the very first practice session. He worked hard with the team to find a good set-up with the bike and it paid off as he was able to lap extremely consistently to keep himself inside the top eight. With good starts in both races, he was able to put himself in a great position each time and he stayed strong right up until the end, deservedly picking up good sixth and seventh place finishes. It’s great to move up from eighth to fifth in the Championship and we couldn’t be happier with Dan.”
“It was also great to have Howie back with the team. He’s still clearly suffering with his shoulder injuries but he worked hard all weekend and can consider himself extremely unlucky not to have scored a point in his first full race of the season. Thanks to all the sponsors again this weekend and we hope to see everyone at Knockhill.”
The next round of the series heads north of the border with the Knockhill circuit in Scotland hosting the Championship on June 27-29.
MCE British Superbike Championship Race One – 18 laps
1 Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
2 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
3 James Ellison (Kawasaki)
4 Tommy Bridewell (Yamaha)
5 Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW)
6 Chris Walker (Kawasaki)
7 Dan Linfoot (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
DNF Howie Mainwaring (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
MCE British Superbike Championship Race One – 18 laps
1 Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
2 James Ellison (Kawasaki)
3 Tommy Bridewell (Yamaha)
4 Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW)
5 Julien da Costa (Honda)
6 Dan Linfoot (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
16 Howie Mainwaring (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
Championship standings (after three rounds)
1 Byrne 145pts
2 Brookes 85
3 Ellison 100
4 Bridewell 69
5 Linfoot 51
6 Walker 49
For further information about the team, visit www.quattroplantkawasaki.co.uk and follow us on Facebook at www.quattroplantkawasaki.co.uk
More, from a press release issued by Sixteen26 PR & Media:
SNETTERTON PODIUM GETS SEASON BACK ON TRACK FOR ‘THE OUTLAW’
Benfleet lad Mason Law posted a strong third place during today’s Pirelli National Superstock 600 race at Snetterton in Norfolk. The result moves him into fifth pace in the championship standings after four rounds.
The Trik Moto Kawasaki rider held station in third spot throughout the 12-lap encounter, getting his championship challenge back on track after tough rounds at Oulton Park and Donington Park in May.
The 18-year-old said afterwards: “It was nice to be quick straight out of the box during practice and qualifying. I knew that we would have good race pace. Saturday didn’t quite go to plan, but we knew why. So this morning in warm up I got my head down and sorted myself out.
“It proved beneficial in the race. Andrew also sat me down and came up with a plan of what I needed to do, which was to get clear of the main pack. I got a really good start and just tried to put in as hard an opening couple of laps as I could.
“After that I tried to be consistent. I lost the tow of the front two, but we needed the podium and it’s nice to get the campaign back on after two not so great rounds. I’m now looking forward to Knockhill as I really enjoy that track.”
Team Manager Andrew Pitt paid his young protégé a large slice of praise following the 18-year-old’s second podium of the season. The former double World Supersport champion said: “That’s the sort of result Mason needed to get his season back on course. He looked very comfortable throughout the race and I believe, had he kept hold of the leading duo, he could have run their pace. In saying that he had no dramas and kept to the game plan, of breaking away from the trouble behind early on and setting his own pace and perfecting his own lines. It’s a confidence booster for him prior to Knockhill in a couple of weeks.”
Race Result
Winner: Kyle Ryde [Yamaha] 22:56.499sec; 2nd – Andy Reid [Yamaha] +0.87sec; 3rd – Mason Law [Trik Moto Kawasaki] +8.922sec; 4th – Aleix Aulestia [Triumph] +11.277sec; 5th – Ben Godfrey [Kawasaki] +15.046sec; 6th – Nick Anderson [Kawasaki] +15.187sec
The next round of the championship takes place at Knockhill in Scotland on June 27/28/29.
More, from another press release issued by Sixteen26 PR & Media:
BUCHAN INCREASES CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD FOLLOWING SNETTERTON PODIUM
Essex lad Danny Buchan extended his championship lead to 17 points in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc series earlier today, after a solid second place in the re-started encounter over just six laps of the Snetterton circuit in Norfolk.
The Tsingtao Kawasaki rider said afterwards: “The first part of the race was good. We had the pace, but in the second part, if I’m honest we just didn’t have the tyre for the job. Hudson’s BMW is a quick bike in a straight line. I kept catching him in the in-field, only for him to take out lengths on me up the back straight. It’s a twelve round championship so we have to look at this maturely as a good second place.”
The 21-year-old, who also set the fastest lap of the race, added: “I’d just like to thank my team as the Tsingtao Racing Kawasaki was perfect all weekend. Well done to everyone else and roll on the next race at Knockhill.
“I’d like to dedicate today’s podium to Simon Andrews and Karl Harris, two familiar names from the British championship paddock who we sadly lost at the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT Races. I also lost my uncle this week so it’s been a tough week for my family, so they are in my thoughts also.”
Snetterton Race Result [6 laps re-started]
Winner: Hudson Kennaugh [BMW] 11:11.458sec; 2nd – Danny Buchan [Tsingtao Racing Kawasaki] +0.890sec; 3rd – Filip Backlund [Kawasaki] +4.280sec; 4th – Jason O’Halloran [Honda] +4.764sec; 5th – Josh Elliott [Kawasaki] +4.935sec; 6th – Lee Jackson [BMW] +5.133sec
Fastest lap: Danny Buchan [Tsingtao Racing Kawasaki] 1:50.668sec / 96.57mph
Championship Points
Danny Buchan 70
Jason O’Halloran 53
Hudson Kennaugh 38
Filip Backlund 37
Adam Jenkinson 33
More, from a press release issued by Luke Mossey Racing:
Luke Mossey – Podium
Snetterton – Round 3
www.facebook.com/LukeMosseyRacing
At round three of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Snetterton Circuit, Luke Mossey on the Teccare Profile Triumph had a great weekend with a sixth in the opening race and a fantastic third in the main feature race on Sunday.
After suffering an injury at the opening round of the Championship at Brands Hatch, Luke was fully fit as he came back to Snetterton this weekend after the long break. This is the most local track for Luke being from Cambridge and always a circuit he has had strong results at in the past was eager to maintain that record. He qualified in fourth place for the opening race on Saturday and after a steady start and a couple of mistakes Luke was able to secure sixth place in the sprint race and was keen to better that in race two on Sunday.
His time in race one put him in seventh place on the grid for the main race. He got a good start and got away with the front pack. He had to fight hard all race to make up the time and his lap times gradually improved as the race progressed and in the closing laps he was reeling in third placed man Luke Jones. On the penultimate lap he made a solid pass and he was able to take a solid third place and now is lying in ninth in the Championship standings after missing three races.
Luke Mossey – “It’s really nice to have come here and left with two solid results. It was hard starting the season being injured and frustrating more than anything. I was struggling a little bit this weekend just in myself and wanted to leave here feeling more confident which I have now managed to do. The break from Oulton did me the world of good as I was able to get treatment on my shoulder and that enabled me to be feeling fit and ready to go here. I made the races hard for myself and made a lot of mistakes in the sprint race to I was happy to take sixth. I was feeling a little more myself on race day but again in the race I got an average start and I had to work hard for that podium. I pushed hard and was really pleased with my fitness at the end as that is when I managed to come through stronger. I’m really looking forward to Knockhill now in a few weeks’ time.”
Personal Sponsors 2014
Sidi, Shoei, GB Racing, SMV, Teccare, Motul, Hel, Samco, Brembo, Gi Moto, Doodson, Sabre Sport, K Tech, JMC, Krombacher
Twitter – LukeMossey12
Facebook – www.facebook.com/LukeMosseyRacing
More, from a press release issued by Be Wiser Kawasaki:
Be Wiser Kawasaki Team
Round 3 – Snetterton
The Be Wiser Kawasaki team had another solid weekend at the MCE British Superbike Championship at Snetterton this weekend. In the Pirelli National Superstock 600 race Nick Anderson secured a very strong sixth place and Joe Collier in seventh. In the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 race Josh Day gained eighth place.
In the Pirelli National Superstock 600 class the Be Wiser Kawasaki riders had a steady qualifying session with Nick qualifying in eighth place on the grid and Joe in 10th for the scheduled 12-lap race. The pair had an epic battle throughout the race and were involved in a seven bike battle for fourth place with only a second splitting them all at one point.
Joe managed to get through to fifth at one point but a mistake on the final lap pushed him back to seventh overall. Nick Anderson was running well all weekend and battling for position on the opening laps whilst the pack settled down. He got into a good rhythm and some consistent race times and was able to secure a solid sixth place. Joe is now in fourth place in the Championship and Nick in sixth as they head to Knockhill in a couple of weeks’ time.
Joe Collier – “We had a few issues this weekend, I crashed on Friday and then had a few problems with the engine on Saturday. The Be Wiser Kawasaki team really did work hard to ensure I was out there on the grid racing today, they worked for hours and I’m really grateful to all of them. The race was pretty tough I got an average start and everything is so close in that class that you have to try and push hard in the opening laps. I got my head down and was able to push forward and got through to fifth but a mistake on the last lap caused me to run wide and lose several places.”
Nick Anderson – “I’m really pleased with the result today, we were stuck in a really tight battle all race and you have to really put your foot down sometimes. It was a bit messy in the opening laps and I wanted to get away with the front runners. It was a good race but I really had to work hard for my final position but the race was good and I’m pleased with my result here.”
In the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship Josh Day worked hard to gain a solid tenth place at the flag. The initial race was red flagged this morning after an incident at the final chicane; a six lap sprint race was scheduled after the opening Superbike race. Josh was placed in eighth on the grid, the position he was in at the red flag and was unfortunately boxed into the opening few turns which pushed him down to 12th position. He worked hard and pushed his way through to eighth on the final lap.
Josh Day – “I was pretty pleased with how the weekend was going and in the first part of the race I got a good start and was riding well, the pace car was going to help me as it bunched us together and then the race was stopped. On the re-start I got the most horrendous start and lost so many places in the first lap. With it being a short race I knew it would be difficult to gain much from it but I worked hard and my times were good and I was able to claw back some places to finish eighth.”
Team Owner/Manager Alan Greig – “It’s been a really good weekend for the Be Wiser Kawasaki team, despite a few technical problems all the team worked really hard to ensure everything was fixed for race day.
Nick and Joe both had a fantastic race and their consistency with lap times shone through, both rode very well from average qualifying position. Nick’s result was a great one and sure it will boost his confidence no end.
Josh Day had a good start in the first part of the race and was running a well, the pace car was a bonus but then the race was red flagged. His re-start was not good and he lost a number of places in the opening lap but he worked his way through in what was a very short race. He proved he can run the times of the front runners and I’m sure as the season progresses there will be more to come.
We managed to do a test at Knockhill so hopefully we will have a base set up for the riders when we head there in a few weeks. We are looking forward to getting there as the riders are certainly making good progress and we have taken steps in the right direction at every round so far.”
2014 Sponsors
Be Wiser Insurance – Kais Ohlins – Kawasaki Motors UK – B&C Express – Renthal – Britool Expert – Dickies – Activ 8 – Anglia Interiors – Cups Direct – Eazi Grip – Foulger Transport – Garnell Nutrition – GR Race Graphics – GB Racing – HM Quickshifter – HM Racing – University of Lincoln – No Limits Track Days – PR Trackbike Hire – Samco – Sani Clad – Tanker & General – The Shires Inn – Venhill – Direct Distribition – SBS – Saville – Jarbtech
More, from a press release issued by Gearlink Kawasaki:
Gearlink Kawasaki
Round 3 – Snetterton
www.facebook.com/GearlinkRacing
It was another mixed weekend for the Gearlink Kawasaki team at round three of the MCE British Superbike at the Snetterton 300 circuit. Ben Wilson struggled in the British Superbike class and was unfortunate to crash in race one but secured a point in 15th place in race two.
Ben had a few issues over the weekend setting up his Gearlink Kawasaki at the technical 3-mile circuit and lost out on valuable time during the practice sessions. He was able to get through the first Superpole session but ended up in 17th place on the grid for the opening MCE British Superbike race.
Ben gained a good start in the race but got tangled up with Michael Rutter on the opening lap and that was his race cut short. As he did not register a time he had to start race two from the back of the grid in 25th place, he had to dig deep and work extremely hard to push his way through to a well-earned points scoring position.
Ben Wilson – “I’m not going to lie, this season is proving to be very tough, we knew from the start it would be tough but we seemed to be hampered with various random problems that seem to hinder our progress. We are working hard in the opening sessions to try and get some Superbike data for each track but it is very difficult against such well-established and experienced teams. I hope we can start moving forward and getting some decent results.”
Motorpoint British Supersport
In the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Glenn Irwin rode two solid races to bring the Gearlink Kawasaki home in fifth and sixth place respectively. Glenn who was still recovering from a broken ankle sustained in a football game endured more pain after a huge crash in qualifying where the bike landed on his hip. He gritted his teeth to ride two very good and mature races and is now lying in third place in the Championship standings.
Luke Hedger sat out of this round at Snetterton after he crashed and broke his arm testing at Mallory a few weeks ago, he is hoping to be back and fit for Knockhill
Glenn Irwin – “It was a weekend of two halves, fifth and sixth are good scores considering my physical condition this weekend but we clearly saw today that we must develop the Kawasaki further to keep with the competition. I felt strong everywhere to get demoralised every lap down both of the long straights, this doesn’t reflect how good the team are and how hard they are working to help me, I know we can make things much better.”
Team Manager Michael de Bidaph – “This weekend was quite frustrating in both the Superbike class and Supersport. I know Glenn will be frustrated with this weekend as he is really working hard to ensure he gets good results for himself and the team and this is very clear to see. We are lacking in speed on the Kawasaki and it was difficult here with such long straights, last year we had the top end power over the Triumphs and this year they have made further developments and we have not and this needs to be addressed. Glenn rode two fantastic races considering the pain he was suffering and we will be looking into further developing the Supersport bikes.
In the Superbike class we had a number of minor problems in the practice sessions and even though we were able to sort them it lessened the time that we had out on track to find the perfect set up. With the crash in race one, we were also lacking in vital race set up for the second race and even though he worked his way through the pack we would certainly like to be running in a top ten position at the races.
I must thank Colin Peabody at Performance Parts for his assistance this weekend, he was a huge help.”
2014 GEARLINK TEAM SPONSORS
AKRAPOVIC – B & C EXPRESS – CN TRADING (GLENN) – DAYTONA (BEN) – DAMEN LEATHERS – DBR – GALFER – GB RACING – GEARLINK LTD – GOODRIDGE – JAMES JAMIESON CONSTRUCTION (GLENN) – JOHNY WILLS PHOTOGRAPHY – K-TECH – MARK TALBOT (GLENN) – MEGASTORE247 (GLENN) – MET HEALTHCARE (GLENN) – MWR AIR FILTERS – NGK SPARK PLUGS – OCTANORM – PERFORMANCE PARTS – PERFORMANCE FRICTION BRAKES – PRO CLEAN – PRO-BOLT – R & G RACING – RENTHAL – ROCK OIL – SAMCO SPORT – SHARK HELMETS – SHOEI HELMETS (LUKE) – SIDI (LUKE) – SIGMA PERFORMANCE – SINNIS – SKIDMARX – SOLO SIGNS – TIM TODD SURFACING – TSUBAKI – VALE LIVESTOCK – WWW.1STCHOICE-FLOORING.CO.UK (LUKE)
More, from a press release issued by Jake Dixon Racing:
Jake Dixon – Snetterton Round 3
www.facebook.com/JakeDixonRacing
Jake Dixon riding on the Appleyard Macadam Doodson Yamaha had a mixed weekend at round three of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Snetterton. Jake was unfortunate to crash out of the opening race and finishing in ninth place in race two.
Jake was keen to get to Snetterton after the long break from Oulton Park. He was riding really well on Friday and putting in some good times, sadly he crashed out, uninjured but the bike took the brunt and the mechanics had to rebuild his Yamaha. In qualifying he had a small technical problem with a wire and he ended in seventh place for the sprint race. The race was short lived when he crashed out of a strong position on lap two.
In the second race Jake had to start from 15th place on the grid and had to fight his way through the pack. Still struggling with set up on the bike Jake was able to get through and finish in ninth position.
Jake Dixon – “I’m really disappointed about this weekend as I really thought on Friday we’d made some big steps forward but sadly it just wasn’t to be this weekend. I was on a fast lap when I crashed on Friday and I must have done some damage as the bike just never felt the same after that.
I’m not sure what happened in the crash during the first race even on the date I wasn’t pushing any harder than normal and the front just tucked from underneath me. As I’d only completed one lap I hadn’t registered a time so was placed eight positions back, it left me with a lot of work to do and I really was trying hard but I could only manage ninth. I really hope things will turn around for the better at Knockhill and I can get some decent results for myself and the team.”
2014 Personal Sponsors
Shoei – Daytona – RetroGravity Clothing – Feridax – Transtore Logistics – Herbalife anyone wishing to sponsor Jake this season with product or funding please get in touch – [email protected]
Team Sponsors
Appleyard – Macadam – Doodson – Yamaha
Facebook – www.facebook.com/JakeDixonRacing
Twitter – @DixonJake
More, from a press release issued by Gavin Hunt’s publicist:
Disappointment for Hunt at Snetterton
Manxman Gavin Hunt’s hopes of adding to his points tally in the 2014 Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship were dashed at Snetterton on Sunday when a damaged seat unit forced him to retire on just the second lap of the race.
Despite not having ridden for over a month, after withdrawing from the Isle of Man TT races, Gavin was soon on the pace on the Nei Motorsport Kawasaki during qualifying and the final session saw him improve his time around the 2.96-mile circuit by half a second. Indeed, a time of 1m52.586s meant the Douglas rider lined up in a season’s best of 17th on the grid and well placed to score some good points.
With confidence high going into Sunday’s 16-lap race, the 27-year old made a superb start from his sixth row starting position and immediately advanced forward a handful of places. Further progression was made before the pack, still tightly bunched together, reached the Montreal corner. However, with a number of riders getting out of shape on the way in, subsequently bumping into other riders, Gavin found himself on the receiving end and unfortunately damaged his seat unit as he tried to get everything under control. It sadly meant his race was over before it had truly got going and denied him the opportunity of scoring some good points.
Gavin Hunt: “I made a really good start to the race and I think I was up to 12th going into the Montreal corner but, as what happened in other races, the whole pack bunched up and there was a bit of bumping and barging. going on I got pushed wide on the exit and slipped off the side of the bike as I fought to get back on track, and unfortunately, when I got back in the saddle, I caught the edge of the seat and it damaged the whole seat unit so I had little option other than to retire. It’s a real shame as I felt really confident going into the race and the changes I’d made to the bike in morning warm-up were a significant step forward.
“I maybe should have tried them in the second qualifying session but we were in a healthy position with 17thon the grid and I know I’d have been a fair bit stronger in the race. All the riders I qualified around went on to finish at the bottom end of the top ten so it shows what might have been but what happened was no-ones fault and just one of those things. On the plus side, the bike’s working well and I feel like I’m riding well and with the rounds coming up regularly now, I’m sure I’ll get into a good rhythm and start picking up the results I feel I’m capable of.”
The series now moves to Scotland with the Knockhill circuit hosting the next round on June 27-29.
Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship – 6 laps
1 HudsonKennaugh (BMW)
2 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki)
3 Filip Backlund (SMT Racing Kawasaki)
4 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
5 Josh Elliott (Kawasaki)
6 Lee Jackson (BMW)
DNF Gavin Hunt (Nei Motorsport Kawasaki)
Championship standings (after three rounds)
1 Buchan 70pts
2 O’Halloran 53
3 Kennaugh 38
4 Backlund 37
5 Jenkinson 33
6 Elliott 30
19= Hunt 3
More, from a press release issued by SMT Racing:
Backlund gives SMT Racing first podium of the season
Filip Backlund gave the SMT Racing team their first podium of the season in the 2014 Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship when he took a fine third place at Snetterton on Sunday.
Having qualified the Kawasaki ZX-10R in a solid sixth place and on the second row of the grid, the 24-year old maintained his position in the early stages of what was scheduled to be a 14-lap race and although Championship leader Danny Buchan had opened up a sizeable lead, the rest of the rostrum places were up for grabs. However, when four riders crashed out on the sixth flag, oil had been deposited onto the circuit and the race was red flagged.
Re-started over the shorter distance of six laps, Buchan again made the break, this time accompanied by Hudson Kennaugh, but by the completion of the first lap, Filip was up into third. Despite coming under extreme pressure from Jason O’Halloran, Josh Elliott and Lee Jackson, Filip successfully kept them at bay and eventually crossed the line at the end of the six laps in third and half a second clear of O’Halloran.
The 16 points for the final podium position have moved Filip onto 37 points and into fourth place overall in the Championship table with nine rounds of the series still to go.
Filip Backlund: “It was a tough race today and although I made a good start in the first race, in the re-start I didn’t get away as I would have liked and the front two made a good gap on the first lap. I really needed to go with those front two riders but I was behind Jason and we ended up fighting for the last podium place. I’m pleased to have secured the third place and take our first podium finish of the year and I’m happy, the team are happy and we’re moving forward.”
“Everyone’s been working really hard all season to find a good set-up and to take our first podium together feels good. We’re progressing each and every weekend and getting closer to the front and the aim now is to fight for the top step of the podium. The next circuit, Knockhill, is one I really like so we’ll look to take the number one spot there.”
Robin Croft, Team Owner: “We’re really pleased with the outcome of today’s race and it’s great to have taken a podium finish. We know there’s an awful long way in the Championship to go but you still want to get a rostrum as soon as possible and now we’ve done that, we’ll be looking to not only stay there but go two steps better. We’ve made some improvements to the bike during the break with Filip also returning fitter after his Oulton Park crash and he’s really happy with the set-up now. There are lots of tracks coming up on the calendar that he favours and we’re very much looking forward to getting there and chalking up more podiums and our first win of the season.”
The next round of the Superstock series takes place at Knockhill on June 27-29.
Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship – 6 laps
1 Hudson Kennaugh (BMW)
2 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki)
3 Filip Backlund (SMT Racing Kawasaki)
4 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
5 Josh Elliott (Kawasaki)
6 Lee Jackson (BMW)
Championship standings (after three rounds)
1 Buchan 70pts
2 O’Halloran 53
3 Kennaugh 38
4 Backlund 37
5 Jenkinson 33
6 Elliott 30
More, from a press release issued by Smiths Racing Team:
Gowland Doubles Up At Snetterton
The Smiths Triumph Racing Team had another weekend to remember at the third round of the 2014 Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Snetterton with 28-year-old Graeme Gowland taking a resounding double victory in the two races and Aussie team-mate Billy McConnell also on the podium with a second and a third place.
The weekend got underway with Saturday’s 10-lap Sprint race and 27-year-old McConnell, who had claimed pole position in qualifying, grabbed the lead on the second lap, opening up a small lead by mid-race distance. However, Gowland and main championship rival Alastair Seeley closed the deficit in the second half of the race and going into the final lap there was nothing between the trio. Positions changed hands frequently but it was Northumberland rider Gowland who took the win aboard the factory-supported Triumph Daytona 675R with Seeley relegating Adelaide’s McConnell to third on the run in to the line.
Today’s 15-lap Feature race was a lot simpler affair for Gowland, from Allendale, as he grabbed the lead the moment the lights turned green and he never looked back. With a lead of over a second at the end of the first lap, he continually stretched it on each lap and once it reached four seconds, he was able to ease off in the closing stages and complete a superb double which was the first of his career.
McConnell had to work a lot harder for his second place, battling throughout with a number of other riders but he eventually secured the runner-up spot to give the team their first one-two of the season. With Seeley crashing out on the warm-up lap, the results also mean that McConnell maintains his championship lead with Gowland now having moved up to second.
It was Triumph’s first Supersport win at Snetterton and also means that four Motorpoint British Supersport Championship race wins have been secured with Gowland’s Snetterton double following McConnell’s similar feat at Oulton Park the previous round. Add to that their inaugural TT win with Gary Johnson earlier this month and it’s been a brilliant couple of months for the Gloucester-based team.
Graeme Gowland: “Race wins have been a long time coming and it was 2010 when I last won a Supersport race so it’s brilliant to be back on the top step again, even more so taking the double. Both races were hard for different reasons, Saturday’s for the hot pace we were setting and Sunday’s for the amount of concentration it required. It was hard work getting by Billy on Saturday, as both he and Alastair are flying at the moment, but I just kept chipping away and got the job done. Sunday’s race was perfect though, getting the lead at the start and then steadily increasing my lead. It’s not easy leading on your own for that length of time so I just focused on hitting all my braking markers and apexes. I’m over the moon with the double and the Smiths Triumph Team has put a lot of trust in me this year, right from the beginning of the year when they took us to Australia, so it’s brilliant to repay them.”
Billy McConnell: “Graeme’s been on fire this weekend but I’m pleased for him and need to ask him what he had for his breakfast so I can have the same next time out! That’s four wins on the bounce now for the team and shows what a fantastic package the Smiths Triumph is. The team have worked incredibly hard to put us in this position and although I’d have loved to have taken another win, I got the next best thing. I could have pushed a bit more in Saturday’s race but I’d rather have a podium than go down although I made a couple of mistakes in the final two laps and that allowed the two boys to get right on my back wheel. I’m happy with the results though and full credit to the guys.”
Rebecca Smith: “I’m quite lost for words at the moment! It’s been fantastic for Graeme to take his first win of the season and to go on to the double is simply superb. He’s injury free, feels really comfortable with the bike and Snetterton is one of his favourite circuits and he was faultless all weekend. We knew both he and Billy would be on the pace this weekend but it’s been a long time since they’ve raced as we’ve obviously been contesting the North West 200 and TT so full credit to them for being in the groove straightaway. The whole team’s worked really hard all weekend and it’s nice to be talking about race wins at the moment. Everything’s falling into place for us at present and we’re on a bit of a winning streak so long may it continue!”
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Race One (10 laps)
1 Graeme Gowland (Smiths Triumph)
2 Alastair Seeley (Yamaha)
3 Billy McConnell (Smiths Triumph)
4 Luke Jones (Triumph)
5 Glenn Irwin (Kawasaki)
6 Luke Mossey (Triumph)
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Race Two (15 laps)
1 Graeme Gowland (Smiths Triumph)
2 Billy McConnell (Smiths Triumph)
3 Luke Mossey (Triumph)
4 Luke Stapleford (Triumph)
5 Taylor Mackenzie (SuzukI)
6 Glenn Irwin (Kawasaki)
Championship standings (after three rounds)
1 McConnell 112pts
2 Gowland 86
3 Irwin 84
4 Seeley 81
5 Stapleford 70
6 Jones 65
More, from a press release issued by Jayson Uribe’s publicist:
Solid 4th At Snetterton For Uribe Despite Exhaust Problem
After a six week break, Jayson Uribe was back in action at the Snetterton 300 circuit near Norwich for the 3rd round of the BSB Motostar Championship, claiming 4th at the end of a tense 12 lap race that saw him nursing his FPW Honda to the flag.
4th overall in the combined free practice standings on the opening day, Jayson improved his lap times in both of Saturday’s qualifying sessions to start the race from an encouraging 8th position on the grid.
Immediately improving to 5th after an impressive opening lap, it looked as though a 3rd consecutive podium was possibly up for grabs until a technical problem early on dramatically reduced the power on his FPW Honda machine leaving the young American to fight it out with Ed Rendell for the remainder of the race.
With Jayson now nursing a machine with a broken exhaust, and the top three edging away it would have been easy to call it a day but conscious of the importance of gathering as many points as possible for the overall classification Uribe dug deep to ensure another solid result.
Yesterday’s result consolidates his 3rd position in the championship standings and continues his run of consecutive point scoring finishes in the British Motostar Championship.
Jayson Uribe – 4th position: “Friday started with a cold free practice. I took it easy learning the track. In Saturday’s qualifying sessions I pushed hard and made decent progress. We had some issues with tyre grip because of the weather conditions but we worked it out with the help of the trained Pirelli team. I had a good start in the race moving from 8th to 5th, which is where I stayed for most if the race. About 5 laps in, I noticed a dramatic loss in power and then suddenly my bike became very loud. I thought it may be seizing so I covered the clutch and began to ride more conservatively. After a few corners, I looked down and noticed that the exhaust was disintegrating. I wanted to finish the race and salvage some points for the championship so I backed off of the pace as the bike was becoming increasingly unstable. Ed got past me on lap 9 but I was able to slip stream past him again on the straight. It was a good battle between us, but unfortunately as the bike got worse I just couldn’t keep up with him on the run to the line. It would have been good to get another podium but 4th under the circumstances is still a good result. Thanks to my team for their hard work this weekend. We are all coming together as a family as the season is progressing and I am looking forward to Knockhill in Scotland in a fortnight so that we can have a chance to race again!”
Championship Standings after Round 3 of 12 (current top 6):
Jordan Weaving – 65 points
Joe Irving – 50 points
Jayson Uribe – 49 points
Chris Taylor – 34 points
Mike Brouwers – 30 points
James Hobson – 27 points
More, from a press release issued by Mar-Train Racing:
SEELEY VOWS TO ‘BOUNCE BACK’ AFTER SNETTERTON MISFORTUNE
Mar-Train Racing’s Alastair Seeley vows to bounce back after yesterday’s somewhat incongruous warm-up lap crash at Snetterton, during the feature Supersport race at the Norfolk venue.
The double British champion was obviously disappointed with the outcome, but was able to poke a little fun at his own expense by saying: “Well at least that’s another box ticked: I can say I’ve fallen off on a warm-up lap!”
On a more serious note, the Carrick rider who finished second in Saturday’s 10-lap sprint race at Snetterton added: “To be honest I don’t really know what happened. It’s not like you are running race pace on the warm-up lap and I just lost the front.
“At the minute I have to hold my hands up and say it was a mistake, but I’ve asked my crew chief Andy Jamison to pull out the data so we can look over it and make sure it doesn’t happen again. I was pretty annoyed at the time, as you can imagine, but it’s done now and we have to move on.”
Despite being 31 points behind series leader Billy McConnell, Seeley is looking forward to getting the chance to make amends at Knockhill in two weeks’ time.
“There’s only three rounds gone but the Triumphs have been strong and Billy is in the driving seat. It’s his championship to manage at the minute while everyone else plays catch-up. I’ve been in this position before, so no one is going to panic in the Mar-Train garage.
“We have a tried and tested championship winning package at Mar-Train Racing with Yamaha’s R6, so it’s just a matter of knuckling down now and scoring as heavily as we can in the points.”
Team Principal Tim Martin concluded: “As Alastair has already said, we will look over the data and discuss what went wrong this week. At the minute it looks like a little loss of concentration and he paid a very heavy price for a minor mistake, but we are all human. It’s a team effort at Mar-Train Racing and no one is pointing any fingers. The bike’s not too badly damaged and Alastair didn’t get injured, so it’s not the end of the world. We will re-group and come out fighting at Knockhill.”
British Supersport Championship Points
Billy McConnell 112
Graeme Gowland 86
Glenn Irwin 84
Alastair Seeley 81
Luke Stapleford 70
Luke Jones 65
More, from a press release issued by Profile Racing:
Krombacher UK – Luke Stapleford
Snetterton – Profile Triumph
Luke Stapleford riding for the Profile Triumph team sponsored by Krombacher brewery had a strong weekend at round three of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship. He gained ninth place in the sprint race on the Saturday but a stunning fourth place in the feature race on Sunday.
Luke was riding well all weekend and was able to qualify in sixth place for the sprint race on Saturday, unfortunately Luke got caught up in the opening few turns which forced him backwards down the pack and he was in 12th place after lap one. Once he got his head down his times were good but the leading riders had made a break, he dug deep and worked hard to get back through to ninth place at the end of the 10 lap race.
His time in race one put him in fifth position for the main race on Sunday, he got a superb start in the main 15-lap race and got away with the front runners and was lying in second into turn two. After the opening lap he was in third, he dropped slightly backwards in the early stages of the race to sixth but in the final laps Luke was the fastest man on the track, setting the fastest lap of the race on lap 13. He worked hard and fought to a solid fourth place and now he is lying in fifth in the Championship standings.
Luke Stapleford – “It’s been a little bit of a frustrating weekend as we had a few problems early on in the sessions with the bike so my track time was slightly limited. I got a good time in qualifying and was pretty happy with that but I got fully boxed in the opening two turns and I lost so many places I was kicking myself. I knew I had to really dig deep and my times after half distance were as good as the boys up at the front, sadly it was too late and I had to settle for ninth.
I was fortunate as my time in the race put me in fifth place on the grid for race two, this time I was eager to make sure I got off the line well and I was up to second by turn one. I didn’t get into race rhythm as fast as I would have liked and lost a few places. Once again my times towards the end of the race were ideal but again I was playing catch up, I’m happy to have set the fastest lap of the race and secure fourth place which I’m made up with.”
Julian Penny – Krombacher UK – “It is really good for us to be supporting both Luke Stapleford and Mossey in the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship. The racing market is our target audience and this is why we choose to become so involved with the team. I’m so pleased for them today with the results they have gained this weekend and both are now looking and feeling confident as we head to Knockhill for round four.”
Personal Sponsors 2014
Profile Logistics, Krombacher Brewery, Motul, Doodson, Moto Direct, AGV, RST, Weiss/Fowlers
Twitter – Lucra8
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office:
TYCO SUZUKI TAKE POSITIVES FROM SNETTERTON
Taylor Mackenzie raced to best result of the season with fifth place in Sunday’s 15-lap British Supersport Championship race at Snetterton in Norfolk onboard his Tyco Suzuki GSX-R600.
The 21-year-old Scottish rider came through from the third-row of the grid and collected a 20-point-haul from round three of the championship after a seventh in Saturday’s Sprint Race; which lifted him up the rankings to seventh in the championship standings.
Taylor Mackenzie:
“I’m really pleased with that second Supersport race this weekend. The bike felt great; probably the most comfortable I’ve been on it all year. I’ve made a few little changes to my pre-race preparations and they have helped me come-out of the blocks a lot quicker in the opening couple of laps. Thanks to the whole team for another great job this weekend; the next round at Knockhill now can’t come soon enough.”
British Superbike team-mates John Hopkins and Josh Waters were also in action at Snetterton aboard their Tyco Suzuki GSX-R1000s: American Hopkins finished ninth in race one and seventh in the second 16-lap encounter. Australian Waters finished 10th in race one, but was forced off the circuit in the opening exchanges of race two, but he re-grouped and fought back through the pack to finish 10th.
Hopkins currently holds eighth place in the championship standings just 10 points outside the magical top sixth, with Waters currently 14th.
John Hopkins:
“I feel like we have made good progress with the chassis and I was actually having to sit-up and literally wait on the guys in front at times to peel into corners today as we were carrying so much-more corner speed. Unfortunately we didn’t have the grunt this weekend to just power past them on the straights, which means we closed-in then dropped off in different areas of the track; and that was frustrating.
“At least we were in there fighting and moving forward. I’ve come back fitter and stronger and we must now focus on the next round at Knockhill and improve on these results and get up to the sharp-end and start pushing well into that top six in the championship.”
Josh Waters:
“It’s been another tough and frustrating weekend but also good to score two top-10s. We’ve been working to try and find a comfortable set-up with the Tyco Suzuki GSX-R and although the results don’t maybe reflect it at the minute, I’ve also been putting in a big effort. Full credit to the boys in the team as they are working hard alongside me in the garage.”
Philip Neill – Team Manager:
“It wasn’t one of our better days but we did find some positives from the weekend. We also made improvements and have been working hard to find the ideal set-up for both riders and we believe this weekend provided a useful insight for both John and Josh.
“Qualifying wasn’t ideal for John and he had work to do, and although he made some mistakes, it was good to see him fighting back at the end of both races. He could quite easily have finished top-six, which is encouraging.
“After a difficult start to the weekend with a hefty crash on Friday, Taylor worked hard in both Supersport races. His fifth place in race two, after making some strong passes and a personal best lap time, was a very pleasing way to end the weekend.”
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Race 1:
1. Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)
2. Josh Brookes (Yamaha) +4.133s
3. James Ellison (Kawasaki) +4.882s
4. Tommy Bridewell Yamaha) +6.839s
5. Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW) +12.073s
6. Chris Walker (Kawasaki) +19.202s
7. Dan Linfoot (Kawasaki) +19.271s
8. Patric Muff (BMW) +19.519s
9. John Hopkins (Tyco Suzuki) +19.797s
10. Josh Waters (Tyco Suzuki) +27.291s
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, Race 2:
1. Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)
2. James Ellison (Kawasaki) +2.164s
3. Tommy Bridewell (Yamaha) +3.631
4. Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW) +9.210
5. Julien Da Costa (Honda) +13.509
6. Dan Linfoot (Kawasaki) +17.529
7. John Hopkins (Tyco Suzuki) + 17.709
8. Jakub Smrz (Ducati) +17.868
9. Richard Cooper (Kawasaki) +37.941
10. Josh Waters (Tyco Suzuki) +37.968
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Feature Race:
1: Graeme Gowland (Triumph)
2: Billy McConnell (Triumph) + 3.488s
3: Luke Mossey (Triumph) +4.461s
4: Luke Stapleford (Triumph) +5.438s
5: Taylor Mackenzie (Tyco Suzuki) +14.409s