Round six Sunday 5 July Knockhill ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli Leon Camier in powered his fourth daily winning double in the sixth round of the ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli at Knockhill to extend to 78 points his lead in the title stakes over his Airwaves Yamaha team-mate James Ellison. Camier has now won all but two of the dozen races, and these latest successes added to the birthday celebrations of team-owner Darrell Healey, also giving his team their first victories at the Fife circuit. Josh Brookes had claimed his first pole position in the series, but the HM Plant Honda rider was outgunned from the start as Stuart Easton, hungry for maiden glory at his home track charged ahead on his Hydrex Honda. Camier was running second, but not for long before he eased ahead at the Hairpin on the second lap and then forged clear with Easton and Brookes in hot pursuit. They were given hope of catching him when the Safety Car was deployed just into the final third of the race as Gary Mason fell with Tristan Palmer, dropping some oil. The pack bunched, but Camier played it right: “I wanted to go for it initially but I pulled a wheelie so I had to back off of a bit, and then I went again, and I guess it all worked out. Then it was a case of getting back into the rhythm and getting going again and pulling away from Easton to take the victory,” Brookes, third in that race, ahead of Simon Andrews, grabbed the lead in the second 30 lap race from the off, but Camier, always running second, reeled him in, and moved ahead on the seventh lap and then pulled out a three second lead to secure the victory. “It’s good to get the race wins under the belt, but there is still a long way to go, and I have to thank the team for the preparation of my bike which is really good. To give them their first victory here is something special,” said Camier after heading off Brookes. Ellison took third place, having earlier ridden a damage limitation exercise to fifth place after being baulked on the opening lap of the first race by the falling Karl Harris at the Hairpin. Tommy Bridewell took a winning double in the Mirror.co.uk Cup aboard his Team NB Suzuki, capitalising on the crash by Mason, as the consistent Peter Hickman took second place on the Ultimate Racing Yamaha with Tom Tunstall third. In the second race, Mason led most of the way on his Quay Garage Honda, but Bridewell riding determinedly nosed ahead to take the win in the class for independent teams and riders. More, from a press release issued by Airwaves Yamaha: AIRWAVES YAMAHA BREAK KNOCKHILL DUCK Leon Camier today secured his 10th win of the season in Round 6 of the British Superbike Championship. James Ellison followed 5th in Race One with 3rd in Race Two. Leon’s 4th double-win gave GSE Racing, the team behind Airwaves Yamaha, their first ever victory at Knockhill since they joined the Championship in 1996. The Airwaves Yamaha riders lost a place apiece at the start of Race One. From the front row, Leon slipped down to 3rd. One row back, James slotted in to 7th. At the end of lap 1, as Leon moved up to 2nd, James had to stop at the Hairpin to avoid a fallen rider. James eventually rejoined the race in 18th. Up at the front, Leon took the lead at the Hairpin on lap 2. He set the fastest lap of the race, 48.884s on lap 13, helping him to a lead of over 3 seconds before the Safety Car was deployed on lap 23. When racing resumed, James, who had made his way up to 6th, immediately challenged Ian Lowry on the Suzuki. After a number of attempts, James took 5th on the line, as Leon secured win number 9. After losing a place once again at the start of Race Two, Leon quickly made his way up to 2nd and caught Josh Brookes ahead of him. Some close racing saw Leon take the lead on lap 8 and from there remain unchallenged. James had a better start to the second race, making up a position from the second row. After passing Michael Rutter for 4th, James took the final podium spot on lap 20. Now leading the Championship by 78 points, Leon commented, “My start in Race One was miles better than any other I’ve had this season. I wanted to get past Josh Brookes straight away. I then followed Stuart Easton for a little bit, and made a pass as soon as I could. Once I was in the lead, I just got my head down. I managed to go quicker than my qualifying time. When I saw the safety car being deployed I thought ‘that’s just what I need’. All my work to build a gap meant nothing. In the laps behind the Safety Car I was thinking through a plan for the re-start. I decided to gas it but wheelied so had to back off, before gassing it again.” “I got another good start to Race Two, only losing one place. I saw Josh Brookes start to make a break at the front so I passed Stuart Easton the first chance I got. I had a good fight with Josh for the lead. I really enjoyed battling him for a couple of laps. Once in front, it was a case of keeping focused until the flag. It felt awesome to get the first ever win for Airwaves Yamaha at Knockhill. To get a double is something else!” On the days races James said, “My start in Race One wasn’t great. The front wheel lifted and I entered the first corner pretty far down the order. I gave myself a bit of work to do but I knew our race pace was good. I could chip away at the guys in front. When Karl Harris crashed in front of me, I had to come to a complete stop. I couldn’t believe it. I fought constantly to make the places back up. I passed at nearly every corner of the circuit. I had to. The race was fun and I was pleased to be able to get back up to 5th, but the 1st lap incident was frustrating.” “Race Two really made up for Race One. I had a few tactics for the start and they paid off. Colin Wright thought I’d actually jumped the start my reactions were that much quicker. It was a tough race. It took me a while to pass Michael Rutter. He made himself very wide! Once I’d passed Stuart Easton I was feeling really comfortable on the Airwaves Yamaha. If only we’d had a few more laps I think I could have made it to 2nd.” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: The Worx Crescent Suzuki team’s high hopes for podium finishes were dashed today when rear-grip issues affected Michael Rutter’s progress in the first race and a crash – when fifth – brought the second race to a premature end. Michael Rutter: “It’s been a tough day and I’m very disappointed. Through the lead up to the racing we’ve shown what’s possible: We were front row again, and podiums are clearly there for the taking. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this bike and team. “In that first race we started ok, I held position in the opening laps but by lap six I could feel the rear tyre performance dropping off badly. Despite being the same tyre we used in practice and qualifying, come the race we weren’t getting the same grip. For a while I was able to hold on to sixth, but when the safety car came out, everyone closed on to me. So when we got the green light again I just couldn’t go and that was the end of it. “We went for a harder tyre for the second race and that worked well. We were secure in fifth when on the 20th lap, on the run to the hairpin, I ran in too deep. The rear came up so I couldn’t turn, I let the brake off to regain control, but that put me wide and off the circuit. Game over! “I’ve got to thank the team for these past three rounds. They’ve worked so hard to give me everything they can. And we’ve got a couple of half-decent finishes along the way, but the results they need and I want just haven’t come. I can put so much down to bad luck but the rest? – Well, it’s about racing. If it was easy, everyone would do it.” Jack Valentine – Team Manager: “There’s not much I can add to what Michael’s already said. We’re disappointed; we can’t deny that. But also we all feel for Michael. Two front row qualifying-performances from three is evidence of his speed. Even today there were times we could feel hopeful. But the results just haven’t come. “So, we have to face it, we’re in a position again where we need to find a solution to get us back to the sharp end of the racing.” ViSK British Superbike Championship: Race 1: 1. Leon Camier GBR Airwaves Yamaha 27mins 49.745secs 33 laps 2. Stuart Easton GBR Hydrex Honda +1.805secs 3. Josh Brookes AUS HM Plant Honda +1.904secs 4. Simon Andrews GBR MSS Colchester Kawasaki +4.001secs 5. James Ellison GBR Airwaves Yamaha +4.875secs 6. Ian Lowry GBR Relentless TAS Suzuki +4.898secs 7. Chris Walker GBR Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha +6.587secs 8. Graeme Gowland GBR Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha +7.326secs 9. Tommy Bridewell GBR Team NB Suzuki +9.551secs Cup 10. Jason O’Halloran AUS SMT Honda +9.728secs 11. Michael Rutter GBR Worx Crescent Suzuki +9.928secs Race 2: 1. Leon Camier GBR Airwaves Yamaha 24mins 41.486secs 30 laps 2. Josh Brookes AUS HM Plant Honda +4.996secs 3. James Ellison GBR Airwaves Yamaha +6.307secs 4. Stuart Easton GBR Hydrex Honda +6.748secs 5. Chris Walker GBR Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha +16.488secs 6. Simon Andrews GBR MSS Colchester Kawasaki +26.311secs 7. Graeme Gowland GBR Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha +29.157secs 8. Julien Da Costa FRA MSS Colchester Kawasaki +30.550secs 9. Tommy Bridewell GBR Team NB Suzuki +30.813secs 10. Gary Mason GBR Quay Honda +31.621secs