Bennetts British Superbike Championship Donington Park, England May 25, 2008 Provisional Qualifying Results (wet conditions): 1. Shane Byrne (Duc 1098R), 1:46.639 2. James Ellison (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:47.687 3. Michael Rutter (Duc 1098R), 1:48.101 4. Cal Crutchlow (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:48.265 5. Michael Laverty (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:48.267 6. Scott Smart (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:48.609 7. Leon Haslam (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:48.829 8. Leon Camier (Duc 1098R), 1:49.023 9. Gary Mason (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:49.250 10. Karl Harris (Yam YZF-R1), 1:49.338 11. Billy McConnell (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:49.655 12. Chris Burns (MV Agusta F4-1000), 1:49.776 13. Tom Sykes (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:49.915 14. Stuart Easton (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:49.997 15. Tom Grant (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:50.255 16. John Laverty (Duc 1098R), 1:50.368 17. Tristan Palmer (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:50.981 18. Dean Ellison (Yam YZF-R1), 1:50.993 19. David Johnson (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:51.285 20. Tom Tunstall (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:51.789 More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Service: Team Suzuki Press Office – May 25. Tom Sykes and Atsushi Watanabe both finished in uncharacteristic positions today following a tough wet session on track at Donington Park ahead of round four of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, with Sykes 13th and Watanabe 22nd. The wet weather arrived just in time for the singular 50-minute qualifying session following a dry free practice this morning where Sykes was running in an encouraging second place. The Rizla Suzuki technicians worked on the chassis on both bikes to accommodate the tricky conditions; however Sykes was struggling for rear grip. Towards the end of the session he suffered a small crash at Coppice corner but walked away unhurt, but there was insufficient time left in the session for him to return to the track. Watanabe, who is still getting to grips with the 2.5 mile GP circuit, had similar concerns to his team-mate. He also fell at Coppice with just eight minutes of the session to go. He had been progressing up the time sheets until this happened. Race one takes place tomorrow at 1300 with race two at 1530. Tom Sykes: “I know in the dry we can be competitive but it will be hard work as I’m starting from the fourth row of the grid. My Rizla Suzuki has felt good all weekend and Donington is a circuit I enjoy so I’m hoping we can pull something out of the bag tomorrow.” Atsushi Watanabe: “I’m not so happy with today. I have seen the DVD of Donington Park and lots of riders crashed in wet conditions. Now I’m one of those riders. I like the track and I will work hard to get a result for my team. I don’t want to be in 22nd place as that is not for me.” Jack Valentine – Rizla Suzuki Team Manager : “It was a good day until the rain came. We had a very productive free practice three with Tom in second place just 0.486secs off pole and we were hoping for the same in qualifying. We struggled for set-up in the wet conditions and both our riders suffered crashes in the slippery conditions. We have more work to do if it does rain tomorrow as we need to find more rear grip. We will make some changes for warm-up and go from there. If it is dry we have good settings and can run at the front.” Qualifying results: 1: Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1:46.639 2: James Ellison (Honda) +1.048 3: Michael Rutter (Ducati) +1.462 4: Cal Crutchlow (Honda) +1.626 5: Michael Laverty (Suzuki) +1.628 6: Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +1.970 7: Leon Haslam (Honda) +2.190 8: Leon Camier (Ducati) +2.384 9: Gary Mason (Honda) +2.611 10: Karl Harris (Yamaha) +2.699 13: Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) +3.276 22: Atsushi Watanabe (Rizla Suzuki) +5.810 More, from a press release issued by Hydrex Bike Animal Honda: FRONT ROW FOR ELLISON IN DONINGTON DELUGE 2008 Bennetts British Superbike Championship Rounds 7 & 8 – Donington Park, Leics 25th/26th May 2008 Hydrex Bike Animal Honda rider James Ellison left it late but came up trumps as he qualified in second place at round four of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at a wet Donington Park today. After an indifferent start to the fifty minute qualifying session, which was held in torrential conditions at the Leicestershire circuit, the 27 year old turned things around and despite missing half of the session after sliding off on his opening lap, he qualified the Honda Fireblade in a superb second position in the dying seconds of the session. In posting the best ever qualifying position for Shaun Muir’s team, Ellison is hoping for a couple of podium positions in both races tomorrow to follow up the runner up placing he scored at Oulton Park earlier this month. Team mate Guy Martin is absent from this round, competing at the Isle of Man TT. Shaun Muir (Team Owner): “I’m over the moon. We’ve finally got a bike set up right for us and we’re feeling really confident. We’ve got a good race pace in the wet and the dry and we deserve to be second on the grid and I think we could have been even quicker. James fell off on the out lap which knocked his confidence but all credit to him, he went out and put it on the front row.” James Ellison: “I’m well happy with that. I was feeling really comfortable on the bike and I think I just went too quick too early on the out lap when I slid off, and after that I didn’t really expect to come out with a second place. I just got more and more confident and quicker and quicker, and I had a couple of scary moments but I just got my head down and went for it. I’m hoping for a couple of podiums tomorrow but this has definitely given me a lot more confidence.” The first of the two 20-lap races gets underway at 1.00pm with the second at 3.30pm on Monday. Qualifying 1, Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1m46.639s, 2, James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 1m47.687s, 3, Michael Rutter (Ducati) 1m48.101s, 4, Cal Crutchlow (Honda) 1m48.265s, 5, Michael Laverty (Suzuki) 1m48.267s, 6, Scott Smart (Kawasaki) 1m48.609s, 7, Leon Haslam (Honda) 1m48.829s, 8, Leon Camier (Ducati) 1m49.023s, 9, Gary Mason (Honda) 1m49.250s, 10, Karl Harris (Yamaha) 1m49.338s. More, from a press release issued by British Superbike Championship organizers: Surefooted Byrne defies the rain to comfortably claim pole BENNETTS BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Round four – Donington Park Spring Bank Holiday Monday 26 May Shane Byrne proved to be the man for all conditions as he powered comfortably clear of the pack in the rain-lashed grid decider to take his third pole start of the season ahead of the fourth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Donington Park. The Airwaves Ducati rider had earlier run strongly in the dry free practice sessions but in a dramatic, incident packed Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole session the series leader saved the best for last. Byrne had overcome the challenge of MSS Discover Kawasaki rider Billy McConnell with a time that was seemingly good enough to ensure top spot on the leaderboard but he had not reckoned on the determined ride from his long standing rival Michael Rutter aboard the North West 200 Ducati. The West Midlands rider had won the first race of the re-launched series back in 1995, on a similarly rain soaked Leicestershire grand prix circuit, and he put in flyer that was to fully test the skills of Byrne. He was back on track and within six minutes had re-asserted himself, reflecting on his pole setting lap of 1m 46.639secs with a smile: “I though to myself I can’t have an old chap like the ‘Blade’ Rutter ahead of me, so I went back out there for the last few minutes and put a fast one in. “By then the track seemed to be a bit drier and I was able to put in a good lap, there seemed to be a bit more grip, and that was enough to give me pole. Now I’m not bothered what the weather throws at me during the races. I am ready and waiting, and I mean business,” said Byrne. He has won four of the six races so far, opening up a lead of 44 points over HM Plant Honda rider Cal Crutchlow, the only rider to beat Byrne so far. He qualified fourth fastest with a lap in 1m 48.265secs, ensuring a front row start that is crucial to him making inroads into the advantage held by Byrne. James Ellison, who had slid off at Coppice early on in the session, hit back strongly to put his Hydrex Bike Animal Honda alongside Byrne, though a second down on him, with Rutter having to settle for third best. Michael Laverty put in a late charge, having languished outside the top twenty into the final minutes, putting his Relentless Suzuki at the head of the second row, with Scott Smart, a winner in the wet here two years ago, qualifying his Hawk Kawasaki sixth ahead of Leon Haslam. The Honda rider missed out on the chance of improving that starting slot as he slid out at the end of the session but he was still ahead of Leon Camier on the second Airwaves bike. Gary Mason, making his Superbike return after two years absence in the Daily Star Cup, ran his Quay Garage Honda fastest in that category with a best lap of 1m 49.250secs, enough to be ahead of Rob Mac Yamaha rider Karl Harris and McConnell who each slid out twice. Chris Burns was second in the listing of Daily Star Cup qualifiers with series leader John Laverty third on the Buildbase NW200 Ducati, though a second down on Mason. Bennetts British Superbike Championship, top 10 qualifiers 1. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) 1m:46.639s 2. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +1.048s 3. Michael Rutter (North West 200 Ducati) +1.462s 4. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) +1.626s 5. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +1.628s 6. Scott Smart (Hawk Kawasaki) +1.960s 7. Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) +2.190s 8. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) +2.384s 9. Gary Mason (Quay Garage Honda) +2.611s 10. Karl Harris (Rob Mac Racing Yamaha) +2.690s