Cal Crutchlow scored his first ever British Superbike Championship podium finish with third place in the very final race of the 2007 season at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit in Kent today. The Rizla Suzuki racer, starting from sixth on the grid, took fifth place in the opening race before raising his game for the 26th and final race of the year in the afternoon and coming home third to stand on the podium for the first time. After a heavy crash in practice yesterday, Chris Walker showed immense courage to take to the track with massive bruising and in considerable pain. Heroically, from 11th on the grid, he finished in seventh and sixth places in front of the huge crowd that basked in glorious October sunshine. ‘Stalker’ finished seventh and Crutchlow ninth in the 2007 British Superbike Championship. Ducati’s Gregorio Lavilla won both races today while Honda’s Ryuichi Kiyonari won his second consecutive British Superbike title. Rizla Suzuki is in action again next Sunday, October 21st, at the Race of the Year at Mallory Park in Leicestershire. Crutchlow will be joined by Rizla Suzuki guest rider Jenny Tinmouth on the super-fast GSX-R1000 race bikes. Cal Crutchlow: “At the start of the season I would have settled for a learning year and a couple of top-six finishes but half-way through I had to have a rethink. My Rizla Suzuki has been greased lightning and the podium was my target – and one that I hit this afternoon in the very last race of the season. I cannot explain how happy I am. “The truth is that the podium and my fantastic run of results are down to Rizla Suzuki and my team of technicians – thanks to all of my crew, the team sponsors and all the fans for their support. I’ll be raising a glass of champagne to you all this evening and hope to see you again next year.” Chris Walker: “I am pleased with fifth and seventh today as my physical condition is less than ideal after my big crash yesterday. Every time I ran into Paddock Hill bend the change in elevation and suspension felt as though I was being kicked in the stomach and I couldn’t get my breath back for half a lap. It’s a shame because I am sure a completely fit Stalker could have fought at the sharp end today. “Thank you to Rizla Suzuki, my crew and all the Stalker fans for their support this year on my return to British Superbikes. It has been a roller-coaster ride and a lot of fun and I have thoroughly enjoyed myself – thanks to everyone!” Simon Buckmaster – Team Manager: “Cal has been threatening to get on to the rostrum for the last four or five rounds and no one deserves it more than him; he and his crew have worked incredibly hard and deserve to be drinking champagne. It has been a strong first year in Superbikes for Cal and he has been a pleasure to work with – I think there is no doubt he is a future champion. “Chris has really impressed everyone with his gutsy performance and results. He had to be lifted on and off his Rizla Suzuki race bike but still rode like the hungriest rider on the grid. It has been a challenging year for him re-learning the circuits, adapting to different tyres and a new team and I am sure he will be stronger and quicker in the future. “Thank you to all of the Rizla Suzuki team staff, sponsors and partners for all their support in 2007. With the GSX-R1000 we have built a strong platform that both riders have proved can run at the front and with development over the winter I am confident it will be a title challenger next year. Finally – and most importantly – thank you to all the Rizla Suzuki fans; it’s your support that keeps us going.” Race One Results: 1: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 23:35.208 2: Jonathan Rea (Honda) +2.499 3: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +3.390 4: Leon Haslam (Ducati) +3.450 5: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) +3.673 6: Shane Byrne (Honda) +4.193 7: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) +16.715 8: Michael Rutter (Kawasaki) +16.818 9: Simon Andrews (Yamaha) +20.523 10: Steve Plater (Yamaha) +20.581 Race Two Results: 1: Lavilla 15:22.873 2: Rea +2.182 3: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) +2.486 4: Kiyonari +3.592 5: Haslam +3.809 6: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) +9.724 7: Sykes +9.875 8: Karl Harris (Honda) +16.214 9: James Haydon (Kawasaki) +18.331 10: Rutter +18.396 Final Championship Positions: 1: Kiyonari 433 2: Rea 407 3: Haslam 387 4: Lavilla 368 5: Byrne 293 6: Sykes 279 7: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) 225 8: Leon Camier (Honda) 199 9: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) 152 10: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 138 More, from a press release issued by Stobart Motorsport: STOBART RIDERS SECURE TOP SIX IN CHAMPIONSHIP 2007 Bennetts British Superbike Championship Round 13 Brands Hatch Indy, Kent Sunday 14th October 2007 Despite an indifferent day at the final round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch today, Stobart Motorsport riders Shane Byrne and Tom Sykes claimed fifth and sixth position in the Championship respectively. After a superb performance in qualifying which saw both VK Vent Axia sponsored and Dunlop shod bikes on the front row of the grid neither rider could turn that into a podium and indeed both Byrne and Sykes only saw the chequered flag once each after a dramatic day of action in the Kent sunshine. In the opening 30 lap race Byrne suffered with a poor start but battled back to claim sixth at the finish as Sykes slid out of third position which resulted in his machine catching fire but the 21 year old Yorkshireman escaped uninjured. In race two it was Byrne’s turn to run with the leading bunch early on and was holding a solid podium place when he crashed out on the fast Paddock Hill Bend leaving Sykes to bring the second of the Hondas home in seventh place. The nett result was for the first time in seven meetings the Paul Bird team came away without any silverware but with two riders in the top six of the Championship it can be construed as a successful season for the Stobart VK Vent Axia Team. Tom Sykes: “I had a decent start in both races, but in the first one I started struggling a little bit with grip and then I lost the front going into the corner, then in the second race I was on the spare bike and something just wasn’t right for me. We’ve had an absolutely fantastic season so I can’t be too negative but I have had a bad weekend. I’d just like to thank all the boys who have worked so hard this year, especially Birdy, Phil and Johnny and all the crew have been fantastic so its all thanks to the Stobart Vent Axia squad. I’m just gutted I didn’t do the job for them this weekend, but its just one of those things that’s racing. I’d also like to thank Dunlop tyres for all their support all season.” Shane Byrne: “It’s a really disappointing end to what should have been a really good weekend. In the first race I got duffed up at the start by Michael Rutter but I got past him a couple of laps later. The course car came out and I thought that was perfect, just what I needed, then I put a move on Cal Crutchlow towards the end of the race but was running a bit too hot and I made a couple of mistakes trying too hard. I felt I had the pace on them, but I just couldn’t get past them. In race two I tried so hard and I got into the lead, the bike went sideways and I knew I needed to get a good drive going down the hill and I caught the engine casing on the kerb and down I went. It’s a disappointing end to the season and I really wanted to get a podium both for the boys and for myself, but I probably tried too hard and paid the price.” Paul Bird: “After a fantastic qualifying it was a disappointing end to the year but you can’t knock the boys for trying, they have given 100% in every race all year. I’d just like to thank all the mechanics, sponsors and all the team for making it a most enjoyable year.” Race 1 Result: 1, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 23m35.208s, 2, Jonathan Rea (Honda) +2.499s, 3, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +3.390s, 4, Leon Haslam (Ducati) +3.450s, 5, Cal Crutchlow (Suzuki) +3.673s, 6, Shane Byrne (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) +4.193s, 7, Chris Walker (Suzuki) +16.715s, 8, Michael Rutter (Kawasaki) +16.818s, 9, Simon Andrews (Yamaha) +20.523s, 10, Steve Plater (Yamaha) +20.581s. Race 2 Result: 1, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 15m22.873s, 2, Jonathan Rea (Honda) +2.182s, 3, Cal Crutchlow (Suzuki) +2.468s, 4, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +3.592s, 5, Leon Haslam (Ducati) +3.809s, 6, Chris Walker (Suzuki) +9.724s, 7, Tom Sykes (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) +9.875s, 8, Karl Harris (Honda) +16.214s, 9, James Haydon (Kawasaki) +18.331s, 10, Michael Rutter (Kawasaki) +18.396s. 2007 Bennetts British Superbike Championship Final Positions 1, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 433pts 2, Jonathan Rea (Honda) 407pts 3, Leon Haslam (Ducati) 387pts 4, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 368pts 5, Shane Byrne (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 293pts 6, Tom Sykes (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 279pts 7, Chris Walker (Suzuki) 225pts 8, Leon Camier (Honda) 199pts 9, Cal Crutchlow (Suzuki) 152pts 10, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 138pts More, from a press release issued by John McGuinness’ publicist: McGuinness jumps the gun Morecambe’s John McGuinness ended his 2007 British Supersport Championship campaign on a low note at Brands Hatch on Sunday when a jump start put paid to his hopes of a podium finish. As has been the case all year long, John was on the pace throughout the weekend on his Padgett’s Honda and looked well placed for a top three result until officials made the decision that he had been too eager as the lights changed from red to green. With the race taking place on the 1.2-mile Indy circuit, the subsequent ride-through penalty plunged him down the order and his race was over. The final round of the year enjoyed some spring-like weather and the combination of John and the Honda were also enjoying themselves and on the very first day he was running as the third fastest rider. He continued this form in qualifying and a time of 47.083s placed him in third overall and on the front row of the grid, ideal for the tight and twisty circuit. A great start in the race saw him occupy second in the early stages and although Billy McConnell relegated him to third on lap 3 it was all irrelevant as a lap later news came through that he had been penalised for a jump start. TV replays showed the decision was marginal but John had no option but to pull in to the pits and when he rejoined the race on the 8th lap, he was down in 30th place. He battled manfully for three more laps but the damage was too much and he pulled in to retire on the tenth lap. It was a dejected John who commented immediately afterwards: “I’m gutted, absolutely gutted. I felt strong all weekend and managed to put the bike on the front row but I always knew the start would be crucial as it has been all year. I’ve concentrated so hard on getting the starts right at every round and I thought I’d got the perfect getaway this time. I couldn’t believe it when I saw the board saying I’d got a jump start and when you get a ride through at a circuit like this, where we’re doing 47-second laps, you’ve got no chance. I honestly didn’t think I did anything wrong and went straight up to the control tower to have a look at the TV replay but, unfortunately, I did move – it was only fractions and there was certainly no advantage gained but the rules state that any form of movement will be penalised.” “I was looking good for a podium finish as well as moving up to fifth overall but it wasn’t to be so it’s certainly not the way I wanted to end the year, nor the way we deserve to end the year. Overall though, it’s been a great year for me on the short circuits and working with the Padgett’s team has been an absolute pleasure. They’ve been a terrific team for me so I’ve got to say a big thank you to Clive and everyone else who has been involved during the year. A lot of people had me written off back in March but I’ve proved them all wrong and whilst my plans for 2008 are still very much up in the air hopefully I’ll be back to do more of the same next year.” John ended the season with a total of 117 points, good enough for a fine 6th place in the fiercely fought championship.