Front Row Start for Sykes at Croft 2007 Bennetts British Superbike Championship Rounds 19 & 20 Croft, North Yorkshire Sunday 12th August 2007 Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport rider Tom Sykes continued his impressive form by qualifying on the front row for round ten of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at a warm and sunny Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire today. The 21 year old Huddersfield rider was holding provisional pole position time for most of the 50 minute session as he continued to impress in his rookie season, but towards the end of the session he dropped back to fourth position but importantly will start tomorrow’s two 20 lap races from the front row of the grid. If the qualifying session was good for Sykes it was a disaster for team mate Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne who slid off not once, but twice and as a result will start from row three of the grid on what is only his second visit to the Yorkshire circuit. Byrne had a technical problem during this morning’s free practice session and was hoping to improve but a couple of mistakes hampered his bid as he goes into tomorrow’s two races. Shane Byrne: “There’s not a lot I can say. I’m extremely disappointed and I’ve given myself a mountain to climb tomorrow. I will be giving it my all and we’ve yet to find out whether it will be wet or dry which could have a bearing on our result.” Tom Sykes: “I’m happy enough with my race set up and I was one of the quickest on race tyres. We put a qualifier in early on and that paid off as I got a clear lap and posted my fastest time. Towards the end of the session I got caught up in a lot of traffic but a front row start is perfect and is what we were aiming for. I just want a decent start tomorrow and hope I can get away with them and I’m looking forward to it.” Paul Bird: “I’m pleased for Tom with a front row start but we needed both riders on the front row. I hope Tom can carry it forward tomorrow and I wouldn’t write him off for his first win. I just hope Shakey has got all his crashing out of the way today.” The first of the Bennetts British Superbike races gets underway at 13.20 with the second one screened live on ITV1 at 15.20. Qualifying: 1, Cal Crutchlow (Suzuki) 1m19.108s, 2, Jonathan Rea (Honda) 1m19.191s, 3, Leon Haslam (Ducati) 1m19.209s, 4, Tom Sykes (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 1m19.269s, 5, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 1m19.373s, 6, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 1m19.456s, 7, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 1m19.462s, 8, Leon Camier (Honda) 1m19.589s, 9, Chris Walker (Suzuki) 1m19.920s, 10, Karl Harris (Honda) 1m20.257s, 11, Shane Byrne (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 1m20.362s. Sunday 12th August 12.00 12.15 Warm Up 13.20 Race 1 – 20 laps 15.20 Race 2 – 20 laps ITV4 Broadcast: 12.30 14.30 ITV1 Broadcast: 14.30 16.00 Sky Sports Xtra: 21.00 – 00.30 Round 1 7th to 9th April Brands Hatch GP, Kent Round 2 14th/15th April Thruxton, Hants Round 3 27th/29th April Silverstone, Northants Round 4 5th/7th May Oulton Park, Cheshire Round 5 18th/20th May Snetterton, Norfolk Round 6 15th/17th June Mondello Park, Co Kildare Round 7 30th June/1st July Knockhill, Fife Round 8 13th/15th July Oulton Park, Cheshire Round 9 20th/22nd July Mallory Park, Leics Round 10 10th/12th August Croft, North Yorkshire Round 11 25th/27th August Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire Round 12 21st/23rd September Donington Park, Leics Round 13 12th/14th October Brands Hatch Indy, Kent More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office: Rizla Suzuki’s Cal Crutchlow blitzed his first ever front row starting position by taking pole position for tomorrow’s 10th round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Croft in North Yorkshire – the team’s first pole since Brands Hatch in October 2005 with James Haydon. The Superbike rookie puts the success largely down to an inspired plan for the qualification session hatched by his Chief Technician Pete Jennings, who insisted he use one pre-qualifying and two qualifying tyres. After three superb practice sessions – when he found a competitive race setting and tyre – he rode with confidence and ability to deservedly head the field in qualification. Chris ‘Stalker’ Walker left his fastest lap right until the end of qualifying and will start from the front of the third row in ninth. Superbike racing starts at 1320 at the 2.13-mile long flat but twisty Croft circuit near Darlington in North Yorkshire on Sunday, August 12th. Cal Crutchlow: “Before the session I had a discussion with Pete about what tyres I should use during qualification. I wasn’t sure about his idea for one pre-qualifier and two qualifiers but I agreed it with him and I have to say it worked a treat – my first ever front row is a pole position and you can’t ask for any more than that. Well done to the whole Rizla Suzuki team and Dunlop – the hard work is starting to pay off. “Pole position puts a lot of pressure on me for the races but this is what we have been working for all year. I’m hoping I can score a podium for Rizla Suzuki, the team deserves it and that’s my target.” Chris Walker: “It’s been a tough weekend as we have worked to find a comfortable set-up for me at this circuit. On the first day we went too soft on my Rizla Suzuki and this morning we put that right and made pretty big strides this afternoon. “Ninth is ok and I’ll be going for a trade-mark good start and see what we can achieve if I can get away with the front runners. Congratulations to Cal on his pole position. It was an awesome ride.” Simon Buckmaster – Team Manager: “Congratulations to Cal Crutchlow and the Rizla Suzuki team on achieving pole position – it is something they have worked incredibly hard for and richly deserve it. Cal has not changed a setting on his Rizla Suzuki all weekend and has concentrated on making the most of the package and has reaped the rewards of a very fast motorcycle, professional preparation and his own undoubted talent. “Racing is different from qualifying and although there is a lot of pressure on Cal for a good result tomorrow; it will not be coming from the team. We have already had a good weekend and if he converts to strong results, that’ll be the icing on the cake. “Chris and his crew have applied themselves tirelessly to find a competitive set-up for him and at the end of the qualifying session made a break-through. If he can get a good start then he should be targeting the top six.” Qualification Times: 1: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) 1:19.108 2: Jonathan Rea (Honda) +0.083 3: Leon Haslam (Ducati) +0.101 4: Tom Sykes (Honda) +0.161 5: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +0.265 6: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) +0.348 7: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +0.354 8: Leon Camier (Honda) +0.481 9: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) +0.812 10: Karl Harris (Honda) +1.149