Editorial Note: Americans other than PJ Jacobsen in action at Silverstone include Tommy Aquino, Michael Corbino and Jayson Uribe.
Aquino, riding a Team WD-40 Kawasaki ZX-10R, was 15th out of 40 riders with a 2:12.149 in Pirelli 1000cc Superstock qualifying.
Corbino, riding a spec Triumph Daytona 675R, finished 14th out of 35 riders in Triumph Triple Challenge Race One.
Uribe, riding his Rock & Sons Racing Honda RS125, was 10th overall and fifth in the 125cc class with a 2:24.552 in Monster Energy British Motorstar qualifying.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision:
Round 11 Silverstone 5-6 October
LOWES CLAIMS POLE AS BATTERED BYRNE BOUNCES BACK TO STUNNING SECOND Results Datatag Extreme Qualifying: 1: Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) 2m:05.724s 2: Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +0.554s 3: PJ Jacobsen (Tyco Suzuki) +0.596s 4: Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +1.046s 5: Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW) +1.176s 6: Peter Hickman (Lloyds British GBmoto Honda) +1.272s Report Samsung Honda’s Alex Lowes scorched inside the Silverstone lap record to score his seventh pole position of the season ahead of the penultimate round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship as he out-paced the battered and bruised series leader Shane Byrne. Byrne had suffered a huge high-side off his Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki at Luffield during the morning free practice session and the defending champion dramatically landed heavily on his right hip. Byrne had spent the majority of the afternoon receiving physio with the series’ medical team at the track before being given the go-ahead to take part in qualifying minutes before the start of the session. He was helped to his bike and then sensationally delivered a fast lap to secure an all-important front row start. “The bike just came round on me and flipped over the top and and I landed heavily on my side,” said Byrne. “I’m just relieved to have got out there for qualifying. I don’t know what I’ve done but it was not very comfortable. The medics did a lot of work to get me out there and I have to thank them for that as the time before qualifying has just disappeared!” Byrne takes a single point lead into these races over Samsung Honda riding Lowes who had worked hard across the day to perfect the settings of his bike. Lowes said: “It was a lot better in qualifying than it had been earlier when I was struggling a bit, but I enjoyed that session and we can do a bit more before the races which are when the real action starts. I think it will be close in the races tomorrow but hopefully not as close as Assen!” New Yorker PJ Jacobsen completed the front row, easing his title chasing Tyco Suzuki team-mate Josh Brookes onto the second row of the grid in fourth. Jon Kirkham and the Buildbase BMW team became the fourth manufacturer to feature in the top five ahead of Peter Hickman, having his best qualifying of the season, running sixth on the Lloyds British GBmoto Honda. But two other Title Fighters, James Westmoreland and James Ellison face uphill struggles in the opening race. Westmoreland starts his Buildbase BMW from the third row in ninth, but James Ellison who crashed his Milwaukee Yamaha without injury on his first flying lap in qualifying starts from the sixth row. For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com
More, from a press release issued by Milwaukee Yamaha:
MILWAUKEE YAMAHA GUNNING FOR RESULTS AFTER SILVERSTONE QUALIFYING The Milwaukee Yamaha team ended the Datatag Extreme qualifying sessions today in a determined mood ahead of tomorrow’s races as James Ellison and Tommy Bridewell have vowed to fight back at Silverstone. Ellison had set the pace in the third free practice session and was confident for qualifying however a mistake on his first flying lap of Q2 caused him to crash out and he will start from the sixth row of the grid in eighteenth on the grid. Bridewell had made some further changes throughout the day and was feeling more comfortable as he again qualified for the Q3 session, ending eighth fastest. Ellison said: “I am gutted for the Milwaukee Yamaha team as I just lost the rear on my first lap. I felt I had the heat in my tyre and I just lost the rear; usually it just drifts for a while and then grips but it just carried on sliding and that was it. I obviously didn’t get enough heat in it but it has made me even more determined for the races tomorrow. It is a long lap here and a wide track and we know we can do the race pace times to win so we just need to try and get a good start to get away with the pack.” Bridewell said: “We have made some steps in the right direction today but we are a little bit behind because we went in the wrong direction a bit yesterday, but we have managed to get it back and make it better for qualifying. We have a few things to change tomorrow and I am feeling a lot happier and more comfortable on the bike here. Our race pace is good so we will see what we can do in the races.” For more information visit www.milwaukeeyamaha.com
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:
Tyco Suzuki’s PJ Jacobsen will start tomorrow’s opening British Superbike race at Silverstone from the front row of the grid.
The 20-year-old BSB rookie, who posted the third-fastest time during today’s qualifying, will be looking to add a Silverstone podium to the one he collected at Assen just a fortnight ago.
Aussie Josh Brookes was one place behind his American team-mate in fourth position and will start tomorrow’s opening 14-lap race from the second row.
Taylor Mackenzie finished today’s nine-lap British Supersport race in ninth place and will start Sunday’s second middleweight encounter from the fourth row in 11th.
PJ Jacobsen:
“Yeah that was good today. We’ve been really consistent so far this weekend and it’s a good way to follow-up the Assen podium. It’s another first for me in British Superbike and it will be nice to start with a clear track ahead of me. I need to make the most of the position and see how it goes from there, but thanks to the team for giving me a great bike out there today.”
Josh Brookes:
“Unfortunately we were suffering with a little bit of chatter today, but we’re not far away as fourth is close enough to the front. If we can cure that or find a way of working around it, then we’ll be good tomorrow as the GSX-R1000 is a strong-enough package around Silverstone.”
Philip Neill – Team Manager:
“It’s a good test of a rider’s mental strength to see if he can follow-up one good result with another strong performance and PJ did just that today. He fully-deserves his front-row start and there’s no reason why he can’t turn that into a strong result in tomorrow’s opening race.
“There was plenty of drama out there today – thankfully not involving ourselves – so for Josh to start from the second row is no major concern, as we know his strength in a race situation. We all know what we have to do tomorrow to stay involved in this championship bid, which I’m certain will have a few more twists before it’s all done and dusted.”