MCE British Superbike Championship TT Circuit Assen, Netherlands September 22, 2013 Race Results (all on Pirelli tires):
Race One:
1. Alex Lowes, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), 18 laps, 29:31.508 2. Shane Byrne, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), -0.102 second 3. Tommy Bridewell, UK (Yam YZF-R1), -7.934 seconds 4. Josh Brookes, Australia (Suz GSX-R1000), -11.648 5. Noriyuki Haga, Japan (Kaw ZX-10R), -18.893 6. Jakub Smrz, Czech Republic (Hon CBR1000RR), -19.125 7. PJ Jacobsen, USA (Suz GSX-R1000), -19.216 8. James Westmoreland, UK (BMW S1000RR), -22.968 9. Jon Kirkham, UK (BMW S1000RR), -23.087 10. Barry Burrell, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), -29.579 11. Danny De Boer, Netherlands (Hon CBR1000RR), -29.601 12. Peter Hickman, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), -33.747 13. Matteo Baiocco, Italy (Duc 1199), -33.958 14. Ryuichi Kiyonari, Japan (Hon CBR1000RR), -34.204 15. Lee Costello, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), -46.164 16. Martin Jessopp, UK (BMW S1000RR), -58.810 17. Robbin Harms, Denmark (Hon CBR1000RR), -60.366 18. Aaron Zanotti, UK (Suz GSX-R1000), -81.982 19. Jenny Tinmouth, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), -82.372 20. James Ellison, UK (Yam YZF-R1), -7 laps, DNF 21. Chris Walker, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), -8 laps, DNF 22. Dan Linfoot, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), -15 laps, DNF
Race Two:
1. James Ellison, UK (Yam YZF-R1), 18 laps, 29:49.589 2. PJ Jacobsen, USA (Suz GSX-R1000), -9.283 seconds 3. Ryuichi Kiyonari, Japan (Hon CBR1000RR), -12.689 4. Jon Kirkham, UK (BMW S1000RR), -14.071 5. James Westmoreland, UK (BMW S1000RR), -19.165 6. Chris Walker, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), -24.356 7. Peter Hickman, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), -24.443 8. Danny De Boer, Netherlands (Hon CBR1000RR), -24.960 9. Dan Linfoot, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), -26.002 10. Barry Burrell, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), -26.023 11. Lee Costello, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), -26.090 12. Aaron Zanotti, UK (Suz GSX-R1000), -81.004 13. Matteo Baiocco, Italy (Duc 1199), -2 laps, DNF 14. Robbin Harms, Denmark (Hon CBR1000RR), -10 laps, DNF 15. Josh Brookes, Australia (Suz GSX-R1000), -11 laps, DNF 16. Martin Jessopp, UK (BMW S1000RR), -12 laps, DNF 17. Shane Byrne, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), -15 laps, DNF 18. Noriyuki Haga, Japan (Kaw ZX-10R), -15 laps, DNF 19. Tommy Bridewell, UK (Yam YZF-R1), -15 laps, DNF 20. Jakub Smrz, Czech Republic (Hon CBR1000RR), -16 laps, DNF 21. Jenny Tinmouth, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), -18 laps 22. Alex Lowes, UK (Hon CBR1000RR), DQ*
*disqualified for collision with Shane Byrne on lap four
Championship Point Standings (after 21 of 26 races):
1. Byrne, 559 points 2. Lowes, 558 3. Ellison, 538 4. Brookes, 535 5. Kiyonari, 522 6. Westmoreland, 519 7. Kirkham, 174 8. Jacobsen, 144 9. Bridewell, 142 10. Walker, 133
American Jayson Uribe, riding his Rock and Sons Racing Honda RS125, finished 23rd overall and 11th in class in the Monster Energy British Motostar/Dutch 125cc/Moto3 race at Assen. Uribe is currently tied for 10th in the British 125cc GP Championship point standings after 10 of 12 races.
More, from a press release issued by Milwaukee Yamaha:
PODIUM FINISHES FOR MILWAUKEE YAMAHA AT DRAMATIC ASSEN
The opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Showdown at Assen produced a mixed raceday for Milwaukee Yamaha, but the team were still able to celebrate two podium finishes from both sides of the garage with Tommy Bridewell and James Ellison. In the opening race Ellison had been fighting in the lead pack for the race victory until he lost oil pressure which disappointingly forced him out of contention. Bridewell though had fought his way up the order to move third on his debut with the Milwaukee Yamaha team.
Race two was as dramatic as the first and Ellison and Bridewell were both in the hunt for a podium finish in the early stages of the race, however on the fourth lap Bridewell slid out of the race ending his hopes of another strong finish. Ellison continued to battle on and he held the lead until the closing stages when Alex Lowes made a move and despite trying to fight back he finished second on the track. Lowes was later excluded from the race for an incident with Shane Byrne which promoted Ellison to the win.
Ellison said: “That second race was all a bit of a blur to be honest with you! It was a good race in the second one, especially as we were so disappointed to not have finished the first one as we were fighting at the front. I certainly believe we would have been on for a podium, especially now in the Showdown when it matters and that was a shame. We had a new engine in for the second race and I can’t thank the team enough as the bike didn’t miss a beat and we were able to go all out. I thought maybe we had the chance of the win, but at the start I had tried really hard to get by Haga and a few others and it meant I had less tyre left for the end of the race. Alex started chipping away and then he came by and I tried to stay with him but I had nothing left. We are now looking forward to Silverstone, especially as we have been there recently for the support race at MotoGP.”
Bridewell said: “It was a fantastic first race for me and for sure we managed to get it done. I am obviously disappointed for James (Ellison) as he was running well, but I saw on my board I had a gap behind me but at the end I just couldn’t close the leading two. I had fallen asleep on the opening two laps and unfortunately I got caught up with Nori who was a bit excited so to speak. In the second race it was turning into a good fight and then I had a crash and took out Nori at the same time which was disappointing but I am looking forward now to Silverstone. Thanks to the Milwaukee Yamaha team for all their hard work.” For more information visit www.milwaukeeyamaha.com
More, from a press release issued by Doodson Motorsports:
Challenging Assen Return for Harms Returning from his badly damaged wrist presented a challenge for Doodson Motorsport racer Robbin Harms and it certainly proved to be the case with the Dane leaving Assen with a 17th place and a DNF. The Doodson Motorsport team headed across the North Sea to Assen in Holland for the tenth round of the British Superbike Championship. The Dutch circuit yielded two top ten finishes last season, a feat which would be difficult to replicate with Robbin Harms returning to race action following the wrist injury which required a metal plate and artificial bone to repair. The practice sessions gave the first impression of Harms’ condition and it was unsurprisingly causing an issue around the fast and flowing 2.8 mile Dutch track. Another challenge was building up a feeling for his Honda Fireblade race bike having not ridden for over two months. Progress was forthcoming throughout and by the first qualifying phase, Harms posted the 15th fastest time. Unfortunately he was unable to capitalise on it further as he slid off his machine early in the second session giving him a 17th place position on the grid for the first of Sunday’s races.
The opening 18-lapper was a tough battle for Harms and after colliding with Chris Walker in the final chicane on lap five, it was an uneventful but gruelling run to the flag and a battling 17th place. Race two brought a stronger performance and by lap four Harms held 13th and with a group fighting for ninth. However a mistake into the fast left at Ruskenhoek meant Harms lost front grip crashing out of a point scoring position.
Harms explained: “It was a good feeling to be back on the bike again at Assen. My wrist troubles me more than expected so it was a tough weekend too. I was happy to work with Colin as the new crew chief who made some improvements to the bike. Now it’s all about looking forward to Silverstone with room to improve.”
Team owner Tom Tunstall added: “We knew it would be tough this weekend and in reality it was about getting Robbin back on the bike and up to speed. It’s a shame he wasn’t able to bring home some points as the team have worked well but we must now look forward and he now has more time for his physical condition to improve and come back stronger” The next round of the British Superbike Championship takes place at Silverstone over the weekend of the 4th – 6th of October.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision:
Round 10 Assen 22 September
LOWES WINS DRAMATIC ASSEN SHOWDOWN OPENER THEN EXCLUDED FROM RACE TWO
Results Race one: 1: Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) 2: Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +0.102s 3: Tommy Bridewell (Milwaukee Yamaha) +7.934s 4: Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +11.648s 5: Noriyuki Haga (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +18.893s 6: Jakub Smrz (Padgetts Honda) +19.125s
Race two: 1: James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha) +1.542s 2: PJ Jacobsen (Tyco Suzuki) +10.825s 3: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Samsung Honda) +14.231s 4: Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW) +15.613s 5: James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) +20.707s 6: Chris Walker (Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki) +25.898s
Championship standings: 1: Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 559 2: Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) 558 3: James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha) 538 4: Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) 535 5: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Samsung Honda) 522 6: James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) 519
Report Alex Lowes won an opening race thriller in the first Showdown round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Assen but next time out the Samsung Honda rider went from hero to zero as he was excluded from what would have been a third consecutive winning double after an incident with Shane Byrne. The two riders had duelled intensely in the first race at the Dutch circuit, trading places throughout in an epic contest with Lowes taking his seventh victory of the campaign to close within a single point of his Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rival Byrne at the top of the standings. The second was all set for more of the same as the two riders again duelled from the start but on the fourth lap as Lowes was closing in on Byrne going into a left hander, he hit the back of the Kawasaki at around 130mph. Byrne crashed out of contention, suffering a gash and bruising to his left leg, while Lowes, who dropped to fourth re-grouped and fought back into contention to take the lead on the road ahead of Milwaukee Yamaha’s James Ellison with four laps remaining. Lowes was later excluded following a judicial after the incident for ‘causing contact which resulted in an accident’. Ellison was credited with the victory ahead of the MCE BSB rookie PJ Jacobsen who gave the Tyco Suzuki team some cheer as their Title Fighter rider Josh Brookes had crashed out of the race. Former three times British champion Ryuichi Kiyonari took third place ahead of the Buildbase BMW duo of Jon Kirkham and James Westmoreland. For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com