Top Five For Irwin At Thruxton

The Be Wiser Ducati Racing team had a challenging seventh round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Thruxton today with Glenn Irwin’s fifth place finish on the factory-backed Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R in the opening race proving to be the team’s best result of the day.

28-year-old Glenn started the opening 20-lap race on pole position with younger brother Andrew joining him in third to post an historic front row for Paul Bird’s Penrith-based team. The opening lap saw the Carrickfergus brothers slot into third and fourth place but sadly for Andrew, his race only lasted until lap four when he crashed out at the Complex, fortunately sustaining no injury.

That just left Glenn to fly the flag for the defending champions and he consistently ran with the front group which ultimately became a six-rider battle for the win. Going into the final stages, Irwin found himself pushed back to sixth but a last lap collision at the chicane between Josh Brookes and Jason O’Halloran allowed him to move back up to fifth place for 11 hard-earned points.

The second race saw Glenn start from sixth place and on the second row of the grid although he immediately slipped back to ninth at the completion of the first lap. Indeed, it proved to be a tough race and although he climbed as high as seventh at one stage, he didn’t have the means to push any further and ended the race in ninth place. However, he still sits in fourth place overall, comfortably occupying one of the top six Showdown positions.

Andrew, meanwhile, found himself way back in 18th place and on the sixth row as a result of his first race crash and it gave him plenty of work to do. A good opening lap saw him gain four places to move up to 14th and although progress was a bit slower for the remainder of the race, he worked his way up to 11th at the chequered flag to add five more points to his season’s haul.

Glenn Irwin: “We tried everything we could all weekend but whilst it was clear from qualifying that we had pace for one lap, doing it for a full race distance was extremely difficult and we struggled. It wasn’t through a lack of trying on anyone’s part and we constantly tried settings to improve the balance of the bike. We’ve suffered the same fate for two years in a row now so it’s hugely frustrating. On the plus side, we haven’t lost much ground in terms of the championship position and we’ve gone well at Cadwell Park recently, so I’ll be aiming to get back on the podium there.”

Andrew Irwin: “The results don’t reflect the progress we’ve made this weekend and overall, it’s been very positive, qualifying being the obvious highlight. Crashing in race one was far from ideal and it gave me a bad grid position for race two but finishing in 11th from 18th on the grid isn’t too bad. My one lap pace is good, but I need to work harder on my race pace, but I’ve worked hard so far this season and will do the same again ahead of the next round in order to get back into the top ten.”

Johnny Mowatt, Team co-ordinator: “It’s fair to say race day hasn’t panned out how we expected, and the results have been disappointing. Glenn was in the mix with the leaders in race one but ran out of tyre at the end of the race to challenge for the podium whilst Andrew was unfortunate to crash out early on which gave the team plenty of work to do. They managed it with about one minute to go and we changed the balance of the bike again in order to try to find that missing ingredient but ninth and 11th was far from what we’d hoped for. There are both positives and negatives to take away from the weekend, but we enjoyed a good test at Cadwell recently and have gone well there in the past so will be hoping for a better end product there.”

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race one (20 laps)

1 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)

2 Jake Dixon (Kawasaki)

3 Peter Hickman (BMW)

4 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)

5 Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati)

6 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)

DNF Andrew Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati)

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race two (20 laps)

1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)

2 Peter Hickman (BMW)

3 Jake Dixon (Kawasaki)

4 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)

5 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)

6 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)

9 Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati)

11 Andrew Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati)

Championship Standings (after seven rounds)

1 Haslam 280pts

2 Dixon 198

3 Brookes 168

4 Glenn Irwin 163

5 Ray 119

6 Buchan 111

18 Andrew Irwin 35

The next round takes place at Cadwell Park over the weekend of August 17/19.For further information, please visit www.pbmuk.net and www.pbmuk.net

More, from a press release issued by RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki:

Two more podiums for Dixon and RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki

Jake Dixon and the RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki team enjoyed another strong showing at round seven of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Thruxton on Sunday with second and third place finishes maintaining his second place overall in the title standings.

Jake showed good form right from the off and after recording the third fastest time overall across the three free practice sessions, he went into Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session in confident mood and although at one stage it looked like he’d be at the bottom end of the top ten, he dug deep to put the Kawasaki ZX-10R into a good sixth place.

Starting the first 20-lap race from the second row of the grid, Jake completed the first lap in fifth place but it didn’t take him long to improve upon that and just a lap later, he’d climbed all the way up to second. From that moment on, he remained in the top three and after a series of consistent, fast laps, he moved ahead of Luke Mossey and into the lead on lap 13.

He quickly opened up a lead of 0.7s over Leon Haslam but in the final quarter of the race, no less than five riders were disputing the race lead although it was the two Kawasaki riders that continued to hold onto first and second places. Haslam grabbed the lead on lap 17 and although there was nothing between the two riders, he managed to repel Jake’s attack on the final lap to leave the Ashby resident in second place for yet another podium finish.

The second encounter later in the day saw Jake start from the more advanced position of third and the front row of the grid where he was keen to turn the tables and pull back some points on Haslam in the title race. It was another close affair with the same group of riders disputing the leading positions and although Josh Brookes edged ahead to take the win, Jake got the better of Haslam in the closing stages to claim third and another podium credit at the expense of his rival.

Haslam continues to lead the Championship standings but with eight podiums now to his name, Jake remains in second overall and now has 20 podium credits to Haslam’s 43.

Jake Dixon: “I did a lot of homework during practice and qualifying to put myself in the strongest position possible on race day and whilst there were all manner of tyre combinations out there, the soft tyre worked best for me and was what I stuck with. I felt comfortable leading the race but each time Leon got into my draft and came by, the bike kept hitting the limiter which held me back a bit. I thought I’d done enough on the final lap and had squeezed him enough at the final chicane to take the win but it wasn’t to be.”

“I wasn’t happy finishing third in the second race but I was pleased to pick up another podium credit and even more pleased that Leon didn’t pick up any. Josh and Peter (Hickman) had a little bit more rear grip than me and for some reason we seem to struggle a bit in the higher temperatures. The team have done a mega job all weekend to give me a bike to fight for the race wins and we’re still in an extremely strong position in the Championship so roll on the next round.”

Lee Hardy, Team Owner: “All in all, it’s been a good weekend but we were a bit annoyed to lose out to Leon in race one as every podium credit is crucial at this stage of the season. There was nothing more that Jake could have done though as he was hitting the rev limiter each time Haslam drafted him. We didn’t make any changes to the bike for race two but instead had a slight change in our approach and although we didn’t have the speed of Josh, we were able to get the better of Leon this time around. The riders were tripping each other up a bit but Jake put in a good move at the chicane and opened up enough of a gap so that Leon had no chance to re-pass. Third place was the least Jake deserved and it continues our good run of form so we’re all looking forward to the next round.”

Round seven of the series takes place in two week’s time at Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire on 17-19 August.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race one (20 laps)

1 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)

2 Jake Dixon (Regular & Reserve Kawasaki)

3 Peter Hickman (BMW)

4 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)

5 Glenn Irwin (Ducati)

6 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race two (20 laps)

1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)

2 Peter Hickman (BMW)

3 Jake Dixon (Regular & Reserve Kawasaki)

4 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)

5 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)

6 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)

Championship Standings (after seven rounds)

1 Haslam 280pts

2 Dixon 198

3 Brookes 168

4 Irwin 163

5 Ray 119

6 Buchan 111

More, from a press release issued by McAMS Yamaha:

MORE SUCCESS FOR MCAMS YAMAHA AS JOSH BROOKES MASTERS SUPER FAST THRUXTON CIRCUIT

Battling against tough track and temperature conditions, it was a successful weekend for the McAMS Yamaha Superbike duo of Josh Brookes and Tarran Mackenzie as the mercury rose at Thruxton. Matt Truelove was unlucky to be taken out of a strong position in the Pirelli Superstock 1000 class whilst Ryan Vickers continued his domination of the Superstock 600 class on his Mototechniks Yamaha.

With three days of high temperatures forecast, it quickly became apparent that tyre strategy would be the most crucial element at this high speed, abrasive circuit. Consequently both Superbike riders experimented with the six different options of Pirelli slicks made available, to balance outright lap times against long run durability.

Qualifying was a tale of the two sides of the garage as Josh progressed through the three knock out sessions, whilst it was disaster for Tarran as he suffered a technical problem early in the first session, meaning he had to start from the final grid position. Josh left it till the very last moment of Q3 to pull out a stunning lap to go fourth on the grid.

With track temperatures in the 40’s and a 20 lap race ahead of him, Josh knew he would have to manage his chosen Soft rear tyre from the off. He bided his time then with four laps to go, caught the two leaders (Haslam and Dixon) and readied for a podium challenge. Before he could strike, fellow Australian Jason O’Halloran overtook him and the two tangled going into the final chicane. A fourth place finish wasn’t as hoped for and the team set about gearing changes for race two. With more top end speed, Josh took the lead on lap seven and powered away for a dominant victory, his 39th in British Superbikes. He now sits in third place with 16 podium credits.

For Superbike Rookie Tarran, it was a mountain to climb from last place on the ultra-competitive BSB grid but in true Taz form he set about battling through the pack from the start. Up to eighth by lap 12 he was embroiled in a great three way battle with some seasoned campaigners, before ending ninth. His fastest lap put him in seventh for race two and he made a great getaway to again progress through the field. His eventual fifth place was impressive and only a mere half a second from the podium. The fast learning youngster continues to impress and push up the BSB standings and is now up to twelfth place.

Matt Truelove had his best qualifying performance with seventh in the Pirelli Superstock 1000 class and was optimistic about his race pace. Come race day Matt was circulating in seventh but was taken out on lap four, falling uninjured.

The unstoppable Ryan Vickers continued his incredible run in the Pirelli Superstock 600 class taking yet another win on his Mototechniks Yamaha YZF-R6. The Norfolk rider now comfortably leads the series by a full 50 points.

Josh Brookes said; “We were a little short geared in the opening race and I was running out of top speed so we made some changes for race two. We had more top end and had to ride differently through the corners but it was a good compromise. I’m thrilled to celebrate another victory and take these important podium credits.”

Tarran Mackenzie said; “We wanted to carry on the momentum from Brands and despite having to start from the back of the grid I think we achieved that. We used the harder rear tyre most of the way through the event which I think helped us concentrate on good set-up. Race two felt like it could have been a podium but I was also right on the limit so I’m happy with fifth. It’s only my seventh Superbike event so it’s been a great learning curve so far.”

Matt Truelove said; “We had our best pace of the year so far so it’s really gutting to be wiped out by someone else’s problem. We definitely had front running speed and I know we could have been up there at the end. I’m unhurt and I’ll push on again at Cadwell.”

Ryan Vickers explained; “That was a really fun race, obviously the tyres were destroyed and we were really sideways through the turns. I tried to control it from the front but had to fend off a couple of attacks to take the win.”

Team Manager Grant Bunting summed up; “It’s been a really positive meeting for us, Tarran’s qualifying problem aside. The team and riders got to grips with these tricky conditions from the off and aimed for slightly different strategies which worked out through the race duration for both Superbike riders. I’m gutted for Matt as he had great pace but was caught out by someone else’s mistake.

It was great to celebrate Josh’s victory and Taz’s strong ride with the large travelling contingent of McAMS staff and we look to build on these results at Cadwell Park in a fortnight.”

More, from a press release issued by Smiths Racing:

Hospital To Rostrum For Hickman

Peter Hickman and the Gloucester-based Smiths Racing BMW team took their first podium positions of the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike Championship season at Thruxton today with the 31 year old defying illness to claim second and third place finishes at the Hampshire track which hosted round seven of the series.

Having topped the times during free practice on Friday, Peter and the team had high hopes for qualifying yesterday, but the pace was hot, and he found himself in 11th on the grid for today’s opening 20-lap race. However, unbeknown to most, the Louth-based rider had been feeling unwell and he was admitted to Winchester hospital last evening where he was diagnosed with a kidney infection.

It put his participation in today’s races very much in doubt and whilst he was subsequently forced to miss morning warm-up having just been released from hospital, he amazingly took his place on the grid at 1.30pm for the opening encounter. Completing the first lap in 13th place, it initially looked like it was going to be a long race for Hickman but that soon began to change and by lap six he’d moved up to seventh.

This was where he remained for the next ten laps, but he was regularly the fastest rider on track and that allowed him to close right in on the leading group of six riders. Once there, he wasn’t content just to sit there and fifth place became his on lap 17. It looked like this would be where he would finish but he took full advantage of a coming together between Jason O’Halloran and Josh Brookes at the chicane on the final lap to claim the final podium finish and a stunning, almost unbelievable, third place.

His efforts saw him line up in the much better position of fifth and the second row for the second 20-lap race and, sixth at the end of lap one, by lap six he’d moved back into fourth place. Showing no ill effects, he was soon up to third but by half race distance, race leader Josh Brookes had edged away by almost two seconds and with the pack behind constantly changing position it looked like he already had the race sewn up.

However, Hickman fought his way to the front of the group and used the clear track to pull away and slowly began to reel Brookes in. He ultimately ran out of laps but closed to within 0.305s of the Australian at the end and the haul of 36 points saw him jump up to seventh overall in the Championship table to lie just seven points adrift of a Showdown position.

Team-mate Sylvain Barrier, meanwhile, was having his first outing at the fastest track on the Bennetts BSB calendar, which is renowned for being difficult to learn, but he consistently improved throughout the weekend and qualified in 23rd place for the opening encounter. However, despite slipping back to 25th on the opening lap, he quickly regrouped and was soon up into the top 20.

Indeed, getting more and more to grips with the high-speed circuit, the Frenchman continued to move up the leaderboard and was duly rewarded with a strong 14th place at the chequered flag for two more championship points. Despite of this, he still lined up in 23rd place on the grid for the second race and on this occasion, he wasn’t able to advance as far forward. Suffering with chatter from the front end, his lap times were subsequently compromised slightly and he had to settle for 18th place.

Peter Hickman: “I only got discharged from hospital at 12 noon today so to be standing on the podium at 2pm was pretty unreal! The weekend had started well on Friday but on Saturday I started to feel unwell and although I managed to put a lap in during qualifying, I became worse on Saturday evening. The paramedics were called out and I was whisked away to hospital subsequently being diagnosed with a kidney infection. I felt a bit better today and got back to the circuit and gave it my best shot. I was a long way back at the beginning of race one, but I kept chipping away and gradually the front group came back to me. I had a bit of luck on the final lap after Josh and Jason came together but we deserved a bit of luck this weekend. In the second race, we were battling too much amongst ourselves which allowed Josh to make a break, but I had a good rhythm and got second place. We needed a good weekend after a poor start to the season and that’s what we got so to be right back in Showdown contention is just what I wanted.”

Sylvain Barrier: “Race one was good for me as Thruxton is a difficult track to learn so to score points was a real bonus. In race two, I had a minor problem, but I couldn’t add to my points score. I’d just like to say massive congratulations to Peter as he has been incredible today to come from hospital to score a double podium. This team is fantastic, and I’d like to say well done to them all. I’m looking forward to the next round at Cadwell Park and hope we can get some more points on the board there.”

Darren Jones, Team Co-ordinator: “Considering how the day started, it’s ended in a very positive way and although we knew Peter had good pace, given how well he’d gone on Friday, sitting here now with a second and a third is simply superb given how ill he was. He was determined to race and the goal in each race was to be patient and play the waiting game and although he got a bit lucky in race one, you’ve got to be in the position to take advantage of other riders’ errors and he did exactly that. In race two, he had the pace to win and perhaps saved his tyre a bit too much as his lap times at the end were incredibly strong. Josh had managed to escape a bit and Pete just ran out of time to catch him, but two podiums has put him up to seventh in the table and right in contention for a Showdown position. For Sylvain, it was always going to be a tough weekend due to being unable to test here but he got quicker throughout the weekend with his result in race one being particularly strong. It puts us in good stead now for Cadwell and the second half of the season.”

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race one (20 laps)

1 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)

2 Jake Dixon (Kawasaki)

3 Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)

4 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)

5 Glenn Irwin (Ducati)

6 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)

14 Sylvain Barrier (Smiths Racing BMW)

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race two (20 laps)

1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)

2 Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)

3 Jake Dixon (Kawasaki)

4 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)

5 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)

6 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)

18 Sylvain Barrier (Smiths Racing BMW)

Championship Standings (after seven rounds)

1 Haslam 280pts

2 Dixon 198

3 Brookes 168

4 Irwin 163

5 Ray 119

6 Buchan 111

7 Hickman 104

23 Barrier 7

The eighth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship takes place at Cadwell Park on August 17/19. For further information, please visit www.smithsracing.co.uk and www.smithsracing.co.uk

More, from a press release issued by Honda BSB Racing Press Office:

JASON O’HALLORAN BACK ON FORM AT THRUXTON

Honda Racing’s Jason O’Halloran showed he was back on form as the seventh round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship took place at Thruxton in Hampshire, with blistering temperatures across race day.

‘The O’Show’ started race one in tenth place, but it wasn’t long until he was carving through the pack aboard the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade. Over the 20 laps the Aussie continually made up places and demonstrated superb tyre-life management at the abrasive and fast 2.3-mile circuit.

On the final lap the podium was calling as the Honda rider had made his way into third position. However, coming into Club Chicane O’Halloran was run wide and off-track by another rider and as a result lost places, crossing the line to take sixth place.

With the bit between his teeth for the second race, and getting a good start from eighth, he again made his way up through the front pack into third place. A near coming together into the final chicane on lap six caused the Aussie to take evasive action to avoid contact with another rider, and in the drama O’Halloran cut the corner of the chicane.

Suffering a time penalty and dropping back places after the move, he crossed the line again in sixth place and picked up a further ten points towards his championship challenge. After the weekend O’Halloran is tenth in the overall championship standings with 86 points and is 25 points adrift of the top-six.

Meanwhile teammate Tom Neave had a steep learning curve as he made his BSB debut. Showing good pace and impressing with his attitude, Neave made solid progress in both races from his starting positions. Unfortunately the 23-year old had both races end prematurely after crashing out while trying to make further progress, he was unhurt from the falls.

The Honda Racing team will now turn their focus to the next round of the series, which takes place in their back yard at Cadwell Park on 17-19 August.

#68

Tom Neave

I’ve really enjoyed this weekend and loved every minute and every lap. The team has been so welcoming and everyone has made me feel at home, I’ve progressed and got faster and faster and my confidence has grown. Sadly the races didn’t end too well for me and I am sorry to the team for the crashes, they worked so hard to get me back out for the second race and I crashed again; so sorry to Spider and the boys. In the first race I was settling in nicely, Mackenzie came past me and in hindsight, I should have sat behind him and learnt, but instead I tried to take too much out of him in one hit. I went in too hot and almost ran into the back of him, so I had to avoid and run off at one of the fastest corners, which wasn’t ideal. The second race, I was more cautious of what had happened earlier in the day. I took it nice and steady, settled into it, the CBR felt awesome and I tried to take a lunge on Cooper. It was a hotheaded moment and I ran into his back wheel, I’m just thankful I didn’t take him out as well! I’m gutted as I’ve been given a golden opportunity and I’m frustrated the weekend has ended with two crashes. I’ve learnt a hell of a lot from it today and thanks again to Harv, Honda and the boys for all their support and hard work!

#22

Jason O’Halloran

It’s been a really positive weekend for us and although the results say two sixth places, in the first race we were up into third and coming into the final chicane we had a coming together with another rider and I ended up finishing sixth. We then got another strong sixth in race two. It’s a massive step forward from Brands, it’s only two weeks, but it’s been two weeks of hard work to improve, get fitter, stronger and get the ankle better to be able to do more laps on a Friday, which we managed here and what has helped us today. The boys have worked fantastic all weekend and the Fireblade has been great – we showed that in the first race by entering the last chicane with the leaders, where at Brands I didn’t see which way they went! We’ve made a good step and I’m pleased with today’s effort, although we want more than sixth I think from where we’ve come from in such a short time, we should all be happy with what we’ve achieved.

Havier Beltran

Team Manager

We’ve made progress this weekend with Jason; he’s fitter, stronger and more determined than ever. The situation in race one is a difficult one as that was a clear podium for Jason. But these things do happen on track and we see one perspective from the TV and I know the riders will have their perspective, but it’s a real shame as it would have been a podium. But we have positives to take from this weekend as we have shown that Jason can do it and he can fight for podiums, also we have come away with a good points haul and mathematically we can still be in with a chance of a spot in the Showdown.

It’s been a pleasure having Tom on board with us; I’m pleased with what he’s achieved but also disappointed for him that he’s not finished both races today, as I feel he’d have learnt so much from it with the level and riders around him. He’s shown a lot of progress across the weekend, and it’s been refreshing to have him in the garage and see him taking on the feedback and learning every time he’s been out. It’s now onwards and upwards as we head to our home round at Cadwell Park in a few weeks’ time.

More, from a press release issued by TYCO BMW:

FARMER AND TYCO BMW EXTEND SUPERSTOCK LEAD AT TRICKY THRUXTON

It was a frustrating weekend for the Tyco BMW team at Thruxton, where unusual high track temperatures exaggerated tyre issues at the notoriously abrasive 2.256-mile Hampshire circuit.

In the Superstock 1000 class Keith Farmer increased his championship lead to 186, putting him 14 points ahead of his closest rival with four rounds remaining. Farmer had been focusing on tyre longevity throughout free practice and into qualifying rather than setting a single fast lap, however the sacrifice meant he would start on the fourth row of the grid for Sunday’s race. The Clougher rider finished up in a respectable fifth adding another 11 points to his tally.

Despite having good race pace, once again lady luck was not on Michael Laverty’s side after fighting hard and making up ten places within the opening lap of race one, he was unfortunately collected by another rider in an incident that he had no chance of avoiding. Meanwhile teammate Christian Iddon crossed the line in 13th place. The tables turned in race two as Michael Laverty finished in 13th place with Iddon falling victim to rapid tyre degradation during lap 15 and high-sided out of a potential top ten finish calling an end to his weekend’s racing.

With Keith leading the Superstock Championship, and both Christian and Michael still in the fight for a top six Showdown position, the whole team will regroup and look forward to the eighth round of the British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park in a fortnight.

“Thruxton can be a difficult circuit and although it has been good to us in the past this was a frustrating weekend to be honest. On a positive note Keith has increased his championship lead and there are better rounds ahead for him and the S1000RR SST machine. Our Superbike results today are certainly not what we had hoped for having won races and recorded podium finishes during the past few years. However we are still in the hunt and with some recent Cadwell testing under our belts we expect each of our riders to be fighting for top positions. Thanks as always to our partners Tyco and BMW Motorrad.”

Philip Neill – Team Manager

“It’s been a tough weekend, everything we tried didn’t seem to give me the feeling on the bike that I was after. It was mega to see the whole team come together and work hard to transform the bike over the weekend, but we just struggled to get rear grip with the new harder tyre. Obviously with sacrificing qualifying, we didn’t get the position we wanted on the grid for the race (P11). We got a good start, but with six laps to go I soon realised that the guys running at the front were not going to lose the grip as we expected with the softer tyre choice and we finished up in P5. Having said that, if fifth is one of our worse results then we will take that on the chin, we still managed to extend our championship lead. It’s all positive, we are still moving in the right direction in terms of points. We now head to Cadwell, where recently we had a good test and showed good pace so I’m really looking forward to that and hopefully get back on the top step!”

Keith Farmer, National Superstock 1000 #33

“We worked in the correct way this weekend focusing on tyre life over race distance. Following a strong morning warm up I felt confident for both races, unfortunately after a great first lap making up 10 positions I got taken down due to another rider’s error. Race two was as equally fustrating, from lap one I had no grip but managed to limp home to 13th. Having won at Thruxton on my last visit with Tyco BMW, it was an incredibly frustrating race day. I’m now looking forward to Cadwell park and the opportunity to close that showdown gap.”

Michael Laverty, Superbike #7

“Thruxton is always a bit of a curveball and we have seen that again this round. The weekend went well until race day, our pace has never been in question but tyre life has always been difficult. We initially thought we would run the softer tyre option but it soon became clear that was not going to be possible so we opted to run with the harder tyre. Over race distance the tyre wear was worse than we anticipated and I ended up 13th in race one which was very disappointing. We made some changes to the bike for race two and for 60% of the race we were running well but very suddenly the tyre dropped and I lost grip rapidly making corner entry a struggle, within a lap I had lost all pace and crashed. It is very fustrating that we didn’t capitalise on showdown points given that our showdown rivals were out of race contention, but we now look forward to Cadwell Park. I will work as hard as I can alongside the team to get the very best out of the package and focus on that showdown goal.”

Christian Iddon, Superbike #21

More, from a press release issued by Mason Law Racing:

QUANTUM LEAP FOR ROOKIE LAW WITH BRACE OF TOP TEN FINISHES AT THRUXTON

Benfleet’s Mason Law firmly proved his British Superbike Championship credentials on Sunday at Thruxton, taking a brace of top ten finishes on the GR Motosport Kawasaki ZX-10RR, with a best result of eighth place in race one.

The BSB rookie then went on to take a fighting tenth place in race two at the ultra-fast Hampshire circuit, having impressively been embroiled in a race long battle once again with a number of established series regulars.

Speaking afterwards Mason said: “That was a very good round for myself and the team, and all in all I’m happy with the progress we made throughout the weekend. Thruxton is a really abrasive circuit and kills tyres, so that’s what we worked to conquer from the off and I had a good feeling from the opening free practice session.”

Having qualified eighteenth, which was disappointing for Mason, he said: “Qualifying is something we really need to work on, but I didn’t let it get my head down, and I got a good start in race one. I gained positions off the line and kept making progress and finished eighth.”

With his first BSB top ten in the bag on the Team WD-40 Kawasaki ZX-10RR, it was very much a goal to repeat that feat in race two.

“We ran the softer ‘zero’ tyre this weekend and I knew that would be a strength of ours when it came to race day,” said Mason. “I was also confident and knew it would provide us with the pace to grab a better grid position for race two. It gave me confidence in my ability to go on and produce a lap time that would allow us to move up the grid.

“We made a change from race one for race two and having started the second outing in tenth place, I got a very good launch off the line. I had a really hard fight in a group that included some established BSB riders like Laverty and Bridewell and I really enjoyed it. To also to have the lead group visible in front of us was again very pleasing for me and a great feeling.”

Speaking of the race in detail, he added: “It was again all about nursing the tyre to the finish and in the closing stages I had a big moment and tucked the front through turn 3: the handlebars completely locked out. I thought, ‘here we go, we are going to exit stage left!’ but thankfully it gripped and I was careful enough afterwards, to know that I’d used the best of the front tyre. I had nothing left grip wise on the rear also at that stage, to really push in the closing stages. But to finish tenth, I was really, really happy with that.”

In closing he added: “The team did a great job all weekend and we worked through a process that allowed us to grind away and post these strong results, so full credit to Team WD-40. It was great to have our partners 1st Waste Management along this weekend, to enjoy the results with and we can really look forward to Cadwell Park now. Here’s to a positive second half of the season.”

The next round of the British Superbike Championship takes place at Cadwell in Lincolnshire on August 17/18/19th

More, from a press release issued by Halsall Racing:

TOP 10 FOR ROOKIE ROUSE AS HALSALL SQUAD TACKLES THRUXTON

THE Movuno.com Halsall Racing Suzuki team celebrated its first top 10 with rookie Chrissy Rouse as the Bennetts British Superbike Championship headed to Thruxton.

And despite the Geordie crashing out in the second race of the day, the team has headed home in good spirits and happy with the progress made at the UK’s fastest race track.

Rouse and the team’s Pirelli National Superstock 1000 rider Tom Ward both banked strong points hauls as Ward rode to a 12th place in his race, leaving team manager Colin Wright pleased with the squad’s effort.

In just his third ever BSB race weekend, Geordie Rouse started the first race from 15th position on the grid. Moving up a spot in the opening lap, he was up to 10th place by the end of lap three.

He remained within the top 10 for the rest of the race, moving as high as eighth at one point as he enjoyed a tussle with two of the series’ other young riders, taking his first ever BSB top 10 as the flag fell at the end of 20 laps.

But his hopes of bettering his result in the afternoon’s second race were dashed after a first lap crash at Cobb. Although he was stretchered away from the scene, he walked back to the garage uninjured.

“I was disappointed with the crash but at the same time I’m feeling really positive after getting that top 10 in the first race,” he said. “It was a fantastic race one, the bike just felt amazing and once I got up into the top 10 I was really enjoying it.

“In the second race, I knew I needed to try and get up into the top 10 as early as possible before the frontrunners broke away, and after a bit of a bad start I was trying to make up the ground when something happened. The riders in front were all queuing up and seemed to sit up and I had nowhere to go.

“I was a bit gutted because I really felt like I could’ve bettered the 10th place in that race but I can’t be too down. Getting my first British Superbike top 10 is brilliant and I feel in a great position now to keep moving forward as the season moves on.”

In the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship, Tom Ward took another haul of points as he crossed the line 12th after a tough 16-lap race where he struggled for grip.

The Canterbury rider had started from ninth and got a good start, holding position for the opening few laps before he began to jostle for position with a handful of other riders.

But he began to lose grip as the race reached the half-way point, and then slowly began to fall back, eventually taking 12th.

“I don’t know what happened, it started off really well but then I just lost all grip, it was really weird,” he said. “In morning warm-up we tried a different tyre and I was quicker than I had been in qualifying, so I thought the race was going to be mega.

“But once I got out there I slowly started to lose all grip and by the end I was just doing all I could to get it home. I should’ve crashed by rights, but I managed to stay upright and bring it home in the points. It’s just one of those things. I can’t be too disappointed with that and I’m happy to have finished where I did all things considered.”

Team Manager Colin Wright is pleased with the progress his team has made this weekend. “Chrissy’s result in the first race was absolutely brilliant and it’s just a shame he crashed out of the second,” he said.

“We’d discovered he was losing time in the opening lap and letting the leaders get away, so the plan was to try and push as hard as possible to make up ground early on. Unfortunately he didn’t get the best of starts so had to try and over-compensate to get higher up and he just got caught out.

“But we are still taking away the positives. A top 10 this early in his Superbike career is something to be proud of and we are all very, very pleased with his performance. Again, Chrissy was the first Suzuki home in that first race which I’m very happy about indeed.

“Tom was a bit disappointed with his result but he rode sensibly around the problem as best he could and brought it back safely in the points. Now we need to just find out what the issue was. I’m pleased with his progress and I think we’ll see both riders back dicing in the top 10 again at Cadwell Park in a fortnight.”

More, from a press release issued by OMG Racing:

It’s a win! OMG take first victory with Elliott as Rea continues to improve

It was fast and breathtakingly spectacular – no, we are not talking about Thruxton but OMG Racing Suzuki’s very own Josh Elliott! The Ulsterman delivered OMG Racing their first win since joining the British Superbike family at the start of the year in a thrilling National Superstock 1000 race which saw the lead change numerous times. In the Superbike class, Gino Rea was steadily improving throughout the weekend and that was obvious in race two, as he set quick lap times, capable of the top ten.

Coming into the Thruxton meeting, Josh Elliott had never won a race at the circuit. However, Fermanagh’s finest was to change that statistic with a sensational win – his and OMG’s first of the season. In a scintillating race that saw no less than four different leaders, Elliott placed himself in the slipstream of Lee Jackson’s FS-3 Kawasaki on the run up to the final chicane and made the crucial move to the roar of an appreciative crowd trackside. The 2015 National Superstock 1000 champion was able to hold off Taylor Mackenzie’s late dash to the line to take victory in what was one of the best races of the day, whilst also leaving the round with the fastest National Superstock 1000 lap time across the weekend. Putting truth into OMG Racing’s claim of ‘Having Fun, Winning Races’.

#JoshElliott10

“It has been an amazing weekend from start to finish. From the first session I was fast and comfortable on the OMG Suzuki and I knew we had a great chance to challenge for the win. The race was really close and I certainly didn’t get it easy, but my bike was very strong on fast sections of the track and I was confident I could go for the win! It’s an incredible feeling and I can’t thank everyone at OMG Racing enough. The belief and support they have given me is what I’ve been missing and it’s so nice to repay them with a win.”

Gino Rea had a lot to learn at the Thruxton circuit, having never been to the venue before. The Hampshire circuit is the fastest in the country and that takes some getting used to. However, the Londoner took on the challenge and completed a highly respectable weekend. Whilst race one may not have gone the way of the team, Gino was able to shave a massive 1.4 seconds off his time from race one during race two – a time that would’ve put him 6th on the grid had there been a third race. In another learning weekend, there were many positives behind the results.

#GinoRea44

“Firstly, I’d like to congratulate Josh and the whole OMG Racing team for recording their first race win in the National Superstock 1000 class; it was a brilliant race and I’m over the moon for everyone involved!

“On my side the emotions are more mixed; there were some very positive moments this weekend, but a few negatives too. I learnt the circuit quite quickly and by FP3 I was able to be inside the top 14. Qualifying didn’t go to plan with a small technical issue but we rebounded to finish 13th in the Sunday morning warm up; closing the gap to +0.727 from the fastest, which was a great boost for us.

“Unfortunately we had an issue in race one and I was not able to finish or put a competitive lap time in so I started 25th for race two. I had a great start and my pace for the first half of the race was quite respectable, I was just behind the group of riders from 11th – 15th but as the tyre dropped off I just couldn’t keep up the pace. We could have possibly used the other tyre but we didn’t think that would last either.

“Regardless, there’s still a couple of areas I feel we need to work on but it’s not easy when I am adapting to the circuits at the same time. Cadwell is another circuit I don’t know very well, but I have been there recently whilst teaching on a track day, so at least I know which direction it goes!

“I’d like to thank the OMG Racing team for their continued efforts, I’m confident that it will all be worth it when we achieve the results we want!”

Team manager, Paul Curran was ecstatic at the National Superstock 1000 victory and whilst some more pace is needed on the Superbike, he feels the atmosphere in the team is fantastic and that more good times are just a round the corner for both riders.

Paul Curran, Team Manager

“Thruxton was always going to be a tough one for Gino as he’d had zero track time on the fastest track on the calendar that wasn’t an easy start. By the end of FP3 I was very impressed with what he had managed to achieve during the three practice sessions. From experience I know Thruxton is a tough circuit to master, and by the end of FP3 he was .65 away from the front row.

“Unfortunately in qualifying and in race one we had two separate parts fail on the bike which hampered Gino’s progress further. The bike was all sorted for race two but Gino was on the back foot from not completing a full race distance in race one. Gino moved forward from his grid position and improved in areas throughout the race. It was a top effort from Gino and I know the results didn’t do us justice, but I believe for his first ever visit to Thruxton we couldn’t have asked for much more.

“Josh had a very successful weekend and from FP1 he was on the pace very early on. We refined the setup of the bike throughout the weekend working on a race pace setup. Qualifying on the front row, I was also very impressed with Josh’s race craft; he was very strong in some areas of the track and he maximised on that. He has given OMG their first of, hopefully, many wins.

“Well done to Josh & Gino for a top effort and a big thank you to the team. It wasn’t easy working in the heat all weekend but them and the whole team did a top job as ever.”

Crew Chief Ray Stringer was delighted with Josh Elliott and his fantastic win at the Hampshire circuit; whereas areas of improvement for Gino and the Superbike are another extract from the weekend.

Ray Stringer, Crew Chief

“We obviously still have work to do with the Superbike and Gino but I am absolutely over the moon for the OMG team with their first win at the hands of Josh in the Superstock race. It was a hard-fought race and Josh’s race-craft was crucial for being placed in a good position on the last lap.”