Contenders ready! Title Fighters ready! Oulton Park triple-header to decide Showdown six this weekend
Oulton Park’s MCE British Superbike Championship triple-header this weekend (September 9/10/11) will decide which six riders will fight it out for the title in the end of season Showdown for the 2016 MCE BSB title. Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne, Leon Haslam and Jason O’Halloran have already confirmed their places in the Showdown, but nine other riders will be fighting for the final three Title Fighter positions.
Leading the chasing contenders into the Cheshire event is Michael Laverty; the Tyco BMW rider has been in this position before and came out with the Showdown position, so he is confident that he can deliver the results required. However he holds just a two-point advantage over Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot and he is desperate to join his team-mate O’Halloran in the final title fight.
The rider closest to the danger zone is James Ellison; he was a podium finisher at Oulton Park earlier in the year but he is just five points behind Linfoot whilst seventh-placed Luke Mossey and Richard Cooper are level on points and just seven points behind.
Cooper, Mossey, Peter Hickman, Christian Iddon and Tommy Bridewell are all in with a chance of snatching the positions away in the crucial final round of the Main Season ahead of the three-round Showdown, so tensions will be high as the contenders head to Oulton Park!
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings:
1. Shane Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati) 272
2. Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 251
3. Jason O’Halloran (Honda Racing) 211
4. Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) 147
5. Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) 145
6. James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 140
7. Richard Cooper (Buildbase BMW) 133
= Luke Mossey (Buildbase BMW) 133
9. Peter Hickman (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 128
10. Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) 120
11. Tommy Bridewell (Bennetts Suzuki) 109
12. Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati) 88
For more information visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW)
4th in the standings
“I guess I am in an identical position to what I was 12 months ago and to be honest I am disappointed about being in this position again as I really think we have had more speed this year so we should have had it boxed down by now.
“We have had good days and bad days over the last few rounds but I am looking forward to this weekend even though it is a high pressure situation again – when the lights go out a race is a race and we are there to do the best job we can.
“We need three strong races and we need to be consistent. We were on the pace at the test earlier in the year, I did my fastest ever lap there and I think we could have been stronger if the race hadn’t been weather affected.
“In the past Oulton Park in the past has been a difficult circuit for me but I am feeling really positive. If we are strong in the three races the Showdown will take care of itself. I know what I need to do; it’s just a case of delivering it.”
Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing)
5th in the standings
“I am looking forward to Oulton Park; we have been fast this season, but we have had a few rounds where we have been a bit inconsistent. I know there are four races where we had the potential to score some good points and if we had done that then we wouldn’t be in such a tight position now where we are still fighting for the top six.
“The fact it’s a triple-header could work either way; it can be an opportunity to take big points haul, but at the same time, one mistake could cost you your place in the Showdown. I am going to Oulton Park this weekend knowing we need to get the Showdown place locked in as soon as possible, because it hasn’t gone our way recently for various reasons and I want to turn that around.
“I think the last few rounds haven’t shown my true potential and the results have been a bit inconstant, but this weekend is my chance to put it right and I am going to be giving it everything I can to get in there and get the place.”
James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki)
6th in the standings
“I love Oulton Park so I am pleased it is a three race weekend there and of course the aim is to be back on the podium in all three races and try and close down on some of those podium points we have missed out on.
“I am feeling confident; we need to come back strong here and claw back the points we have lost and I know we can do that once we have fixed the issue we have been experiencing with the throttle connection.
“We know we should be in the top six and the team have been working hard to resolve it, which they believe they have after Cadwell Park. Everyone has closed in on us, but you can guarantee that we will be doing everything we can to be in the top six after the three races this weekend.”