Impressive Buckingham tastes champagne JAMES BUCKINGHAM took a fairy-tale third place podium finish and set a new lap record at today’s Castle Combe Grand National during his debut ride for Rizla Suzuki. Buckingham, substituting for regular Rizla Suzuki rider John Reynolds, fought for the victory throughout a nail-biting dry second race that saw five riders fighting for the win from start to finish. He set a brilliant new lap record of 1min09.93s in the process. Rizla Suzuki’s James Haydon led for most of the second race. A coming together with a back marker with two laps to go relegated him to second and he was pushed back to fourth at the penultimate corner after running off the track to avoid colliding with another rider. He rejoined to finish fourth. The opening race of the day was held in wet conditions and cut short after just eight of the 15-laps. Haydon took fifth and Buckingham sixth on the bumpy and slippery 1.85-mile-long Wiltshire track. Yamaha’s Tommy Hill won both races. JR will join James Haydon at Silverstone in Northamptonshire for an official MCRCB test on Tuesday, August 2nd. James Buckingham will be defending his lead in the Superbike Privateer Cup at the ninth round of the British Superbike Championship at Silverstone on August 21st. James Buckingham: “I loved riding for Rizla Suzuki this weekend and I think I have proved that with a Factory bike and good team I can run at the front in the Superbike class. I was going for the win in the second race and that was a fantastic experience.” James Haydon: “I am disappointed not to have won the second race. We are getting a lot closer to winning every time we race and I am hungrier than ever for success. On the positive side, we got more miles under our belts this weekend and understand the Rizla Suzuki better now. We are in good shape for the rest of the season.” Dave Marton, Team Technical Support: “James Buckingham has really impressed us and done a superb job – he is a star for the future and we thank him for his efforts this weekend. James Haydon tested a lot of settings on his Rizla Suzuki and that was always our main objective for the weekend. He deserved to win the second race but a bit of bad luck intervened and the team will be content with the third place for Buckingham.” Race One Result: 1: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 10:28.75, 2: Karl Harris (Honda) +2.25, 3: Steve Plater (Honda) +6.99, 4: Jonathan Rea (Honda) +7.51, 5: JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI) +7.91, 6: JAMES BUCKINGHAM (RIZLA SUZUKI) +18.22, 7: Ollie Bridewell (Kawasaki) +18.46, 8: Richard Wren (Yamaha) +18.76, 9: Nick Pusey (Yamaha) +19.21, 10: Steve Brogan (Honda) +22.17 Race Two Result: 1: Hill 21:18.94, 2: Harris +0.47, 3: JAMES BUCKINGHAM (RIZLA SUZUKI) +1.88, 4: JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI) +4.40, 5: Wren +11.46, 6: Rea +20.17, 7: Bridewell +21.53, 8: Brogan +31.05, 9: Les Shand (Yamaha) +36.17, 10: Dean Ellison (Yamaha) +43.83. More, from a press release issued by Wayside Racing: Castle Combe Superbike Grand National Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st July 2005 SIX OF THE BEST FOR THE BRIDEWELL BROTHERS HAT TRICK HEROES TOMMY AND OLLIE CLEAN UP AT CASTLE COMBE Brothers Tommy and Ollie Bridewell, from Etchilhampton near Devizes in Wiltshire, both scored a superb hat trick of victories in their respective classes when big time bike racing visited their local Castle Combe circuit for the second annual Superbike Grand National this weekend. Younger brother Tommy, who celebrates his 17th birthday next month, took the Wayside Racing 600 Yamaha to a double victory in the Formula 600 class as well as adding the Stars of the Future Crown to his list of successes over the rain blighted weekend. Elder brother Ollie, 19, scored a victory in both races for the Independents Cup in the main Superbike races aboard his 1000cc Vivaldi Kawasaki as well as taking victory in the Pro Bike Open Class whereby he also finished in second place in the opening race. And just for good measure the 20,000 crowd went home happy when they had heard that Ollie had been awarded the Man of the Meeting Trophy. “What an awesome weekend. The weather conditions made it very difficult at times but having led both Superbike races outright in the early stages I know that that is where I can comfortably run and that is where I want to be next year. It’s been an unbelievable weekend and especially good because this is our local circuit” said Ollie. Younger brother Tommy commented: “I nearly crashed out of a couple of the races because the weather was making it very hard for us but once I got my head down and concentrated on the job in hand it was fairly easy. I’m delighted with my hat trick and with Ollie’s three wins as well, it’s been a good weekend for Team Bridewell.” Wayside Racing team owner Marcus Bridewell summed up his sons’ exploits at Castle Combe: “Simply brilliant, they have done us proud this weekend. Sometimes when things are going against you, you question your motivation but we’ve had a wonderful weekend here and both boys thoroughly deserve their successes.” Both Tommy and Ollie will be in action at the next round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Silverstone on 20th and 21st August.