MILWAUKEE YAMAHA CONTINUE POINTS HAUL DESPITE KNOCKHILL CHALLENGES
The Milwaukee Yamaha team have moved up to second in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings at Knockhill as Josh Brookes scored a pair of fourth places, with Tommy Bridewell overcoming a difficult weekend to finish inside the top seven.
In the opening race of the weekend Brookes was determined to take the fight to pole-sitter Ryuichi Kiyonari and standings leader Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne, but the Australian was unable to match his pace from qualifying day and narrowly missed out on a podium in race one by 0.235s to Stuart Easton. The second race continued in a similar pattern for Brookes and despite a battle with Chris Walker, he doubled up on fourth places at the Fife circuit.
Bridewell had overcome a tenth place qualifying start to move up the order before a brake issue caused him to drop back down the order to fight for sixth place. In race two Bridewell was fighting to carve his way through the field when the issue reoccurred but rode a mature race to finish seventh, remaining inside the top six in the standings.
Brookes said: “I am a bit confused with today really. I used the same bike and the same tyres all weekend, but yesterday we were able to set a better pace than we have today. It wasn’t a particularly different day from the rest of the weekend here in terms of conditions and yet I don’t know where the lap time went. I tried everything to go faster and ride harder, but what was really frustrating for me was not that I came fourth, but that Shakey wasn’t his dominant self and I wasn’t able to capitalise. It is when he is having a bad day that I have got to have a good day. When he is having a poor weekend by his regular standards it was an opportunity for me to pounce and I fumbled. I am frustrated and I don’t have any answers so I have just got to put this round behind me and work on going further ahead at Brands Hatch.”
Bridewell said: “This weekend the team have done an amazing job. We obviously had a problem in free practice three which set us back, but to a degree it didn’t as I qualified seventh. We have had a good weekend and I can’t fault the team, but unfortunately in the races all of a sudden we had a brake issue which basically cost me a couple of podiums today. I am a bit disappointed because if you look at my lap times and my overall race pace I know for a fact that we would have been fighting for the podium. I have to look at the positives and I think we have shown good form. The result have not been what we wanted by far, but we managed to salvage results which is why we have to look at it positively.”
Team co-ordinator Mick Shanley said: “It has been a trying weekend really but we will take the positives out of it. Josh has moved up to second in the standings, whilst we didn’t end up with a podium, we had two fourth places which showed consistency. We have a bit of a question at the moment as we are not really sure where we lost performance today. We just couldn’t match the pace we had yesterday so we need to go back to the workshop and try and resolve that. I think that Tommy had a couple of issues in the races, but overall he has had quite a strong weekend after everything that happened for him in practice and in qualifying. I think that the whole team has worked really well together during a tough weekend and we have now got to focus on moving forward at Brands Hatch.”
For more information visit www.milwaukeeyamaha.com
More, form a press release issued by Jayson Uribe’s publicist:
Uribe Secures Scottish Podium After Fighting For The Win
The latest round of the BSB Motostar championship took American youngster Jayson Uribe across the Forth Road Bridge and deep into the Scottish hills for race four of his 2014 campaign at the shortest circuit on the calendar, Knockhill with the talented teen securing another brilliant podium finish after a race long battle for the win.
A small crash in Friday’s Free Practice didn’t deter the teenager as he bounced back to claim a second row start with a very commendable 5th position on the grid.
When race day dawned it was unusually dry (Knockhill is renowned for unpredicatable weather) and after posting the 2nd fastest time in morning Warm-Up the entire FPW Honda team was excited and confident at what could be come race time.
As the riders lined up on the grid a few spots of rain began to fall but by the time the warm up laps were completed it was clear that the weather wouldn’t play a part in proceedings.
Jayson made a typically good start and as the field headed downhill into turn one slotted into a comfortable 2nd position, where he would stay until lap 10 when he was passed by Joe Irving.
The leading trio were then locked together in an enthralling battle that pulled them clear of the fourth placed rider and chasing pack with Jayson putting in the best race of his BSB career so far.
Such is the nature of the tight and twisty Scottish circuit that backmarkers often play a part in the final outcome of races and with a group of 8 slower riders to negotiate Jayson used his head, safely passing the group but losing a small amount of time to the leading two.
Despite coming under a little pressure in the closing stages, Jayson clung on to a well-deserved and hard fought podium place at the flag, experiencing his first ever LIVE TV interview, and consolidating his 3rd position overall in the championship standings. Yesterday’s result was also his 16th consecutive BSB point scoring finish – an impressive record, and one he can continue to build on at the next round.
Jayson Uribe – 3rd position: “I had a great race. I rode hard and was battling for the lead for part of the race. When Joe Irving got passed me I decided to hang back and watch what would happen, but I hit some slower traffic and they both pulled a gap. From then on I just wanted to bring it home in third. When I saw my gap back to 4th go from 3 seconds to zero in one lap after I hit more traffic I was a bit worried, but luckily my FPW Honda was quick enough to hold on and we finished on the podium. It’s great to head to the next round knowing that I can run at the front now. Thanks to everyone who has helped get me here. I can’t do this without you guys, and I can’t explain how appreciative I am of your support. Roll on Brands Hatch!”
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office:
It was a tough weekend at the fourth round of the British Superbike Championship at Knockhill for Tyco Suzuki’s John Hopkins and Josh Waters, but with three weeks to prepare for round five at the Brands Hatch GP circuit, 2011 BSB runner-up Hopkins has vowed to come out fighting.
Said Hopkins: “The package is definitely there and the potential is there also. We just need to put it all together like I had done in FP3. I was able to put together quite a few good laps. I did a long stint and although I was around sixth on the time sheets, my ideal lap-time was just as good as anybody.
“It’s just a matter of sticking it all together at Brands as we really do have the potential. We do need to improve in some small areas, but I’m going to be busting myself on the run-up to Brands, just as I have done for the past month as I’m sick of not being on the podium.
“Brands Hatch GP is a good circuit for me and I think the Tyco Suzuki will go really well there. The Suzuki handled really well for me there in the past, so there’s no reason why we can’t come good there again.”
Recounting his weekend at Knockhill, Hopkins added: “We were making good headway in and around the top five, but we made a horrible qualifying practice. I myself made a mistake not putting a lap together in Q2. It started raining quite heavily on the screen and when the group ahead of me pulled in, I also pulled in.
“I was right on the bubble of qualifying, so could have done with staying out there and putting in a time, as being so far back on the grid at a track like Knockhill, where it’s really difficult to pass, it was always going to make for a difficult race one, and it did.”
Speaking of race one he said: “I had a horrible start and from then it was just a matter of trying to make-up positions. With some of the acceleration deficit we were having, I was trying to set-up to make a pass on the corner before, which means running it a little bit wide and getting it picked-up early, so I can get a considerable drive on them.
“Problem was, every time I was trying to set-up the person ahead of me, someone would come shooting up the inside. That means I would lose a position then have to use the rest of the lap to get past them and produce a big enough gap to do the same again.”
Race two at Knockhill showed a lot more promise for the American, but a small error halted his chances of a business-end finish, as he explained. “In the second race we had a better start and got away with the group. I just made a big mistake on the brakes coming into the last turn.
“I could see that I was getting in there really, really hot and I ended-up locking the front and smoking off the front tyre. I messed-up the back shift, hit a false neutral and ran off the track, leaving me well behind the group.
“Fortunately I was able to get back by the group that had passed by me but there was miles of track ahead of me to the front guys. We’ve just made it hard work for ourselves at the start of the season, but hopefully we can turn a corner at Brands on the GP circuit.”
Team Manager Philip Neill summed-up the Knockhill event, saying: “Although it was another difficult weekend for us, I must say Knockhill 2014 was an excellent event all round, so well done to all involved.
“Unfortunately we don’t have a lot to say in terms of results: a weekend that promised so much with John’s pace throughout practice did not deliver what I feel we deserved. Everyone is working extremely hard and I know the package of the GSX-R and our riders is capable of so much more. Hopefully we can show our full potential very soon, starting at Brands Hatch.”
Knockhill BSB Results:
Race 1 – John Hopkins 9th / Josh Waters DNF.
Race 2 – John Hopkins 11th/ Josh Waters 16th.
Knockhill Supersport Results:
Race 1 – Taylor Mackenzie 9th.
Race 2 – Taylor Mackenzie DNF.
More, from a press release issued by Danny Buchan’s publicist:
THIRD ‘STOCK THOU’ WIN IN FOUR RACES FOR BUCHAN IN BONNY SCOTLAND
Round 4 – Knockhill News:
Resplendent in his all-new Crabbie’s livery, pole position man Danny Buchan took his third win in four races, extending his lead at the top of the Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc class to 29 points – following today’s encounter at Knockhill in Scotland.
The 21-year-old Basildon lad, who took a commanding 10 second victory, also set a new class lap record for the ’stock thousand bikes at the Fife venue – with a blistering lap of 49.195sec on the third lap of 24 at the undulating 1.26-mile circuit.
The ever-smiling ‘DB’ said afterwards: “We just got out front to see what we could do and looked to put consistent laps together. I looked down at my lap timer and saw a ‘forty-nine one’ and thought, ‘just keep it’ and continued to set my own pace. I saw the gap increasing and kept chipping away, so thanks to my sponsors for their continued support – and I hope everyone liked the Crabbies’ design for today. It was nice to put them on the top step here in Scotland.”
Race Result
Winner – Danny Buchan [Tsingtao Racing Kawasaki]; 2nd – Lee Jackson [BMW] +9.932sec; 3rd – David Johnson [Kawasaki] +10.319sec; 4th – Jason O’Halloran [Honda] +10.416sec; 5th – Dominic Usher [Kawasaki] +13.232sec; 6th – Daniel Johnson [Kawasaki] +16.385sec
Fastest Lap [New class lap record] Danny Buchan 92.71mph
Crabbie’s Information
Crabbie’s Ginger Beer is a sparkling Ginger Beer produced by John Crabbie & Company in Edinburgh since 2009. Crabbie first imported ginger to make the beverage from the Far East into the port of Leith, Edinburgh in 1801.
More, from a press release issued by Mar-Train Racing:
SEELEY THIRD IN CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER TOUGH WEEKEND AT KNOCKHILL
Alastair Seeley maintained third place in the British Supersport Championship table, following his fifth place in today’s middleweight encounter at Knockhill in Scotland.
Seeley battled at the rear end of the lead group throughout the 26-lap encounter, which was punctuated early on after the safety car was deployed. A small mistake into the last turn at mid-distance dropped the former Supersport champion out of the running for a podium finish, leaving him to fight right to the line with Glenn Irwin for fifth place.
The Ulsterman is now looking forward to getting back to the fast flowing Brands Hatch GP circuit in three weeks’ time, as he looks to get his championship challenge back into full swing.
Seeley said: “We struggled with the same problem in both races this weekend with the bike backing into the final turn. While others enjoy that style of riding, I prefer a more in-line set-up on corner entry, which left me struggling both on corner entry and corner exit.
I was also struggling to get the bike off the line this weekend, but that’s racing. There’s no doubting the speed of the Mar-Train Racing R6 and the strength of the package – we just need to make the most of it at Brands in a few weeks’ time and get back into the championship mix.”
Team Principal Tim Martin added: “There’s no hiding the fact that it hasn’t been our best weekend, but on a positive note we did score points in both races and moved up to third in the table. Billy has stretched his lead in the title chase to 41 points over his team-mate and fifty over Alastair – so effectively, the title is currently his to manage.
“As Alastair has already explained, the Mar-Train package is a proven one, so we just need to look and see where he’s not so comfortable and find a compromise that allows him to run back at the front at Brands Hatch. It’s early days in the championship chase and I’m sure there are a few twists and turns to come.”
Supersport Feature Race Result
Winner: Luke Mossey [Triumph]; 2nd – Billy McConnell [Triumph] +2.371sec; 3rd – Luke Stapleford [Triumph] +2.823sec; 4th – Jake Dixon [Yamaha] +3.280sec; 5th – Alastair Seeley [Mar-Train Yamaha] +5.010sec
Championship Points
Billy McConnell 152
Graeme Gowland 111
Alastair Seeley 102
Luke Stapleford 102
Glenn Irwin 100
More, from a press release issued by Luke Mossey Racing:
Win for Luke Mossey
Knockhill – Round 4
www.facebook.com/LukeMosseyRacing
At round four of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Knockhill Circuit, Luke Mossey on the Teccare Profile Triumph had a mixed weekend with a seventh in the opening race but then an awesome win in the main race on Sunday.
Luke was riding well all weekend and had qualified in fifth place on the grid for the first race, with the incoming weather conditions Luke gained a good start but as the weather deteriorated he eased off and ended up finishing race one in seventh.
For the main feature race on Sunday Luke was eager for a good result and in one of the most exciting Supersport races of the season he was able to finally take his first race win of the season. The Triumph riders were swapping and dicing for positions on every lap and in the closing laps Luke was able to get to the front, get his head down and take a stunning win by 2.3 seconds.
The safety car was sent out for the first six laps of the race and entered pit lane just before the start of lap seven. Luke was dicing for first with his team-mate Luke Stapleford and Billy McConnell; the trio were swapping places throughout the 26-lap race. Luke was able to take the lead at the end of lap 19 and from then on continued to push and extend his lead until the end of the race.
Luke Mossey – “This weekend was such a contrast, I was feeling good all weekend but when the rain came during the first race I just eased off, I didn’t want to crash and didn’t want to end up hurt so I went for the best points I could get. I was pleased to see it dry today and was really keen to make amends from yesterday. The first few laps were hectic, well most of the race was, I kept making a few mistakes but once I got to the front I just got my head down and tried to be consistent. My laps were really quick in the closing stages and I’m just really thankful to all my team at Teccare Profile Triumph, they worked so hard and I’m just so pleased I could repay them for a win, the drive home won’t seem so long now! I can’t wait for Brands now.”
Personal Sponsors 2014
Sidi, Shoei, GB Racing, SMV, Teccare, Motul, Hel, Samco, Brembo, Gi-Moto, Doodson, Sabre Sport, K Tech, JMC, Krombacher
Twitter – LukeMossey12
Facebook – www.facebook.com/LukeMosseyRacing
More, from a press release issued by Smiths Racing Triumph:
Win For Gowland And Podiums For McConnell At Knockhill
The Smiths Triumph Racing Team enjoyed another strong weekend at the fourth round of the 2014 Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Knockhill with Graeme Gowland and Billy McConnell taking three out of a possible four podiums from the two races.
Northumberland rider Gowland added to his recent Snetterton double when he won Saturday’s Sprint race whilst a brace of second places allowed McConnell to extend his championship lead to a healthy 41 points for the Gloucester-based team.
After their second successive one-two in qualifying aboard the factory-backed Triumph 675R machines, it was Gowland who lined up in pole position to take his first pole of the year, for Saturday’s 18-lap race. From there, the Allendale near Hexham rider made a blistering start, before consistently extending his lead over the next few laps. With a lead of 2.5 seconds, the race was red-flagged at two thirds distance due to a rain shower meaning Graeme took the win ahead of Billy allowing the 2012 British Supersport champions to record their fifth successive one-two race finish.
Today’s 26-lap Feature race saw mixed fortunes for the team as pole sitter Gowland only got as far as the second corner before crashing out, fortunately without injury. That left Australian McConnell, from Adelaide, to fly the flag and although he got boxed in at the start and slipped back to fifth, he regrouped and as the race wore on he moved forward, eventually taking over second place with just three laps to go.
Billy McConnell: “I think Graeme called upon all his motocross experience in race one as he got a good gate and was gone. To begin with, I was able to close in a bit but with the rain coming on, I thought about the fact I was leading the championship and opted to play it safe and settle for second. The rain got progressively worse so it was the right call to end the race and it was another perfect one-two for the team, our fifth in a row. In today’s race, I saw Graeme go down early on and it was unfortunate for him but I got stuck in and fought my way up to second so it’s been a good weekend for me with a good haul of points so a big thanks to everyone at the Smiths Triumph team.”
Graeme Gowland: “I just got my head down from the start on Saturday, the same as what I did at Snetterton, and I wanted to lead from the front and run my own race. I’ve found a really good setting with the bike and can run quick, consistent laps but it was difficult with the rain as it was hard to know how hard to push and how slippery it was. I made a mistake into turn one in today’s race and I lost the front end. I saved it but then it went again and I was in the gravel. It’s a shame as that’s three DNFs now this season but I can’t be too downhearted as I’ve been on a good run and I’m so happy as the team are doing a great job which is allowing me to ride fast. I’ll re-group and look to put together another run of wins and claw back the gap again.”
John Trigger, Crew Chief: “Graeme had a great ride on Saturday and took a deserved win so it’s a shame he crashed out early on Sunday as he’d been faultless all weekend up until that point. Thankfully, he was completely uninjured but after clawing back points since his first round DNF, he’s now got to do it again. Billy’s had a strong weekend with a brace of seconds and with it being a mixed bag for some of our championship rivals, he’s been able to extend his lead significantly so we’re all leaving Knockhill in an upbeat frame of mind. We’re really looking forward to the next round at Brands Hatch as we’ve got a great package that works really well around the GP circuit and with both riders riding so well, we can’t wait to get there and hopefully grab more wins and podiums.”
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Race One (12 laps)
1 Graeme Gowland (Smiths Triumph)
2 Billy McConnell (Smiths Triumph)
3 Luke Stapleford (Triumph)
4 Luke Jones (Triumph)
5 Jake Dixon (Yamaha)
6 Alastair Seeley (Yamaha)
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Race Two (26 laps)
1 Luke Mossey (Triumph)
2 Billy McConnell (Smiths Triumph)
3 Luke Stapleford (Triumph)
4 Jake Dixon (Yamaha)
5 Alastair Seeley (Yamaha)
6 Glenn Irwin (Kawasaki)
DNF Graeme Gowland (Smiths Triumph)
Championship standings (after four rounds)
1 McConnell 152pts
2 Gowland 111
3 Stapleford 102
= Seeley 102
5 Irwin 100
6 Jones 87
The next round of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship takes place at Brands Hatch over the weekend of July 18/20th
More, from a press release issued by Jake Dixon Racing:
Jake Dixon – Knockhill Round 4
www.facebook.com/JakeDixonRacing
Jake Dixon riding on the Appleyard Macadam Doodson Yamaha had a fantastic weekend at round four of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Knockhill. The 18-year-old from Dover secured a fifth and fourth place respectively in the two races.
After a disappointing weekend at Snetterton Jake was eager to come to Knockhill and leave with confidence. He had a good qualifying session and placed himself in fourth place on the grid for the sprint race on Saturday, he got a fantastic start and was second into turn one. He rode a strong race and when the race was red flagged due to rain he was awarded a solid fifth position.
For the main feature race he was feeling confident and with the ideal weather conditions and a dry track the youngster really wanted to get a good result. He qualified in fifth place for the second race on Sunday and he rode a very strong and mature race to finish the top Yamaha behind a Triumph dominated class.
He gained another fantastic start and after the safety car came back in after six laps he got his head down and was involved in a thrilling race fending off challenges from every angle. He rode maturely and his times were quick throughout the race and he really had to fight hard to get fourth, he was very close to a rostrum finish in the closing stages.
Jake Dixon – “I’m so pleased with the results this weekend at Knockhill it is just what we. We’ve had a bit of a run of bad luck and to leave this weekend with two solid races under my belt makes me really happy. The next round is my most local round at Brands Hatch and it is one of my favourite circuits, so I’m hoping we can continue this form there. I must thank everyone in the Appleyard Macadam Doodson Yamaha team for all their hard work this weekend after my bike problem on Friday. They turned everything around and gave me a great bike to race out here this weekend against some very quick Triumphs. It’s great to leave here on a high and also thanks to all my personal sponsors for their help so far this season. The races were very tough and I had to ensure I kept my concentration throughout, I dug deep, my lap times were really good and I’m walking away happy and looking forward to Brands.”
2014 Personal Sponsors
Shoei – Daytona – Forcefield Body Armour – Ovendens – Mutleys – Feridax – Transtore Logistics – Herbalife anyone wishing to sponsor Jake this season with product or funding please get in touch – [email protected]
Team Sponsors
Appleyard – Macadam – Doodson – Yamaha
Facebook – www.facebook.com/JakeDixonRacing
Twitter – @DixonJake
More, from a press release issued by Be Wiser Kawasaki:
Be Wiser Kawasaki Team
Podium for Collier
Knockhill
The Be Wiser Kawasaki team had a very strong weekend at the MCE British Superbike Championship at Knockhill this weekend. In the Pirelli National Superstock 600 race Joe Collier secured a podium finishing in third place and Nick Anderson gained eighth place. In the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 race Josh Day gained ninth place.
In the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship Josh Day was having a steady weekend and was 13th in the qualifying session. He got a good start and held his position over the line on the opening lap. He was locked in an eight bike battle and gained ninth place at the end of the 24-laps.
Josh Day – “I came here ready and was looking forward to the weekend, we made the wrong decision on gearing in first practice so we missed some time there. We made some changes for first qualifying and I gained 13th place but knew we had more to come, unfortunately the weather took a turn for the worse on Saturday and our second session was wet. I ended up third in that but obviously they take our dry qualifying positions for the grid so I was 13th. We made some set up changes for warm up but they weren’t right so we went back to the drawing board. Everything was really good for the race and I got a really good start and was running in a good place but I got arm pump, something I’ve never suffered with before and it caused me to lose several places. I tried to relax in the closing stages of the race and the arm pump eased and I was able to make a pass on the last lap for ninth. I have moved up in the Championship now also which is great and would like to thank all involved especially Jono and Craig.”
In the Pirelli National Superstock 600 class the Be Wiser Kawasaki riders Joe Collier gained a fantastic podium of third place and his team-mate Nick Anderson a very good eighth position. Joe qualified well on the front row in second place and Nick was 12th. Joe got a good start and was second but was being hounded by Tarran Mackenzie, whose father Niall was an ex British Superbike Champion and also Scotsman.
Joe was setting some super-fast lap times and the front four were all under the current lap record, the pace was fast and Joe rode a mature and strong race to gain third. Nick also got a great start and was locked in a very close battle for the entire race and he rode extremely well to finish in eighth.
Joe Collier – “I couldn’t have done anything more in the race today, the pace was really quick and I knew not to do anything stupid and think about the points in the Championship. The Be Wiser Kawasaki team worked really hard all weekend and the bike really worked well here. I rode hard and pushed hard but I could only gain third but some good Championship points. I know it’s not first but I would like to dedicate my third place to Tony Pepper, my girlfriends Grandad.”
Nick Anderson – “I’m really pleased with my result this weekend and once again I have managed to be consistent and score some more Championship points. I just need to sort out my qualifying as I know during the race I can put in good times and run consistently well. The Be Wiser Kawasaki felt great and worked really well all weekend and I’m just really pleased to have gained some more good results and really looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Team Owner/Manager Alan Greig – “All the riders had pretty good qualifying this weekend in the first session on Friday and we knew in the team that we were able to improve in second qualifying on Saturday but the weather played a part and the rain put stop to any faster times.
Josh got a great start in the race and was looking good for a top five finish, unfortunately arm pump affected his performance, he backed off and relaxed and was able to make some passes in the closing parts of the race. It was a great finish and now he is 10th in the overall Championship standings.
In the Stock 600 class it was a great start for Joe and he had a good battle with local rider Tarran Mackenzie, we knew Tarran would be strong round here and Joe rode exceptional hard to try and go for second but he rode a mature race and secured third and some good points, he is now lying in fourth in the Championship.
Nick also got a fantastic start and his performance was once again so consistent and worked his way up through the pack. Once again at every race in the race he improves his times on every lap and once he can sort out his qualifying position he will be able to push for a podium.
It was a very productive weekend for the Be Wiser Kawasaki team and all three riders finished in the top ten in their respective races and we are only at round four. I’m really happy with the huge progress we have already made at only round four and we are very much looking forward to the rest of the year.”
2014 Sponsors
Be Wiser Insurance – Kais Ohlins – Kawasaki Motors UK – B&C Express – Renthal – Britool Expert – Dickies – Activ 8 – Anglia Interiors – Cups Direct – Eazi Grip – Foulger Transport – Garnell Nutrition – GR Race Graphics – GB Racing – HM Quickshifter – HM Racing – University of Lincoln – No Limits Track Days – PR Trackbike Hire – Samco – Sani Clad – Tanker & General – The Shires Inn – Venhill – Direct Distribition – SBS – Saville – Jarbtech
More, from a press release issued by Marty Nutt’s publicist:
Podium joy at Knockhill for Nutt
Castlerock’s Marty Nutt enjoyed a good weekend of racing at Knockhill, scene of the third round of the 2014 Ducati TriOptions Cup, and the Ducati Coventry/JHP Racing/Nutttravel.com rider was able to claim a brace of third place finishes, his first podiums of the year, to move up to third overall in the Championship table.
Having qualified in second place, Saturday’s 15-lap race got underway with rain threatening but, fortunately, it held off and after the perfect start, Marty completed the opening lap in the lead. On the second lap, polesitter and circuit specialist Dennis Hobbs edged ahead with Championship leader Leon Morris pushing Marty back to third three laps later. There was only 1.5s covering the top six at half race distance and although Rob Guiver pushed Marty back another spot, he retaliated immediately and promptly pulled away to claim third place and his first podium of the year.
Starting from fourth on the grid for the second race, two of Marty’s main rivals, Guiver and Sean Neary, were forced to miss the race, and he was eager to take advantage and move further up the Championship table. A solid start saw him maintain his start position and although the front three riders, Hobbs, Morris and Paul McClung, opened up a substantial gap, he was secure in fourth and when local star McClung crashed out spectacularly on the tenth lap, Marty was promoted into third and here he stayed for the closing stages to secure his second successive podium finish.
Marty Nutt: “I’m still experiencing a few rear slides throughout the race, which I’m not quite sure what’s causing them, but they’re just enough to make me sit up and lose a bit of momentum and drive out of the corners. I tried something different in warm-up but that made it worse so I went back to my qualifying settings for the first race and although they were still happening, I could control them without having to close the throttle too much. Rob came by me but I managed to get by him almost straightaway and by focusing on Leon, I was able to pull away and keep third.”
“I knew the second race would follow a similar pattern as the front four of us had a bit more pace than the others and with McClung not being a Championship contender, I had a good guess he’d be pushing hard. I was almost expecting him to come off so when he did it put me up to third and I brought the bike home for another good podium. It’s a shame Leon has had such a strong start to the season as he’s already got a healthy lead but we’ll keep plugging away and this weekend’s been very positive. The aim was to get on the podium, which I’ve achieved, and the races come thick and fast now so the season’s really up and running.”
The next round of the series takes place at Brands Hatch in three week’s time on July 18-20.
Ducati TriOptions Cup – Race One (15 laps)
1 Dennis Hobbs (Duacti)
2 Leon Morris (Ducati)
3 Marty Nutt (Ducati Coventry/JHP Racing/Nutttravel.com Ducati)
4 Rob Guiver (Ducati)
5 Sean Neary (Ducati)
6 Paul McClung (Ducati)
Ducati TriOptions Cup – Race Two (15 laps)
1 Dennis Hobbs (Duacti)
2 Leon Morris (Ducati)
3 Marty Nutt (Ducati Coventry/JHP Racing/Nutttravel.com Ducati)
4 Darren Fry (Ducati)
5 Jonathan Railton (Ducati)
6 Mark Cheetham (Ducati)
Championship standings (after three rounds)
1 Morris 135pts
2 Hobbs 112
3 Nutt 82
4 Guiver 73
5 Neary 62
6 Fry 61
More, from a press release issued by Quattro Plant Kawasaki:
Highland joy for Linfoot with another brace of top seven finishes
The Quattro Plant Kawasaki team were back in action at the weekend with round four of the 2014 MCE British Superbike Championship taking place at Knockhill in Scotland and for the third successive meeting, Dan Linfoot took sixth and seventh place finishes to continue his good start to the season.
The South Milford-based rider was unlucky to have missed out on a top ten spot in qualifying and he had to start from 12th place and on the fourth row of the grid for the first race but a great start saw him make up three spots on the opening lap. Two laps later, Dan was up to seventh although from here on in it was a lonely ride for the 26-year old with equal gaps to the riders in front of him and behind and he eventually crossed the line in the same place for nine more valuable, and hard earned, Championship points.
With a strong first race lap time, Dan started the second race from a much better seventh place and on the third row of the grid and it was here where he crossed the line at the end of the first lap. By lap seven, he’d moved up to sixth and although it proved to be another relatively lonely ride, he duly took his third top six finish in as many meetings to keep himself well in contention for a top six Championship finish.
Team-mate Howie Mainwaring was having his second race meeting of the year as he continued his comeback from injury and everything was moving in the right direction as he put in some strong lap times during free practice and qualifying. However, the tight and twisty 1.26-mile Knockhill circuit is one of the most physically demanding on the calendar and he had to pull out of the first race before sitting out the second.
Dan Linfoot: “The second race was definitely a step forward from the first and opting to use the softer SC0 tyre gave me a lot more constant grip and I was able to run a strong race throughout. We also made some good improvements with the chassis this weekend, particularly with the front, and I’ve been chipping away and feeling better all the time. I’m happy with my consistency but just need to find those couple of tenths to allow me to firmly challenge for a top five finish.”
“I took two good scalps in Tommy Bridewell and James Ellison in the second race and know I’m riding well and the gaps to the riders in front of me are coming down so I’m getting closer. My attitude’s changed this year and I’m more experienced so that’s playing a major part in my consistency but there’s got to be the point where I’m running with the likes of Easton, Walker, Bridewell week in week out and getting the better of them and that’s my aim for the rest of the season.”
Howie Mainwaring: “The shoulder’s improving all the time but it’s still not where I need it to be and with Knockhill being such a demanding circuit it’s been a tough weekend. We got through practice and qualifying but in the first race, I started to lose feeling in my fingers and with all the heavy braking pulling in was the right decision. I spoke to the team and decided to sit the second race out as going out could have done more harm than good. I didn’t want to risk making the shoulder worse or putting the bike down the road so we’ll use the three-week break to work really hard on my fitness and ensure we’re in a lot better place come Brands.”
Pete Extance, Team Owner: ““It’s been another great weekend for Dan and after a solid performance in qualifying, he put in two really strong rides with sixth and seventh place finishes. We’ve slipped back from fifth to eighth in the Championship but we didn’t lose much ground to our main rivals and we’re still very much in contention for a top six Showdown finish with plenty more races to go. It was a good haul of points for Dan and he’s continuing to put in some strong, consistent performances, finishing races and racking up the points.”
“Howie’s weekend started well but, unfortunately, his shoulder injury was put to the test around the physically demanding Knockhill circuit and he had to pull out of the first race. He opted to sit the second one out on safety grounds but there’s a three-week break before the next round so hopefully that break will do him the power of good and enable him to come back strong. It’s been a great team effort his weekend from all of the crew and we now look forward to Brands Hatch and getting Dan back inside the top six.”
The fifth round of the series takes place in three week’s time with the Brands Hatch GP circuit playing host to the Championship on July 18-20.
MCE British Superbike Championship Race One – 30 laps
1 Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW)
2 Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
3 Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
4 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
5 Chris Walker (Kawasaki)
6 Tommy Bridewell (Yamaha)
7 Dan Linfoot (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
DNF Howie Mainwaring (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
MCE British Superbike Championship Race Two (30 laps)
1 Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
2 Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW)
3 Chris Walker (Kawasaki)
4 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
5 Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
6 Dan Linfoot (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
DNS Howie Mainwaring (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
Championship standings (after four rounds)
1 Byrne 190pts
2 Brookes 111
3 Ellison 108
4 Bridewell 88
5 Kiyonari 82
6 Walker 76
8 Linfoot 70
For further information about the team, visit www.quattroplantkawasaki.co.uk and follow us on Facebook at www.quattroplantkawasaki.co.uk
More, from a press release issued by Gearlink Kawasaki:
Gearlink Kawasaki
Knockhill
www.facebook.com/GearlinkRacing
It was a challenging weekend for the Gearlink Kawasaki team at round four of the MCE British Superbike Championship at Knockhill circuit. Ben Wilson had big issues trying to find the correct set up on his Gearlink Kawasaki for the short technical circuit struggled in race one to finish in 16th and was forced out of race two with a clutch problem.
During the practice and qualifying session the likeable rider from Lincolnshire really was having problems trying to find a set up that suit his hard riding style. He was only able to qualify in 22nd place for the opening 30-lap Superbike race. He was able to gain one of his fantastic starts and was up to 17th after the opening lap and soon he was able to make a number of passes and worked his way through to 11th at one point. He struggled in the second half of race one due to a clutch problem and dropped back out the points to 16th place.
He managed to put in a good time for the grid for race two and started from tenth but the same problem he suffered in race one reared its head in the second race despite the mechanics working hard between races to solve the problem, he was forced to retire after only three laps.
Ben Wilson – “There are pros and cons to this weekend, obviously I’m disappointed with the results and having to retire from race two. However, we made some changes for morning warm up and we made some big steps forward with the bike. I was feeling good for the first race and really pleased to get my way through to 11th but then I started suffering with a clutch problem, I thought I’d be able to finish in a points scoring position so I kept my head down. Everyone worked really hard to try and get the problem fixed but even on the line for race two I couldn’t get it into gear. I’m upset but also I will take the positives from today.”
Motorpoint British Supersport
In the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Glenn Irwin who is still recovering from injuries had a solid weekend with a tenth place and strong sixth place in race two. The young Irishman worked hard all weekend but with qualifying starting to become wet Glenn pulled into the pits and he was unfortunate to drop back down the grid positions to eighth. He worked hard in both races and he is now in fifth place in the overall Championship standings.
Luke Hedger will be back riding at Brands after sustaining a broken radius and ulnar testing at Mallory.
Glenn Irwin – “I have taken the positives out of this weekend and we ended it on a high note. The Gearlink Kawasaki team worked really hard overnight to make some big changes on the gearing and it made a huge difference for the second race. I was pushing hard and when Seeley came passed me I didn’t want to push too hard and crash so I was pleased to get sixth. Yesterday was the first day I have finished outside the top six so we have been consistent all year and know we can carry that on at Brands.”
Team Manager Michael de Bidaph – “I’m a little disappointed as a team that Ben had the clutch problem he did as I feel that we have let him down. We really struggled to get a set up in practice and qualifying but in warm-up we made some big changes and it really boosted Ben’s confidence and he was looking forward to the race. He got an amazing start and he got through to 11th and I’m sure he could have moved further forward but the clutch problem forced him to drop his time and positions on every lap.
We thought we had fixed the problem for race two but realised when he tried to leave the grid for the race there was a major problem, he tried but had to pull in. We did manage to prove in race one that we have made some progress on the settings it is just frustrating we’ve not backed it up with results.
Glenn worked hard again all weekend and it was difficult in race one with his qualifying position as it left him with a lot of work to do. He made some mistakes but was still able to secure 10th place. Everything is right and he is working really well with the team, Glenn has been consistent and rides very well.
It will be really good to get Luke and his family back at Brands, we have missed them all and it will be really good to get Luke back out on the track.”
2014 GEARLINK TEAM SPONSORS
AKRAPOVIC – B & C EXPRESS – CN TRADING (GLENN) – DAYTONA (BEN) – DAMEN LEATHERS – DBR – FORCEFIELD – GALFER – GB RACING – GEARLINK LTD – GOODRIDGE – JAMES JAMIESON CONSTRUCTION (GLENN) – JOHNY WILLS PHOTOGRAPHY – K-TECH – MARK TALBOT (GLENN) – MEGASTORE247 (GLENN) – MET HEALTHCARE (GLENN) – MWR AIR FILTERS – NGK SPARK PLUGS – OCTANORM – PERFORMANCE PARTS – PERFORMANCE FRICTION BRAKES – PRO CLEAN – PRO-BOLT – R & G RACING – RENTHAL – ROCK OIL – SAMCO SPORT – SHARK HELMETS – SHOEI HELMETS (LUKE) – SIDI (LUKE) – SIGMA PERFORMANCE – SINNIS – SKIDMARX – SOLO SIGNS – TIM TODD SURFACING – TSUBAKI – VALE LIVESTOCK – WWW.1STCHOICE-FLOORING.CO.UK (LUKE)