Brilliant Linfoot takes debut BSB podium
For the second meeting in a row, Dan Linfoot and the Quattro Plant Kawasaki team were right at the forefront of the MCE British Superbike Championship action and the Yorkshire rider deservedly claimed his first ever BSB podium at the Oulton Park circuit in Cheshire.
Indeed, the 26-year old finished all three races of the ‘Triple Header’ weekend inside the top five to crown a superb meeting and he started in ideal fashion after a brilliant performance in qualifying saw him take third place for Saturday’s first race. A good start saw him slot into fourth and a lap later this became third as the top five circulated with less than half a second between them. As the race wore on, Dan’s softer rear tyre meant he was suffering from a lack of grip but a good fifth place strengthened his standing inside the top six of the Championship.
Conditions were a lot different on Sunday although the heavy rain of the morning had eased by the time the opening race of the day got underway. Opting for a slick rear and intermediate front tyre, Dan completed the first race in fifth place and for the remainder of the 18-lap race he was part of a terrific battle for fourth place. Conditions dried up as the race wore on and although other riders were on slick tyres, Dan fought brilliantly to claim fourth on the final lap to equal his best result of the season.
He saved the best until the last race of the weekend though when he was part of a terrific seven rider battle for third and the final podium position. Consistently inside the top five, Dan moved into third place in the final third of the race and briefly took second as he overhauled Shane Byrne. The Championship leader immediately retaliated but Dan successfully saw off the challenge of Ryuichi Kiyonari, who had taken the two previous race wins, to claim his maiden BSB podium in superb fashion.
With 40 points taken from the three races, it also helped him move up to fourth overall in the Championship table and strengthen his claim for one of the coveted top six ‘Showdown’ spots.
Although residing now in Aylesford, team-mate Howie Mainwaring was riding at his local circuit as he hails from Frodsham, just a few miles away, although it turned out to be an up and down weekend for the 27-year old. Inspired by the pace of team-mate Linfoot, Howie had a great ride on Saturday to take a fine tenth place and was confident that more of the same could be achieved on Sunday. However, the difficult conditions worked against him as he was forced to retire from the second race of the weekend but he dug deep for the final 18-lap encounter and was rewarded with another Championship point for 15th place.
Dan Linfoot: “To finally crack the podium is a fantastic feeling and it’s testament to the team who have given me a superb bike all season. It feels like it’s been a long time coming but this weekend was all about carrying the confidence from the previous round at Thruxton and to come away with a third, a fourth and a fifth shows I’ve done just that. From the beginning of the weekend, I felt really good and although it proved to be a challenging weekend with the conditions we proved we were strong in both the wet and dry and I’m just so happy. I’ve had some tough times in the past what with bad results and going through the winter without a ride so when it all comes together like this, it makes you appreciate it more. At the same time though, I’m keeping my feet firmly on the ground as there’s still a long way to go and we’re focusing firmly on the next four races now to make sure we finish inside the top six.”
Howie Mainwaring: “It’s been a weekend of two halves for me and whilst everything was great in the dry weather, it was the opposite in the wet. We’ve found a really good dry set-up with the bike and to take another top ten finish felt great and put me on a high going into Sunday. Unfortunately for me, the rain came and with not having much time on the bike in the wet, it was tough going. I had the wrong tyres for Sunday’s first race which left me with a poor grid spot for the second but I kept going until the end and picked up another point. I need to get some more confidence with the front of the bike and if I can get that, I’m sure we can be getting more top ten finishes.”
Pete Extance, Team Owner: “Dan’s done exactly what we all hoped he would this weekend and carried on from where he left off at Thruxton. A fantastic performance in qualifying put him on the front row and he had the pace all weekend, in both the wet and dry, to run consistently inside the top five. He put in three very professional and excellent rides, and to cap it off with a podium is the icing on the cake and nothing more than what he deserves. It’s great for Dan and the team and great for our chances of reaching the Showdown.”
“Howie put in a really good ride on Saturday to finish inside the top ten again but a wrong tyre choice in race two left him in a poor position for the final race of the weekend. As ever though, Howie battled really hard and picked up the last Championship point. We know where we can improve and I’m sure we’ll see more top ten results from him in the next batch of races. Thanks to the whole Quattro Plant Kawasaki team for another fantastic weekend and roll on Cadwell!!
Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire hosts the next round on August 23-25.
MCE British Superbike Championship Race One – 16 laps
1 Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW)
2 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
3 Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)
4 Tommy Bridewell
5 Dan Linfoot (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
6 John Hopkins (Suzuki)
10 Howie Mainwaring (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
MCE British Superbike Championship Race Two – 18 laps
1 Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW)
2 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
3 Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)
4 Dan Linfoot (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
5 Chris Walker (Kawasaki)
6 Stuart Easton (Kawasaki)
DNF Howie Mainwaring (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
MCE British Superbike Championship Race Three – 18 laps
1 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
2 Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)
3 Dan Linfoot (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
4 Ryuichi Kiyonari (BMW)
5 Stuart Easton (Kawasaki)
6 Josh Waters (Suzuki)
15 Howie Mainwaring (Quattro Plant Kawasaki)
Championship Points (after seven rounds)
1 Byrne 313pts
2 Brookes 244
3 Kiyonari 202
4 Linfoot 156
5 Bridewell 142
6 Walker 136
21 Mainwaring 19
More, from a press release issued by Mar-Train Racing:
ALASTAIR SEELEY – SIMPLY SUPERB AT OULTON WITH GUTSY VICTORY
A battered and bruised Alastair Seeley produced a super human effort to take a memorable victory in today’s British Supersport race at Oulton Park in difficult conditions. His fifth win of the season leaves him just four points adrift in the title race in third place.
The Mar-Train Racing pilot came from tenth place on lap five – following an incident which forced the pace car onto the circuit – to scythe his way through the pack and take a memorable victory for the reigning British Supersport champions. Seeley also took the fastest lap of the race on the penultimate lap aboard the Mar-Train Racing R6 Yamaha.
Alastair Seeley:
“It’s been an up and down weekend and after the crash on Saturday I spent quite a bit of time in the medical centre, but today’s result makes up for it. I got a terrible start and was down in tenth and when the pace car came out I really thought my chance had gone.
“Once I got a feel for the wet and it got quite greasy I was able to start upping the pace and put in consistent lap times and hunted down the front guys. Fair play to Andy and Boost they worked wonders on the bike and dialed me in a perfect setting to deal with the conditions. I was sliding in and out of the corners and had total feel for the track. It’s nice to get the win after yesterday but big credit to the Mar-Train team for the big effort.”
Team Principal – Tim Martin:
“Alastair showed his real class today riding injured, but knew what he had to do and used his head. To be honest I was concerned after the start, but he certainly pulled the rabbit out of the hat. To come back after yesterday’s crash and perform like he did today, showed real determination and class. It keeps us well in the title hunt going to Cadwell Park and its days like these, that really count if you want to win a championship.”
Race Result [15 laps]
Winner: Alastair Seeley [Mar-Train Racing]; 2nd – Glenn Irwin [Kawasaki] +4.511; 3rd – Graeme Gowland [Triumph] +4.657sec; 4th – Luke Jones [Triumph] +6.032sec; 5th – Billy McConnell [Triumph] +8.027sec; 6th – James Rispoli [Yamaha] +8.619sec
Championship Points
Graeme Gowland 228
Billy McConnell 227
Alastair Seeley 224
Luke Jones 175
Glenn Irwin 158
Luke Stapleford 152
More, from a press release issued by Michael Hill Promotions:
4th Moto 3 Podium Of Season At Oulton Park For Uribe
The 2014 BSB championship returned to the undulating Oulton Park circuit near Chester for the second time, but unlike earlier in the year the track was wet. Rain from hurricane Bertha began to fall moments after the day’s opening Superbike race meaning difficult and slippery conditions for the Motostar riders.
Having once again qualified on the second row of the grid in 4th, courtesy of a 1.47.2s lap time which was 0.7s faster than on his first visit in May, Jayson was a strong 6th in the damp morning warm up and confident of featuring at the sharp end when the race began.
With the rain falling heavily as the riders lined up on the grid the decision to delay the start was taken, with the circuit deemed unsafe to race on given the vast amounts of standing water.
After a delay of 30 minutes the all clear was given and as the lights went out and the tightly bunched pack of riders headed into turn one, Jayson slotted into 7th, keen to avoid the plumes of spray that was being thrown up mid pack.
With the race now scheduled to run over ten laps Jayson rode sensibly in the opening stages ensuring he avoided any first lap carnage and with the leading eight riders pulling away set about challenging for another Moto 3 podium.
By half distance and with the rain falling steadily once again the already difficult circuit conditions became even trickier but Jayson was relishing the lack of grip and running confidently inside the top six.
He was lucky to avoid the falling Charlie Nesbitt who fell in front of him at the Hislop chicane and with just three laps to go found himself locked in a titanic fight with Ed Rendell and Jordan Weaving for 2nd.
As the trio began their final lap they couldn’t be closer, and as the three went elbow to elbow Jayson found himself nudged back to 4th.
At the flag he was classified 4th overall but importantly for the championship he secured 3rd place and his fourth podium finish in the Moto 3 category of 2014 – extending his record breaking run of consecutive point scoring finishes in the process.
Jayson Uribe – FPW Honda: “I had a great weekend. It started well, we had some mechanical issues in FP2 but we worked through it and stayed towards the front. Qualifying was good, we made a few changes and were almost a full second faster than when we are at Oulton earlier in the year. Sunday brought the rain but luckily we had a wet warm up which was useful because the rain started again as we were about to start the race so on went the wets again and after a little delay off we went. I had a few moments in the race but finished 4th overall and the 3rd Moto 3. Thank you to everyone who continues to support me and has got me here! I am looking forward to the next race at Cadwell Park and to jumping the mountain on the Moto 3.”
More, from a press release issued by Gavin Hunt’s publicist:
Third successive top ten finish for Hunt
For the third meeting in a row, Manxman Gavin Hunt put in a superb performance in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship to finish inside the top ten, the Northern Escalator Kawasaki rider taking tenth place in round seven at Oulton Park at the weekend.
Keen to continue with the good form that had taken him to sixth and seventh at the last two rounds, Gavin did exactly that in the first qualifying session on Friday to place ninth quickest and although he was pushed back to tenth on Saturday morning, he lapped quicker at 1m38.828s to close the gap to pole position man Danny Buchan. It all meant he lined up at the head of the fourth row and with bad weather forecast for Sunday the 14-lap race was brought forward to Saturday evening.
A slightly sluggish start meant Gavin slipped back to 12th at the completion of the first lap and by the fifth lap this had become 13th although it was nip and tuck as he was embroiled in a six-rider battle for eighth. Sure enough, as the race wore on, Gavin’s race pace came to the fore and whilst other riders slipped back he began to move forward, picking off the riders in front of him one by one. With three laps to go he was up to ninth and although Dominic Usher pushed him back a spot at the chequered flag, it was mightily close with just 0.065s between them.
The result moves Gavin on to 28 points, which maintains his 12th place in the Championship and he’s now just seven points adrift of ninth.
Gavin Hunt: “After a strong qualifying performance I was hopeful of a result similar to the previous two rounds but I had a poor first lap and it took me a while to get into the race. I’m pleased to have got tenth as I knew it wasn’t one of my better rides but I got bumped around a bit in the first few laps and it unsettled me a bit. I got beaten up by riders who I was a fair bit faster than so I had to regroup and get stuck in.”
“I did just that although it was quite a hard race as everyone was running at a similar pace which made it hard to overtake. If I could have run my own lines, I’m confident my pace would have allowed me to pull clear but no sooner had I overtaken someone then they came straight back. I kept chipping away and although it would have been nice to have stayed ahead of Dominic Usher and have a good go at pulling away, tenth was a good result all things considered as, like I say, I know I can ride better. It’s another top ten finish though and we’re consistently there now so the aim is to maintain this form and stay there for the rest of the season. Thanks again to all the sponsors and to everyone who’s helping me.”
The next round of the series takes place at Cadwell Park on August 23-25.
Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship – 14 laps
1 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki)
2 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
3 Filip Backlund (Kawasaki)
4 Lee Jackson (BMW)
5 Hudson Kennaugh (BMW)
6 Adam Jenkinson (Kawasaki
10 Gavin Hunt (Northern Escalator Kawasaki)
Championship Points (after seven rounds)
1 Buchan 165pts
2 O’Halloran 122
3 Jackson 104
4 Backlund 88
5 Jenkinson 53
6 Kennaugh 49
12 Hunt 28
More, from a press release issued by SMT Racing:
Backlund takes brilliant third at Oulton
Filip Backlund put in a brilliant performance at Oulton Park on Saturday, venue for the seventh round of the Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship, with a superb ride into third place, his and the SMT Racing Kawasaki team’s second podium of the season.
After such a superb showing at the previous round at Thruxton, Filip was hopeful of more of the same at Oulton, the team’s local circuit, and he continually got quicker through the two qualifying sessions. Indeed, his time of 1m38.217s, set in Saturday’s final session, placed him in fifth place and in the middle of the second row right in amongst his usual rivals.
Rather than take place in its usual Sunday afternoon slot, the 14-lap race was brought forward to Saturday evening due to the bad weather forecast and although Filip slipped back to sixth on the first lap, he soon got into his rhythm to put himself well in contention for a podium spot. Lapping quicker than what he had done in qualifying, the Swedish rider got himself onto the back of a group of riders battling it out for third and for the second half of the race all four riders constantly changed positions.
However, Filip wasn’t to be denied and with determined moves on Thruxton race winner Lee Jackson and then Hudson Kennaugh, he took over third place on the penultimate lap and held it until the chequered flag to match his result at Snetterton earlier in the season. The 13 points maintain his fourth place overall in the Championship although he’s narrowed the gap to Jackson to 16 points. The race was won by Championship leader Danny Buchan who has now moved onto 165 points.
Filip Backlund: “That was a great race to be part of so it must have been great for all the fans and I think it came down to who had the most grip and strongest package at the end of the race. I’ve been happy with the bike all weekend so that allowed me to fight hard all the time and I cut my lap times down accordingly. I made a good start but got pushed wide at the first corner, slipping back to sixth, and so had to dig deep and close back in on Hudson, Lee and Adam Jenkinson.”
“It took me longer than I would have liked to pass Adam but once I did I closed on to the back wheel of the two BMW’s. We changed places many times and the lap times were very strong but I was very determined to get onto the podium and although it was close on the final lap, we did just that and to do it at the team’s home round makes it feel even better.”
Robin Croft, Team Owner: “It’s been a good home round for Filip and SMT Racing and we’re a happy camp today. With Filip having been injured here earlier in the season, it’s great to have experienced better fortune this time around and with a good setting found in second qualifying, he was able to move forward again. We were happy to race on Saturday evening and although it wasn’t the greatest of starts for Filip, he showed how good a racer he is and fought really hard to take the third place. Danny and Jason obviously had superior pace to anyone this weekend but we’re consistently battling for the podium now and with some great teamwork and a great rostrum, we’re all eagerly looking forward to the next round at Cadwell.”
The eighth round of the Championship takes place in two week’s time at Cadwell Park.
Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship – 14 laps
1 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki)
2 Jason O’Halloran (Honda)
3 Filip Backlund (SMT Racing Kawasaki)
4 Lee Jackson (BMW)
5 Hudson Kennaugh (BMW)
6 Adam Jenkinson (Kawasaki)
Championship Points (after seven rounds)
1 Buchan 165pts
2 O’Halloran 122
3 Jackson 104
4 Backlund 88
5 Jenkinson 53
6 Kennaugh 49
More, from a press release issued by Be Wiser Kawasaki:
Be Wiser Kawasaki Team
Double Podium at Oulton Park
The Be Wiser Kawasaki team secured their best result of the season this weekend at Oulton Park with their first ever double podium in the Pirelli National Superstock 600 Championship with Joe Collier gaining second and Nick Anderson third. In the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship Nick Anderson gained 11th place.
It was a short weekend for the Be Wiser Kawasaki team when it was announced on Friday night that the race was being brought forward to Saturday evening due the prospect of appalling weather conditions on Sunday. Race Direction made the decision to move the Superstock 600 and 1000 race to Saturday; both races took place in perfect weather conditions.
The two Superstock 600 riders were eager to push for some solid results here and they were both running strong in the practice and qualifying sessions on the Be Wiser Kawasaki’s. Nick qualified in fourth and Joe in sixth for the scheduled 12-lap race. Both had a solid start with Nick making progress on the front pack, he was up to third by lap five. Soon Joe was making progress and he was on the back of his team-mate by lap eight. Leader Andy Reid crashed out leaving Nick in second and Joe in third, Joe made a clean pass on Nick at the end of lap 10 for second and both gained a superb finish and a brilliant double podium for the Be Wiser Kawasaki team.
Joe Collier – “I’m really pleased with the result today and good to get back on the podium. Oulton is one of my favourite tracks so it’s good to be able to get a result here and move to Cadwell with some good confidence. The Be Wiser Kawasaki worked hard all weekend and we had a good set up from the start which made qualifying much easier. The race was tough but fair and I’ve got a good amount of Championship points.”
Nick Anderson – “I’ve been waiting all season for a podium, then I get two at once. I’m so made up with it all and the Be Wiser Kawasaki team, everyone worked really hard to provide me with the perfect bike. I’m really looking forward to getting to Cadwell and to continue with some strong results. I’d just like to thank the team and all my personal sponsors for helping me.”
In the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship Josh Day had a solid weekend after qualifying in 11th place. He got a steady start and was locked in a scrap for 10th place, riding well with consistent times he finished in 11th position.
Josh Day – “It was an up and down weekend at Oulton for me, it started good with seventh in practice. Then we had some problems with gearing during qualifying, I managed one fast lap in qualifying two mainly due to the amount of people out on track. We made some more changes for the race and it took me a few laps to get settled into a rhythm, by this point the leading bunch had vanished.”
Team Owner/Manager Alan Greig – “It’s been a fantastic weekend for our team at Oulton Park, all three riders qualified well with both 600 riders on the second row of the grid. The organisers made the positive decision to bring our races forward to Saturday evening rather than risk being cancelled with the forecasted poor weather. We were pleased to be given the opportunity to race on the Saturday and it worked well for us.
In the race Nick and Joe were taking it in turns to catch the leader and both made clean moves on each other. Eventually Joe moved through to second and made some in roads on the leader Kyle (Ryde), Nick was also able to stay with Joe. Both rode exceptionally well and if there had been a few more laps in the race who knows what might have happened.
Joe and Nick have brought the team their first double podium, it was a fantastic performance by the team and the riders and they both rode a very sensible and mature race. A huge congratulations to both of them.
Josh qualified on the fourth row and he got a reasonable start, he wasn’t able to make up any ground and he was battling between 10th – 13th place for the race finishing in 11th. Josh tried a lot of different settings this weekend, maybe too many which limited any decent time on track.
Cadwell is the home circuit for the team and there is only one way to improve on a second and third! We are looking forward to getting there and the team is on a great high now, thank you to all our sponsors and supporters, I’m glad we were able to repay them with such a brilliant result.”
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:
Nutt grabs first win of the season
Coleraine’s Marty Nutt grabbed his first win of the 2014 Ducati TriOptions Cup season with a faultless, start to finish victory at Oulton Park on Sunday and having taken fourth place in the race held the previous day he strengthened his hold on third place in the Championship standings.
Having taken sixth in qualifying, a strong performance in Saturday’s warm-up session put Marty in confident mood for Saturday’s 10-lap race and a solid start saw him move up to fifth at the completion of the opening lap. This became fourth on lap although two laps later he was back down to fifth as Rob Guiver overhauled him going into Old Hall Corner. There was still only 1.3s covering the top five but Guiver’s engine expired on the eighth lap bringing the race to an early end and with Marty given fourth place.
With the fastest lap of the race, Marty was able to start Sunday’s encounter from pole position although damp conditions meant the race was cut to eight laps and a very different proposition. However, the reigning Champion made a perfect start to grab the holeshot and was never headed despite the extremely tricky track surface which was both wet and dry. Consistently setting fastest laps though, Marty took a brilliant win with his fourth podium of the season moving him onto 153 points with three rounds remaining.
Marty Nutt: “Starting from pole position on Sunday was just the boost I needed and I made the most of it, taking the holeshot and holding on for my first win of the year. It’s brilliant to do it at last and I just tried to be as consistent as I could although it was tricky leading from the front as some parts of the track were damp and greasy whilst others were completely wet. Conditions were improving all the time and although the rain’s a great leveller, you’ve still got to ride and race well so I’m delighted to have taken the win.”
“It’s a shame I couldn’t have had a real good go in Saturday’s race but a bad qualifying session meant it was always going to be hard work. The settings we tried took us in the wrong direction but we went the right way in morning warm-up and I was really up for the race. It was going well until I made a mistake coming out of Lodge corner, selecting the wrong gear, and that allowed Rob to get back by me. I was right behind him when his engine blew and I was covered in oil so there was little option other than to red flag the race but, overall, it’s been a good weekend and we’re in a good place right now so roll on the next round.”
The sixth round of the series takes place at Cadwell Park on Bank Holiday weekend, August 23-25.
Ducati TriOptions Cup Race One – 10 laps
1 Leon Morris (Ducati)
2 Dennis Hobbs (Ducati)
3 Sean Neary (Ducati)
4 Marty Nutt (Ducati Coventry/JHP Racing/Nutttravel.com Ducati)
5 Jonathan Railton (Ducati)
6 Chris Northover (Ducati)
Ducati TriOptions Cup Race Two – 8 laps
1 Marty Nutt (Ducati Coventry/JHP Racing/Nutttravel.com Ducati)
2 Dennis Hobbs (Ducati)
3 Chris Northover (Ducati)
4 Sean Neary (Ducati)
5 Leon Morris (Ducati)
6 Aaron Brown (Ducati)
Championship Points (after five rounds)
1 Morris 214pts
2 Hobbs 193
3 Nutt 153
4 Neary 105
5 Guiver 93
6 Fry 90
More, from a press release issued by Sixteen26 PR & Media:
BUCHAN EXTENDS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD AFTER FIFTH WIN OF THE SEASON
Round 7 – Oulton Park News:
Tsingtao Racing Kawasaki’s Danny Buchan took his fifth win of the season and his seventh consecutive podium during last night’s Pirelli National 1000cc Superstock encounter at Oulton Park – despite nursing an eye injury.
The 21-year-old lead for lengthy periods in the early exchanges with main adversary for the title Jason O’Halloran, but a last lap pass at Lodge Corner and a drag race to the line – added yet another 25 points to his growing tally, which now stands at 165, some 43 ahead of O’Halloran in second place in the standings.
Buchan said afterwards: “Obviously I’m really happy to come away with a win, especially with my eye in not very good shape before the race. Jason came past and I wasn’t too stressed and would have settled for second, as the team said beforehand, just take as many points as you can.
“I didn’t want to make any stupid mistakes, but I found myself making up some time in the last two laps and one thing led to another and I found myself underneath him in the final turn. After that it was a drag race to the line and I was looking over my shoulder hooking gears!
“So to come away with another win, 25 points and extend my lead in the championship is very good for my title aspirations going into the last set of races. My plan is to ride maturely and my fitness is good as it has been all year. It’s mega for me and the Tsingtao Racing Kawasaki team and we can look forward to Cadwell Park now.”
Race Results:
Winner: Danny Buchan [Tsingtao Racing Kawasaki]; 2nd – Jason O’Halloran [Honda] +0.035sec; 3rd – Filip Backlund [Kawasaki] +12.676; 4th – Lee Jackson [BMW] +12.770sec; 5th – Hudson Kenaugh [BMW] +13.512sec; 6th – Adam Jenkinson [Kawasaki] +13.590sec
Championship Points
Danny Buchan 165
Jason O’Halloran 122
Lee Jackson 104
Filip Backlund 88
Adam Jenkinson 53
Hudson Kennaugh 49
More, from a press release issued by Sixteen26 PR & Media:
SOLID AS A ROCK IS MASON – WITH TOP FIVE AT OULTON PARK
Mason Law took a fine fifth place in last night’s Pirelli National Superstock 600cc race at Oulton Park and now holds sixth place in the championship standings.
The Benfleet lad settled into a solid rhythm early on from his third row grid spot after qualifying ninth, and from there he chipped away to eventually finish fifth on the Trik Moto Kawasaki.
Speaking afterwards the 18-year-old said: “|I got caught out a bit in qualifying but we made up for the third row grid spot and soon settled into a decent pace. I picked a few guys off and it’s back-to-back solid results after a little blip of poor form.
“We need to pull through the comfort zone now at Cadwell Park, which is a circuit I really enjoy and stop getting into these mid race dwells, and try to replicate the pace we had with our podium at Brands on the opening day.”
Team manager Andrew Pitt added: “A solid enough weekend for Mason and another confidence builder. We discovered a few little areas with the bike that were causing us a concern, which gives Mason peace of mind. And as he has already explained – it’s time to start building towards the second place he fought so hard for at Brands back in April.”
Race Results:
Winner: Kyle Ryde [Yamaha]; 2nd – Joe Collier [Kawasaki] +0.261sec; 3rd – Nick Anderson [Kawasaki] +0.657sec; 4th – Malachi Mitchell-Thomas [Kawasaki] +2.907sec; 5th – Mason Law [Trik Moto Kawasaki] +12.582sec
Championship Points
Kyle Ryde 145
Andy Reid 119
Joe Collier 115
Nick Anderson 88
James Lodge 87
Mason Law 58
More, from a press release issued by Smiths Triumph Racing:
Smiths Triumph Continue Winning Ways At Oulton
The Gloucester-based Smiths Triumph Racing Team maintained station at the top of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship following Oulton Park over the weekend with Billy McConnell taking a win and team-mate Graeme Gowland scoring a brace of podiums.
Englishman Gowland and Australian McConnell qualified on pole position and third place respectively on the grid for Saturday’s 10-lap Sprint race and with glorious conditions prevailing, the pair slotted into first and fourth in the early stages. Hexham rider Gowland looked the most likely to win, leading for the first five laps, but it was always close with less than a second separating the first five riders. Sadly for him, he slipped back in the second half of the race, dropping back to third as Luke Stapleford and Billy moved ahead. However, when Stapleford retired on the penultimate lap, Adelaide ace McConnell took full advantage to take his third win of the season with Gowland’s second place giving the team their third 1-2 finish of the season.
Today’s Feature race was held in difficult, damp conditions and a five-lap period under the safety car, due to a first lap crash, meant it ended up being a ten lap dash for the flag. Gowland held sway in the early stages aboard the factory-supported Triumph Daytona 675R but couldn’t resist a charging Alastair Seeley who went on to take the win to ensure the championship standings closed right back up again. Gowland took third behind Glenn Irwin with McConnell in fifth meaning the rider from Allendale in Northumberland leads his team-mate by one point with Seeley three points further back in third, exactly the gap between the trio when they arrived at the circuit.
Billy McConnell: “I’ve been getting a bit emotional with Graeme kicking my butt every weekend recently but we’ve kept chipping away and the team have been right behind me and giving me the confidence to push for the race wins so to get the top spot in Saturday’s race felt great. I tried to ride really defensive on the last lap but I ended up making a few mistakes which allowed Graeme to close right in and I was lucky to hold on to the win. I struggled a bit today and was quite weak through Hizzy’s but we got fifth and at the end of the day, points make prizes. We’re still right in the mix so a big thanks to the whole Smiths Triumph team for giving me a great bike this weekend.”
Graeme Gowland: “I really like Oulton Park but it’s a circuit where I’ve never fared that well in the past so to come away with a couple of podiums is really pleasing. Saturday was another close race and I never had any breathing space. When Luke blew up, both myself and Mossey had to back off a bit but I got my head down on the last lap, which proved to be the fastest of the race and I only just missed out on the win in the end. Today’s race was a real challenge with the conditions and I knew with Billy behind me it was crucial not to make any mistakes. I just did what I had to do and to have four points between the top three still just shows how close it is and it’ll be like this until the end of the season.”
Rebecca Smith, Team Manager: “We were hoping to make some major inroads into the championship this weekend as Oulton is a strong circuit for both riders and although we’re leaving in exactly the same position as what we arrived in, it’s been a good weekend. Both Graeme and Billy rode well in all conditions and it was particularly important to get good finishes and points in today’s race as these are the ones that can damage your title hopes. We’ve been consistent again so couldn’t have asked for much more from the weekend and we’re very much looking forward to Cadwell Park. Billy’s very strong there whilst Graeme’s confidence with the bike improves at every round so we’re more than hopeful for another strong meeting.”
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Race One – 10 laps
1 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph)
2 Graeme Gowland (Smiths Racing Triumph)
3 Luke Mossey (Triumph)
4 Jake Dixon (Yamaha)
5 Alastair Seeley (Yamaha)
6 Luke Jones (Triumph)
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Race Two – 15 laps
1 Alastair Seeley (Yamaha)
2 Glenn Irwin (Kawasaki)
3 Graeme Gowland (Smiths Racing Triumph)
4 Luke Jones (Triumph)
5 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph)
6 James Rispoli (Yamaha)
Championship Points (after seven rounds)
1 Gowland 228pts
2 McConnell 227
3 Seeley 224
4 Jones 175
5 Irwin 158
6 Stapleford 152
More, from a press release issued by Jake Dixon Racing:
Jake Dixon – Oulton Park
www.facebook.com/JakeDixonRacing
Jake Dixon riding the Appleyard Doodson Macadam Yamaha had a mixed weekend at round seven of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Oulton Park. Jake had a good start in the sprint race on Saturday and secured fourth place. A technical problem on the Yamaha forced him out of race two on the Sunday.
The 18-year-old from Dover gained his best result he has ever had at Oulton Park in the Supersport Championship on Saturday. After qualifying in fifth place on the grid for the 10-lap race he managed to get away with the leaders and was looking set for a podium. A clutch problem mid-way through the race hindered his progress and he nursed the bike home in a strong fourth.
The weather took a turn for the worse on Sunday and the rain came down, Jake was eager for a wet race and looking forward to getting out there. Sadly the gremlins that troubled him at Thruxton put a stop to that, he was not able to get out for warm up session and despite the best efforts from the team they were unable to find the problem on the bike and so he was unable to take part in race two.
Jake Dixon – “It was another mixed weekend for me at Oulton, this time left year I left injured so I wanted to get two good results in. I was feeling good all weekend, nervous but good and practice and qualifying went well. The first race I knew I had the pace to run up near the front and I got a good start and away with the leading bunch, I soon realised I had a problem with the clutch so I wasn’t able to get the drive out the corners. I nursed the bike home in fourth which I am actually pretty pleased with here.
When I saw the wet weather on Sunday morning I was sure that I could have a good race. When we fired the bike up for warm up it did exactly what it did to me at Thruxton and just misfired. The team really did do everything possible to try and find the problem before the race but we are just not sure what is going on. I hope we can get everything sorted for Cadwell as I love racing there. Thanks to the team for their efforts and sorry to my sponsors but hopefully it will be all sorted by the next round.”
2014 Personal Sponsors
Shoei – Daytona – Forcefield Body Armour – Ovendens – Mutleys – Feridax – Transtore Logistics – Herbalife – www.freestylextreme.com – 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 Gearlink Kawasaki:
Gearlink Kawasaki
Oulton Park
www.facebook.com/GearlinkRacing
Motorpoint British Supersport
The Gearlink Kawasaki team was keen for some strong results in the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at round seven at Oulton Park this weekend. Glenn Irwin was unfortunate to crash out of fourth place on the final lap of the sprint race and took a great second place in the main race. His team-mate Luke Hedger took another two solid positions with seventh in race one and eighth in race two.
Glenn Irwin was running strong all weekend; the Irishman was fourth in the opening practice session and eighth in the second. He had a good qualifying session and was sixth for the opening Sprint race. He got a great start and was sat in second position for the first four laps and then dropped to fifth and then back to fourth, on the final lap he saw an opportunity for third place but sadly crashed out on the last corner or the last lap. His team-mate Luke Hedger had a solid weekend on the Gearlink Kawasaki this weekend during the practice sessions and qualified in eighth place for the first race, he dropped a position after the opening lap but fought his way back through to seventh at the end of the 10-lap race.
In the main feature race on Sunday the heavens opened just before they were set to go out so the race was declared wet. Glenn got a great start and was soon into the lead, he and Graeme Gowland bridged a gap but Alastair Seeley was on a mission. An incident on the opening lap saw the safety car deployed which came in at the end of lap five. Glenn proceeded to lead the race until lap 12 where he was passed by Seeley. Glenn rode hard to fend off any challenges from Gowland to take a fantastic second place for the team. Luke Hedger had another good strong result for the Gearlink Kawasaki team and after qualifying in ninth place for the 15-lap race he secured a great eighth position.
Glenn Irwin – “I’m really pleased with the way things have gone this weekend and the Gearlink Kawasaki team worked really hard to find me the perfect set up in the wet and the dry. We proved that we had the pace in both conditions and I felt really confident and positive out on track. We have certainly made huge progress and I can’t wait to get to Cadwell now and hope to continue this form. I would like to thank all the Gearlink team and also all my personal sponsors for their support.”
Luke Hedger – “I’m pretty pleased with the weekend we are making progress at every round and now believe that we are definitely moving in the right direction. The Gearlink Kawasaki team once again ensured that I was able to get out there in both races and make progress each time I was out on track. A huge thanks to all my sponsors especially 1st Choice Flooring for all their help.”
It was another very difficult weekend for Ben Wilson in the MCE British Superbike Championship. The Gearlink Kawasaki team made the decision to withdraw Ben from the three Superbike races scheduled for Oulton.
Ben Wilson – “This season is so difficult so far and it’s not only difficult for the team but also myself. We seem to have had problems all year and not been able to put our finger on to why. I sat down with Michael and we decided to do an extensive testing programme before Cadwell and see if we can make any progress there.”
Team Manager Michael de Bidaph – “I’m really pleased with the two Supersport riders they really have ridden well this weekend especially Glenn. Glenn rode a brilliant first race and made a move on the last lap on the last corner for third that did not pay off but he was certainly riding well and trying hard.
Luke is progressing well and as the season is moving along he is learning, gaining experience and the results are starting to come. I’m sure by the end of the season he will be up with the leading bunch. He got two very consistent and good results and his lap times just keep improving all the time, I’m very happy with the way he is settling into a very difficult Championship.
Race two was wet so anything could have happened, Glenn got a strong start and led the race for a number of laps, he went on to secure second place and it was just what he deserved for the effort he has put in.
With the Superbike and Ben, it is a very difficult situation for us all, we are not happy with how the bike is working and we will now leave here and ensure that we work hard with testing and improvements to try and get Ben where he deserves to be and get his confidence back again.”
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 – KTtapeuk.co.uk – 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)
More, from a press release issued by Luke Mossey Racing:
Luke Mossey
Oulton Park – Podium
www.facebook.com/LukeMosseyRacing
At round seven of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Oulton Park, Luke Mossey on the Teccare Profile Triumph had a mixed weekend in the changing weather conditions. During the Sprint race on Saturday Luke secured a fantastic third place and in the wet on Sunday he got 12th.
After his podium at Thruxton Luke was keen to come to Oulton Park with a positive mind and he was running up near the front in all the sessions. He qualified in a strong fourth place for the Sprint race on Saturday and despite a slow start he soon managed to work his way back through the pack. He dropped back to sixth place at one point but soon knuckled down and worked his way back through to a fantastic third place and another solid podium place.
The weather came in bad on Sunday so warm up and the race were declared wet, Luke has struggled in the wet previously and sustained injuries so despite qualifying on the front row he knew it would be a tough challenge. Luke just wanted a solid position in the wet and brought his Triumph home in 12th place, he is now in seventh place in the Championship standings.
Luke Mossey – “I was looking forward to Oulton despite breaking my back at this round last year and I was on a high after Thruxton. The Teccare Profile Triumph team had my bike set up perfectly from the off on Friday and I was able to run up near the front which gave me confidence for qualifying and the race. I made a couple of mistakes in the opening laps of the first race but once I settled down I was able to push back towards the front again and got the podium. I was a little nervous when I woke up on Sunday and saw the weather and all I wanted to do was get a finish and a few points, I need to get my confidence back in the wet and keep pushing forwards. It was a little sketchy out there but I just tried to keep working hard, it’s not my ideal result but it’s better than nothing. I can’t wait to get to Cadwell in a few weeks’ time.”
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 IN competition Racing:
IN competition Racing
Oulton Park – Highs and Lows
www.facebook.com/INcompetitionracing
David Allingham had a mixed weekend at round seven of the Motorpoint British Supersport Evo Championship at Oulton Park this weekend. The young Irishman from Derry had a huge crash on Friday morning in first practice but fought through the pain in the opening Supersport Evo race to secure a fantastic win and 12th overall in the main race. He struck disaster on Sunday in the second race where he was hit on the first lap and he crashed out.
David made some changes during first practice which saw him cut his times dramatically until a huge crash put an end to his session. The mechanics worked hard to rebuild the bike and despite some injuries he further improved his time. Qualifying went well and he ended up 15th on the grid, second Evo rider. He got a steady start but slipped back to third Evo rider, he got his head down and on the final lap took a stunning win in the Evo Championship and 12th in the main race.
With the weather taking a turn for the worst on Sunday he was looking strong in the wet warm up session and looking set for another good race in the afternoon. Sadly his day was cut short when Sam Coventry clipped the back end of David’s bike at one of the fastest parts of the track forcing him to crash out. A visit to the medical centre at the track saw him leave Oulton Park with a broken thumb and in a cast.
David Allingham – “I can’t believe my weekend, it really is the highs and lows of racing to go from winning one day to leaving the next with a cast on my arm. I made a mistake in first practice and crashed out, I hurt my thumb that day and I was feeling ok for the race on Saturday. I’m really pleased with the result in the Sprint race as not only did I win the Evo class but I gained 12th overall in the main race.
I was really fired up for Sunday and looking forward to racing here in the wet, warm up went really well and I was ready to race. I didn’t even get to complete a lap; I found out that Sam (Coventry) had no front brake, so I was his brake into Island bend, the fastest part of the track. I went down hard and landed again on my thumb this time after an x-ray at the medical centre I found out I’d broken a bone. Now I’ll be straight back to Ireland to find someone that can treat it and hopefully be back out at Cadwell, I just have to see what the hospital say now.”
2014 IN COMPETITION RACING TEAM SPONSORS
EHA GROUP – BMOR – INCOMPETITION – MODE PERFORMANCE – GB RACING ENGINE COVER – PRO BOLT – PIPE WERX – SILKOLENE – MAXTON – HEL – RARE BOY – MAG EUROPE
More, from a press release issued by Josh Daley Racing:
Josh Daley Racing
Oulton Park
www.facebook.com/JoshDaleyRacing
It was a successful weekend for Josh Daley Racing team at round seven of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship at Oulton Park. Racing in the Evo Championship he secured an eighth and fourth in the two races.
Josh is competing in his first year of the Championship and he celebrated his 18th Birthday at the track on Sunday. Every session big progress was made and Josh decreased his time on every outing. He qualified seventh in the Evo class and 21st on the main grid, but struggled a little in the sprint race but still finished eighth after the 10 laps.
Josh ended up in 23rd place for the main race on Sunday, a whole new paint design for the race as they were supporting the ‘Joining Jack’ appeal. This fund has been set up to find a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Jack Johnson is the son of former Wigan Warrior, Andy Johnson who was diagnosed with DMD at the age of four. Jack is now six and attended his first race meeting with Daley Racing at Oulton Park today, Josh ran the full colour scheme on his bike for the charity to raise their awareness. – www.joiningjack.org
Josh was happy to see the rain on Sunday as always races well in it; he got a good time in the warm up and was eager for a strong result. Josh ran with all the Evo riders for the majority of the race and was the fastest Evo rider out on track. He gained a great fourth place in the Evo class and now moves to Cadwell feeling confident.
Josh Daley – “I am really pleased with this weekend, I struggled a bit in the sprint race which put me in 23rd place for the main feature race. I got a good first lap in the race on Sunday and managed to stay clear from the first lap chaos. I managed to put in the fastest Evo lap of the race I was just a little gutted I couldn’t reward myself and my Mum with a Birthday podium! I was so close, I would like to thank everyone in my team for all their time, effort and support plus all the support for the ‘Joining Jack Appeal'”
2014 JOSH DALEY RACING TEAM SPONSORS
FLEETSMART UK LTD – PUTOLINE OILS – NO FEAR ENERGY DRINKS – LINDSTRANDS LEATHERS – SHARK HELMETS – WEISE GLOVES – DAYTONA BOOTS – IMPACT SAFE T ARMOR – KAYS WELDING SUPPLIES LTD – MFG CONSTRUCTION LTD – FJG LOGISTICS LTD – TOILETSPARES.CO.UK – E2E SOLUTIONS – MOTORCYCLE CENTRE ORRELL – INTEK ADHESIVES – SPPEDYCOM.CO.UK – LBF SOLUTIONS – JONES IT UK – HVH FITNESS – WICKEDDIPS NW – PRF RACEKITS – CLUB 88 MEMBERS