MACKENZIE SCORES BEST SUPERSPORT RESULT

Taylor Mackenzie produced his best ever display in Tyco Suzuki livery with a fine fifth place in the second of this weekend’s British Supersport races at Donington Park and now holds ninth place in the championship standings after nine round of 12 rounds.

Starting from eighth place on the grid, 20-year-old Mackenzie worked his way past some more experienced riders and was rapidly closing down current champion Glen Richards when the red flags were deployed after 14 of the scheduled 18 laps. Such was his pace; he also set the fourth fastest lap of the race, giving him great confidence going to Assen in two weeks’ time.

Said Mackenzie: “The whole team have been working so hard over the last few race weekends to get us where we are now. We took a step backwards to take two forwards, but it was definitely worth it as my GSX-R600 is working better than ever now.

“The next three tracks really suit my riding style so I can’t wait to get stuck in. To have the fourth fastest lap of the race and come home only five seconds behind the winner shows the progress we’ve made, and I just want to keep carrying that forward now until the end of the season.”

British Supersport Championship, Donington Park, Feature race result:

1. Stuart Easton (Martrain Yamaha) 2. Jason O’Halloran (Samsung Honda) +1.844s 3. Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph) +2.041s 4. Glen Richards (Smiths Racing Triumph) +3.633s 5. Taylor Mackenzie (Tyco Suzuki) +5.595s

More, from a press release issued by Mar-Train Racing:

VICTORY AT DONINGTON PUTS EASTON BACK IN SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD

Stuart Easton returned to the top of the British Supersport Championship table after taking a race two victory and new Supersport lap record for the Donington Park circuit earlier today with Mar-Train Racing. 

Easton went into round nine of the twelve round championship trailing Alastair Seeley by 22 points, but second place in Saturday’s sprint race backed up by today’s victory and 25 championship points puts Easton back in the driving seat. The Scottish rider now leads Seeley by eight points. 

His team-mate Glenn Irwin crashed out at the ultra-fast Craner Curves section of the circuit, whilst challenging for a top ten leaderboard position on lap 14 of 18, forcing a red flag situation in today’s race.

 A delighted Easton said afterwards: “I was disappointed yesterday losing out on the victory, but the Mar-Train boys made a few changes to my R6 Yamaha which improved the package and I was able to do the business today. I have to thank them all for such a big effort. It’s nice to go to Assen in the championship lead, but there are six races left and we will take them one at a time, but I’m very pleased.” 

Glenn Irwin said: “That was a big crash but thankfully I’m not hurt. I’m convinced I went down on fluid or oil as I was hardly even cranked over. I’m disappointed for the team and my personal sponsors MET Healthcare who were there today watching the racing. I’m pleased that Stuart took the win but obviously not happy that we couldn’t better yesterday’s result and giving Andy yet more work with the bike.” 

Tim Martin – Team Principal: “Stuart proved his pedigree today but the boys in the team also deserve credit for giving him a great bike. We’re not going to make a big deal about leading the championship, but it’s obviously pleasing to be back in a strong position and the next couple of circuits will definitely suit our R6 Yamaha and Stuart. “Glenn was unfortunate today after a strong result yesterday, but I’ll need to get home and have a good look at the replay before I make any evaluation on where we go from here. It’s been a bittersweet day today, but we now go to Assen with the championship destination back in our own hands, and you can’t ask for more than that.”

British Supersport Championship, Donington Park, Feature race result: Stuart Easton (Martrain Yamaha) Jason O’Halloran (Samsung Honda) +1.844s Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph) +2.041s Glen Richards (Smiths Racing Triumph) +3.633s Taylor Mackenzie (Tyco Suzuki) +5.595s

British Supersport Championship standings after Donington Park: Stuart Easton (Martrain Yamaha) 326 Alastair Seeley (Gearlink Kawasaki) 318 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph) 269 Ben Wilson (Gearlink Kawasaki) 263 Graeme Gowland (Appleyard Macadam Racing Yamaha) 206

For more information please go to www.martrain-racing.co.uk

More, from a pres release issued by SMT Racing: 

Double delight at Donington for Reeves but Jenkinson loses title lead

There were mixed emotions for SMT Racing at Donington Park at the weekend with Tim and Tristan Reeves taking another superb double victory in the Eastern Airways F1 Sidecar Championship races but Adam Jenkinson seeing his season-long lead in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000cc Championship disappear when he could only manage 13th place. 

 For Jenkinson, it proved to be a tough weekend as he left with his worst result of the season. Torrential rain left the first qualifying session all but immaterial, putting more emphasis on Saturday’s final session and the hectic 25-minute session saw Adam end up in seventh place overall, good enough for a third row start. An excellent start saw him jump up to fourth but that would be as good as it got for the Knutsford rider as handling issues meant he slipped back as the race progressed eventually finishing in a disappointing 13thplace. The disappointment was further compounded with Championship rival Hudson Kennaugh winning the race and it now means the South African tops the table by three points from Adam, 148 points to 145, with just two races remaining. 

Fortunes were the complete opposite in the Sidecar class and, after qualifying in second place, Tim and Tristan took the lead at McLeans on the opening lap of the first Sidecar race although it remained close with Sean Hegarty/James Neave pressuring them throughout. By the fifth of the ten laps, there was just half a second between the two crews but with black clouds above and rain beginning to fall, track conditions became extremely tricky. Indeed, with the rain getting heavier, the red flag came out shortly afterwards and the result declared at seven laps, Tim and Tristan getting the verdict over Hegarty/Neave by 0.510s. 

Sunday’s race was a lot simpler affair for the two Kent brothers and having grabbed the lead from the start, they continually extended their lead throughout the ten laps. Lapping almost a second a lap quicker than their rivals, they eventually took the chequered flag by almost 13 seconds to take their 11th win of the season and fifth double. They now lead the title chase from Andy Peach/Charlie Richardson by 101 points with just 150 remaining. 

 Speaking later, team owner Robin Croft said; “It’s been a mixed weekend with one side of the garage very disappointed and another extremely happy. Having led the Superstock series all season we’re obviously disappointed in our performance this weekend and, like a lot of other teams, the lack of dry track time hindered our progress this weekend. With the problems suffered at Cadwell last time out, we needed as much dry track time as we could get to iron out any lingering issues but, sadly, that wasn’t meant to be and we were chasing our tails somewhat.” 

 “The gap’s only three points though and with two rounds to go, there’s still everything to play for. We’ve got a couple of test sessions planned for Adam and we’ll do everything we can to ensure we come back at Silverstone with a race-winning package in order for our title campaign to be back on track. On the plus side, we saw another exemplary performance throughout the weekend from Tim and Tristan and they were again the consummate professionals so everything’s looking good on three wheels.” 

The Superstock series now takes a month’s break but the Sidecars will be back in action at Assen, Holland on September 21-22.

More, from a press release issued by Marty Nutt’s publicist:

 Donington delight sees Nutt extend Championship lead

Castlerock’s Marty Nutt put in two excellent performances at Donington Park over the weekend and first and second place finishes enabled him to extend his Championship lead in the 2013 Ducati 848 Challenge to 16 points with just two rounds of the series remaining. 

 Riding the JHP/Nutttravel.com Ducati Coventry machine, the opening day of the weekend was all but wiped out by rain but with Saturday seeing good, dry conditions, Marty took a strong second place in qualifying, just 0.006s adrift of pole setter Dennis Hobbs. 

The opening race, held later in the day, saw Marty move into the lead mid-way through the first lap and from this moment on, he put together a faultless ride. Despite firstly Hobbs and then Mike Edwards getting to within half a second of him, Marty controlled the gap and he duly took his third win of the season, extending his lead over Jonathan Railton further with the latter finishing back in fourth. 

 Sunday’s race looked like it would follow a similar pattern although it wasn’t until the fourth lap when Marty was to hit the front for the first time. It remained close between Marty, Railton and Leon Morris and with Railton setting a series of fastest laps, he took over the lead on the penultimate lap. Marty did his best to fight back, setting his fastest lap on the final lap of the race, but it was Railton who prevailed by 0.232s. In what was another extremely positive weekend for Marty and the team, the results mean that he maintained his 100% record of finishing on the podium in every race and now leads with 239 points to Railton’s 223. 

Speaking later, a satisfied Marty said; “It would have been nice to have had a repeat result on Sunday but to leave with a bigger Championship lead than what I arrived with is what it’s all about at this stage of the season. Saturday’s race panned out just as I’d wanted and as soon as I got into the lead, I just put my head down and it wasn’t until lap five that I began to look at the gap to the riders behind. Mike was only half a second behind but I made sure he couldn’t get within striking distance and with the race win and Jonathan finishing back in fourth, it couldn’t have been any better.”

 “I’d have loved to have made it a double on Sunday but Jonathan always comes on strong in the second half of the race and I didn’t quite have a big enough gap to keep him at bay. I rode hard all the way until the end, as seen with my fastest lap coming on the final lap, and with first and second it’s been a good weekend. I’m delighted to keep up the sequence of podium finishes and we’ll look for more of the same next time out.” 

The next round of the series takes place in two weeks’ time at Assen, Holland on September 21-22.

More, from a press release issued by Triumph Triple Challenge organizers:

Rouse still in command of Triumph Triple Challenge CHRISSY Rouse remains in command of the Triumph Triple Challenge despite an up and down weekend at Donington Park. 

At what has always been his least favourite circuit on the calendar, the 17-year-old Geordie scored a fourth place in Saturday’s race and backed it up with a second as the Triumph machines took to the track for the second time this weekend today. 

The Stratstone Triumph Racing rider’s weekend began with a small crash during free practice on Friday morning, but he quickly regrouped and was back out for qualifying later that day, taking pole ahead of Saturday’s race. At the green light he got a clean getaway and led the pack through Redgate for the first time, but was passed moments later by Phil Atkinson who led for a few laps until Rouse took the spot back on Lap Three. He held the lead until Lap Six when his brakes began to fade, and lost three spots in a handful of corners. 

Before he had a chance to fight his way back, the race was stopped after a crash by Charlie King, and Rouse was awarded fourth. His difficult race on Saturday meant he was only able to set the eighth fastest lap of the race which meant he started Sunday’s race from the third row. 

Getting another good start he had his work cut out as he battled his way through the traffic but by the third lap he was up to fifth. A lap later he was up to fourth and then set about chasing down Atkinson for third. He made the move to third on Lap Five before passing Spaniard Aleix Aulestia for second on Lap Eight. 

By now, leader Freddy Pett was too far ahead to catch, and Rouse had to settle for second and a nice haul of points. “I think if I’d started higher up I’d have got away with the front lads and would’ve had a better chance of catching Freddy,” he said. “By the time I got up to second, he was too far ahead and I knew I didn’t have time to catch him.

“Still, it was a good result and I’m pretty happy with it, especially after Saturday which wasn’t what I’d wanted. I had a bad race, I think it was probably the worst one of my career and then I had brake fade so there was nothing I could do. I dropped from first to fourth in one lap and I think I’d have been able to make it back up to the front had it not been flagged, but there’s no point in dwelling on what could’ve been. 

“Getting second today was just what I needed to keep a tight grip on the championship. I’ve got a 57 point lead now with two rounds to go, and I could feasibly tie the championship up at Silverstone – that’s what I’ll be aiming for.” 

The Triumph Triple Challenge now takes a month-long break before it returns for the penultimate round at Silverstone over the weekend October 4-6, 2013. 

Triumph Triple Challenge Donington Park Race One: 1. Luke Shelley 2. Philip Atkinson 3. Daniel Fuller 4. Chrissy Rouse 5. Scott Pitchers 6. Tom Oliver Triumph Triple Challenge Donington Park Race Two: 1. Freddy Pett 2. Chrissy Rouse 3. Aleix Aulestia 4. Philip Atkinson 5. Scott Pitchers 6. Daniel Fuller Triumph Triple Challenge Championship points after Round Seven 1. Chrissy Rouse 184 2. Freddy Pett 127 3. Philip Atkinson 124 4. Aleix Aulestia 115 5. Charlie King 91.5 6. Dan Helyer 70.5

More, from a press release issued by Team WD-40:

After the euphoric scenes following the double win at Cadwell Park, Team WD-40 once again delivered a podium finish, as the season continued at Donington Park. Joe Francis, from Backford near Chester, secured his ninth successive top three finish in the Monster Energy Motostar championship and now has a 32 point lead in the title race, with just three races left. 

Tommy Aquino continued his impressive form as he claimed another points finish in the race for a top three finish in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000. The Californian crossed the line in 14th, as tyre wear and brake issues prevented him from claiming a top ten finish. Jonathan Railton crossed the line in 24th place as the Grafham rider continued to battle back from the injuries that have hampered the first half of his season. 

 Superstock 1000 A weather-affected qualifying session along with a slight set-up issue in final qualifying put Aquino in 20th, less than a second off pole position in the most competitive class in the British Superbike Series Railton was less than 0.4 seconds behind Aquino in 25th place. Weather conditions for the race itself were dry and sunny, almost perfect for racing. Aquino made a tremendous start, quickly taking a number of places and continued to press the group of bikes in the top ten. He was perfectly placed to make a strike for a top ten finish, but his early pace had taken its toll on his brakes, and with tyre wears also playing its part, Aquino was forced to settle for 14th place and two valuable championship points. “The race was tough and at some parts of the track I was struggling to keep it on the tarmac,” said Aquino. “The latter part of the race was very difficult as the brake issue meant I had to brake much earlier than normal for corners, particularly the slow ones, and it meant I couldn’t push on for a top ten finish. “Qualifying wasn’t great, but with such close times we knew the bike had pace and it was just a case of tweaking the right set-up and going with that. “We could have done with a few more laps during qualifying to find the right bike setting, but that’s the same for everyone. “We’ve finished in the points again and have two more races to push for a top three championship finish.” Railton exorcised the ghost of his last appearance at Donington and the crash that has caused him so many problems for him this season. The memories of that incident in May meant the first few laps were a little tentative, but as the race wore on, his pace increased as the confidence started to return. “The bike was good and it was nice to erase the memory of that accident in May,” said Railton. “I’m much happier than I was a few months ago and just wish I could start the season again. “With two races left I’m now concentrating on increasing my race pace and getting back in the points.” Motostar Francis continued to impress in the Motostar race as he protected his championship lead and secured his ninth podium Moto 3 finish of the season, from the nine races. He started in 3rd place on the grid, with the focus of defending his significant championship lead, and soon encountered a few minor problems with his engine software. The problem continued for the rest of the race as Francis managed his bike with the championship in mind and delivered another haul of points towards the title. He said: “I’m now racing with the championship in my sights and while I always want to win races, the title is now more important than race wins. “The 32 point lead is mine to defend and I have to bring the bike home at each of the next three races to give Team WD-40 and myself the best chance of winning the championship.” In two weeks’ time Francis will be in Holland for the Assen round of the championship and, with Silverstone and Brands Hatch following in quick succession, he knows the battle to the title will soon be over. “The rounds are now coming thick and fast so I know concentration is key to delivering what everyone at Team WD-40 is aiming for – a championship trophy,” added the 15-year-old. Comments Team WD-40’s manager, Brent Gladwin, said: “Overall Donington Park was not quite the weekend we had hoped for, but we still ended it in great shape with points for Joe and Tommy, plus extra confidence for Jonathan. “Everyone suffers problems during the season and this was our round to have a few. “The positive thing I’m so proud of the whole team and how they dealt with everything. “We probably over-delivered considering the minor technical issues we had with the bikes and it’s meant we’re going into the final few rounds of the season in a good position for both championships. “Joe will now need to race sensibly to give himself the best opportunity of winning the title, because it’s his to lose now. “For Tommy a top three championship finish would represent an excellent first season. “He’s racing a 1000cc bike for the first time and has had to learn tracks he’s never raced before. “Jonathan must now push on and get back to the pace he had at the start of the season, which I’m sure will come very soon.” David Whittome, of team sponsors WD-40 Specialist Motorbike, said: “It’s fantastic to see two of our riders at the top, or near the top, of their respective championships. “This year has been a big learning curve for many people and we’re delighted that the end of the season is proving to be so exciting. “The determination that everyone associated with Team WD-40 shows is inspirational and everyone at WD-40 is really looking forward to the last few rounds of both the Superstock 1000 and Motostar championships.”

www.teamwd40.com Team Partners: Stauff UK, Cargolink Express, L&A Reinforcements, Carrino access flooring, The Air Con Experts, F&G Commercials, Bennetts Motorcycle Insurance, Kent Holiday Cottages, RS Components, 3 Squared, Signsxtra Technical Partners: Kawasaki, Scorpion Red Power, Dynojet UK, Swinton Motorcycles, R&G, PPG Paint, Goodridge, Pipercross, Solo Motorcycle products, Super B, MG Competition, STIHL, Geo Technology, Sigma

More, from a press release issued by Quattro Plant Kawasaki: Strong weekend at Donington for Quattro Plant Kawasaki

The Quattro Plant Kawasaki team enjoyed an excellent day’s racing at Donington Park on Sunday with both Chris Walker and Barry Burrell securing top ten finishes at round 9 of the 2013 MCE British Superbike Championship. With bad weather on Friday, the team didn’t take to the track until Saturday but qualifying again went well for Chris and he lined up in a solid seventh place on the grid for the opening 20-lap race, a strong start seeing him immediately jump up the order into sixth. Here he remained until lap five when Jon Kirkham pushed him back to seventh and this was where he finished, successfully seeing off the challenge of Jakub Smrz. The second race saw Chris battling with the same riders, as well as PJ Jacobsen and he made it four top ten finishes in a row with a fine eighth place. The weekend’s results mean Chris missed out on one of the top six Showdown spots but, lying in ninth overall, he will now focus his efforts on the Riders Cup of which he has a great chance of securing. Team-mate Burrell qualified in a solid 15th place and the Bishop Auckland rider continued his trend of getting quicker and quicker each time he took to the track, with his efforts in race one seeing him deservedly taking an excellent tenth place. Race two looked like it would give the 28-year old a great chance of repeating that result but a gear change issue spelt retirement at half race distance. Pete Extance, Team Manager: “It was a great weekend for Quattro Plant Kawasaki with both bikes in the top ten in race one and Chris again being extremely consistent all weekend. I am really pleased for Barry too as he is showing the potential we knew he was capable of and feel sure that he will be pushing towards the top five very soon. Well done to all the team this weekend!” The tenth round sees the series cross the Channel, visiting Assen, Holland on September 21-22.

More, from a press release issued by Ace Cafe T3 Racing Team:

Guiver crashes at Craner Curves

Rob Guiver recorded his first DNF of the race season yesterday at Donington Park after slipping on oil from another bike.

It was what Guiver described as “one of those weekends”. From start to finish there had been problems. Practice had been wet and there was fuel on the track. In qualifying the team discovered an oil leak on Guiver’s bike and he only made it out for two laps.

Despite starting last on the grid for race one, from then on it seemed that things were looking up. Guiver made great progress in Race 1, just narrowly missing out on third in the Cup class, and qualifying 18th for Race 2.

Race 2 was turning out to be a great battle. On lap one, Bjorn Estment managed to overtake Guiver and they were fighting for position throughout the race. The two riders traded places eight times in the 15 laps of the race.

Guiver commented: “It was frustrating because I felt we could catch the others but we kept holding each other up.”

It was on lap 14 that Deane Brown came down at the Craner Curves. By now Guiver was up to 15th and just 0.07 seconds behind Estment. On the following lap Glen Irwin went down at the same place and Guiver went down there soon after.

He told us: “I went slightly off the racing line on that lap and that’s when I caught the oil. It’s really frustrating but we have to drop three rounds out of twelve so it’s looking like this might be one of them!”

Team manager Ricky Chadwick commented: “This is racing but it is really frustrating when it’s not your fault. Luckily the bike isn’t too badly damaged and Rob’s fine too.”

The race was red flagged at lap 14. Fortunately he still has a 36 point lead over Estment in the championship.

The team will be working hard to get the bike ready for Assen in 11 days. Guiver will be qualifying at 10.15 on Saturday 21st September and his first race will be at 15.55.

More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

SUZUKI GRANDYS DUO WINS FIVE TITLES

Suzuki GRANDys duo collected five championship titles at the final round of the 2013 Alpe Adria Championship at Slovakiaring at the weekend.

Team rider Andy Meklau clinched the Alpe Adria Superbike and Austrian Superbike Championships aboard the GSX-R1000, team-mate Marko Jerman won the Slovenian Superbike and Superstock 1000 titles; and Daniel Bukowski claimed the Alpe Adria Superstock 600 Championship crown at the Slovakian circuit.

Said Suzuki GRANDys duo Team Manager Jacek Grandys: “I am very happy we did what we planned this weekend. We won five titles and confirmed our strength and potential. A big part in this success is down to our tyre supplier Dunlop and Sal Khan, who helped us all the time. I thank the whole team for their effort; well done and great work by everyone involved.”

Said Meklau: “It was great weekend for me, which finished with two championship titles. On Saturday I won the Alpe Adria and on Sunday the Austrian titles. Sunday’s race was not so easy for me; Halbich was really fast and were fighting until the last corner. I want to thank to all at Suzuki GRANDys duo, to Jacek and Dunlop; who delivered magnificent tyres for me. I’m really happy with all the results this season.”

Said Jerman, who also finished third in the Aple Adria Superbike series: “This weekend was not really perfect for me because I still felt the effects of my injury from the Poznan round. In the first half of the first race I still felt my injury and finished in fourth; and in the second race I had to enter pit because of a technical problem.”

Said Bukowski: “I was very nervous before Saturday’s race; I don’t like races where I have to think not only about winning, but mostly about points for the championship classification. During the race I felt that I could win it and make it happen. I want thank everyone in the team for a great season and now I am looking forward to the European Championship final in Albacete next month.”

Alpe Adria 2013 Final Classification:

Superbike:

1. Andy Meklau (Suzuki GRANDys duo) AUT 215 pts 2. Jan Halbich (Kawasaki) CZE 181 pts 3. Marko Jerman (Suzuki GRANDys duo) SLO 154 pts 4. Irek Sikora (BMW) POL 136 pts 5. Berto Camlek (Yamaha) SLO 123 pts

Superstock 600:

1. Daniel Bukowski (Suzuki GRANDys duo) POL 167 pts 2. Adrian Gyutari (Honda) HUN 136 pts 3. Janos Chrobak (Kawasaki) HUN 104 pts 4. Jiri Kleich (Kawasaki) CZE 98 pts 5. Luca Tommasini (Triumph) ITA 90 pts

More, from a press release issued by MWR Kawasaki:

Donington Disappointment For MWR Kawasaki

The MWR Kawasaki team endured a tough day at Donington Park today when, for the first time this season, both Harry Hartley and James Egan failed to finish their respective Pirelli National Superstock 600 and 1000 Championship races.

Keen to continue his recent good form, Hartley qualified in a solid 16th place for the Pirelli Superstock 600 race, just half a second off eighth place on the grid and the Burnley rider soon advanced forward during the 14-lap race. Thirteenth at the end of the first lap, this soon became 11th and with more fine overtaking moves, he was up into ninth by half race distance. With less than a second to the sixth placed rider, Harry was well placed for his best result of the season but it all came to an abrupt end on the ninth lap when another rider collided with him causing him to crash out at Starkeys Bridge.

South Africa’s Egan shone in the Pirelli Superstock 1000 wet free practice session but issues with set-up held him back in qualifying and he could only manage 31st on the grid although this was only 1.5 seconds off a top ten position. A solid start to the 15-lap race saw James move forward a number of places but his race was over before he could really get into his stride and with the clutch having expired, he was forced to retire at the end of the fourth lap.

Harry Hartley: “To be taken out by another rider for the second meeting in a row is very, very annoying. My pace in the race was the best it had been all weekend and I was just chipping away and working my way nicely through the riders ahead of me. The bike was working great and I was confident of grabbing sixth in the final third of the race but another rider just rode into the side of me coming out of the Old Hairpin and took my handlebar clean away from me. There was nothing I could do about it so it’s frustrating to have my race ended by another rider’s poor riding.”

James Egan: “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d be having no luck at all and it’s fair to say it’s been a tough weekend. Although we rode here earlier in the season, the settings from then weren’t of use this weekend and we were continually having to make big changes to the bike. It was only in the race that it began to feel somewhere close and I was able to make up plenty of time on the brakes in the final third of the lap. No sooner had the race started though, the clutch began to slip and as it was brand new, we were all a bit bemused why it happened. It just wasn’t meant to be this weekend and I can’t wait to get back out at Silverstone and make amends.”

Mark Webster: “It’s been a disappointing weekend with the team’s first double DNF and it’s particularly disappointing when were forced out due to no fault of our own. The pace was there in both riders to have good results but for the second meeting in a row, Harry’s been knocked off by another rider and with all the effort he’s been putting in, it’s so frustrating for his race to end in this manner. He was doing a great job moving through the field and having already worked his way from 16th to ninth, I felt confident he could have made up a couple more places by the chequered flag. Sadly, it wasn’t to be and whilst we all know these things happen in racing, it still doesn’t make it any easier to swallow. James really needed the race mileage and to go out so early with a clutch problem is hugely annoying. It was a brand new clutch so shouldn’t have expired like it did but you can’t legislate for these things. The lack of track time is what hurt us most and whilst I’m not the type of person to leave a meeting disappointed, today I will.”

Pirelli National Superstock 600 Championship (14 laps) 1 Callan Cooper (Yamaha) 2 Luke Hedger (Kawasaki) 3 Joe Collier (Triumph) 4 Jordan Simpkin (Yamaha) 5 Mark Wilkinson (Kawasaki) 6 Mason Law (Kawasaki) DNF Harry Hartley (MWR Kawasaki)

Championship standings (after ten rounds) 1 Simpkin 169pts 2 Hedger 159 3 Lodge 120 4 Cooper 115 5 Collier 111 6 Hastings 83 18 Hartley 15

Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship (15 laps) 1 Hudson Kennaugh (Kawasaki) 2 Filip Backlund (Kawasaki) 3 Victor Cox (Kawasaki) 4 Joe Burns (Kawasaki) 5 Lee Jackson (BMW) 6 Jimmy Storrar (BMW) DNF James Egan (MWR Kawasaki)

Championship standings (after ten rounds) 1 Kennaugh 148pts 2 Jenkinson 145 3 Cox 103 4 Backlund 100 5 Aquino 91 6 Jackson 90

More, from a press release issued by Halsall Racing Kawasaki:

Podium Joy For Bridewell At Donington Park

Tommy Bridewell gave the Bolton-based Halsall Racing Kawasaki team their second podium of the year after finishing third in today’s second MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship race at Donington Park.

The Devizes rider was unfortunately denied a place in the Showdown after a technical fault forced him to retire from the opening race, but he more than made up for it when he took a solid third in the second. Team-mate Lee Costello also enjoyed his strongest weekend of the season to date, and believes he has now turned a corner with his Halsall Racing Kawasaki.

Bridewell had qualified sixth for the first race, while Bolton’s Costello lined-up 21st. As the lights changed, Bridewell got a good start and held his position, moving up to fifth on the second lap. He remained there until lap 13 when his machine developed an engine problem, forcing him into retirement. Costello made a flying start, picking up three places in the opening lap and slowly crept up the order further to finally end the race 16th.

For race two Bridewell once again lined-up sixth, while Costello started from 17th. Again Bridewell got a solid start, holding position for the opening six laps before diving past Josh Brookes for fifth on lap seven. A lap later he passed both Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne and James Westmoreland in one move into third, and despite moving into second for a few laps, he was powerless to stop Shakey taking the spot back and crossed the line third to take his second piece of silverware for the team to add to his Cadwell Park second place last time out. Costello had a tougher race after making a few changes to his machine and eventually finished 18th.

Tommy Bridewell: “The weekend has been fantastic all in all. We just had some bad luck in race one with the engine and had we not had the trouble I’m sure we could’ve been on the podium. The team worked really hard between races to get the bike ready and to get the third was great. Alex and Shakey were just a little bit stronger at the end but they had a race on me so had a bit more knowledge. Obviously it is a massive shame that we couldn’t make it into the Showdown but from here I want to make my own mark on the end of the season by battling for the podium as much as I can in the final three rounds.”

Lee Costello: “This weekend has definitely been better. To make it easier for myself and the Italian crew we decided I’d start off with the bike set up the same as Tommy’s and I made it my own from there. I was getting faster in each session and in the first race I went faster again. For the second we tried making a few changes and unfortunately it just went the wrong way and it was very hard to ride. But, we have to try these things. It’s been a good round, we’ve been two seconds faster here and it looks much more positive now for the remainder of the season.”

Martin Halsall, Team Owner: “It’s been another fantastic end to the weekend for Tommy. Obviously he was disappointed in race one but he did the right thing pulling in when he did. As soon as he got off the bike after race two his first words were will you let me off for the first one now! and yes, he certainly made up for it. He was battling up there at the front which was great to see and the most important thing now is to look to next year and hope we can move forward with Tommy for what could be a very good season.

“Lee has also had a better weekend. In the first race he was doing well and we made some adjustments for the second race this afternoon but it just didn’t work in our favour. However, we’ve taken a big step forward with Lee and the Italian crew and now it’s mainly just a case of working together to get the bike working just the way he needs it to. He’s definitely had a better weekend and we all leave here feeling a lot happier.”

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Donington Park Race 1: 1. Alex Lowes (Honda) 2. Shane Byrne (Kawasaki) 3. James Ellison (Yamaha) 4. Josh Brookes (Suzuki) 5. James Westmoreland (BMW) 6. Jon Kirkham (BMW) 16. Lee Costello (Halsall Racing Kawasaki) DNF Tommy Bridewell (Halsall Racing Kawasaki)

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Donington Park Race 2: 1. Alex Lowes (Honda) 2. Shane Byrne (Kawasaki) 3. Tommy Bridewell (Halsall Racing Kawasaki) 4. James Westmoreland (BMW) 5. Josh Brookes (Suzuki) 6. James Ellison (Yamaha) 18. Lee Costello (Halsall Racing Kawasaki)

Championship positions after Round 9: 1. Shane Byrne 539 2. Alex Lowes 533 3. Josh Brookes 522 4. James Ellison 513 5. Ryuichi Kiyonari 504 6. James Westmoreland 500 8. Tommy Bridewell 126 23. Lee Costello 10

More, from a press release issued by Smiths Racing Triumph:

McConnell And Richards Claim The Spoils At Donington Park

The Gloucester-based Smiths Racing Triumph Team enjoyed the best weekend of their 2013 Motorpoint British Supersport Championship campaign at round nine at Donington Park this weekend with Billy McConnell taking a pair of podiums, including his second win of the season, and fellow Australian team-mate Glen Richards taking his first rostrum of the season.

With both riders flying in the solitary qualifying session, Glen lined up in second place just a fraction adrift of pole position man Stuart Easton whilst Billy held fifth despite only completing half the session after a spill at McLeans. Indeed, Saturday’s 12-lap Sprint race saw the trio involved in the fight for the podium positions throughout with Billy and Easton constantly exchanging positions at the head of the field. The lead changed on numerous occasions with Billy constantly fighting back with some excellent overtaking manoeuvres and he sealed the win on the final lap to come home clear of Easton with Glen just a further second back in third.

Today’s longer 18-lap race saw another hectic battle between the leading protagonists with Billy leading the way up until the seventh lap when Easton took over. That left Billy to battle with fellow Australian Jason O’Halloran but with the red flag coming out on lap15; the result saw Billy having to settle for third with Glen a further 1.6 seconds behind in fourth. The results this weekend have seen McConnell move back up to third overall in the title race.

Billy McConnell: “It’s good to move up to third in the championship and although you never like following up a win with a third, it’s been my biggest points haul of the season and we’re back at the sharp end which is where we want to be. Both races were tough but we just got caught out by the red flag in the second race and with everyone pushing so hard, it shows the importance of always being at the front. I’m really happy with how well the Smiths Triumph Daytona 675R is working and we’re coming on in leaps and bounds so it’s good to repay the team with two good results so a big thanks to them once more.”

Glen Richards: “It’s been a long, hard slog this season so to get back onto the podium feels great. I felt strong at the beginning of the season when the bike was in its infancy and then when the development work started paying off I got injured, so it’s very satisfying to have the two come together at last. My fitness is back and the bike’s really good now and we’re seeing that in both Billy’s and my results so we’ll be looking to end the season with more podiums.”

Rebecca Smith, Team Manager: “We’ve made another step forward this weekend and all the hard work that we’ve constantly been doing during the season is paying off now. Our technicians JT and Jason have been working with Arrow Exhausts since the last round and we’ve found a bit more power which we knew was there so it’s great that we’re reaping the rewards. I can’t praise the team high enough for all their efforts and every single person has been doing their bit so it’s been a good weekend.

“With four top four finishes, including three podiums, we’ve secured our best results and Billy’s moved up to third so we’re ending the season very strongly. The red flag jinx struck again but we can’t complain and with both Billy and Glen riding at their best we’ll regroup for the next round, continue to work hard and look to replicate, and hopefully better, this weekend’s results at Assen in two weeks time.”

Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Race 1 12 laps 1 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph) 2 Stuart Easton (Yamaha) 3 Glen Richards (Smiths Racing Triumph) 4 Ben Wilson (Kawasaki) 5 Graeme Gowland (Yamaha) 6 Richard Cooper (Triumph)

Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Race 2 18 laps 1 Stuart Easton (Yamaha) 2 Jason O’Halloran (Honda) 3 Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing Triumph) 4 Glen Richards (Smiths Racing Triumph) 5 Taylor Mackenzie (Suzuki) 6 Graeme Gowland (Yamaha)

Championship standings (after nine rounds) 1 Easton 326pts 2 Seeley 318 3 McConnell 269 4 Wilson 263 5 Gowland 206 6 O’Halloran 164 7 Richards 140

For further information please visit www.smithsracing.co.uk or the official championship website www.smithsracing.co.uk