TITLE FIGHTERS HILL AND LAVERTY TAKE THE VICTORIES Round 10 Croft 12 September MCE INSURANCE BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Overview: Race one: (1) Hill (2) M Laverty (3) Easton (4) Andrews (5) Linfoot (6) Brookes Race two: (1) M Laverty (2) Hill (3) Easton (4) Kiyonari (5) Rutter (6) Ellison Title-fighter standings: (1) Hill (2) M Laverty (3) Kiyonari (4) Brookes (5) Rutter (6) Seeley Report: Tommy Hill and Michael Laverty fully justified their “title-fighters” status in two hard fought races as the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship entered the “Showdown” phase in the tenth round at the Croft circuit in North Yorkshire. They each took a win and a second place amid superb front-running duelling which in terms of the overall standings gave the Worx Crescent Suzuki rider Tommy Hill the edge, 570-554 points ahead of Laverty. Hill, who had turned his season around in the previous round at Cadwell Park, maintained that form throughout this round, consistently fast through free practice and qualifying, he had claimed his fifth pole start, but, that counted for little as he was out-gunned in each of the races by the determined Laverty. The Relentless Suzuki by TAS rider was running ahead of Hill on a dramatic opening lap in which David Johnson crashed spectacularly, bringing out the Safety Car for two laps, but as the action resumed for real, Laverty upped the tempo, though Hill was full of fight, and he grabbed the lead on the fifth lap. Hill rode hard, but he was unable to shake off the hard riding Laverty. “I had to work hard to keep Michael behind me,” explained Hill adding “I was panicking a bit over the last few laps but I had the lead and just had to keep it consistent because I knew that Michael would be there. I was protecting my lines and just tried to keep my cool but I did what I needed to do and this win was just what we needed.” Laverty crossed the line just 0.155secs down on Hill in a race that brought little cheer for the other title-fighters with first Alastair Seeley tumbling out of ninth place at half distance and then Michael Rutter tipping out of third place at three quarters distance. Josh Brookes rode hard through set-up problems to take sixth place while his HM Plant Honda team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari overcame a poor qualifying position to finish eleventh. Laverty again was quickly off the mark next time out, with Stuart Easton, third in the opener on the Swan Honda, running between him and Hill, though the Worx Crescent Suzuki rider was quickly on the attack to make second place his by the sixth lap. By then Laverty had a comfortable lead, but Hill was reeling him in and looking for a way through, and that came at the Hairpin with five laps remaining. Hill was unable to pull any advantage, with Laverty hitting back strongly and regaining the lead, en route to his second win of the season, on the penultimate lap. “I was not going to give up and put in two hard laps to get him back, explained Laverty, adding: “I was prepared to fight-back and that brought me the win.” Hill ran 0.202secs down with Easton a distant third ahead of Kiyonari who had carved through the pack from eleventh on the opening lap to deny Rutter fourth place. James Ellison ran sixth ahead of Tommy Bridewell with Brookes eighth as Dan Linfoot and Simon Andrews completed the top ten as Seeley struggled to match the pace, finishing fifteenth and picking up a single point. Hudson Kennaugh powered in a winning Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class double aboard his Splitlath Aprilia to peg back points, 356-322, on series leading Steve Brogan who finished third and second on his Jentin BMW. For the record: MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Croft, round 10: Race one 20 laps 1.Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) 27m 43.359s 2.Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +0.155s 3.Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) +10.177s 4.Simon Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +13.512s 5.Dan Linfoot (Motorpoint Yamaha) +14.742s 6.Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +15.407s 7.Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +21.044s 8.John Laverty (Buildbase Kawasaki) +25.983s 9.Chris Walker (Sorrymate.com SMT Honda) +26.304s 10.Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +26.670s Race two 19 laps 1.Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 2.Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +0.202s 3.Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) +8.534s 4.Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +9.590s 5.Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) +9.833s 6.James Ellison (Swan Honda) +10.138s 7.Tommy Bridewell (Quay Garage Honda) +10.730s 8.Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +11.619s 9.Dan Linfoot (Motorpoint Yamaha) +12.412s 10.Simon Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +16.489s Championship standings: 1.Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) 570 2.Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 554 3.Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) 543 4.Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) 542 5.Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) 521 6.Alastair Seeley (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 506 Next round: Silverstone 24/25/26 September More, from a press release issued by Swan Honda: DOUBLE PODIUM FINISH FOR SWAN HONDA AT CROFT The Swan Honda team returned to the podium today at Croft as Stuart Easton secured two third places at the tenth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship whilst James Ellison came close to a podium return. Ellison and Easton were formation flying in the opening race of the day to challenge for the final podium position, but bad luck struck Ellison once again as he was forced to retire with a puncture whilst battling for third. This left Easton to secure third place and both riders started the second race from the front row of the grid. In race two Easton made it a repeat performance with his first double podium finish of the season as Ellison was just edged out of the top five by Michael Rutter to finish in sixth. Easton said: “It has been a much better weekend for me and I am so happy to be back up on the podium and putting the Swan Honda where it should be. Two podiums from two races is all I could have hoped for today and they were tough, especially race two as I had a bit of tension in my arm. The podium in the first race got the monkey off my back and I was able to relax a bit for race two and then go out and repeat the performance. It has been an unbelievable weekend and fair play to the team as they have worked so hard for this result. I also need to thank the team, all of our sponsors and supporters who have stood by me this season.” Ellison said: “It has been a weird weekend for me and one of mixed emotions. I felt like I was getting stronger throughout the event and I was so happy with how qualifying went and to be on the front row. We came out and had a good warm up session so I was feeling good for the races. I was up fighting for the podium and the bike just didn’t feel right on the front; I tried to ride around the problem but it wasn’t until about half way through the race that I knew something was very wrong. I thought I could stay out and salvage some good points as I was in fourth but it just got too bad and I nearly launched myself a few times. In the second race I just got caught behind Michael Rutter and I passed him but then ran wide on more than one occasion, so that was disappointing as I was hoping for more this weekend.” Team Manager Shaun Muir concluded: “I am really pleased for the whole of the Swan Honda team and all of our sponsors, particularly with Stuart showing real determination to take two podium finishes. They were hard fought and it justifies his efforts over the past few rounds. It was unfortunate for James as he had a puncture in race one whilst challenging for a podium and then in race two he was caught behind Michael Rutter and couldn’t do the lap times that perhaps he could have if he had been able to pass him. This weekend has set us up well for Silverstone and although we are not in the fight for the title it shows that we can still mix up the results at the final two rounds.” More, from a press release issued by Quay Garage Honda: Bridewell Rocks At Croft Quay Garage Honda rider Tommy Bridewell overcame the disappointment of a retirement in race one with one of his best rides of the season in the second race into seventh place as round ten of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship took place at a sun-kissed Croft in North Yorkshire this weekend. For the second meeting in succession, 22-year-old Bridewell from Etchilhampton near Devizes in Wiltshire endured constantly changing weather conditions during practice but managed to slot the ex-Gregorio Lavilla CBR1000RR Fireblade onto row three for today’s first 20-lap race. In front of another large crowd, Bridewell was running inside the top ten in race one and looking good to improve as the race progressed when he was unfortunate enough to experience an exhaust breaking which forced him into retirement on lap 13. However, with his performance in race one, his lap time was good enough to place him on row two of the grid for the day’s second race and he made the most of his opportunity. Slotting into fifth on the opening lap, Bridewell remained in contention for the final podium place as half a dozen bikes battled it out for third position throughout the race whereby he finished in seventh place, just two seconds off a podium place. The result consolidated the 11th place Bridewell holds in the points table going into the penultimate round at Silverstone in two weeks’ time and with a top ten placing in the series still distinctly possible, Bridewell will be hoping the experience gained at last month’s World Superbike Championship round will stand him in good stead to achieve that. : “The frustration I felt in race one was somewhat eased in race two and I have to be reasonably satisfied with that performance. I felt in race one that I could have got a good result but then the exhaust split and my race was over. It just goes to show how important a good grid position is and from row two, I got a good start in the second race and went with the leaders. I hung on in there but I was on the limit and to be dicing with a load of factory bikes and riders was good. I thought a podium was possible at one point but it didn’t happen but I’m pleased for the team and sponsors who have done a great job for me again. Roll on Silverstone and I’m hoping we can challenge once again for that elusive podium.” Ian Woollacott, Team Owner: “What can I say!? Tommy has once again excelled and ridden beyond what should be expected of him. It was unfortunate to have the exhaust break in race one when he was doing so well and then in race two, I really felt a podium was possible and to miss out by just a couple of seconds and to finish ahead of one of the factory Hondas was simply unbelievable. We’re all very happy and it will make the long trip home to Devon a lot better after that performance!” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: LAVERTY MAKES TITLE STATEMENT WITH CROFT VICTORY Relentless by TAS Suzuki rider Michael Laverty can now stake a claim as a genuine BSB title contender after a pivotal weekend at Croft – not only for the Toomebridge rider, but also for his Northern Ireland-based British Superbike team. Laverty took a near perfect 45 point hall from the North Yorkshire venue in the opening two races of the Title Fighters’ Shootout, with second place in race one and a memorable victory in race two. It was the 28-year-old’s second top step of the season and undoubtedly one of the most important in his career. He now occupies second place in the title race, just 16 points behind Tommy Hill with five races remaining. In race one Laverty took the holeshot and fended off Hill for the first three laps and such was the pace, both Suzuki riders pulled away from the pursuing pack, putting 10 seconds into eventual third placed man Stuart Easton. Laverty hounded and harried Hill in the closing stages only losing out on the victory by 0.155s. Laverty’s confident start in race two afforded him the chance to break away from his rivals in the opening laps, but in a mirror image of race one, both he and Hill came together to dispute the top step in a nail biting finale. Laverty’s superior set-up and race-craft shone through when it mattered, taking the lead on the penultimate lap before defending his lines to take a well-deserved victory on his GSX-R1000 Relentless by TAS Suzuki. Team mate Alastair Seeley didn’t have quite the weekend he expected at Croft with a first race DNF after being collected by another rider at the hairpin. Then in race two the BSB rookie battled bravely for points, eventually finishing 15th. He remains in sixth place in the Title Fighters’ Shootout on 506 points. Michael Laverty: “It’s been an excellent weekend for us. We have been strong in every session and continually worked on our set-up. Race one wasn’t perfect as I struggled a little bit in the middle sector but I still brought the fight to Tommy at the end of the race. For race two we made a few small tweaks to the set up and it made all the difference. I took charge of the race and felt really comfortable out front. It was a good battle with Tommy over the last couple of laps, but I was determined to come out on top this time around. It’s now game-on for the Championship with two rounds remaining but I am well up for the fight. A big thanks has to go to the team this weekend; they worked hard in the garage to give me what I needed to win.” Alastair Seeley: “I had a good start in race one and was making progress until Gary Mason took me out at the Hairpin, and with a broken clutch lever I couldn’t re-start which I wasn’t too happy about. In race two I wasn’t feeling that comfortable with a number of small little problems hampering my progress, but that’s racing. Croft basically proved more difficult than I imagined but my head’s not down and I’m looking forward to Silverstone and Oulton.” Philip Neill – Team Manager: “There’s only one word to describe that performance from Michael: Awesome. We came into this season as underdogs and some people even wrote us off before the season got underway. We have a lot of experience in racing and combining that with a hard-working team and two equally-talented and hard-working riders, it is finally paying off. “I’ve said all along that Michael Laverty has the potential to be the best rider in British Championship racing and today we got more than a glimpse of that. What is more pleasing was seeing him combine all his qualities today: speed, resilience, a professional attitude and a calm head when it mattered most. “He got a lot of hard moves thrown at him by Tommy, but he fought back and proved that his Relentless by TAS Suzuki with the K-tech suspension was a better package today. It may seem strange but we are a little disappointed not to have won both races at Croft today. “Michael has taken a bit of criticism for his reserved style at times this year, but as he said himself when interviewed – the time to bring the ‘A Game’ to the grid is in the final seven races and he’s silenced a few critics today. “Alastair didn’t find his comfort zone at this circuit but I don’t want him dropping his head. His job this season, as a series Rookie, was to make the top six and that box has been well and truly ticked already. He is capable of much more and we will move forward with optimism for our number 34. “It’s an important time of the year for us as a team, so I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors and hope today’s results go a small way in repaying their faith in us. Thanks obviously to Suzuki, Relentless, Beacon and all our other loyal sponsors. BSB Race 1 Results: 1. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) 2.Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +0.155s 3.Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) +10.177s 4.Simon Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +13.512s 5.Dan Linfoot (Motorpoint Yamaha) +14.742s 6.Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +15.407s 7.Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +21.044s 8.John Laverty (Buildbase Kawasaki) +25.983s 9.Chris Walker (Sorrymate.com SMT Honda) +26.304s 10.Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +26.670s BSB Race 2 Results: 1.Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 2.Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +0.202s 3.Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) +8.534s 4.Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +9.590s 5.Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) +9.833s 6.James Ellison (Swan Honda) +10.138s 7.Tommy Bridewell (Quay Garage Honda) +10.730s 8.Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +11.619s 9.Dan Linfoot (Motorpoint Yamaha) +12.412s 10.Simon Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +16.489s BSB Championship Standings: 1.Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) 570 2.Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 554 3.Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) 543 4.Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) 542 5.Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) 521 6.Alastair Seeley (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 506 More, from a press release issued by GNS Racing: Lowes Wins Again To Eye Title Sam Lowes and GNS Racing took another major stride towards claiming the 2010 Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship today when the teenager claimed his fourth win of the season in a dramatic race at Croft. The 19-year-old bounced back from a heavy crash in qualifying yesterday to steadily move through the pack in the race and when race leader Graeme Gowland’s Honda expired, the race was ended early and Sam was able to add another 25 points to his total. The victory means he now needs just ten points from the final two rounds to crown a fairytale season. The Lincoln rider had been in fine form during practice and qualifying and clinched pole position but no sooner had he done so then he crashed heavily and although he was uninjured the bike was wrecked and the team had to work through the night to rebuild the machine in time for the race. They did exactly that and so Sam lined up in pole position although a steady start saw him drop back to fourth at the completion of the opening lap. However, there was nothing between the front group but as Sam steadily got into his rhythm, he was able to inch his way forward. By half race distance, he had moved up to third and with his brother Alex setting the pace at the head of the field, he was able to overhaul championship rival James Westmoreland. Alex then made a mistake and dropped back to fifth allowing Sam to move up to second as he pressurised new race leader Graeme Gowland but with five laps to go, Gowland’s engine blew up in spectacular fashion, depositing oil which brought the race to a premature end and so the result was declared with Sam in yet another first place and Westmoreland second. His lead is now up to 40 points and he needs just a sixth place finish at the next round at Silverstone to secure the crown. Sam Lowes: “To be so close to the title now is simply awesome especially as that was the most difficult race of the season. I managed to get pole but then seriously bent the bike with a heavy crash so I can’t thank the team enough for all the work they had to do. It took me a while to get used to the bike hence being back in fourth early on but when Alex came by me, it dragged me along and got me up to the pace I needed to be running at. My speed came back and it allowed me to go with Graeme and he was riding really well so I’m sorry for his bad luck. I was covered in oil when his engine blew and it was all over my visor and the bike but his bad luck was my good luck so we’ll take it! I’m really looking forward to Silverstone now and, hopefully, we can wrap up the title there.” Gary Stubbington: “What a race! It was really hard for us after what had happened in qualifying so I’m just so pleased for everyone that we’ve come away with the win. Sam rode absolutely brilliantly, like a true professional, and kept his composure throughout. He got better with each and every lap and it’s fair to say that he’s got better and better with each and every race this season. It was a serious off in qualifying and the bike had to be completely rebuilt so the guys were up all night doing just that and I’m privileged to be working with such a fantastic group of guys, they’re awesome and are simply the best there is. We only need a sixth place now to clinch the title, which will be like a dream come true. I’m not sure if my heart can take much more but roll on Silverstone!” Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship result (14 laps) 1 Sam Lowes (GNS Racing Honda) 20m03.072s 2 James Westmoreland (Yamaha) +1.134s 3 Jack Kennedy (Yamaha) +1.576s 4 Alex Lowes (Yamaha) +4.572s 5 Jason OHalloran (Yamaha) +6.721s 6 Daniel Cooper (Triumph) +7.792s 7 Lee Johnston (Triumph) +9.144s 8 AJ Venter (Triumph) +10.007s 9 Glen Richards (Honda) +13.755s 10 Chris Martin (Kawasaki) +14.914s Championship standings (after 10 rounds) 1 Lowes (GNS Racing Honda) 196 points 2 Westmoreland 156 3 Gowland 103 4 Wilson 100 5 McConnell 99 6 Kennedy 92