Podium place for improving Reynolds JOHN REYNOLDS scored Rizla Suzuki’s first podium finish of the 2005 season when he finished third in the opening race at the eighth round of the British Superbike Championship at Snetterton in Norfolk. British Champion JR spent the first race battling with his Rizla Suzuki team mate James Haydon for the podium, eventually coming out on top by a tiny margin with James close behind in an impressive fourth – marking the team’s best result of the season to date. In race two JR was challenging James early in the race for fifth when he made a mistake and ran wide on the entry to the Revett straight. He lost a fraction of time on the leaders and despite matching their lap times for the next 20-laps, was never able to close the small gap to compete for the victory. James was in third when he fell unhurt at the Esses on lap seven. Honda’s Ryuichi Kiyonari won the opening race and Ducati’s Gregorio Lavilla the second. Rizla Suzuki’s next outing is at Castle Combe in the annual Grand National races on July 30th – 31st. Rizla Suzuki will be represented in the two Superbike races by James Haydon and Joey Dunlop’s nephew William Dunlop. JR: “What a fantastic feeling to be back on the podium, especially when I was celebrating my 200th race start today. The opening race was hard, the pace was fast and I had a battle royale with James for that podium – that was fun and I really enjoyed it. “The second race was frustrating as I made a small mistake trying to overtake James early on and that caused me to lose touch with the leaders. Fourth is okay but now I have tasted the podium that’s where I want to be for the rest of the season. I’m back racing again and there’s plenty more to come from me and my Rizla Suzuki.” James: “Well done to JR in race one, it was a fantastic battle for third and in the end he edged me off the podium. Race two was going great and I was in with a shout for the victory when I came off and that is bitterly disappointing. “My Rizla Suzuki is very close to winning races, it’s only a tiny percentage away. We know what we need to do to make the bike just right for me and will be working on that before I race again at Castle Combe in three weeks time.” Robert Wicks, Team Manager: “Rizla Suzuki is back racing at the front of the pack for podium places and today has seen our best results of the season by far. “Well done to JR for getting a podium and fourth place as he continues his comeback to form. He won the Sky Sports Rider of the Day award and got the loudest cheer of the day when he stepped onto the podium. There is plenty more to come from him as he continues to improve during the second half of the season. “James crashed on Friday and was riding with an injured shoulder for the rest of the weekend. Despite that he put on a brilliant performance in race one to finish fourth and was in contention for the podium in race two when he crashed out. He has a few niggling issues with the front end feeling on his Rizla Suzuki and we will be working hard during the next couple of weeks to fix those for him. “Thanks to all of the Rizla Suzuki fans for sticking with us through thick and thin and to the team technicians for working so hard – today’s podium is dedicated to you all!” Race One Result: 1: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 27:34.719, 2: Leon Haslam (Ducati) +8.280, 3: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) +12.002, 4: JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI) +13.263, 5: Michael Rutter (Honda) +19.725, 6: Karl Harris (Honda) +28.409, 7: Steve Plater (Honda) +28.723, 8: Gary Mason (Honda) +29.066, 9: Ben Wilson (Kawasaki) +30.246, 10: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +31.866. Race Two Result: 1: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 27:39.538, 2: Michael Laverty (Honda) +1.768, 3: Rutter +5.982, 4: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) +10.080, 5: Plater +21.383, 6: Wilson +21.666, 7: Hill +21.755, 8: Mason +22.234, 9: Dean Thomas (Kawasaki) +22.716, 10: Chris Burns (Yamaha) +39.610, DNF JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI). Championship Positions after eight of 13 rounds: 1: Rutter 302, 2: Kiyonari 257, 3: Lavilla 241, 4: Haslam 172, 5: Glen Richards (Kawasaki) 160, 6: Harris 125, 7: Laverty 113, 8: Thomas 109, 9: Mason 98, 10: Sean Emmett (Yamaha) 79, 12: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) 68, 14: JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI) 56. More, from a press release issued by Stobart Honda: MAGIC MICHAEL SIZZLES AT SNETTERTON Stobart Honda rider Michael Laverty followed up a superb third place at Knockhill with a scintillating second place at round eight of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship held at a hot and sunny Snetterton in Norfolk today. Following on a career best front row starting position, the 23 year old from Toomebridge endured disappointment in race one when he was forced to retire when circulating with the leaders following a rear wheel bearing failure but bounced back in the best possible fashion in race two and even led the race in the early stages. Battling with race winners so far this season Michael Rutter, Ryuichi Kiyonari and Gregorio Lavilla, Laverty proved more than a match for them and ended up in a superb second place after twenty five tortuous laps. “I was disappointed in the first race but made amends in the second one and I just pushed the whole race. I had a bit of a problem with the clutch and made a mistake but managed to catch it back, then Lavilla joined us and passed me and then I got caught up with some backmarkers and I just couldn’t get close enough to make a pass. We’ve made another step forward and hopefully I will get it on the top of the rostrum before long” said a delighted Laverty. Meanwhile Gary Mason could not quite emulate Laverty’s success but recorded two eighth positions on the second of the VK, The Mob and Vent Axia backed Stobart Honda machines. The 25 year old from Lichfield commented: “I just got boxed in and I had a few stability problems with the bike. I could push really hard half way through the race but I couldn’t catch back up with the others. I got caught up in the battle for fifth place in the first race but then I ran out of laps and places to pass. The bike feels good and it’s just frustrating where I have ended up because I want to be higher.” Team owner Paul Bird was once again delighted with his young protégé’s performances: “A good day, but it could have been a brilliant day. It was a fantastic performance again from Michael and a shame in the first race as he could have had two rostrums. He had a problem with the rear wheel centre breaking up which caused him to stop in the first race. The main thing is that we are leaving Snetterton with both bikes and riders intact.” The series now endures a five week break before the next round at Silverstone on 20th and 21st August whereby Laverty and the team will be looking for more success. Bennetts British Superbike Race One Result 1, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 27m34.719s, 2, Leon Haslam (Ducati) +8.280s, 3, John Reynolds (Suzuki) +12.002s, 4, James Haydon (Suzuki) +13.263s, 5, Michael Rutter (Honda) +19.725s, 6, Karl Harris (Honda) +28.409s, 7, Steve Plater (Honda) +28.723s, 8, Gary Mason (Stobart Honda) +29.066s, 9, Ben Wilson (Kawasaki) +30.246s, 10, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +31.866s. Bennetts British Superbike Race Two Result 1, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 27m39.538s, 2, Michael Laverty (Stobart Honda) +1.768s, 3, Michael Rutter (Honda) +5.982s, 4, John Reynolds (Suzuki) +10.080s, 5, Steve Plater (Honda) +21.383s, 6, Ben Wilson (Kawasaki) +21.666s, 7, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +21.755s, 8, Gary Mason (Stobart Honda) +22.234s, 9, Dean Thomas (Kawasaki) +22.716s, 10, Chris Burns (Yamaha) +39.160s. Bennetts British Superbike Championship Standings (after Round 16) 1, Michael Rutter (Honda) 302pts 2, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 257pts 3, Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 241pts 4, Leon Haslam (Ducati) 172pts 5, Glen Richards (Kawasaki) 160pts 6, Karl Harris (Honda) 125pts 7, Michael Laverty (Stobart Honda) 113pts 8, Dean Thomas (Kawasaki) 109pts 9, Gary Mason (Stobart Honda) 98pts 10, Sean Emmett (Yamaha) 79pts