British Superbike News

Swan Yamaha rider Tommy Hill won at Oulton Park in the first race at the weekend, while Samsung Crescent Suzuki rider John Hopkins crashed at Lodge Corner on lap five.

The safety car was called into use following Hopkins’ crash which left no gaps when the riders restarted. As soon as the safety car left the track Tommy Hill sped off to stretch his lead and left Josh Brookes, Shane Byrne & Michael Rutter to fight for second & third.

Relentless Suzuki rider Josh Brookes came in second with a slight gap on Bathams Ducati rider Michael Rutter, who beat HM Plant Honda rider Shane Byrne by overtaking him on the last lap of the final lap in an exciting finale.

Round 7 – Oulton Park, Race 1:

1.  Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha)
2.   Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) +5.492s
3.   Michael Rutter (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati) +5.669s
4.   Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) +5.755s
5.   Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +6.789s
6.   Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +7.128s
7.   Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +13.055s
8.   James Westmoreland (Motorpoint Yamaha) +18.699s
9.   Jon Kirkham (Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki) +18.960s
10. Scott Smart (Moto Rapido Ducati) +21.619s

Britisih Superbikes 2011 Championship:

1.  S. Byrne (HM Plant Honda) 214 points
2.  J. Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) 182
3.   T. Hill (Swan Yamaha) 165
4.   M. Laverty (Swan Yamaha) 129
5.   R. Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) 121
6   J. Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) 111
7   J. Kirkham (Samsung Crescent Racing) 91
8.   G. Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) 90
9.   S. Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) 89
10. M. Rutter (Rapid Solicitors Ducati) 88

Honda motorcycles are behind no less than five teams in this season’s British Superbike Championship with Australian Glen Richards of Team WFR Honda leading the way for Honda riders after four rounds.

Based in Yorkshire, the WFR Honda team race on CBR1000RR Fireblades.  The team are new this season to the BSB Evo Championship and have got off to a flying start.  Graeme Gowland, who made his Superbike debut in 2009, is the other WFR Honda team rider while Alex Lowes left the team in May after failing to agree on a new contract.

WFR Honda were formed from the Embassy Racing squad who were so successful in previous Supersport and Superstock 1000 Championships. While riding for the Embassy Racing Team Glen Richards won back to back championships in 2007 and 2008 and now, along with his new WFR Honda Team is keen to impress in the British Superbike championship.

But Honda does not only excel in superbike racing.  Along with its full range of motor cars it is also known for other vehicles from lawn mowers to quad bikes; and they are not just used for racing!

Philippa is a farmer in Oxfordshire and uses her Honda ATV to tend to a herd alpacas! A far cry from racing around a track but it is the first of four new film shorts to be shown as part of the ongoing Honda television sponsorship of Channel 4 documentaries during 2011.

The new mini-documentaries each focus on a real-life Honda owner who put their Honda vehicle to more obscure uses.

Each of the short films is like a mini-documentary created by Hollie Newton at Wieden + Kennedy (W+K) and includes a unique website link relating to its story allowing viewers to see extra content online.

Honda will also be using social media with Facebook and Twitter campaigns to accompany the TV sponsorship deal linking to an online hub at www.honda.co.uk/stories where the videos will be available in full along with articles and other interesting stories. There is also a competition in the ‘Take Part’ section of the website, where Honda owners can upload their own stories and photographs, explaining the unusual ways in which they use their own Honda products.

W+K, the company behind the films, will select their favourite story and make it into the final mini-documentary to be shown later in the year as part of the Channel 4 campaign.

Honda will continue to use the strap line ‘Documentaries on 4, sponsored by Honda’ throughout 2011 for these new films, which were first aired last week during the Cutting Edge documentary, ‘Bums, Boobs and Botox’.

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MCE Insurance British Superbike Race One:

26-year-old  Jon Kirkham had a great race to win his first British Superbike race in poor weather conditions at Croft at the weekend by beating Samsung Crescent Suzuki team-mate John Hopkins while MSS Colchester Kawasaki rider Gary Mason finished in third.  Kirkham had a great race clinching victory after starting in 16th position on the grid.

MCE Insurance BSB championship leader Shane Byrne had a great start and led the race while John Hopkins, the former MotoGP rider, also began well and made up ground moving from ninth to second.  But it wasn’t such a good race for Jenny Tinmouth who slid off the track on lap two.

Jon Kirkham becomes the fifth winner in the five BSB races this season.

Race One (18 laps):
1.Jon Kirkham (Samsung Crescent Racing)
2.John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) +2.940 seconds
3.Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +3.715 seconds
4.Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +13.335 seconds
5.Alex Lowes (WFR Honda) +14.699 seconds
6.Stuart Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +19.433 seconds

MCE Insurance British Superbike Race Two:

Shane Byrne, the HM Honda plant rider once again leads the MCE Insurance British Superbike championship after what seemed like an easy ride to win race two by just under two seconds.

Stuart Easton and John Hopkins battled for second place and was finally won by when the  Scotsman finished ahead of the ex-MotoGP rider.

Jon Kirkham began the race in pole position but spun off in the first lap after colliding with Michael Laverty.

Race Two (20 laps):
1.Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda)
2.Stuart Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +1.887 seconds
3.John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) +2.269 seconds
4.Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) +2.461 seconds
5.Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +5.517 seconds
6.Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) +6.094 seconds

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship 2011:

1.Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) – 95 points
2.John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) – 92 points
3. Stuart Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) – 89 points
4.Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) – 59 points
5.Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) – 57 points
6.Jon Kirkham (Samsung Crescent Racing) – 54 points

At long last the 2011 MCE British Superbike Championship gets underway this weekend at Brands Hatch in Kent, the start to what promises to be another superb season of wheel to wheel racing to determine the title.

Last season’s innovative rule change will remain in place, ensuring that no one runs away with the championship. Following the first nine events, the top six riders in the standings will qualify for “The Showdown” and become the “Title Fighters” for the remaining three events, battling it out to become champion. They will each be awarded 500 points, plus additional points for each podium they have achieved up to this point. Meanwhile the remaining riders will continue to contest the “British Superbike Riders’ Cup”.

As always race day at Brands Hatch will be broadcast live on British Eurosport on Bank Holiday Monday when you can join the commentator Jack Burnicle, who is once again joined by former BSB Champion James Witham.

Looking ahead to an exciting challenge for the championship, Witham says;

“There’s a lot of anticipation this year with riders returning to the championship, like former winner Shakey Byrne. He’s going to be quick, he’s tested really well and he’s with one of the top teams in HM Plant Honda. I think the fan’s favourite is Tommy Hill. After a good season last year, he’s swapped teams and he’s very confident.

“The defending champion Ryuichi Kiyonari is going to take some beating if he gets his eye in, but we know how fragile he can be, little things can put him off his stride so he’s by no means a firm favourite in the championship for me.”

One of the biggest stories pre-season is the arrival of former MotoGP rider American John Hopkins in the paddock and Whitham thinks he could be a contender;

“John Hopkins is a big coup for the championship. He’s a colourful character, he’s loud and he’s got the biggest baseball cap in the world! I can’t wait to see how he’s going to get to grips with the best, quirky British tracks. There’s no doubt the man has got the talent if he’s still got the fire in his belly and he can get his head around the circuits.”

Making history will be Jenny Tinmouth, the first ever female rider to contest the British Superbike Championship. Having finished third in the British Supersport Cup last season, Tinmouth also set a new record for the fastest lap by a female competitor at the Isle of Man TT event.

TV Times for Brands Hatch:

Monday 25 April
1230-1800 LIVE Race day on British Eurosport 2
2200-2330 Highlights on British Eurosport 2

Tuesday 26 April
1330-1430 Highlights on British Eurosport 2

Thursday 28 April
0830-0930 Highlights on British Eurosport
1930-2030 Highlights on British Eurosport 2
2030-2145 British Superbike Extra (support race highlights) on British Eurosport 2

Sunday 1 May
1730-1900 Highlights on British Eurosport 2

If you are taking advantage of the dry and sunny Spring weather for a run out on your bike and you are in in the North Yorkshire area of Northallerton tomorrow night, be sure to call in at the Golden Lion Hotel for this month’s NYRRSC chat night and a chance to meet some of the British riders challenging for honours this year.

The World Supersport Team PTR Honda have agreed to bring their riders to the NYRRSC before the World Superbike Round at Donington Park and the chat night will feature 2010 British Supersport Champion Sam Lowes plus 2009 British Superbike runner up James Ellison, they will be joined on stage by their new Team Manager Simon Buckmaster.

As a special treat the former PTR Honda rider Eugene Laverty, now riding in World Superbike, will also be taking part in the chat night.

North Yorkshire Road Racing Supporters Club (NYRRSC)

Non Members – £6 – Members – £4

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