British Superbike News

Race 1

Shane Byrne on the Airwaves Ducati, started the race on pole position but was out-started by Leon Haslam and Michael Rutter as Cal Crutchlow shot ahead to lead at the end of lap 1.

It is Crutchlow’s first season with the HM Plant Honda team and he was battling with his teammate, Haslam early on in the race but managed to keep his place until Byrne’s moved up into second place and started his challenge for the lead. Byrne made his pass at Seagrove on the thirteenth lap and held the lead comfortably winning with a two second gap.

Byrne said “We’ve come a long way to get running, and Cal was really going for it but I got through and it all worked out. The team has done a great job, but we had to look at what everyone else was doing and then do it for ourselves.”

Crutchlow said “Shane was keeping me on it – I just kept plugging away but when he came past, I couldn’t match him but it was a good race.”

Rutter who had started on the front row of the grid for the first time in two years, was on the podium to take third place and said “Brilliant, I couldn’t dream of this. It is like Christmas again.”

Karl Harris passed both Rutter and Byrne on the first lap only to have to retire at the end of lap two with a mechanical fault.

In fourth place was Leon Haslam who had slowed down towards the end of the race with tyre concerns and Byrne’s teammate Leon Camier, took the fifth slot.

Here are the results for Race 1;

1 – Shane Byrne-Ducati – Airwaves Ducati -25:33.9
2 – Cal Crutchlow-Honda – HM Plant Honda -25:36.2
3 – Michael Rutter-Ducati – North West 200 Ducati -25:37.5
4 – Leon Haslam-Honda – HM Plant Honda -25:44.9
5 – Leon Camier-Ducati – Airwaves Ducati -25:52.6
6 – Tom Sykes-Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki -25:53.0
7 – James Ellison-Honda – Hydrex Bike Animal Honda -25:53.3
8 – Simon Andrews-Yamaha – Jentin Racing / Lloyds British -25:56.3
9 – Stuart Easton-Kawasaki – MSS Discovery Kawasaki -25:56.6
10 – Michael Laverty-Suzuki – Relentless Suzuki by TAS -25:57.8
11 – Sean Emmett-Yamaha – AIM Racing -26:11.0
12 – John Laverty-Ducati – Buildbase NW200 Ducati -26:11.3
13 – Tristan Palmer-Honda – Tena for Men Honda -26:12.4
14 – Billy Mcconnell-Kawasaki – MSS Discovery Kawasaki-26:12.547
15 – Guy Martin-Honda – Hydrex Bike Animal Honda-26:14.175
16 – Scott Smart-Kawasaki – Hawk Racing -26:19.249
17 – Atsushi Watanabe-Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki -26:19.9
18 – Chris Burns-MV Agusta – STP Superbike -26:20.4
19 – David Johnson-Honda – Team MAXXIS -26:24.0
20 – Steve Mercer-Yamaha – Bob Farnham Tuning / Sondel -26:24.1
21 – Dean Ellison-Yamaha – Co-ordit Racing -26:30.7
22 – Aaron Zanotti-Honda – Red Viper Racing -26:31.3
23 – Malcolm Ashley-Kawasaki – ARP / MAR -26:32.2
24 – James Buckingham-Honda – Quay Garage -26:34.5
25 – Martin Jessopp-Honda – Riders Racing -26:40.0
26 – Tom Tunstall-Honda – Hardinge – Ice Valley Motorsport -26:50.1
27 – Leon Morris-Ducati – Team Trimrite Brookspeed-25:41.231
28 – Luke Quigley-Suzuki – PDM Racing-25:41.957
29 – Michael Howarth-Honda – Tena for Men Honda -25:54.365

Not Classified

- Adam Jenkinson – Honda – SMT Honda
- Brian Mccormack – Honda – MAC Racing
- Karl Harris – Yamaha – Team Yamaha

Race 2

In the second race, Leon Haslam took the initiative from the start after the problems in the first race and got ahead of Byrne and Karl Harris.

Byrne took the lead on lap four with Crutchlow slipping into the second place position taken from Rutter. Tom Sykes and Leon Haslam were battling it out for fourth ahead of Harris.

On lap seven, there was contact between Sykes and Haslam at around 140mph, which sent Sykes high-siding off his Rizla Suzuki which bounced across the track before smashing into Karl Harris.

The race was red flagged immediately and the medical services rushed to Harris who amazing didn’t suffer any serious injuries and later said “I don’t feel too bad apart from very sore knees and ankles. I look like I’ve been boxing in Las Vegas rather than racing a motorbike. I’ll be back in the next round intent on the results I should have had here.” Karl also suffered facial injuries in the crash.

On the re-start, Tom Sykes led the pack on his spare bike but was soon passed by Crutchlow who held onto the position until the end. He said “When I led in the first race, it was the first time that I had led a Superbike race so to win next time was unexpected, though it is something that I have worked hard for through the close season. The team have done a fantastic job for me and I was able to control the second race from the front – winning is great, fantastic, but when I signed for HM Plant Honda, I knew that I was joining a championship winning team, and there is no reason why we cannot push for that.”

Byrne finished in second place, which means that he is now jointly leading the championship with Crutchlow on 45 points each.

Rutter took third again in race two, which is the first time he has had a double podium finish since Knockhill in 2005, and is now in third position on points in the championship.

Here are the results for Race 2

1 – Cal Crutchlow – Honda – HM Plant Honda – 19:05.302
2 – Shane Byrne – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 19:07.109
3 – Michael Rutter – Ducati – North West 200 Ducati – 19:07.438
4 – Leon Camier – Ducati – Airwaves Ducati – 19:13.244
5 – Michael Laverty – Suzuki – Relentless Suzuki by TAS – 19:17.165
6 – Stuart Easton – Kawasaki – MSS Discovery Kawasaki – 19:17.763
7 – James Ellison – Honda – Hydrex Bike Animal Honda – 19:18.934
8 – Tom Sykes – Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki – 19:24.061
9 – Guy Martin – Honda – Hydrex Bike Animal Honda – 19:28.697
10 – Billy McConnell – Kawasaki – MSS Discovery Kawasaki – 19:29.201
11 – John Laverty – Ducati – Buildbase NW200 Ducati – 19:29.734
12 – Scott Smart – Kawasaki – Hawk Racing – 19:30.262
13 – Tristan Palmer – Honda – Tena for Men Honda – 19:30.331
14 – Atsushi Watanabe – Suzuki – Rizla Suzuki – 19:30.448
15 – Dean Ellison – Yamaha – Co-ordit Racing – 19:40.814
16 – Martin Jessopp – Honda – Riders Racing – 19:46.820
17 – Malcolm Ashley – Kawasaki – ARP / MAR – 19:50.272
18 – Tom Tunstall – Honda – Hardinge – Ice Valley Motorsport – 19:51.858
19 – Aaron Zanotti – Honda – Red Viper Racing – 19:58.053
20 – James Buckingham – Honda – Quay Garage – 20:03.510
21 – Leon Morris – Ducati – Team Trimrite Brookspeed – 20:07.356
22 – Michael Howarth – Honda – Tena for Men Honda – 20:08.008
23 – Brian Mccormack – Honda – MAC Racing – 19:08.934

Not Classified

- David Johnson – Honda – Team MAXXIS
- Luke Quigley – Suzuki – PDM Racing
- Leon Haslam – Honda – HM Plant Honda
- Steve Mercer – Yamaha – Bob Farnham Tuning / Sondel
- Sean Emmett – Yamaha – AIM Racing
- Chris Burns – MV Agusta – STP Superbike