BENNETTS BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 11 Cadwell Park 27 August 2007 RACE REVIEW British Superbike Tommy Hill lined up onboard his Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha in front of a packed Cadwell Park crowd for the two 18-lap races at round 11 of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship today, 27 August. The picturesque 2.173mile circuit was bathed in glorious sunshine for the annual Bank Holiday Superbike visit to the Lincolnshire track. Lining up at the head of the third row, Tommy made positive strides in both races after switching to softer race rubber and changes to set-up from those used in qualifying. Whilst the front-runners pulled away at the head of the field at a lap record pace, Tommy battled with Cal Crutchlow and Chris Walker throughout the opening laps of race 1. Breaking the tow of Walker, Tommy settled in for his strongest race performance of the season to date. Despite not being able to latch onto the tail of Crutchlow, Tommy maintained a fast race pace that would see the 22-year old from Lingfield record his highest result of sixth at the chequered flag. After another strong start to the second race, Tommy once again found himself locking horns with the two Suzukis. With the race being run at a frenetic pace yet again it wasn t long before the lap record was broken. The safety car was deployed on lap 10 after a horrific Leon Camier crash at the top of the Mountain. The field closed up over the next few laps and Tommy looked to reignite his battle with Walker, but with the safety car in Tommy struggled to regain enough heat in his tyres to challenge Walker further. However, as the field crossed the finish line, Tommy capped off another strong performance to claim seventh and add another nine points to his championship total. Aaron Zanotti failed to score points around the Lincolnshire circuit onboard his Pirelli-shod SMT Yamaha/Zanotti Racing YZF-R1, but put a DNF from race 1 behind him to come home just outside of the points in 17 th at the conclusion of race 2. Superbike Cup Cadwell Park looked to be the round that third place Superbike Cup rider, Marty Nutt would be able to close the gap on the championship leaders. However, the races did not go to plan for the NuttTravel.com/T+G rider. A crash on the opening lap at the technical Hairpin in the woodland section in race 1 was followed by technical problems forcing the Irsihman out of race 2 on lap 5while running in third in the Superbike Cup. Nutt has now lost out on two places in the title race,
slipping to fifth. Strong results at Donington Park in four weeks time are necessary to reignite his chances as the season reaches it s climax. Raaccee 11 AIIR I HUMI IIDI IITTY?? AI IIR TTEMPERA TTURE?? DDr r yy TTRRAA CCKK TTEEMPPE RRAA TTUURREE?? Rider Bike Team Race time (1 Haslam Ducati 999 F06 Airwaves Ducati 26:21.047) 6 Hill Yamaha YZF-R1 Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha 26:37.015 DNF Nutt (c) Yamaha YZF-R1 NuttTravel.com / T+G Lap 1 DNF Zanotti Yamaha YZF-R1 SMT Yamaha/Zanotti Racing Lap 8 Race 2 AA IIRR I HHUUMI II DDI IITT YY?? AAI II RR TTEEMPPEE RRAA TTUURREE?? DDr r yy TTRRAA CCKK TTEEMPPE RRAA TTUURREE?? Rider Bike Team Race time (1 Rea Honda CBR1000 RR HM Plant Honda 27:00.039) 7 Hill Yamaha YZF-R1 Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha 27:13.647 17 Zanotti Yamaha YZF-R1 SMT Yamaha/Zanotti Racing 28:05.296 DNF Nutt (c) Yamaha YZF-R1 NuttTravel.com / T+G Lap 4 Championship Standings Rider Bike Team Points (1 Kiyonari Honda CBR1000 RR HM Plant Honda 388) 9 Tommy Hill Yamaha YZF R1 Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha 135 14 Ollie Bridewell Suzuki GSXR1000K6 Team NB 56 17 Tommy Bridewell Suzuki GSXR1000K6 Team NB 27 British Supersport AA IIRR I HHUUMI II DDI IITT YY % AAI II RR TTEEMPPEE RRAA TTUURREE CC
DDr r yy TTRRAA CCKK TTEEMPPE RRAA TTUURREE Race Report Pirelli occupied all three podium positions here at Cadwell Park today as Michael Laverty took a well earned twenty five points ahead of the Virgin Media Yamaha pairing of Billy McConnell and Tom Grant. Yesterday, McConnell secured pole to continue his form since winning the previous round at Croft, two weeks ago. The Australian posted a time of 1m 29.968s, the only rider to dip into the 29s bracket. Behind Billy, the Relentless TAS Suzuki of Laverty claimed third, Virgin team-mate Grant fifth and the second TAS rider Ian Lowry would start from seventh after difficult sessions which ended with the young Ulsterman crashing out of the last session. The bad luck extended beyond the Pirelli runner with Championship contender Dennis Hobbs also suffering crashes three times, culminating in a suspected broken collarbone but he would later pass a medical and be declared fit to race. Ian Hutchinson made a lightning start and lead the field into the first lap with a determined pace. The pace proved to be too hot though and he spectacularly exited the race, seconds later at the Gooseneck, when his rear tyre broke traction and left the battered Honda rider to ponder trackside, on what might have been. Laverty took full advantage of the opportunity and gapped the chasing pack without needing to stress his TAS Suzuki in a typically mature demonstration of race tactics. Laverty set the pace, setting fastest race lap on the fourth (1m 30.962s). Further back Billy McConnell kept the pressure on but was unable to fluster the Irishman and would settle for a fine second place. The closest action covered the contest for the remaining podium place, with TAS Suzuki s Ian Lowry keen to make amends for the weekend s disappointing form. The Irishman came through from fifth in the opening laps, chasing McConnell for second and looked to have the advantage before going back too many gears in the heat of the moment, terminally damaging the GSX-R s internals and prompting a premature race exit. McConnell s team mate Tom Grant successfully resisted the intense efforts of pursuants McGuinness and Jessopp, throughout the remainder of the race, to seal the third and final podium position, making it an all Pirelli affair. Requiring only a fourth place finish from the next two races to seal the Championship, a delighted Michael Laverty described his race: After the disappointment of the last round retirement (electrical sensor failure), this time I had quite an easy race. I put a bit of a gap in at the front and was able to control it from there no real problem. We ve been working hard all weekend to get the bikes right and I had a really good Pirelli rear tyre. I was saving it to the end in case someone came at me but nobody did. The front tyre was like new when I finished. The next round will be held at Donington Park 21-23 September. Supersport Cup
Wylie and Holland Motorcycles entered Ben Wylie continued to improve, finishing his Yamaha YZF-R6 sixteenth overall and taking consecutive third place in the Supersport Cup, which should help the team as they bid to secure funding for an intensified supersport programme next year. AA IIRR I HHUUMI II DDI IITT YY % AAI II RR TTEEMPPEE RRAA TTUURREE CC DDr r yy TTRRAA CCKK TTEEMPPE RRAA TTUURREE Rider Bike Team Race time 2 Laverty Suzuki GSX-R Relentless by TAS 24:28.062 4 McConnell Yamaha YZF-R6 Virgin Media Yamaha 24:29.573 70 Grant Yamaha YZF-R6 Virgin Media Yamaha 24:32.402 6 McGuinness Honda CBR600 RR Padgetts Motorcycles 24:32.637 40 Jessopp Ducati 749R Riders Racing 24:38.338 Championship Standings Rider Bike Team Points 1 Laverty Suzuki GSX-R Relentless by TAS 190 2 Hobbs Honda CBR 600 RR Padgetts Motorcycles 153 3 Lowry Suzuki GSX-R Relentless by TAS 149 4 McConnell Yamaha YZF-R6 Virgin Media Yamaha 120 5 Robinson Honda CBR600 RR Margal / Bykerbabe 111 6 McGuinness Honda CBR600 RR Padgetts Motorcycles 104 7 Hutchinson Honda CBR600 RR Bike Animal 96 8 Grant Yamaha YZF-R6 Virgin Media Yamaha 84 9 Easton Kawasaki ZXR600 RR Isilion MSS Discovery 66 10 Westmoreland Honda CBR600 RR Centurion Racing 62 Virgin Media Cup AA IIRR I HHUUMI II DDI IITT YY?? AAI II RR TTEEMPPEE RRAA TTUURREE?? DDr r yy TTRRAA CCKK TTEEMPPE RRAA TTUURREE?? Race Report David Paton displayed a mature head on broad young shoulders as he fought off the early challenges of Midge Smart to claim his second victory of the 2007 Virgin Media Cup at Cadwell Park today, 27 August.
Temperatures began to drop as the clouds rolled in just before the riders took to the grid for the 9 th round of the 2007 season. David Paton lined up on pole for the first time this season after the cancellation of his home round at Knockhill back in July where the young Scot had dominated all weekend. Race result calculations were firmly put to the back of the riders minds as the lights went out at the start of the 12-lap race. Paton made a trademark lightning start to lead into the first corner, with Midge Smart in hot pursuit. David Haire, starting from his highest grid position on the outside of the front row, tucked into third for the opening exchanges. Rounding Barn for the third time for the start of lap 4, Midge Smart looked to have the legs on race leader Paton. The two had eked out a three second gap over the battle for third and the destiny of the win looked to be in their hands. Rounding Chris Curve, Smart s championship all but fell apart as the front-end of his Yamaha YZF-R6 tucked under, the Peterborough-based Kiwi crashing out and losing valuable championship points in the process. With clear track behind him, Paton systematically stretched out his lead in a lone race for the remaining eight laps, unaware of events unfolding in the battle for second place almost five seconds behind him. An eight-wheeler involving Toal, Haire, Brown and Brill swapped paint trying to squeeze every last ounce of power from their respective machinery. David Haire, riding the race of his season looked assured of third position but had other ideas. The 18-year old from Lisburn in Northern Ireland realised that he had the legs on Toal and made his move out-braking the championship leader into Park on the penultimate lap. Danny Brill took a similar opportunity when Robbie Brown left the door open to move into fourth. Common sense would have decreed that Toal would sit comfortably in third to claim 16 more points. However, a glimmer of rashness on the entry to the Hairpin on the final lap saw the Ulsterman clip the rear wheel of Haire putting himself onto the grass and back down to fifth. As the quartet exited the final corner, David Paton was already celebrating across the line. David Haire and Danny Brill completed the podium spots in second and third respectively their highest results of a hard-fought season. The Virgin Media Cup moves on to a double-header at Donington Park in four weeks time (22/23 September). Midge Smart will be confident of a repeat of the double victory he posted at the Leicestershire circuit during non-point scoring races that accompanied the British MotoGP back in June. However, it appears that David Paton is the man on the move as the championship reaches a tense climax. David Paton: I just assumed that Midge was still there, I wasn t aware that he d gone. This is an excellent result for me especially when you work out the net points. It s really closed the championship up and I now have a better chance of winning it. Rider Bike Race time 1 Paton Yamaha YZF-R6 19:33.863 2 Haire Yamaha YZF-R6 19:37.448
3 Brill Yamaha YZF-R6 19:38.068 4 Brown Yamaha YZF-R6 19:38.464 5 Toal Yamaha YZF-R6 19:39.338 Championship Standings Rider Bike Points 1 Toal Yamaha YZF-R6 166 2 Paton Yamaha YZF-R6 139 3 Smart Yamaha YZF-R6 132 4 Webb Yamaha YZF-R6 98 5 Brown Yamaha YZF-R6 78 6 Hipwell Yamaha YZF-R6 76 7 Haire Yamaha YZF-R6 68 8 Morris Yamaha YZF-R6 67