British Super Bikes – Round 7 – Oulton Park

45 - Glen Richards - Team WFR - Oulton Park BSB — 45 – Glen Richards – Team WFR – Oulton Park BSB

81 - Graeme Gowland - Team WFR - Oulton Park — 81 – Graeme Gowland – Team WFR – Oulton Park

9 - Chris Walker - Pr1mo Racing - Oulton Park — 9 – Chris Walker – Pr1mo Racing – Oulton Park

60 - Peter Hickman - Tyco Honda - Oulton Park — 60 – Peter Hickman – Tyco Honda – Oulton Park

Sliding Out At Oulton Park - 21 - John Hopkins — Sliding Out At Oulton Park – 21 – John Hopkins

Race 1 Winner... 33 - Tommy Hill - Swan Yamaha — Race 1 Winner… 33 – Tommy Hill – Swan Yamaha

88 - Scott Smart - Moto Rapido Ducati — 88 – Scott Smart – Moto Rapido Ducati

16 - James Ellison - Team SorryMate.com - Oulton Park — 16 – James Ellison – Team SorryMate.com – Oulton Park

2 - Josh Brookes - Relentless Suzuki - Oulton Park — 2 – Josh Brookes – Relentless Suzuki – Oulton Park

Round 7 – Oulton Park – 15^th June to 18^th June 2011

Author: Chris Maher, Pictures courtesy of: Chris Maher | Photography

Qualifying Positions

Front Row Grid

John Hopkins – Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki 1.35.142
Tommy Hill – Swan Yamaha 1.35.247
Michael Laverty – Swan Yamaha 1.35.530
Shane Byrne – HM Plant Honda 1.35.936

Race 1

Vanquishing his Oulton Park Daemons, Swan Yamaha’s Tommy Hill wins a rather soggy race one. Pipped to the post, in qualifying. Samsung Crescent Racings John Hopkins, had set the benchmark all weekend. But Tommy thought he had improved enough to take pole position, but in the dying moments of the final qualifying session it was taken back by Hopkins.

Looking back, Tommy has had a run of bad luck at the last couple of visits to Oulton, where he threw away the 2010 championship in the final triple header. He also fell off in the warm up session on his last visit although that was no fault of his own, and broke a collar bone.

But things were going to be different this time round. During the warm up session, several riders slid off including Team WFR Racing’s Graeme Gowland, and Pr1mo Racings Chris Walker who fell heavily a Lodge Corner almost destroying his bike. The track was rather wet then, and continued to rain with only an hour to the first race, it was almost certainly going to be declared wet.

Hopkins led into the first corner with Byrne, then Hill. Patrick Muff, Tyco Honda was the first casualty on the first corner & team mate Pete Hickman was the second, sliding off at lodge. He picked up his machine but only manage another half lap or so.

Byrne & Hopkins jostled for front position whilst Lowry & Harris also slid out of contention. Josh Brookes began moving up on Rutter, who edged up on Hill and a group of five began to form a lead bunch. The surprise came when Hopkins began to move away ahead, but admitted braking too heavily on the front into Lodge on lap 5 and slid out of the race, gifting the lead back to HM Plant’s Byrne. Swan Honda’s Tommy Hill took the lead soon after but the safety car came out whilst oil spillage was tidied up at Lodge Corner. The rain never really let up as everyone bunched up.

Once the race got under way, Swan Yamaha’s Tommy Hill took command & raked up a hefty lead. Relentless Suzuki’s Josh Brookes passed Byrne for second place, whilst Rapid Solicitors Michael Rutter & Byrne swapped third positions several times before Rutter finally lunged past him on the last corner to settle for third podium position.

Moto Rapido Ducati’s Scott Smart got the better of the Team WFR Honda boys to claim the EVO class podium and tenth place overall. It was Glen Richard, then Graeme Gowland who joined him for the presentation.

As the rain fall continued, the second race of the day was cancelled & re-scheduled to take place at Cadwell Park. The Fuchs Silkolene British Supersport & the Metzeler National 600 Superstock races were also postponed.

Result – BSB