British Super Bikes Oulton Race 2

MCE British Super Bikes Season Finale 2010

Round 12 Oulton Park Triple Header!

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

Oulton Park woke up to a glorious autumnal Sunday morning. Clear blue sky’s & a light breeze beckoned the perfect day for racing. Racing isn’t allowed until midday, so a lot of sitting about for the riders, whilst the public enjoyed the open Paddock & Pirelli Pit Walk. The beautiful warm sunshine brought a record 45,000 crowd to the circuit. Coupled with a possible permutation of Championship winners, it was going to go all the way to the wire.

The Warm Up sessions got underway, then the day’s drama began to unfold. Second row starter, Tommy Bridewell’s Quay Garage Tyco Racing –  Honda burst into flames & he was unable to start race 2.

Race 2

Leading the Championship into Race 2 is Hill with 609 points, Kiyonari with 599, Brookes with 589 & Laverty 583. With a possible 50 points up for grabs. Every point required fighting for.

Laverty opened up the challenge & lunged into the first corner. Hill & Laverty jostled positions over the first couple of laps before Ellison moved into 2^nd behind Hill. Soon after Kiyonari moved into 3^rd, then Ellison & Hill took turns leading. As Ellison lead into Lodge Corner on lap 7, Worx Suzuki’s Tommy Hill under braked up the inside, & both rides slide off the track. Ellison called it a day as Hill got his machine re-started & joined the back markers. By this point both the HM Plant boys & Relentlass Suzuki’s Michael Laverty were well on their way around the track. Laverty then crashed out at the Old Hall. 

Hill, now well out of the points worked his way through the field, but upon returning to Lodge Corner on the following lap found he had no front brake, & travelling at some speed decided to ditch his machine. Hill’s bike bounced several times before catching fire in the perimeter padding. The following rides, Zanoti, Burns, Seaton & Pekkanen slid through the debris & smoke, & the Race got Red Flagged.

As the dust settled, it became evident that Hill’s Title fight had took a twist for the worst. His bike ditched twice in one race got loaded into a van, & the track tidied up. The one bike rule meant Worx Crescent Suzuki would need to repair the bike in about 3 hours. A tall order for even a top Factor Team! The Race now reduced to 7 final laps got underway. Ellison & Laverty were allowed to rejoin the grid as the marker point goes back a lap from the red flag & with no points for Hill, it was easy pickings for the 3 remaining title contenders, Kiyonari, Brookes & Laverty. HM Plant’s Ryuichi Kiyonari comfortably wins the Race with Swan Honda’s Stuart Easton squeezing by Josh Brookes. Unable to match the pace, Riders Motorcycles Ducati’s Michael Rutter comes in fourth. In the Evo Championship Jentin Racing BMW’s Steve Brogan finishes well in front of Splitlath Motorsport Aprilia’s Hudson Kennaugh & 777 RR Motorsport Suzuki’s Pauli Pekkenan takes third slot.

Result:

1. Ryuichi Kiyonari         –           HM Plant Honda
2. Stuart Easton              –           Swan Honda
3. Josh Brookes               –           HM Plant Honda
4. Michael Rutter            –           Riders Motor Cycles – Ducati
5. Alistair Seeley             –           Relentless Suzuki by TAS
6. John Laverty               –           Buildbase Kawasaki.