No snow at Thruxton as Byrne and Crutchlow take the spoils

After the opening round of the 2008 Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch was postponed due to snow a fortnight ago, race action finally got under way at Thruxton today (Sunday 20 April).

Following a dramatic afternoon of racing, Shane 'Shakey' Byrne and Cal Crutchlow will be leaving the Hampshire circuit happiest, after taking victories in race one and race two respectively. It was Cal Crutchlow who led the pack in race one, shadowed by team-mate Leon Haslam for the first few laps. Pole-sitter Byrne passed Haslam on lap four, diving through on the Airwaves Ducati, before moving on to pass Crutchlow at the front of the field. He did so on lap thirteen and held on for his fourth victory at Thruxton.

'Shakey' said: "We have come along way, and it is great to be back racing and get this result. I settled into the race and Cal was really going for it. I gout up to second and the gap was opening up. As I came across the line a few laps later my pitboard was showing plus zero so I thought I should pull me finger out, which I did! It is a great result for us."

Despite race two of the Bennetts British Superbike event resulting in a maiden class victory for HM Plant Honda man Cal Crutchlow, all the headlines are likely to focus on Rob Mac Yamaha rider Karl Harris, who suffered a catastrophic accident which resulted in a red flag and a restart. The Sheffield-born rider was lucky enough to walk away from being clattered in the face by an airborne Rizla Suzuki, and a broken nose seems good value considering the force of the collision.

After the restart Tom Sykes, on a spare bike after the Harris incident, took the initiative, however Crutchlow could sense a win and went for it with venom. Crutchlow - two laps after the lights went out for the second time - took to the front. After a superb race one, Michael Rutter got in the points again, on lap seven putting a move on Sykes, who by this time was going backwards.

Winner of race one, Shane Byrne, looked dangerous again. He had to wait until lap thirteen before having the opportunity to pass Rutter for second place, and even when he had made up the place it was a battle until the end to hold on.

After the disappointment of the snow-ravaged Brands Hatch, the Bennetts British Superbike Championship has returned with a vengeance, the action at Thruxton proving that it remains the most exhilarating domestic series in the world.

The Bennetts British Superbike Championship next visits Oulton Park on the 3-5 May.

Race one result:

1. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati); 2. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) +2.306s; 3. Michael Rutter (NW 200 Ducati) +3.573; 4. Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) +10.949; 5. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) +18.745

Race two result:

1. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda); 2. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) +1.807s; 3. Michael Rutter (NW 200 Ducati) +2.136s; 4. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) +7.942s; 5. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +11.863s

Championship standings:

1. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) 45pts; 2. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) 45pts; 3. Michael Rutter (North West 200 Ducati) 32pts; 4. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) 24pts; 5. Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) 18pts.

Byrne & Crutchlow take the victories

Bennetts British Superbike Championship
Round Two – Thruxton

Shane Byrne and Cal Crutchlow were the race winners as the Bennetts British Superbike Championship began for real at Thruxton, and with them each taking a second place, they left the Hampshire circuit as the joint leaders of the series, ahead of the rejuvenated Michael Rutter who took a brace of third placings.

Byrne, riding the Airwaves Ducati, had repeated the pole starting ride of the snow aborted Brands Hatch opening round, but he was out-started by Leon Haslam and Michael Rutter, before Cal Crutchlow swooped ahead to lead at the end of the opening lap.

The Coventry rider, who had joined the HM Plant Honda team this season, held off the early challenges of his team-mate Haslam, before Byrne moved into second and began to challenge. Crutchlow held him at bay until the thirteenth lap when Byrne found a way through at Seagrave.

Once through, Byrne dictated terms from the front, winning comfortably by over two seconds, and he reflected: “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 was equally delighted: “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 from the front row for the first time in two years, the podium finish aboard the NorthWest 200 Ducati, enthused: “Brilliant, I couldn’t dream of this. It is like Christmas again.”

Haslam, who slowed with tyre concerns, finishing that race in fourth place, took the initiative from the start next time out, running ahead of Byrne and Karl Harris whose first race had ended in machine problems on the second lap.

Byrne took the lead on the fourth lap with Crutchlow moving through into second from Rutter with Tom Sykes and Leon Haslam duelling for fourth ahead of Harris.

On the seventh lap, Sykes and Haslam touched at around 140mph, with Sykes high-sided off his Rizla Suzuki which bounced across the track, smashing into Harris. The race was stopped immediately to care for Harris who remarkably escaped serious injury as he later explained: “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,” said Harris, who also suffered facial injuries, adding: “I’ll be back in the next round intent on the results I should have had here.”

On the re-start, Sykes, riding his spare machine, led the opening lap, but Crutchlow soon took him and began his charge to maiden race winning glory.

“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 took second place, to jointly lead the championship with Crutchlow on 45 points, while Rutter, again third, and taking his first double podium finish since Knockhill in 2005, has scored 32 points to be in third place in the standings.

John Laverty, riding the BuildbaseNW Ducati, powered in a winning double in the Daily Star Cup, finishing clear of Chris Burns, aboard the STP MV Agusta in the first race and then the Riders Honda of Martin Jessopp next time out.
Steve Mercer and Malcolm Ashley took the third placings.

Results – Round Two – Bennetts British Superbike Championship – Thruxton

Race one – 20 laps
1 Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) 25m 33.903secs, 110.58mph
2. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) +2.306s
3. Michael Rutter (NW 200 Ducati) +3.573
4. Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) +10.949
5. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) +18.745
6. Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) +19.048s
7. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +19.406s
8. Simon Andrews (Jentin Racing/Lloyds British) +22.403s
9. Stuart Easton (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) +22.709
10. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +23.902s

Race two – 15 laps
1. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) 19m 05.302secs, 111.08mph
2. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) +1.807s
3. Michael Rutter (NW 200 Ducati) +2.136s
4. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) +7.942s
5. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +11.863s
6. Stuart Easton (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) +12.461s
7. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +13.632s
8. Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) +18.759s
9. Guy Martin (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +23.395s
10. Billy McConnell (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) +23.899s

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings after Thruxton:
1. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) 45
= Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) 45
3. Michael Rutter (North West 200 Ducati) 32
4. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) 24
5. Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) 18
= James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 18
7. Stuart Easton (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) 17
= Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 17
9. Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) 13
10. John Laverty (Buildbase NW200 Ducati) 9

Bennetts BSB is go, go, go!

Tension is mounting in the 2008 Bennetts British Superbike Championship paddock ahead of the opening round of the series, which takes place at Thruxton this weekend. Teams and riders had initially been prepared for the season opener at Brands Hatch on 4-6 April, but were disappointed when heavy snowfall on race day resulted in the abandonment of all track activity.

The Brands Hatch event – which traditionally kick-starts the BSB season – has been rescheduled for 10-11 May, meaning that the first round officially takes place at the Thruxton airfield venue in Hampshire on Sunday. Although weather forecasts already look unpredictable for the weekend ahead, riders are preparing for the event with renewed optimism.

The 2008 Bennetts British Superbike series welcomes some newcomers as well some familiar faces to the paddock this weekend. British favourites Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda Racing), Leon Camier and Shane Byrne (both Airwaves Ducati) return to the grid looking for victory this season. However, they can expect a tough time from the likes of Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki), who impressed in 2007, and his team-mate and Japanese Superbike Champion Atsushi Watanabe.

Other familiar faces to return to the premier domestic Superbike championship this weekend include Sheffield’s Karl Harris, who rides for Rob McElnea’s new-look Yamaha outfit, and Michael Rutter who will be racing under the guise of North West 200 Ducati.

In addition, all eyes will be on Pirelli, who take over as the control tyre supplier to the Bennetts British Superbike and Supersport classes for the next three years. It’s hoped that the appointment of a single tyre supplier to the series will increase competitiveness between factory and privateer riders across the grid.