British SuperBike - Round 4 - Oulton Park - May 21
Hodgson narrowly won the first 18-lap race
from Walker after the two had renewed their battle from last weekend’s World
Superbike encounter at Donington Park. The pair came together at the final corner in race
two, however, and ran off the circuit – each blaming the other for the incident
– allowing Reynolds to snatch the win.
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Images from the Oulton Park Round of the British SuperBike Championships
British SuperSport - Round 4 - Oulton Park - May 21
| Jim Moodie finished in second place behind
Dean Thomas in today’s fourth round British Supersport encounter at Oulton Park. Glen
Richards was third with Moodie’s Castrol Honda team-mate, Kirk McCarthy, fourth. The race was stopped on the 13th of a scheduled 18 laps after Tim Poole crashed at Island bend with Moodie poised for a move to regain the lead he had held for the opening six laps. It was the third successive Supersport race at the 2.7-mile Cheshire to be stopped with Moodie in such a position. "I was just hanging in there to start with," explained the 34-year-old Glaswegian, "but the bike was feeling strong towards the end when I was just waiting to make the move on Thomas." Moodie continued: "The last two races here I was 100% robbed but I reckon in this one it was probably fifty-fifty as to whether I would have won it. I’m pleased to take the championship lead though." McCarthy moves back to second in the series, courtesy of his spirited ride to fourth. The Australian ended the first lap in eleventh place, after qualifying in tenth position on the grid, and passed fifth placed Howard Whitby one lap before the red flags came out. "I got badly boxed in at the start," said McCarthy, who won the first and third rounds of the championship, "and I ended up way down. It took me a while to get past Whitby but I guess fourth from tenth on the grid isn’t so bad." Another awesomely talented young Australian, Glen Richards, finished third. Chris Vermeulen crashed out of the race unhurt on lap two after trying to avoid the Ducati of Scott Smart, who had fallen in front of him. Richards, who crossed the line eight seconds behind race winner, Dean Thomas, and fellow Honda rider, Jim Moodie, said: "I was getting a tow back to the pits after the race was stopped but my front wheel got caught in the other guy’s exhaust and I got pitched off. It was pretty embarrassing and I ended up missing the podium ceremony!" The British action now moves to the Isle of Man for this years’s TT races where Moodie, the outright lap record holder, will be out to retain the Junior TT title he won last year on the Castrol Honda CBR600 before returning to British Supersport action at Snetterton at the end of June.
Next round – Snetterton, 25 June |
British SuperBike Qualifying - Round 4 - Oulton Park - Saturday
| John Reynolds set the quickest time in
today’s first qualifying session as rain in the afternoon prevented any riders from
improving their morning times. Chris Walker was second fastest, with Steve Hislop and Neil
Hodgson completing the front row. "It was important to make the most of the first session as we knew that there was a possibility of a downpour this afternoon, so I'm pleased to have made it onto the front row again," said Hodgson, currently second in the series and winner of the last race at Thruxton. "It was a bit touch and go for a while, as I had to change bikes in the middle of the session and I actually did my fastest time on my number two bike on the very last lap. This afternoon's rain gave us the chance to prepare the INS Ducati for the likelihood of a wet race which I wouldn't bet against happening tomorrow, but whatever happens, we'll be ready!" The fastest man in the wet was Niall Mackenzie, who was the only rider to lap under 1 minute 48 seconds in the rain. He will start the race from sixth on the grid, and following the recent progress he has made on the INS Ducati, is confident of a good result in tomorrow's races: "I felt extremely comfortable out there, especially in the wet," he said, "and really feel as if my transition to the INS Ducati is complete. My confidence is growing and I feel as if I'm making progress with every time I ride the bike. We tested at Donington during the week, which went really well and it was great to get some laps under my belt again. It didn't bother me at all when the rain came down this afternoon and I won't mind if it pours down tomorrow either! All I want to do now is get out there and get the result the team and I have been waiting for." Final qualifying times: |
British SuperSport Qualifying - Round 4 - Oulton Park - Saturday
| Jim Moodie will start tomorrow’s
fourth round British Supersport Championship race at Oulton Park from the front row of the
grid after setting the fourth fastest time in today’s rain affected qualifying
session. Kirk McCarthy was tenth fastest. With the day’s proceedings delayed by two hours after safety concerns were raised at the Cheshire circuit, Dean Thomas took pole position with fellow Ducati riders, Paul Jones and Scott Smart, taking third and fourth places on the grid for the 18-lap race. As rain fell in the afternoon session, Moodie and team-mate, Kirk McCarthy, concentrated on setting up their Castrol Honda CBR600s for wet conditions in the event of rain which has been forecast for tomorrow. "I’m not too concerned," said Moodie, "because I was blocked on my two fastest laps so I know I can go quicker in the race." The 34-year-old Glaswegian, who won round two of the series at Donington Park last month, added: "The front row is good enough for me and I know we have a good set up if it does rain tomorrow." McCarthy, who has won the other two British Supersport rounds so far and who heads the championship points table, has not ridden at the 2.7-mile Oulton Park circuit before and is looking forward to tomorrow’s encounter. "It’s a long enough race," said the 30-year-old Australian, "and as long as I can get a good start I know I’ll be thereabouts when it matters." Final qualifying times: |