MonsterMob Ducati had already wrapped up the Supersport title at Mallory, they now had their sights firmly set on adding the Superbike crown. Steve Hislop was hoping to consolidate his lead over the Virgin Yamaha of Sean Emmett, and in doing so add the premier trophy to the Ducati UK silverware cabinet.

No Paul Young this time out, the Aussie riding for Van Zon Honda at the Imola World Supersport round. With Paul nearer the Mediterranean than Derbyshire, rumours were rife about not only his plans for 2003, but also the futures of the other Aussie BSB combatants.  It was clear that no-one left in the central midlands was planning to play out this finale in nothing less than impressive style. It was a chance to shine and leave a mark, and to help their chances of better machines for next season.

QUALIFYING

Steve Hislop wasted no time in asserting his name high atop the leader board after the first of two timed sessions. His time of 1m31.457 was not only a second quicker than his closest rival, but faster than the scorcher set by Valentino Rossi on the V5 factory Honda.

The usual brigade of Ducatis followed by a precession of factory Suzukis and Yamahas was again the order of the day.  With the one exception, that being the brilliant performance on the ageing Kawasaki by Glen Richards. Not even a Friday night break in at the Hawk team garage and subsequent theft of the pit bikes could taint their spirits, and the popular rider from Adelaide bucked and slid his way to seventh place on the grid.

“The bike is great under brakes and down through Craners, but out of the slower stuff its losing on the bigger bikes. If I can get a good start and race with Reynolds and Plater I’ll be happy”, said the 2003 Superbike rookie of the year.

Port Macquarie racer Dean Thomas of Dienza Phones4U Ducati fame struggled through qualifying. The team making use of their third engine for the weekend wasn’t helping Dean's, he was 20th in the speed traps.  His final round was going to be a tough one. To compound their woes, the front brakes began locking as a result of a master cylinder problem.

“We’re on our last engine and the brakes are locking when the wheel lands under the Dunlop Bridge. I did a 34 flat in both sessions and the same in Superpole. Its obvious that it’s all I can get out of this tired old thing,” mused Dean, seemingly pining for it to all be over.

Cessnock charger Nigel Arnold, riding the Team Discovery GSXR1000 in the Superstock category, has been looking increasingly at home since swapping the glitz of the World Supersport paddock for the UK, and started well. After problems on Friday meant he was unable to ride and find his groove, the likeable Aussie was hoping by Sunday for a good race to capitalise on his 12th position from the Saturday’s timed sessions.

“Michelin gave me a better front which gives better grip but now makes the steering harder due to its construction. We’ll make some changes to the set-up and prey for a good start. I just wish it was the start of the season not the end”.

Jason Boyle and the Europcar R6 were finding their way around Donington’s mixture of fast flowing and tricky tight corners steadily. After a huge get off at Mallory two weeks previous and a costly rebuild, his cautious approach was understandable.

“The bike feels completely different and it seems the frame is shorter. We even found that after the one session the wheels were out of line. We’ve fixed it now and I’m confident of a good showing in the race tomorrow”.

SUPERBIKE RACE 1

The fear that always accompanies a Donington final is that riders will invariably be called upon to navigate through a monsoon, or at best very wet weather, while the hardcore fans watch through gaps in their hooded raincoats or tents. Fortunately the gods were kind and the thousands that made the trip were treated to dry weather and exciting racing all day.

Race one got under way with many not only wondering its outcome, but also the WSB result from Imola. So with transistor radios clenched in one hand and the BSB program in the other, it was a Donington with divided attentions that witnessed the throng of 26 Superbikes thunder into Redgate towards the breathtaking Craner Curves.

Hislop, the Rizla Suzuki of outgoing champion John Reynolds, Sean Emmett and Renegade man Michael Rutter appeared almost as one the first time past the pit-boards at full pace, closely followed by the Kawasaki of Richards.

Emmett, feeling perhaps this was his last time to make an impression on the title, launched an aggressive assault on the lead only to see his entire efforts end in tragedy. A broken left wrist and collarbone were the physical results, but worse still for him were the facts that Hislop was champion and Rutter, should he finish, would inherit second in the standings.

Rutter eventually staved off advances from both Reynolds and Hislop and took a deserved victory while Richards came home in a season’s best fourth, after setting the fastest lap of the race as early as lap two.

“The bike’s been great all year on new tyres, it just gets a lot tougher towards the end. I strained my arm badly in that race but I’ll give it all I’ve got in the next one and then I’ll be looking forward to an end of season beer”, said Richards with a grin and appearing inwardly pleased with his mornings work.

The weary Dienza bike of Dean Thomas fought gallantly to a well deserved ninth place behind Ellison, Crawford, Harris, and 500GP lap record holder Simon Crafar. “We had to beat Ellison to get tenth in the championship, but that’s all I could do out there on that bike”.

SUPERSPORT RACE

After playing it safe during qualifying, a look in Jason Boyle’s eyes suggested that the race had more in store for the team and fans.
Starting from 35th was a big ask, but by lap two he was already challenging for top fifteen honours and had sliced three seconds from his usual lap times. As has been the case all season, Jason exceeded all qualifying efforts during the race but as a consequence needed to battle through the field to gain points, and by the end brought the battle scarred Yamaha home in 21st.

“My arms just started pumping up mid race after all of the hard breaking I was doing into the hairpin” he said showing me forearms reminiscent of Popeye.

Jason has already committed to another year in the Supersport class and some testing planned in Spain over the winter and a new bike will help towards Jason’s title aspirations.

SUPERSTOCK

David Jeffries only had to bring the Tech-2 Racing GSXR home amongst the points to grab his second Superstock crown. Third was therefore enough, celebrating in style with a burnout lasting all of three minutes and leaving the place engulfed in smoke. After promising early efforts Nigel Arnold retired with bike problems and without a race completed in three attempts.

“Every time I leant the bike over through the downhill section the motor would cut out, so I had no choice but to pull in. I’m disappointed but have a few options for next year so I can’t wait”.

SUPERBIKE RACE 2

All eyes were on Scotsman and new British Superbike champion Steve Hislop, to see whether his title-winning year could finish in style.
It was clear early that he meant business and to finish on the highest of notes.

Michael Rutter had his eyes set firmly on another double victory and the two of them wasted no time in opening a gap on the chasing pack. A pack consisting of Steve Plater, John Reynolds, Shane Byrne and our own Glen Richards.

Dean meanwhile was having his own battles with Gary Mason and Simon Crafar and looked like a top ten finish to round out the year was a possibility until Crafar eventually grabbed tenth place, demoting Dean to 11th in both the race and the championship.

The ride of the day and perhaps the season was that by Glen Richards and it had every team glued to a TV set in the pit-lane. Fighting to strain every ounce of power from the Kawasaki just to have his efforts negated by the more powerful Yamaha of Plater was difficult to watch.

After twenty nail biting laps of the Donington GP track Rutter achieved a close fought victory over Hizzy but all eyes were on the closing stages of the war between Plater and Richards. The duo of Reynolds and Byrne had been left behind by mid race as the Aussie and the diminutive Brit swapped paint in their duel over the last step on the podium.

It was the Virgin Yamaha that powered it’s way over the line first, although at a glance it was hard to tell. By finishing strongly at Donington, Glen managed to gain enough points to grab seventh in the championship.

As to where either Glen or Dean will end up next year is still a mystery, but the consensus has them riding again in the British series and after his display at Donington Glen may well have moved up the pecking order in the eyes of some teams.

Many pundits are claiming that Young and Arnold are both considering rides with top teams in British Supersport, and that returns from both Kirk McCarthy and Kim Ashkenazi are imminent.

Only time will tell. Bring on next season.

Kempy #67