At a track steeped in 'Scottish Motorsport History' and home to such names as; Formula 1 stars, David Coulthard and Alan McNish, TT legend Jim Moodie, Grand Prix rider Niall Mackenzie, as well as having 2 Scotsmen leading both the Superbike and Supersport championships, one could be excused for expecting a Scottish white-wash of proceedings.

With the weather playing a much larger part in the weekends results, nothing was to be further than the truth.

Soaked to the bone, I was in attendance to bring you all of the results and action from the lone New Zealander and all of the Aussies racing.

There was no David Johnson this time around. He was at home in South Australia attempting to rectify his ongoing Visa dilemmas.

Instead, Taree's Damian Cudlin was out to prove that a 5th place finish in the ultra competitive Australian Superbike series (after missing half of the rounds through serious injury) was no fluke. Damian would ride in the 'Supersport' class (where FIM rules are permitted) rather than 'Junior Superstock' due to his previous world championship experience ( a rule that attempts to keep the Junior class open to 'up and coming' talent rather than experienced riders).

Although competing in Supersport, the Manchester based "Tech-2" outfit only provided Damian with a 'stock' Suzuki GSXR (used usually by Cal Crutchlow in the Junior category and approximately 10hp less powerful than the other machines in the class).  This was to be a tough introduction to British racing!

QUALIFYING:

A decision to cancel 'Superpole' was made early in the day, and attributed to the expected continuing poor weather. Superbike grid positions would as a result, be determined by the best times overall from the 2 qualifying practice sessions.

Acrobatics seemed the order of the day, as championship leaders and contenders alike, threw their respective steeds down the track, at nearly every given opportunity. The Scottish weather changed unpredictably throughout the course of the day, and in many of the classes, local riders performed the best, whilst the established names fell foul of the difficult and unreadable conditions.

Multiple TT winner, David Jefferies, again deputising for the injured Karl Harris in the "Rissole Suzuki" squad, even failed to qualify after a pair of falls on the wet track.  The same fate befell 600 series leader and Scottish favourite Stuart Easton among many others, all of whom, were forced to plead there case to the race organisers for the opportunity to start the next day's races from the rear of the grid.

Amongst our Aussie contingent, Dean Thomas (Phones 4 U - Dienza Ducati) was coming off of a fantastic Rockingham result and was hoping to go 2 better than his 3rd place there and take home the silverware that comes with the highest spot on the podium. During the 1st of 2 qualifying sessions Dean managed a best time of 57.681 around the very wet 1.2-mile circuit. A time that could only put him on the 3rd
row and in 13th position. "It's not much fun out there today, but we've tried a lot of different settings and we are confident of going better in the second one" were his words after the 1st session.

Glen Richards had even worse luck when his "Hawk Kawasaki" came out 2nd best in the argument with the slippery white line on turn 3, and as a result could only manage 16th on the grid. A position that would later seem irrelevant (aside from the damage to the bike), as the South Australian stormed his way to 3rd and a well deserved front row start.

"We all need a bit of luck occasionally. Especially in this sport" said the bruised and battered Richards after being one of only 3 people to record a fast lap in the 2nd session's changing conditions.

The two "Renegade Ducatis" of Shane Byrne and Michael Rutter also made use of the opening dry minutes with the latter achieving his and the team's 3rd Pole position of the year. The remainder of the field were forced to battle with the increasingly heavy rain and subsequently no one, other than the Renegade duo, was able to improve on Glen's lap of 50.937.

Dean Thomas improved 2 places to 11th but could do no better after his 2-year-old Ducati blew up in the early stages. After qualifying, Dean eluded to his, and the team's, disappointment and mechanical woes, but did say that he was confident of running in the top 6 and hoped for a good start.

Paul Young (Grafters Recruitment GSXR1000) would commence the next days 2 main events from 20th on the grid, whilst the "Virgin Mobile" sponsored Yamaha R1 of New Zealand's Simon Crafar would again be starting from the 3rd row.

In the 600 Supersports, Sydney's Jason Boyle (Europcar - JB Racing R6) was adapting quickly to the tight and twisty Knockhill circuit hoping to start where he impressively left off at Rockingham. Damian Cudlin, racing for the first time this year, was out to impress the big Superbike teams in an attempt to gain a full time ride next season.

Unfortunately, Jason's promising start to the weekend was marred during qualifying. Bike problems in the 1st timed session meant that he was unable to capitalise on the window of dry weather that presented itself in the opening few laps.  Another massive downpour came minutes before the 2nd, resulting in a non-reflective 26th position on the grid. This meant that the Sydney-sider would once again need to battle hard through the field come Sunday if more championship points were to be added to those achieved at Rockingham 2 weeks earlier.  

"Hopefully I can get a great start and be up there battling in the race" said Jason, who was eager to perform well in front of his uncle Steve and cousin Dave who'd made the trip from Sydney.

Damian performed well on debut, recording the 12th fastest time and a lap worthy of a front row start in Junior Superstock.  However, the team's use of a wrong tyre in the 2nd session meant that all of his initial hard work went to waste and 21st on the grid was the best he could muster.

"The team is happy with the times I did in the first session on an under-powered machine and we are all hoping for a good start in the race and a good result" he said after the disappointment of the afternoon.

SUPERBIKE RACE1

The weather on Sunday was mainly fine although black clouds hovered ominously above for the duration of the day's events.  The dry weather rendered most machine settings and times achieved from Saturday, irrelevant and promised to throw up a few surprises as a result.  I only hoped that the Australian presence in both Superbike and 600 Supersport would benefit accordingly and be nearer the front.

Prior to Race 1, Glen Richards (Hawk Kawasaki) was understandably realistic in his predictions, saying " There are only 2 places to pass on this track, and even though I can catch everyone on the brakes, I find it hard to be where I need to be at the end of the straight due to the speed of the other bikes.  I do seem to get on well with the track so I'll just go as fast as I can and see where I end up."

Dean Thomas ( Dienza Ducati) commented " We all know how good Glen and the Kawasaki can be on the brakes, so I hope he holds them all up in the first turn and I can get with the leaders where I belong".

The usual protagonists led the pack through for the first time, unsurprisingly led by 5 Ducatis. Shane 'Shakey' Byrne (Renegade - Highland Springs' Ducati) was hot on the heals of his team mate Michael Rutter for many of the opening laps until a mechanical failure ended his race.

Steve Plater on the 'Virgin Yamaha' crashed for the 3rd race in a row leaving his championship aspirations in tatters, and as a result the pace car was introduced.  The pack of 26 rode nose to tail for several laps, with Richards 7th, Thomas 8th, Crafar 10th and Paul Young 13th.

Glen didn't make the most of the restart and slipped back several positions in the next few corners.  Meanwhile #1 plate holder John Reynolds (Rizla Suzuki) had battled his factory machine into 2nd place whilst his team mate David Jefferies was having more trouble shaking off the advances of the 'Pirelli' shod privately entered model of Australia's Paul Young. At mid race distance, the debris left from the 'Padgett Racing' entered bike of Adrian Coates forced a 2nd pace car. The gaps that had been forming between the 3 distinctive packs prior to the 2nd pace car were again extinguished and this time Hislop made the most of the restart posting a new lap record in the process.

The outcome was what the crowd had come to see, with 40 year old 'Scot' Steve Hislop taking the win from a late charging Sean Emmett (IFC Ducati) and Michael Rutter.

Simon Crafar finished a commendable 6th after battling late in the race with reigning champion John Reynolds, only being denied 5th place by less than a second.

Glen Richards brought the Kawasaki home in 8th commenting afterwards, "We had troubles with the quick shifter and bikes passed me while I was turning it off".

Dean Thomas was stopped from completing full race distance due to an oil seal leak which officials deemed unsafe ending the Queenslander's race only 4 laps from the chequer and whilst holding down a certain 7th position.

Youngy, although producing lap times worthy of a top ten finish and performing once again like the dominant force we saw in 2001, relinquished his impressive 12th place during the event and ended the opening race 17th courtesy of a mid-race excursion.

SUPERBIKE RACE 2: 30 LAPS

All eyes were on MonsterMob Ducati's Scottish hero Steve Hislop prior to the commencement of race 2.  Could he further open the gap over Sean Emmett in the championship and could he make it a double win in front of his adoring local fans at a track he makes no secret about disliking? Only after 30 laps would we know the outcome, but I was more interested in the likes of Richards, Thomas, Crafar and Young. Could we get all 4 in the top ten?  I was about to find out.

Dean Thomas was hoping to do better than the DNF suffered in the opening leg and using what he called "old faithful" was planning to do so on the 'Dienza' team's 2nd bike.

Crafar said on the grid for race 2 "I know I can do the lap times. I am reasonably happy. I just need to get away with the leaders and hold it all together."

Glen Richards has been setting a few chins wagging this season and there is talk of bigger and better things from Australia's 1994 125GP champ. After good results in the British round of the World Superbike series and continuing success in the British championship, we can only hope that 1 of the big teams gives him the support and the bikes he needs next year.

"We had a problem with the quick shifter in the first race and I have a point to prove in this next one," he told me between races. "The bike felt good on the warm up lap. I just need to get into a good rhythm and tag onto the leading boys" he added on the grid prior to the commencement of race 2.

Paul Young alluded to the fact that it was the package of suspension and tyres that were letting him down this year. As has been evident in the last 2 rounds, it is only a matter of time though before we see the customary top ten finishes we expect from the multiple champion who began his racing on cut down scooters in the early 90s.

The crowd that had grown since the opening event of the day saw a great start, with the pack jostling for places through the opening turns.  Richards and Hislop had a coming together sending Glen and the 'Hawk Kawasaki' wide and onto the grass. Not the start he had hoped for.

Rutter (Renegade Ducati) led again in the opening laps with Byrne, Brown (IFC Ducati), Steve Plater (Virgin Yamaha), Sean Emmett (IFC Ducati), John Reynolds (Rizla Suzuki) and Steve Hislop (Monstermob Ducati) in close company.

Richards held down 8th place closely on the heels of the 4 in front.  Dean Thomas (Phones 4 U Ducati) and Simon Crafar were disputing 9th place and Paul Young resumed his battle with the factory Suzuki of David Jefferies.

The race was without major incident until the final laps when after playing a waiting game for most of the race, Hislop cunningly made his move. The leading Ducati trio of Rutter, Byrne and Hislop made a break for it, leaving a widening gap to Plater, Emmett, Reynolds, Brown and Australia's Glen Richards.  Further back a lonely but titanic battle was still raging between Crafar and Thomas, whilst Young fought hard for another point scoring position to go with the pair achieved at Rockingham.

The real drama was yet to come, but lifted the entire crowd to their feet. In a last ditch effort for glory, Michael Rutter miscalculated his passing manoeuvre into the last turn taking his and Hislop's dreams of victory into the sand trap and handing the win to the unsuspecting Byrne. Hislop managed to remount, albeit with what was later to be diagnosed as a broken collarbone, to finish 7th behind Glen Richards in 6th.

Thomas got the better of Crafar for 8th whilst Paul Young scored 2 more series points coming home in 14th. In a display of amazing sportsmanship, Hizzy stopped on the warm down lap to pillion Rutter back to the pits. A gesture that, to me, simply demonstrates the levels of camaraderie in bike racing as opposed to many other forms of professional motorsport.

600 SUPERSPORT RACE: 26 LAPS

The grid for the Supersport race had no less than 4 local riders on the front row of the grid.  Championship leader and dominant force in the series to date, Stuart Easton ( Monstermob Ducati) would have to fight from 28th position on the grid courtesy of a less than productive qualifying result.

Jason Boyle (Europcar-JB Racing) and Damian Cudlin (Tech 2 Racing) were out to improve on unsatisfactory qualifying positions by their standards, and they had 26 laps with which to do so.

The opening laps saw Michael Lafferty (Millar Racing) and Craig McLelland (Swona Racing) clear away form the chasing pack. Seasoned campaigners Callum Ramsay (Team Vitrans) and Scott Smart (Norwood Adam Honda) did battle for 3rd.

Damian Cudlin had got away reasonably well and looked as though a point scoring (top 15) finish was well within his grasp. With the bikes from 9th to 21st all in the 54's anything was possible, but by the end, he managed to put his underpowered machine into 18th and with a race time of 24 minutes 2 seconds would have achieved 3rd in the 'Junior' race.

Jason Boyle's weekend was turning from bad to worse as electrical gremlins put pay to his race which was all over by lap 12.

Championship leader Stuart Easton could only watch from the gravel trap as the only other contender to this years title, Scott Smart rode dominantly to victory after chasing down the leading duo of local Scots. Easton's lead in the championship has been cut from 54 to 29 points and after 2 victories from 2 rounds, Smart must be feeling confident for the remainder of the year.

All in all, the weekend of Knockhill was not a good one for championship leaders, none of whom took round honours in their respective classes.  The Aussies, however although not victorious again, proved that we have some of the toughest and most talented riders around and that with some added luck will be soon gracing the top step of the podium.

I can't wait !!

Kempy 67