Suzuki Report

Rizla Suzuki's Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne crashed out unhurt while battling for the lead in the second race at the 11th round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire today.

After taking fourth in the opening race, held in wet but drying conditions, Shakey was in determined mood for the dry second race. He made an excellent start and led for the first lap, before settling behind Gregorio Lavilla. The pair broke away from the pack and Shakey was closing in on the reigning Champion when he crashed on the exit to Charlie’s and retired.

Rizla Suzuki racer Steve Plater crashed out of the opening race when he was forced on to the wet line when two riders clashed in front of him. In the second race, aboard his spare bike, Steve took a season’s best of sixth place in front of his home fans. Ducati’s Gregorio Lavilla won the opening race and his team mate Leon Haslam the second.

Rizla Suzuki will attend the official British Superbike test at Silverstone on Tuesday, September 5th, before returning to the circuit for the 12th round of the Championship on Sunday, September 17th.

Shakey:
“I am gutted after crashing out in the second race. I was fighting Greg for the win and had the pace on him. I came out of Charlie’s as fast as I could when the front wheel skipped and then slid away. There was nothing I could do to avoid crashing.

“Fourth in the opening race is okay but when you have the bike and ability to challenge for wins it isn’t what I want. The Rizla Suzuki is fast; we had a good package at Cadwell and knew we could run at the front. I’ve two more rounds left and want to get on the top step of the podium again.”

Steve:
“Sixth is my best result of the season and while it isn’t a win, I am over the moon with the progress I have made with the Rizla Suzuki. The whole team deserves a result for their efforts supporting me – thanks guys!

“In the first race the two riders in front of me touched, I went off the dry line to avoid hitting them and crashed at low speed on the wet surface. Overall though, the top six was my target for this weekend and I achieved that. Thanks to all my home fans for cheering me on.”

Robert Wicks, Team Manager:
“The high of Shakey fighting for victory was tempered by him crashing out before the half-way point in the race. With Steve, his best finishing position of the season was contrasted by an unfortunate crash in race one, so it’s been a day of mixed emotions for Rizla Suzuki.

“It’s also been a frustrating day, but on the positive side Shakey showed he has front row pace and Steve was able to make very good inroads through each session.

“The weather at Cadwell was dramatic and so was the racing. The only thing missing for the team was the podium result we so dearly wanted and looked capable of achieving. We’ll be back at Silverstone testing soon and then on to the penultimate round of the season at the same venue on September 17th.”

Hawk Kawasaki

Varying weather conditions played a crucial part this weekend for Hawk Kawasaki, at the eleventh round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park, Monday 28th August. The three Hawk riders, Dean Thomas, Craig Coxhell and Peter Hickman scored a mixed bag of results in the two races around the technical and twisty 2.17-mile circuit.

Thomas who is still recovering from serious injuries, found the weekend's racing hard going on the unforgiving circuit and claimed a strong eighth and 11th place respectively. After qualifying his ZX10-R in 12th position the 33-year-old Australian knew he had a lot of work to do in the two 18-lap races.

Commenting he said, "I knew Cadwell would be physically hard for me. I am still recovering from the crash I had at Snetterton where I broke some ribs and punctured a lung. Cadwell is a demanding circuit when you are fully fit and so I had a feeling that I would have my work cut out. The weather didn't help matters as it made it a gamble when it came to tyre choice. I managed to score points in both races and hopefully I can improve on these results at Silverstone in a few weeks times."

Craig Coxhell suffered a number of problems over the weekend and could only salvage 16th place during the 50 minute qualifying session on Sunday. From that the young Australian managed to gain a seventh place in the first race. An incident in the second race saw him lose his chain at the Mountain Section, a visit to the pit garage saw this problem rectified and allowed Coxhell to rejoin the race and a lap down and finish in 17th position overall.

"Cadwell is certainly not one of my favourite circuits and I just seemed to have problem after problem. It was a difficult weekend for me, but getting seventh in the first race made me feel a little better about everything. I crashed on Sunday at the top of the Mountain so I was feeling a slightly second hand and bruised during the races. I had an issue with my chain in the second race and I had to pull into the pits to get it fixed. I'm certainly looking forward to moving onto Silverstone from here as it's one of the few British Circuits that I know fairly well." Coxhell said.

Young Rookie rider Peter Hickman had a varied weekend and gained a 14th and 15th positions in the two races. The local rider certainly impressed a number of people when he managed to qualify in 11th place on the grid, just in front of his elder team-mate Dean Thomas. The two races were full of excitement for the 19-year-old. After stalling his bike on the start of race one 'Hicky' had to start from the back of the field and worked his way through to a creditable point scoring position.

Speaking with him "I've enjoyed this weekend and I know every weekend my confidence is growing. Cadwell is my local circuit, which I know well and I wanted to get some good results here, which I think I did. I had a couple of problems in both races but I know as the year has progressed, I feel like I have made some big steps forward in the right direction. Once again thanks to all the team for working so hard."

Stobart Honda

At the track where the Paul Bird Motorsport Team clinched their second successive British Superbike Championship title just three short years ago, it wasn’t a happy return to Cadwell Park for Stobart Motorsport riders Michael Rutter and Michael Laverty over the August Bank Holiday weekend as round eleven of the 2006 Bennetts British Superbike Championship was played out in front of another record crowd.

After a number of problems had beset the VK and Vent Axia-backed team during Sunday’s free practice and Audi Performance Qualifying, triple series runner up Rutter started the day’s two races from row two of the grid with team mate Michael Laverty a row further back.

With sunshine and showers interspersing the afternoon, tyre choice was always going to be critical and on both occasions, the team went with the incorrect options for the pair of 18 lap races.

Just prior to race one, a thunderstorm soaked the track and at the last minute, team boss Paul Bird advised his pair of riders to go with wet weather tyres only for it to rapidly dry and leave Rutter and Laverty scrabbling for grip. Rutter eventually pitted and chanced to slicks but did feature in the results whilst Laverty struggled to 12th at the flag.

Race two saw a damp track with threatening clouds and the two Stobart riders opted for an intermediate front tyre only for the track to once again dry and leave them languishing down the order. Rutter’s misery was compounded when he retired and Laverty was pipped for a top six position on the last lap.

Commenting afterwards, Rutter said: “Tyre choice was the problem in the first race and I had to pull in after a problem in the second one too. There’s not much more to say.”

Laverty added “In race one, we chose the wrong tyre so I dropped back and finished in twelfth. In race two the track was pretty much dry all the way round so I got some good lap times but Steve Plater got past me on the last hairpin so I was a bit annoyed to lose that place.”

Team owner Paul Bird took full responsibility for his incorrect advice in race one but still left Cadwell disappointed: “When luck’s not going your way it doesn’t matter what you do and we’re just having one of those years. I nearly sacked myself after cocking up in race one so I left it to the boys in race two and it wasn’t much better. We just need to round off a forgettable season in style at the final two rounds and move on from here.”

The next round of the championship takes place at Silverstone in three weeks time on 16th/17th September.