James Ellison under the lap record to secure Brands Hatch pole position
James Ellison claimed his first pole position of the 2015 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship season by pushing under the Brands Hatch Indy circuit lap record during Datatag Qualifying to fire his JG Speedfit Kawasaki to the top of the times ahead of Jakub Smrz and Ryuichi Kiyonari.
The intense Q3 session saw the position change at the top almost every lap in the final 10 minute battle for the pole start in a top ten that featured six different manufacturers and five different nationalities.
Ellison had been on the pace across the free practice sessions, but found that little bit extra in reserve to post a 45.310s flying lap to head off the intense challenges of Czech Republic rider Smrz on the Lloyds British Ducati.
James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) – “I felt comfortable during qualifying and we have just been making steps forward. We have come through winter testing with a good programme and I feel I am a match now for the riders in front with the extra power we have this year.
“We always have a little bit in reserve and if I am honest I didn’t think we would get pole position in qualifying as Kiyo has been really strong and I have watched his laps and he has done long consistent runs. We now need to make sure we can do the same and I will do my best in the two races tomorrow and enjoy it too.”
Smrz had also been lapping inside the record to briefly head the time-sheets, but Ellison retaliated with two flying laps that broke the opposition which included Kiyonari, the three-time title-winner, and eager to make amends for his disappointment in the opening round. Buildbase BMW’s Kiyonari closed to within 0.020s of Smrz to secure an all-important front row start in third place amid a real scrap for positions.
Australian Josh Brookes had ridden hard aboard the Milwaukee Yamaha but had to settle for the fourth best time, just 0.059s down, narrowly ahead of reigning Champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne. The PBM Kawasaki rider, still suffering the effects of a serious hand injury sustained in pre-season testing, was 0.030s adrift, but just ahead of his team-mate Flying Scot Stuart Easton.
Josh Brookes – P4 – 45.646s – “We’ve improved the bike as a whole, we’re quite consistent, but I made a lot of mistakes in qualifying – I don’t think we’ve found the sweet spot with the bike as it is at the moment. I can do fairly close to the fastest lap times, fairly regularly, so as a race set up goes, we’re in good form.
“I know in myself, from what I’ve felt with the bike that it can be better – especially that last corner. I love to run it wider and I have to slow down the bike a bit more to find the grip, to come back and I think I’m losing time there. It’s just putting it all together and tailoring it together, so it all works in conjunction, rather than just one good bit and then suffering somewhere else. Overall I’m quite positive about tomorrow.”
There were some riders rounding out the top ten who qualified for Q3 for the first time including Honda Racing’s Jason O’Halloran who heads the third row from Christian Iddon, riding the Bennetts Suzuki. Broc Parkes aboard the second Milwaukee Yamaha clawed his way up to ninth, just ahead of Jack Kennedy who bounced back from a big crash this morning to complete the top ten qualifiers for Team WD40 Kawasaki.
Broc Parkes – P9 – 46.330s – “I am actually pretty happy as after yesterday I wanted to be in the top ten. We made some big improvements and I felt much better – there was a better feeling with the bike and that showed.
“I struggled with the last corner where I hadn’t ridden the Indy circuit until yesterday, and that section is so crucial. I have been working on that and still have time to find out more in the warm-up session and take steps forwards. We will then try and fight hard in the races.”
Ryde reigns in opening Motorpoint Supersport race at Brands Hatch
Kyle Ryde repaid the hard work of his PacedayZ Trackdays Yamaha team with a stylish maiden victory in the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Sprint race.
Four minutes before the warm-up lap, the generator failed on his bike, but the team sorted the problem and had the young Jacksdale rider out on track and he was quickly into the lead although on the second lap Glenn Irwin nosed his Gearlink Kawasaki ahead.
Irwin’s lead was shortlived as Ryde grabbed the initiative going into Paddock on the fourth lap and once ahead, eased, lap by lap towards a comfortable victory, crossing the line 3.563secs clear of his Gearlink rival.
“I can’t thank Craig Fitzpatrick enough – he fixed the bike for me just before the race. I followed Glenn for a couple of laps to see where he was faster and what he was doing and then I passed him into turn one and was able to pull away from him,” said Ryde.
Irwin had no answer to the leader’s pace as he said: “Kyle rode phenomenally – he got the the gap and I thought I had the pace to go with him, but I hadn’t. He is going to have a huge future in the sport.”
Luke Stapleford, taking third place on the Profile Triumph, opened up a three points lead at the top of the standings over Jake Dixon who ran fourth on the Smiths Triumph ahead of Sam Hornsey and Ben Wilson.
Bjorn Estment, riding the NFB Financial Services Triumph, running ninth overall, took the honours in the Supersport EVO category, 0.218secs ahead of the leader of that series Joe Collier aboard the Haribo Starmix Triumph.
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Sprint race result
1: Kyle Ryde (PacedayZ Trackdays Yamaha)
2: Glenn Irwin (Gearlink Kawasaki) +3.563s
3: Luke Stapleford (Profile Triumph) +3.675s
4: Jake Dixon (Smiths Triumph) +10.482s
5: Sam Hornsey (Profile Triumph) +11.289s
Motorpoint British Supersport Championship standings
1: Luke Stapleford (Profile Triumph) 61pts
2: Jake Dixon (Smiths Triumph) 58
3: Kyle Ryde (PacedayZ Trackdays Yamaha) 54
4: Glenn Irwin (Gearlink Kawasaki) 49
5: Ben Wilson (Gearlink Kawasaki) 30
Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship qualifying
Morello Kawasaki rider Josh Elliott, with a lap in 46.566secs, starts from pole ahead of Tyco BMW’s Alastair Seeley with opening round winner Hudson Kennaugh on the Trik Moto BMW completing the front row. Adam Jenkinson, James Rose and Michael Robertson are on the second row.
Pirelli National Superstock 600 Championship qualifying
Series leader Mason Law starts the NMT No Limits Kawasaki from pole having out-paced Benjamin Currie on the PacedayZ Trackdays Yamaha by 0.158secs with Tarran Mackenzie completing the front row on the Stauff Connect Academy Kawasaki. Joe Francis, Tom Oliver and Sam Thompson start from the second row.
Santander Consumer Finance KTM British Junior Cup qualifying
Cameron Fraser grabbed pole start with a lap in 56.111secs from Kevin Keyes, though there was only 0.178secs between them. Chris Taylor completes the front row of the grid with joint series leader Thomas Strudwick in the middle of the second, sandwiched between James Nagy and Oliver O’Flaherty.
Hyundai Heavy Industries British Sidecar Championship qualifying
Andy Peach and Charlie Richardson put in a late scorcher to snatch pole start by 0.080secs from Ricky Stevens/Ryan Charlwood. Roger Lovelock/Aki Alto and Ben Holland/Lee Watson start from the second row.
Ducati TriOptions Cup qualifying
Rob Guiver nosed 0.083secs ahead of defending champion Dennis Hobbs to take pole start with Marty Nutt completing the front row as Leon Morris, Robbie Brown and Sean Neary line up behnd them.
HEL Performance British Motostar Championship qualifying
Taz Taylor took pole start by a little under a quarter of a second from Scott Deroue with Ed Rendell, suffering a machine problem early on in the second session, third fastest as Moto3 riders dominated while Josh Owens, ninth fastest overall was the top 125GP qualifier.
Santander Consumer Finance KTM British Junior Cup Saturday races
Cameron Fraser took the verdict in a first race thriller and he enjoyed it so much, he provided an action replay later in the afternoon. In the opener, amid a three rider dash to the line, he took the race by 0.009secs in a photo-finish ahead of Kevin Keyes with Chris Taylor a close third. They had duelled for supremacy for much of the race with Thomas Strudwick always on the fringe of them. And the was more of the same to come with Fraser again seeing off the determined Taylor, this time by 0.083secs with Strudwick taking third ahead of James Nagy.
Hyundai Heavy Industries British Sidecar Championship Saturday race
Andy Peach and Charlie Richardson took the victory in a race halted on the sixth lap when Rod Robinson/Helen Deeley flipped over coming through Graham Hill Bend and then Tony Brown/Sam Christie crashed. Roger Lovelock/Aki Alto were running in second place ahead of Ricky Stevens/Ryan Charlwood with Tony Brown/Sam Christie fourth. The result was declared and half points awarded.
Ducati TriOptions Cup Saturday race
Rob Guiver led throughout but his efforts came to nought as he was excluded from the results due to using a non-homologated front disc. That gave the victory to defending champion Dennis Hobbs. Marty Nutt, the title winner of two years ago, was credited with second place ahead of Leon Morris while Sean Neary over came Robbie Brown to take fourth
HEL British Motostar Championship Saturday race
Taz Taylor made the break on his RS KTM and then powered into the distance, taking the victory, his first aboard a Moto3 machine by some five seconds from Redline KTM’s Scott Deroue who vainly chased him throughout with Ed Rendell on the Banks Honda taking third. Josh Owens won the 125GP category on his JPL Honda ahead of Andy Sawford, St Neots Motorcycles Aprilia, and Mark Clayton on the SP125/Refined Recruitment Honda.
