2008 Bennetts British Superbike Championship
 Rounds
13 & 14 - Oulton Park, Cheshire
ANOTHER OULTON PODIUM FOR ELLISON
Following on from his superb podium finish at the same track
back in May, Hydrex Bike Animal Honda rider James Ellison
repeated the feat when he took the 1000cc Shaun Muir Racing
Honda Fireblade to another second position at Oulton Park
in Cheshire today.
Starting from row two on the grid, the 27 year old from Kendal
in Cumbria made some radical changes to his bike overnight
and in the early stages of the opening race, led the field
as he mixed it up with the Championship front runners. Going
into the final laps, he was well placed but eventually had
to settle for second place as the handling of his bike deteriorated.
In the second race, once again Ellison made a great start
to run in fifth position in the early stages before consolidating
his position to end up fifth at the flag and in doing so recorded
his best points haul of the seven rounds held so far this
season. The net result is that Ellison lies in sixth in the
Championship going into the next round at Knockhill in three
weeks' time.
For team mate Guy Martin, a disappointing qualifying performance
didn't help the 26 year old from Kirmington in Lincolnshire,
who also made some radical improvements to his machine before
today's two races, and he gave a much better account of himself
in the two 18-lap races.
Whilst set for a points finish in the opening race he retired
on the final lap with an electrical problem and in race two
he was unlucky to miss out on the points after battling for
the lower leaderboard places.
Superstock 1000 team rider Kieran Clarke followed up a seventeenth
place finish yesterday with a fine points-scoring fifteenth
position today on his debut for the team leaving him and team
boss Shaun Muir pleased with the weekend's work.
James Ellison: "I'm disappointed with
the second race but obviously pleased with the first one,
and I wish they'd been the other way round really. We've scored
the most points we've scored all year in one weekend and we're
getting closer to moving up the Championship and not that
far away from the top three now, and for a private team we've
got to be happy with that. I'm really happy with the way the
team has worked and full credit to them this weekend."
Guy Martin: "In the first race, I had
an electrical problem on the last lap and had to pull in which
was unfortunate as I was lying in fifteenth place. I'm still
having some problems with the bike but hopefully our luck
will turn soon. When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
Shaun Muir (Team Owner): "I'm delighted
with James in the first race and I'm happy with the weekend
overall. We've scored our best points haul for the season
which puts us in contention for the top three in the Championship.
I feel we've made progress developing the bike to another
level. Guy's problems have unfortunately continued this weekend
with the electrical problem in the first race but I'm pleased
with Kieran with a top twenty yesterday, and a points score
in fifteenth today and now its roll on Knockhill."
Kieran Clarke: "I'm just steadily building
up and it's just a shame I was starting from so far back on
the grid and had to pass so many people. I had to really weigh
up the corners with me being a bit rusty on the bike but next
time I should be a lot further up the grid and I'm hoping
for a top ten at Knockhill."
Superbike Race One Result
1, Tom Sykes (Suzuki) 29:12.165s, 2, James Ellison (Hydrex
Bike Animal Honda) +4.779s, 3, Shane Byrne (Ducati) +5.089s,
4, Leon Haslam (Honda) +14.336s, 5, Simon Andrews (Yamaha)
+25.518s, 6, Cal Crutchlow (Honda) +31.402s, 7, Michael Rutter
(Ducati) +36.383s, 8, Billy McConnell (Kawasaki) +38.630s,
9, Michael Laverty (Suzuki) +48.039s, 10, John Laverty (Ducati)
48.596s.
Superbike Race Two Result
1, Tom Sykes (Suzuki) 29:04.554s, 2, Cal Crutchlow (Honda)
+0.097s, 3, Shane Byrne (Ducati) +0.619s, 4, Leon Haslam (Honda)
+1.265s, 5, James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +11.649s,
6, Simon Andrews (Yamaha) +25.255s, 7, Michael Laverty (Suzuki)
+26.498s, 8, Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +26.949s, 9, Karl Harris
(Yamaha) +31.189s, 10, Billy McConnell (Kawasaki) +31.221.
18, Guy Martin (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +58.552
2008 Bennetts British Superbike Championship Standings
after Round 7
1. Shane Byrne (Ducati) 312pts
2. Cal Crutchlow (Honda) 213pts
3. Tom Sykes (Suzuki) 176pts
4. Leon Haslam (Honda) 174pts
5. Leon Camier (Ducati) 160pts
6. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 150pts
7. Michael Rutter (Ducati) 141pts
8. Michael Laverty (Suzuki) 100pts
9. Simon Andrews (Yamaha) 90pts
10. Tristan Palmer (Honda) 64pts
17. Guy Martin (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 19pts
Photograph courtesy of Turn One Photography.
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