WALKER SHINES AT WET KNOCKHILL
 Chris
Walker took two top six finishes at the seventh round of the
Bennetts British Superbike Championship at a rain-drenched
Knockhill in Scotland today.
'Stalker', starting from sixth on the grid, used all his
experience to master the treacherously-wet conditions to finish
a clear fifth in the opening race that was shortened by six
laps. In the second water-logged event, shortened from 30
to 26 laps, he was relegated to sixth on the last lap and
didn't have time to regain the place he had held for most
of the race.
Cal Crutchlow had a tough weekend: In the opening race his
visor fogged in the damp weather - reducing visibility - and
he finished 11th. In the second race he was lying in 12th
when he crashed out on the high-speed run to the hairpin at
the 1.29-mile long track; fortunately unhurt.
Honda's Jonathan Rea won both races.
Rizla Suzuki will attend the official BSB test at Croft in
North Yorkshire on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 2nd-3rd, before
returning to racing at Oulton Park on Sunday, July 15th.
Chris Walker:
"It's been a solid day but I must confess I am smashed
to have lost out on fifth place in the second race. I rode
as hard as I could in the conditions and to lose a place on
the last lap is simply gutting.
"There was a lot of standing water on the circuit and
it was very tricky but my Rizla Suzuki was doing what I wanted
and I was comfortable riding it. I am still not quite used
to the amount of grip the Dunlop tyres give in wet conditions,
but with today's experience under my belt if it rains again
I'll be wiser and faster."
Cal Crutchlow:
"An 11th and DNF are not the results I wanted or that
Rizla Suzuki deserves. In the opening race my visor misted
and despite having top 10 pace I couldn't see and had to slow
down. Race two was wetter and I felt as though I had very
little grip - I was proved right when I crashed.
"It's been a frustrating weekend but I'll sit down with
the team, analyse the areas where we can improve and will
come back stronger, faster and more determined than ever to
get into the top six."
Simon Buckmaster - Team Manager:
"Chris did a very good job in some of the most difficult
riding conditions I have ever witnessed. The rain didn't waste
any time falling, the circuit was soaked with standing water
and he did exceptionally well today. It was great to see him
racing competitively and this will give the whole team a boost.
"Cal had high hopes for this round as it is one of his
favourite circuits but he ended up struggling with the conditions.
The learning curve for a Superbike rookie can be both unforgiving
and punishing but we have every confidence he will pull through
and look forward to sharing much better days with him soon."
"We now go to Croft for an official BSB test and hope
the rain and flooding keeps away - we are past the half-way
point of the season and really want to come on strong in the
remaining six rounds of the Championship."
Race One Result: 1: Jonathan Rea (Honda)
21:28.015, 2: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +6.848, 3: Leon Haslam
(Ducati) +8.851, 4: Shane Byrne (Honda) +13.782, 5: Chris
Walker (Rizla Suzuki) +20.317, 6: Tom Sykes (Honda) +21.994,
7: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) +28.222, 8: Ollie Bridewell (Suzuki)
+42.951, 9: Sean Emmett (Suzuki) +43.552, 10: Karl Harris
(Honda) +46.707, 11: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) +51.530.
Race Two Result: 1: Rea 22.56.710, 2: Haslam
+5.858, 3: Kiyonari +9.453, 4: Sykes +9.508, 5: Byrne +14.306,
6: Chris Walker (Rizla Suzuki) +15.171, 7: Leon Camier (Honda)
+26.730, 8: Harris +34.846, 9: Emmett +49.449, 10: O Bridewell
+53.371. DNF: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki).
Championship Positions (after 7 of 13 rounds):
1: Kiyonari 248, 2: Rea 237, 3: Lavilla 220, 4: Haslam 205,
5: Byrne 151, 6: Camier 145, 7: Sykes 138, 8: Chris Walker
(Rizla Suzuki) 104, 9: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 86, 10: Harris
79, 11: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki) 56.
|
