2007 British Superbike
Motorcycle Racing
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Chris
Walker. Photo
Courtesy
Suzuki Racing. |
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Knockhill Race Circuit, Dunfermline, Fife,
Scotland |
British Superbike Round 7 - Knockhill
Text and Photos Courtesy Kawasaki
Racing, Suzuki Racing, Yamaha Racing and British Superbike.
Edited by webBikeWorld.
Race Results
Honda's Jonathan Rea took both races today in the
wet at Scotland's Knockhill circuit for Round 7 of the
British Superbike Championship, while Chris Walker
finished in the top six both times.
"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.
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 tires
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, analyze the areas where we can improve
and will come back stronger, faster and more determined
than ever to get into the top six.”
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.
Race Preview
June 29, 2007 - Honda's Ryuichi Kiyonari was
fastest in today's practice, while Rizla Suzuki racer
Chris Walker was eighth and his team mate Cal Crutchlow
ninth - both within one second of the leader - after
today's practice sessions for the seventh round of the
Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Knockhill in
Scotland.
In dry but overcast conditions, "Stalker" spent time
tire testing and trying both his Rizla Suzuki race bikes
around the 1.29-mile long twisty and hilly circuit.
He ended the day comfortable on his bike and in
confident mood.
Crutchlow made large scale changes in the set-up of
his bike in-between the two 50-minute long sessions.
He left his fastest lap until the end of the day on a
tire that had completed a race distance simulation and
is happy with his Rizla Suzuki.
Superbike racing starts at 1300 at Knockhill in Fife,
Scotland, on Sunday, July 1st.
Chris Walker: "I compared
both my Rizla Suzukis during practice and one of them is
easier to ride quickly around here. It is giving me
decent feedback and I am comfortable riding it.
"I tested a couple of different tires and made a bit
of headway. We didn't make many changes but the
ones we did made a difference and helped improve the lap
time. Thank you to my crew and Dunlop for their
support: I think it has been a positive day for us."
Cal Crutchlow: "We experimented with
some new settings this morning but while they allowed me
to ride quickly, I wasn't that comfortable and in the
afternoon we reverted to a set-up that we established
earlier in the season.
"I ran a race distance tire test in the afternoon and
made very few alterations to my bike. My main
problem is the forks bottoming out on the entrance to
the hairpin - there is a massive bump that is very
unsettling. My crew will make a few changes to help me
through there tomorrow."
Simon Buckmaster - Team Manager: "It's been a
good solid day for both Rizla Suzuki racers. Chris has
shown strong form right from his first out lap and Cal
has tested a fair few settings, leaving him in a decent
position just behind his team mate.
"The Rizla Suzuki riders are within touching distance
of the leaders and optimistic they can improve.
Well done to the riders and the team for working so well
- we are all looking forward to qualification. I
think it would be preferable if it was dry but if the
weather forecast comes true and it is wet, I don't think
that will make a huge difference; there is positive
momentum within the team."
Friday Practice Times: 1: Ryuichi Kiyonari
(Honda) 48.334 2: Jonathan Rea (Honda) +0.211 3: Leon
Haslam (Ducati) +0.252 4: Leon Camier (Honda) +0.391 5:
Tom Sykes (Honda) +0.448 6: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati)
+0.491 7: Shane Byrne (Honda) +0.508 8: Chris Walker
(Rizla Suzuki) +0.882 9: Cal Crutchlow (Rizla Suzuki)
+0.969 10: Dean Thomas (Suzuki) +1.080.
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