Race Results
Race 1
HM Plant Honda’s Leon Haslam posted his second win in succession in the opening 18-lap Bennetts British Superbike race at Cadwell Park (25 August).

Tom Sykes had recorded his second pole position of the season, and the first in the new three-part qualifying structure, ahead of the ninth round.

The Rizla Suzuki rider powered into the holeshot and the race lead that he would hold for the opening 10 laps.

Leon Haslam, a race winner at Cadwell Park for the past three seasons could not be dropped, sitting on the heels of Sykes biding his time for a decisive move as the pair moved eight seconds ahead of third place by mid distance.  The opportunity to pass came on lap 11 as the leading pair prepared to break from 180mph for the right-hand Park corner.

Haslam forced his way underneath Sykes’ Suzuki, running a little wide on the exit but maintaining the lead into the following corner.  Sykes sat on the tail of Haslam Honda for a few laps looking for a classic pass at Park on the final lap.

However, tucking the front into the Hairpin on lap 14, Sykes had to wrestle with his Rizla Suzuki, allowing Haslam the breathing space he needed to pull clear for his second win of the season. 

Airwaves Ducati pilot Shane Byrne triumphed in a four-way battle for third with teammate Leon Camier, Cal Crutchlow and Michael Rutter to extend his Championship lead to 114 points over Tom Sykes with seven races left.

Leon Haslam, Winner Race 1:  "There's been a bit of pressure coming up to this one, it is my favorite track and I've won here every year so to get that win means I can enjoy race 2 a little more.  I had a good pace early on and tried to match Sykes in a few places where he was faster than me.  I didn't really push too hard once I took the lead but Tom had made a mistake and I hadn't realized so that helped the gap. He came back at me on the last lap so I got my head down to take the win."

Race 2
Leon Haslam left Cadwell Park in high spirits after claiming the double victory, ending the Ducati domination in recent years of the Lincolnshire circuit.  The second British Superbike race of the day fell victim to earlier incidents, resulting in a rescheduled race distance of 15 laps. 

Eager for more glory, HM Plant Honda’s Leon Haslam took up his grid position in the middle of the second row, with race one nemesis Tom Sykes heading the grid in pole position.

Tom Sykes and Cal Crutchlow took advantage of three riders per row on the grid to make an early break.  The HM Plant Honda rider’s body language looked on the aggressive side as he battled with his Honda to stay with the smooth riding Rizla Suzuki pilot.

Disaster struck for Crutchlow on lap 3 as he clipped the left hand kerb in Hall Bends losing the front.  Rejoining down in 24th it was a case of making up the places to gain a few points over the remaining laps.

Sykes was joined by Haslam at the front in a repeat of race 1.  However, Haslam made his passing move on lap 7, determined to post the double and claim 50 points.  Over the closing stages the Airwaves Ducati duo of Shane Byrne and Leon Camier tagged onto the back of Sykes to make it a four-way dice but Haslam’s pace proved too hot and the HM Plant Honda rider took the checkered flag 0.5s from Sykes and Byrne.

Cal Crutchlow clawed his way up to 13th but has now lost valuable ground to Shane Byrne.

Leon Haslam, Winner Race 2:  “The weekend didn’t start to great as I had a big crash on Friday morning, I only ended up fourth in qualifying.  But it just goes to show it’s all about the racing.  It’s the first double win this year for HM Plant Honda and the first ever double win here so I’m really pleased.”

Race 1 Results:  1. Haslam (Honda), 2. Sykes (Suzuki), 3.Byrne (Ducati), 4. Camier (Ducati), 5. Crutchlow (Honda), 6. Rutter (Ducati), 7. Andrews (Yamaha), 8. M.Laverty (Suzuki), 9. Watanabe (Suzuki), 10. Mason (Honda)

Race 2 Results:  1. Haslam (Honda), 2. Sykes (Suzuki), 3. Byrne (Ducati), 4. Camier (Ducati), 5. Rutter (Ducati), 6. Andrews (Yamaha), 7. Watanabe (Suzuki), 8. Smart (Kawasaki), 9. M.Laverty (Suzuki), 10. Harris (Yamaha) Championship Standings 1. Byrne – 364, 2. Sykes – 254, 3. Haslam – 249, 4. Crutchlow – 236, 5. Camier – 205, 6. Rutter – 195, 7. Ellison – 177, 8. Andrews – 127, 9. M.Laverty – 125, 10. Palmer – 84.

Round 10 moves north to Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire in three weeks time (12-14 September).

Leon Haslam, double winner at Cadwell Park.

Qualifying
Rizla Suzuki's Tom Sykes followed up his top of the time-sheets in practice yesterday by taking a dominant pole-position in the new Formula 1 style qualifying session at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire.

His teammate Atsushi Watanabe posted a season's best eighth.

In the new three-tier qualifying system, Sykes was always in contention at the top and easily made it through to the final 10-minute shoot-out contested by the 10 fastest riders.

In warm sunshine he saved his best to last, setting the fastest lap of the weekend on his penultimate effort - nearly a quarter of a second ahead of the next rider - before sliding off unhurt at the chicane on his final lap. It is his second pole-position of the season, repeating his feat from Mallory Park in June.

Watanabe got into the final 10 by finishing ninth in the second eliminator and he posted his best lap of the weekend in the final session, taking him up to eighth.

Normally that would be the second row of the grid but the riders will line up only three abreast because of the narrow nature of the 2.18-mile picturesque track and he will be on the third row.

A bumper crowd is expected for the Bank Holiday Monday race schedule, with Superbike race one starting at 1345 and race two at 1630.

Tom Sykes:  "That was a pretty good qualifying session and I have to be happy with my second pole position of the season.  The new qualifying format certainly makes it all-action and we didn't have much of break to think; it was a case of get out on track and give it your all.

"We did a bit of work on the steering and brakes during the first eliminator as we were safely through and found a little bit of an improvement. To be honest, my Rizla Suzuki is working well and I am confident, I can't wait for the races to start and I want to see if we can add to the tally of wins."

Atsushi Watanabe:  "I am happy with my lap time but made some mistakes.  I'm still learning this track; it is not the easiest with many hills and narrow Tarmac but I like it anyway.

"I feel recharged for racing after my podium at the Suzuka eight hour race and visit home to Japan. I want a strong finish to the season - to show British fans what Atsu can really achieve."

Qualifying Results:
1: Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) 1:27.495
2: Cal Crutchlow (Honda) 1:27.716
3: Shane Byrne (Ducati) 1:27.870
4: Leon Haslam (Honda) 1:27.917
5: Leon Camier (Ducati) 1:28.428
6: Michael Rutter (Ducati) 1:28.502
7: Karl Harris (Yamaha) 1:28.844
8: Atsushi Watanabe (Rizla Suzuki) 1:28.860
9: Simon Andrews (Yamaha) 1:29.000
10: Michael Laverty (Suzuki) 1:29.228.

STP Motorsport MV Agusta British Superbike Team