Oulton Park Event: Arai Evening -
see below for details.
Race Results
Ryuichi Kiyonari took another double at Round 9 of the 2006
British Superbike championship at Oulton Park on Sunday, July 23.
Race One Results: Kiyonari Honda; Haslam Ducati; Lavilla
Ducati; Byrne Suzuki; Rea Honda; Rutter Honda; Laverty Honda; Smart Suzuki;
McConnell Yamaha; Coxhell Hawk Kawasaki; Hickman Hawk Kawasaki;
Race Two Results: Kiyonari Honda; Harris Honda; Haslam Ducati; Rea Honda;
Byrne Suzuki; Hill Yamaha; Rutter Honda; Richards Honda; Wilson Suzuki;
Mason Honda.
Qualifying
Qualifying Times: 1: Karl Harris (Honda) 1:34.515, 2: Leon Haslam
(Ducati) +0.219, 3: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +0.548, 4: Jonathan Rea (Honda)
+0.806, 5: Shane Byrne (Rizla Suzuki) +1.068, 6: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +1.269,
7: Michael Rutter (Honda) +1.296, 8: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) +1.478, 9:
Glen Richards (Honda) +1.731, 10: Michael Laverty (Honda) +2.322. 16: Steve
Plater (Rizla Suzuki) +2.753.
Race Preview
Four-time British Superbike race winner Steve Plater will join Rizla Suzuki
as a replacement rider for the injured James Haydon at the ninth round of
the Championship at Oulton Park this weekend.
The 2006 North West 200 winner who lives in Lincolnshire
will join regular Rizla Suzuki racer Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne at the 2.69-mile
long Cheshire circuit. It is the Championship’s second and final visit
to the picturesque Oulton Park venue this year.
During the team’s first visit to the track in May Shakey
scored two podiums and was just a whisker away from winning a race despite
suffering from a severe stomach bug.
James Haydon continues his road to recovery and will be at
Oulton Park lending his support to both Byrne and Plater. Superbike racing
starts at 1315 on Sunday July 23rd.
Shane Byrne: “Last time we visited here I
finished second and third despite suffering from the most horrendous gastro
enteritis. I like the circuit; my Rizla Suzuki fits me like a glove;
and I want to win and make up for earlier in the year."
“I’m enjoying my racing and having fun at the same time. I’m
relaxed and really happy after the win at Knockhill. Life is good in
my world and the only thing that could improve it is a victory at Oulton
Park so that’s what I’m going for.”
Steve Plater: “The chance to race the Rizla
Suzuki GSX-R1000 at Oulton Park this weekend is a dream come true. I
have been down to the team HQ and been measured up for the bike and I am
champing at the bit to get racing.
“I’ve won at Oulton Park twice before in 2002 and 2003 and
know the Rizla Suzuki is a very quick bike round the circuit. It’s a
huge opportunity for me to show what I can do on a competitive bike.
My collarbone is completely healed and I can’t wait to get out in first
practice on Friday.”
Hawk Kawasaki
The two Hawk Kawasaki riders are heading for the picturesque track of Oulton
Park, Cheshire this weekend (21st – 23rd July), for round nine of the
Bennetts British Superbike Championship. Craig Coxhell (23) and Peter
Hickman (19) and looking forward to tackling the 2.7-mile circuit.
Coxhell gained two strong results last weekend at Knockhill
Circuit, Scotland and is looking to add a few more positive results to his
tally. Last time at Oulton Park in May the young Australian was
recovering from a serious injuries to both of his shoulders after a crash at
Donington Park earlier in the season. Coxhell is looking at following
on from his confident sixth place at Knockhill at the technical circuit at
the weekend.
Craig Coxhell: "I'm feeling very relaxed and
happy after Knockhill and hope that I can better them at Oulton. The team is
working really hard and now we are starting to get the results that we
deserve. My injury at the start of the season really set me back and it has
taken until now to get things back on track and feeling more confident."
Youngster rider in the British Superbike Series, Peter
Hickman is keen to go back to Oulton Park saying "I'm glad we are going back
to a circuit that we have been to before and that I know my way round a
little better on a Superbike. I'm hoping that I can make progress there and
get back in the points this weekend. The Hawk bikes handle pretty well round
Oulton so I hope that will work in my favour. It's an extremely tough series
but I am very much enjoying this opportunity that I've been given."
Third Hawk rider Dean Thomas is still absent from racing due
to injury. After sustaining a punctured lung and four broken ribs at
Snetterton Circuit when he was hit by James Haydon at the bottom of the one
of the fastest straights in the country.
Dean Thomas: "I'm slowly
getting better but it is taking a lot longer than I first hoped or expected.
I'm still in a lot of pain and continue to take a number of pills to try and
help me sleep and get through the days. The ribs are giving me the
most grief at the moment, however, I am still getting out of breath very
quickly with the after effects of the punctured lung. I thought about
riding at Oulton this weekend but it won't be physically possible, I am now
aiming for Croft which gives me another month to get myself fit again. I'm
eager to get back out on a bike as it's very frustrating sat at home
watching it on the TV."
