Press release: Leon Camier enjoyed a hat-trick of victories in the eighth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli at Brands Hatch to not only increase his lead in the title stakes but also go one better than the record of race victories in a season set by former triple champion Niall Mackenzie.
Riding the Airwaves Yamaha, Camier has now won all but three of the 17 races, and that has enabled him to open up a lead of 113.5 points ahead of his nearest rival, team-mate James Ellison. The third of his victories also achieved a career milestone of 100 race wins for his team-manager Colin Wright.
It had been a dominant two days for Camier in a weekend that had started problematically as he ran ninth in free practice, but then re-paid the efforts of his team as they worked on his bike by powering in a sixth pole start of the campaign.
Throughout, the biggest challenge to his supremacy was posed by Australian rider Broc Parkes, twice a winner at the circuit in his World Supersport days, and now heading up the Kawasaki World Superbike team in their guest appearance into the British series.
Parkes was strong and stylish, but Camier, who wishes to graduate onto the World stage next term, was in no mood to allow him a slice of the glory, as he showed in the Saturday afternoon first race, reeling in the Kawasaki rider to take the lead on the tenth lap, and with it the victory by a couple of seconds.
Camier was fast away at the start of the first Sunday race, running out front throughout, to lead Parkes home by over four seconds but in the third outing, the Airwaves rider had to fight all of the way as he overcame a poor start by carving through the pack and grabbing the lead with six laps remaining.
“I’m absolutely made up,” said Camier. “It has been tough out there physically and mentally in this heat. It was hard to maintain the momentum and the rhythm but this has been a brilliant time for me and the team – all credit to them.”
“To beat Niall’s record is just amazing, a great feeling, a dream come true. It is just unbelievable to come here to my local circuit and do this, and it is all the better because this is the 100th victory for our team manager Colin Wright. That is some record, something pretty special,” added Camier.
Parkes was strong in second place in each of the races with Hydrex Honda rider Stuart Easton denied three podium finishes as Ellison nosed ahead of him in the third race of a festival weekend that had seen the sporting greats of an earlier era, among them the 15 times World Champion Giacomo Agostini, take to the circuit.
The weekend however belonged to Camier, not forgetting the other hat-trick hero, Gary Mason, aboard the Quay Garage Honda, who was the first Mirror.co.uk Cup rider first across the line in each of the races.
Results – MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship in association with PirelliRound eight – race one, 18 laps1. Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha)
2. Broc Parkes (Kawasaki World Superbike) 1.901s
3. Stuart Easton (Hydrex Honda) +11.495s
4. Karl Muggeridge (HM Plant Honda) +15.461s
5. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +15.840s
6. James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) +17.959s
7. John Laverty (Buildbase Kawasaki) +19.646s
8. Karl Harris (Hydrex Honda) +21.033s
9. Chris Walker (Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha) +23.195s
10. Julien Da Costa (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +23.236s
Race two result – 20 laps1. Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha)
2. Broc Parkes (Kawasaki World Superbike) +4.534s
3. Stuart Easton (Hydrex Honda) +7.775s
4. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +8.713s
5. James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) +10.072s
6. Karl Harris (Hydrex Honda) +12.688s
7. Karl Muggeridge (HM Plant Honda) +15.025s
8. Steve Brogan (HM Plant Honda) +16.575s
9. Graeme Gowland (Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha) +19.466s
10. Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki World Superbike) +19.561s
Race three result – 20 laps1. Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha)
2. Broc Parkes (Kawasaki World Superbike) +2.272s
3. James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) +11.587s
4. Stuart Easton (Hydrex Honda) +13.884s
5. John Laverty (Buildbase Kawasaki) +21.338s
6. Karl Muggeridge (HM Plant Honda) +21.395s
7. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +21.891s
8. Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki World Superbike)
9. Ian Lowry (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +26.534s
10. Michael Rutter (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +27.405s
Championship standings:1. Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha) 374.5
2. James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) 261
3. Stuart Easton (Hydrex Honda) 218
4. Karl Harris (Hydrex Honda) 111.5
5. Glen Richards (HM Plant Honda) 103
