In very changeable weather conditions, the KTM Super Duke Battle roared on to the MotoGP stage in fine style this past weekend.
Qualifying took place on a dry track with the front rows being fiercely contested. Flying Finn Pauli Pekkanen set an unbeatable time on his second last lap, eight tenths of a second quicker than anyone else. Ed Smith bounced back from his disappointing showing at Snetterton and claimed second place. Kelvin Reilly and Dave Heal completed the front row.
With rain forecast for race day, the teams and riders spent most of the morning looking skywards and in desperate need of a crystal ball to help with tyre selection. The gods were again shining on the Battle as the track dried by mid-afternoon for near perfect racing conditions. When the red lights went out it was a frantic dash to Redgate, with Heal, Dave Wood, Reilly, Pekkanen and Smith all going for the lead. It was Wood and Pekkanen who emerged at the front with Reilly chasing hard in third. Behind them it was an epic battle between Heal, Smith, championship leader Darren Fry, Francis Williamson and new Finnish rider Sami Penna, with positions changing on every lap.
It was the diminutive Pauli Pekkanen who stole the show with an outstanding ride (on a track he had never ridden until two days earlier) and a fantastic last lap time of 1:41.450, the fastest lap of the Super Duke Battle weekend. Dave Wood took second place with Kelvin Reilly third. The battle for fourth place went to Fry on the last lap from Williamson, Heal, Smith and Penna.
The next rounds of the Battle take place at the BSB Meeting at Mallory Park on July 21 and 22. This meeting will be a double header with both races being on the main BSB race day on Sunday. The remaining rounds are as follows:
- Mallory Park - July 22
- Mallory Park - July 22
- Cadwell Park - August 27
- Donington - September 23
- Brands Hatch - October 14
Results - Race 5 (Sunday, June 24)- Pauli Pekkanen
- Dave Wood
- Kelvin Reilly
- Darren Fry
- Francis Williamson
Championship Standings (after round 5)- Darren Fry (101 points)
- Pauli Pekkanen (91 points)
- Kelvin Reilly (82 points)
- Francis Williamson (60 points)
- Dave Heal (58 points)
- Ed Smith (41 points)
- Patrick McDougal (39 points)
- Charlie Corner (37 points)
- Scott Roper (37 points)
- Dave Wood (36 points)
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