Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport riders Tom Sykes and Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne just missed out on a podium each having had to settle for a fourth place finish in each of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship races which comprised round seven at a weather affected Knockhill earlier today. Qualifying on the front row of the grid for the second time this year, 21 year old Sykes followed up a sixth place finish in race one with a superb fourth place result in race two, just missing out on a podium position by 0.055 seconds as he battled with defending champion Ryuichi Kiyonari.
Meanwhile 30 year old Byrne overcame vision problems in race one to post a fourth place finish which he followed up with a hard earned fifth place in the second of the day’s races to round off a decent day’s work for the team.
Both races were reduced in distance due to torrential rain which fell at the Fife venue but the organisers did well to battle against the elements to prepare the track for two cracking races which as a result sees Shakey and Tom in fifth and seventh places in the championship respectively.
The team moves on to Oulton Park in two weeks time whereby the Stobart, VK and Vent Axia backed team will be looking to return to the podium.
Shane Byrne: “I just got really beat up at the beginning and just tried to pick my way through. On my own I had a good pace but trying to pass people was a totally different matter and I just rode quite sensibly. I knew I had Leon Camier behind so that was important to me championship-wise. Tom got a couple of points off me as well but a fourth and fifth from a bad qualifying I am quite happy with really. I could have done with a couple of podiums but they will come.”
Tom Sykes: “I got a decent start in the second race and just took it a bit steady at the start to make sure I didn’t spin it up. I settled into my race and just took it lap by lap as we’d made some changes from the first race and it took a couple of laps to get settled in, the whole package was brilliant. I was so close to Kiyonari at the end, I tried my hardest but I just couldn’t quite get past him at the hairpin. It’s really gutting to be just 0.055 seconds off the podium but I’m happy to get fourth. I’ve learned a few things today which will help me in the future and I’d like to thank the whole team and hope I can put it on the podium soon because they deserve it.”
Paul Bird: “It’s been a good day considering the weather and we had two strong points scoring rides from both riders in both races. We’re looking forward to Oulton Park now and hopefully some decent weather!”
Race 1 Result:
- Jonathan Rea (Honda) 21m28.015s,
- Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +6.848s,
- Leon Haslam (Ducati) +8.851s,
- Shane Byrne (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) +13.782s,
- Chris Walker (Suzuki) +20.317s,
- Tom Sykes (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) + 21.994s,
- Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) +28.222s,
- Ollie Bridwell (Suzuki) +42.951s,
- Sean Emmett (Suzuki) +43.552s,
- Karl Harris (Honda) +46.707s.
Race 2 Result:- Jonathan Rea (Honda) 22m56.710s,
- Leon Haslam (Ducati) +5.858s,
- Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +9.453s,
- Tom Sykes (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) +9.508s,
- Shane Byrne (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) +14.306s,
- Chris Walker (Suzuki) +15.171s,
- Leon Camier (Honda) +26.730s,
- Karl Harris (Honda) +34.846s,
- Sean Emmett (Suzuki) +49.449s,
- Ollie Bridewell (Suzuki) +53.371s.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship Positions after Round 7:- Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 248pts
- Jonathan Rea (Honda) 237pts
- Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 220pts
- Leon Haslam (Ducati) 205pts
- Shane Byrne (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 151pts
- Leon Camier (Honda) 145pts
- Tom Sykes (Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda) 138pts
- Chris Walker (Suzuki) 104pts
- Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 86pts
- Karl Harris (Honda) 79pts
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