After battling the elements, three crashes and pins and needles in his recovering broken wrist, Michael Rutter still managed to salvage a good top-10 result from today’s wet Oulton Park races. Despite a crash in the first race, the rider from Kirkby Mallory managed to hang on for seventh in the second race at the 2.69-mile Cheshire circuit. His 23-year-old team-mate Stuart Easton was looking good for a top five result when he was sidelined from the MAXXIS British Supersport race with a technical problem. Both riders will want to bounce back for the Mallory Park round which takes place next weekend.
Michael Rutter, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R (DNF and 7th)
“That’s about the first time I’ve crashed three times in one weekend! It sums up the conditions, really. Seventh wasn’t too bad at the end of the day in race two. I’m not too disappointed considering the day – and weather – we’ve had. I just wished I could have got some points in the first race. The wrist is still not 100% and during the races I’ve been suffering from pins and needles as perhaps the bandage was too tight. The conditions meant that millions of pounds worth of damage has been done today! Mallory is a bit too soon for any improvement from the wrist, I reckon it’s going to be 100% at Croft and not before.”
Stuart Easton, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R (DNF)
“Will I ever get any good luck? I wanted to pull over and check the bike on lap 13 as I had a problem and wanted to glance down at the bike while off the racing line. I went off the track but then it felt like the brake bound-on and down I went. It’s strange as that sort of thing happens on the first or second lap, but that was my race run. I was making really good progress despite a slipping clutch as I was catching the guys ahead. The positive thing is that my race pace is there whatever the conditions – wet or dry – we now just need a bit of luck.”
Jack Valentine, Race Team Manager
“We are relieved to get something from the weekend to be honest with Michael’s seventh place. With the 600 we were looking for a podium and Stuart was catching the group ahead, but a slipping clutch hampered him. He was confident of third, but he pulled off the circuit and then slid off. He felt that the front brake bound-on so we’ll investigate that. I’m confident it’s a matter of time before he gets onto the podium. Michael was unfortunate to high-side in the first race, but many people did. In the second race we finally had some good luck as others were crashing out ahead of us. We now need to move forward and concentrate on Mallory Park this coming weekend. ”
Nick Morgan, Team Owner
“We suffered from bad luck in the first two races but thankfully we pulled something out of the bag in the second Superbike race. We’ve had a tough weekend but once again the team have been magnificent – especially Michael’s crew for keeping us in the event by getting his bikes together for the races. They were superb. We know our luck will change with Stuart as he’s displaying good race-pace now on the ZX-6R so it’s simply a matter of time before we get the podium we deserve.”
Bennetts British Superbike Championship: Race One
- Ryuichi Kiyonari
- Shane Byrne
- Chris Walker
- Leon Haslam
- Cal Crutchlow
DNF: Michael Rutter, ISILON MSS Discovery Kawasaki
Bennetts British Superbike Championship: Race Two
- Jonathan Rea
- Karl Harris
- Shane Byrne
- Leon Haslam
- Leon Camier
7. Michael Rutter, ISILON MSS Discovery KawasakiMAXXIS British Supersport Championship Race
- Ian Hutchinson
- John McGuinness
- Jamie Robinson
- Michael Laverty
- Ian Lowry
DNF: Stuart Easton, ISILON MSS Discovery Kawasaki
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