Cal Crutchlow battled to a brave win in today’s Bennetts British Superbike races at Brands Hatch, less than a week after dislocating his right ankle.
Cal led the first 15 laps of race one before being overtaken by race-winner Shane Byrne down the Cooper Straight and then by Suzuki’s Tom Sykes on the same lap at Surtees. He eventually finished third. Meanwhile, HM Plant Honda team-mate Leon Haslam was hampered by a poor start, which saw him down in 10th at the end of the first lap. He eventually showed that he had the pace for the podium by closing on his team-mate, finishing in fourth, just seven-tenths behind Cal. In race two Leon led from the start until lap nine when he went off the track going into Surtees after hitting neutral at the end of the Cooper straight. He dropped down to 11th place and managed to battle back through to sixth place after the race was run behind the Safety Car for four laps and then red-flagged on lap 19 of the extended 23 lap race. Crutchlow took advantage of his team-mate’s woe to lead the race and win from Byrne, after the race was stopped when Sykes crashed his Suzuki at Hawthorn’s.
In the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship Steve Brogan led from flag-to-flag to win his third straight race in the series, while in the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship, Steve fought hard in the race to take third position to stay in the hunt for the title.
Leon Haslam – HM Plant Honda
British Superbike – Honda CBR1000RR FirebladeRACE ONE: 4th position
RACE TWO: 6th position
“I’m disappointed again to be honest. I got a bad start in race one but was happy with the HM Plant Honda Fireblade and showed I had the pace to be up there before the end of the race. In the second outing I got a good start and had a good pace at the front and was trying to put a gap on the guys behind. Then as I went into the corner the back came around, so I pulled the clutch in and when I let it out I was in neutral and I had nowhere to go but straight on. I got back on-track in something like 12th or 11th and to be positive my lap-times at the end of the race were pretty strong. I’m getting happier with the bike, but I need some luck now. All I can do is look forward to Donington Park.”
Cal Crutchlow – HM Plant Honda
British Superbike – Honda CBR1000RR FirebladeRACE ONE: 3rd position
RACE TWO: 1st position
“The first race was long and hard for me – leading for the best part of 16 laps with a dislocated ankle isn’t easy, believe me! The ankle went straight into ice after the first race, ready for the second outing. By the end of the second race, I was just pleased to see the chequered flag! I came here with the intention of points so 3rd and 1st place finishes are very good for us, as we’re trying to keep this title alive. We hung on in there today and championships are made of that. I’m well pleased overall and I’m now heading to the North West 200 to enjoy the event and rest the ankle! I have to mention the excellent work Coventry City Football Club’s physio Damien Delahunty has done with me this week and Toby Branfoot the medical delegate from the BSB organisers. Also a massive thanks to the HM Plant Honda team for doing such a good job with the CBR1000RR Fireblade.”
Steve Brogan – HM Plant Honda / Honda (UK) Racing
British Supersport – HM Plant Honda CBR600RR3rd position
British Superstock – Honda (UK) Racing CBR1000RR Fireblade1st position
“What can I say about the Superstock bike? I’m not doing anything different from what I did with the 2007 race bike, so that shows just how good the new-for-2008 Fireblade is. I was able to control the race from the front, just as I wanted to. It was a tough Supersport race and in the last few laps I was trying to make myself as wide as possible as I could see +0 on my pit-board! To be honest we were a little bit off the leaders’ pace here today, so to get another podium and still be up there so early in the championship is just what we need. Many thanks again to the HM Plant Honda team, they’ve done a brilliant job over the last two days.”
Havier Beltran – HM Plant Honda team manager
“Overall to finish up with two wins from Steve and Cal is great for HM Plant Honda – and all credit to Cal for what he’s done after injury. For Leon we’re all disappointed once more, but he’s been running at the front and if it wasn’t for him leaving the track in race two he would have been at least battling for the podium. We will now help Leon pull everything together for his ‘home’ round at Donington Park in a few weeks time. Another win from Steve is a superb result for both him and the new CBR1000RR Fireblade: he got his head down at the start and was away! In Supersport he also rode a shrewd race, we’ve maybe not got the pace of the leaders just yet on the CBR600RR, but to secure another podium means we’re still in the hunt for the title and there are a lot of races still left to run.”
Bennetts British Superbike Championship
Race One Result:1. Shane Byrne – Ducati
2. Tom Sykes – Suzuki
3. Cal Crutchlow – HM Plant Honda
4. Leon Haslam – HM Plant Honda5. Leon Camier –Ducati
Race Two Result:
1. Cal Crutchlow – HM Plant Honda2. Shane Byrne - Ducati
3. Leon Camier – Ducati
4. Michael Laverty –Suzuki
5. Michael Rutter – Ducati
6. Leon Haslam – HM Plant Honda
Championship Points:1. Shane Byrne, Ducati – 140 points
2. Cal Crutchlow, HM Plant Honda – 96 points 3. Leon Camier, Ducati – 83 points
4. James Ellison, Honda – 64 points
5. Leon Haslam, HM Plant Honda – 56
Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship:1. Glen Richards, Triumph – 65 points
2. Hudson Kennaugh, Yamaha – 58 points
3. Steve Brogan, HM Plant Honda – 52 points4. Chris Martin, Kawasaki – 29 points
5. Ian Lowry, Suzuki – 27 points
Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship:
1. Steve Brogan, HM Plant Honda – 75 points2. Jon Kirkham, Yamaha – 60 points
4. Marshall Neill, Suzuki – 39 points
5. Alistair Seeley, Yamaha – 35 points
3. Conor Cummins, Yamaha – 26 points
