With sun beating down on the famous Kent circuit, Brands Hatch on Sunday was a million miles away from the snow bound, depressing sight it was just a few weeks ago.
Race one saw both MSS Discovery riders make a good start and avoid any early lap issues which can so easily cost places. A race long scrap with ex Grad Prix rider, James Ellison, saw Easton display his usual accuracy and smooth riding style. Dicing with Ellison for many laps, eventually the Hawick based rider had to give best and finished in seventh place when his rear tyre moved on its rim which in turn, caused vibration and had an effect on the handling of his Ninja ZX-10R.
McConnell, the other rider in Kawasaki Motors UK’s officially supported Superbike team, had a strong if lonely ride. Stuck behind Simon Andrews for a number of laps, when he finally made his move, and created a gap, the next rider was simply too far ahead for McConnell (who finished the race in eighth place) to consider risking valuable championship points in order to catch.
In contrast to race one, race two was more frenetic. Both riders got their characteristic good, clean starts before the safety car was deployed due to a rider needing attention on the side of the circuit. Once more Easton found himself circulating with Ellison and achieving consistent lap times before again finishing seventh.
All the excitement was not over though, and in the closing stages of the race Tom Sykes’ Suzuki expired in spectacular fashion immediately cloaking the circuit in a thick white ball of smoke. Being so close to the end of the race, and with the possibility of oil on the track, the red flag was shown, and result declared.
“I am pleased and yet frustrated,” admitted Team Principle, Nick Morgan, after the day’s racing. “Pleased that we have achieved so much and see it as our rightful place to have both riders in the top ten in each race, disappointed that we had tyre creep problems in each race and that we now need to find another half a second on the big boys to make an impact, not that we won’t of course!”
Stuart Easton was philosophical about his performance on the day and as eager as Morgan to further increase performance. “The bike is plenty fast enough so that is not an issue. It’s just more fine tuning now to make sure we have that bit of extra urge instantly when we need it. Overall I am very pleased to be scoring points so consistently”.
The usually unflappable McConnell, who ended race two in ninth place, was understandably more animated after the second outing. “I haven’t been as scared as that for a long time”, declared the Australian. “When that plume of smoke filled the track I couldn’t let off for fear of being hit from behind and wondered if I was going to shunt into a bike laying on the track in front, man that was scary”.
The next round of the British Superbike Championship is at Donington Park on May 26.
