HM Plant Honda’s Cal Crutchlow took a pair of third places at today’s Bennetts British Superbike races at Mallory Park, putting him back into second place in the championship. His team-mate Leon Haslam took a superb second in the first race, but slipped to sixth in the second outing with a tyre choice that didn’t suit the drying conditions on the 1.41-mile Leicestershire track. In the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship Steve Brogan crashed his HM Plant Honda CBR600RR out of the race and broke two bones in his foot. The 27-year-old rider is banking on being fit for the second meeting of the season at Oulton Park in around three weeks time. Today’s race schedule at Mallory Park did not include the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 championship.
Leon Haslam – HM Plant Honda British Superbike – Honda CBR1000RR FirebladeRACE ONE: 2nd position
RACE TWO: 6th position
“In the first race our pace behind Cal wasn’t that great so when I knew Shane Byrne was coming I passed Cal and tried to go faster but I realised that there wasn’t any extra pace to have! It was a real shame towards the end of that race as I wanted to have a go at Shakey, but we got well and truly baulked by Martin Jessopp and didn’t get the chance. In the second race we simply had the wrong tyres on for the drying track, which was a shame as the first race showed that we could have had another podium.”
Cal Crutchlow – HM Plant HondaBritish Superbike – Honda CBR1000RR FirebladeRACE ONE: 3rd position
RACE TWO: 3rd position
“Race one wasn’t too bad, I led for most of it and it would have been nice to win my local race, but there you go! In the second race I was well down at the start as my tyres didn’t suit the conditions until later on, but I soon came up through the field. I had a go at Shane Byrne towards the end of that second race into the hairpin, but I locked the front brake and ran wide. Big thanks this weekend to Mallory Park who always put on a great event and to HM Plant Honda for all their hard work.”
Steve Brogan – HM Plant HondaBritish Supersport – HM Plant Honda CBR600RRDNF “Obviously I’m not happy with the crash but things like this happen. I’ve snapped two metatarsals in my left foot, but I hope I will be riding at Oulton Park next month. I was basically trying a bit too hard. The bike was a bit lazy coming out of Edwina’s Chicane and I was waiting for the power to come in, but when I crashed it was a case of too much too soon. I’m now going to spend the rest of the week with the foot in ice and elevated and then see how I feel. I’ve slipped to fourth in the Supersport championship, but with series leader Glen Richards coming fifth today it’s pretty close and we’re only just at the halfway point in the season. Anything can happen in the second half.”
Havier Beltran – HM Plant Honda team manager“We’re happy for the two podiums for Cal and Leon did brilliantly to take second in race one, but it’s just a shame he didn’t have the right tyres on in race two. The conditions were very hard to predict and Shakey, Michael Rutter and Cal had the right tyres on towards the end of the race. We have to be happy with the improvements we’ve made with the HM Plant Honda Fireblades, we’re still getting podiums, but we know we’ve got a little way to go to be able to challenge regularly for the wins. So much has changed in the team with riders, tyres and the like, but we’re not giving up until we’re winning races regularly again. Steve’s broken two bones in his left foot, so it is important now for him to rest up and not aggravate the injury. It’s still close in the Supersport championship and there’s still a long way to go.”
Bennetts British Superbike Championship:Race One Result:1. Shane Byrne – Ducati
2. Leon Haslam – HM Plant Honda3. Cal Crutchlow – HM Plant Honda4.Tom Sykes – Suzuki
5. James Ellison – Honda
Race Two Result:
1. Michael Rutter – Ducati
2. Shane Byrne – Ducati
3. Cal Crutchlow – HM Plant Honda
4. Tom Sykes – Suzuki
5. Karl Harris – Yamaha
6. Leon Haslam – HM Plant Honda
Championship Points:1. Shane Byrne, Ducati – 280 points
2. Cal Crutchlow, HM Plant Honda – 183 points3. Leon Camier, Ducati – 160 points
4. Leon Haslam, HM Plant Honda – 148 points5. James Ellison, Honda – 119 points
Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship:1. Glen Richards, Triumph – 116 points
2. Hudson Kennaugh, Yamaha – 96 points
3. Ian Lowry, Suzuki – 79 points
4. Steve Brogan, HM Plant Honda – 75 points5. James Westmoreland, Honda – 51 points
Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship:1. Steve Brogan, HM Plant Honda – 120 points2. Jon Kirkham, Yamaha – 80 points
3. Marshall Neill, Suzuki – 75 points
4. Alistair Seeley, Yamaha – 64 points
5. Peter Hickman, Yamaha – 38 points
