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Luckless Day For Stobart Riders At Cadwell Park PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 29 August 2006
At the track where the Paul Bird Motorsport Team clinched their second successive British Superbike Championship title just three short years ago, it wasn’t a happy return to Cadwell Park for Stobart Motorsport riders Michael Rutter and Michael Laverty over the August Bank Holiday weekend as round eleven of the 2006 Bennetts British Superbike Championship was played out in front of another record crowd.

After a number of problems had beset the VK and Vent Axia-backed team during Sunday’s free practice and Audi Performance Qualifying, triple series runner up Rutter started the day’s two races from row two of the grid with team mate Michael Laverty a row further back.

With sunshine and showers interspersing the afternoon, tyre choice was always going to be critical and on both occasions, the team went with the incorrect options for the pair of 18 lap races.

Just prior to race one, a thunderstorm soaked the track and at the last minute, team boss Paul Bird advised his pair of riders to go with wet weather tyres only for it to rapidly dry and leave Rutter and Laverty scrabbling for grip. Rutter eventually pitted and chanced to slicks but did feature in the results whilst Laverty struggled to 12th at the flag.

Race two saw a damp track with threatening clouds and the two Stobart riders opted for an intermediate front tyre only for the track to once again dry and leave them languishing down the order. Rutter’s misery was compounded when he retired and Laverty was pipped for a top six position on the last lap.

Commenting afterwards, Rutter said: “Tyre choice was the problem in the first race and I had to pull in after a problem in the second one too. There’s not much more to say.”

Laverty added “In race one, we chose the wrong tyre so I dropped back and finished in twelfth. In race two the track was pretty much dry all the way round so I got some good lap times but Steve Plater got past me on the last hairpin so I was a bit annoyed to lose that place.”

Team owner Paul Bird took full responsibility for his incorrect advice in race one but still left Cadwell disappointed: “When luck’s not going your way it doesn’t matter what you do and we’re just having one of those years. I nearly sacked myself after cocking up in race one so I left it to the boys in race two and it wasn’t much better. We just need to round off a forgettable season in style at the final two rounds and move on from here.”

The next round of the championship takes place at Silverstone in three weeks time on 16th/17th September.

Superbike Race One Result

Pos. Driver Team Time
1 Gregorio Lavilla Ducati 28m03.401s
2 Leon Haslam Ducati +5.307s
3 Ryuichi Kiyonari Honda +20.611s
4 Shane Byrne Suzuki +30.238s
5 Tommy Hill Yamaha +35.712s
6 Glen Richards Honda +35.823s
7 Craig Coxhell Kawasaki +45.755s
8 Dean Thomas Kawasaki +48.406s
9 Jon Kirkham Kawasaki +48.446s
10 Karl Harris Honda +49.815s
11 Ben Wilson Suzuki +1m29.637s
12 Michael Laverty Stobart Honda +1Lap


Superbike Race Two Result

Pos. Driver Team Time
1 Leon Haslam Ducati 26m34.675s
2 Gregorio Lavilla Ducati +5.859s
3 Jonathan Rea Honda +19.928s
4 Tommy Hill Yamaha +23.784s
5 Karl Harris Honda +24.399s
6 Steve Plater Suzuki +29.053s
7 Michael Laverty Stobart Honda +29.668s
8 Ben Wilson Suzuki +39.079s
9 Glen Richards Honda +40.892s
10 Billy McConnell Yamaha +41.569s


Bennetts British Superbike Championship Standings (after round 11)

Pos. Driver Team Points
1 Leon Haslam Ducati 352
2 Gregorio Lavilla Ducati 337
3 Ryuichi Kiyonari Honda 326
4 Shane Byrne Suzuki 211
5 Jonathan Rea Honda 192
= Karl Harris Honda 192
7 Michael Laverty Stobart Honda 152
8 Tommy Hill Yamaha 151
9 Michael Rutter Stobart Honda 138
10 Glen Richards Honda 104
Last Updated ( Saturday, 06 January 2007 )
 
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