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Hydrex Bike Animal Honda rider Guy
Martin bounced back to something like form with a pair of solid
points scoring rides in front of another massive bank holiday crowd
in round nine of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at
Cadwell Park.
With team mate James Ellison sidelined due to a
training injury caused the previous week when motocrossing in Spain,
it was left to the 27 year old from Kirmington to uphold the team's
honour at his local circuit.
Despite the handicap of a row six start, Martin
battled to fifteenth place in the opening race whereby he followed
it up with a fine eleventh in the second race to make it his first
double points scoring finish since the rescheduled Brands Hatch
round in May, and in doing so now lies in 18th in the Championship,
with Ellison in seventh.
In the Metzeler National 1000cc Superstock
Championship Kieran Clarke, aboard the 1000cc Hydrex Bike Animal
Honda Fireblade, finished in seventeenth in the reduced 12-lap race
so failed to add to his points tally.
Guy Martin: "I think
we're getting there. I almost got tenth in the second race but
just couldn't quite get past. At every other meeting we've
been so far away but now we're going in the right direction and have
a good base setting. We've got through the weekend without any
major problems, so it's a big thanks to all the lads and
lasses. It could be worse, I could have parked it in the
pond!"
Kieran Clarke: "After two
years away I found it really difficult this weekend and it didn't
help when I crashed in practice and missed a lot of track
time. About four laps from the end of the race I felt as if I
was just about ready to start qualifying so we're going to go and do
some testing and get some miles under my belt so that we can come
back battling at Croft. I'm disappointed not to score points
and hopefully we can put that right next time out."
Shaun Muir (Team Owner):
"After what looked to be a disastrous weekend for us, Guy pulled
a rabbit out of the hat for us and in all fairness he rode really
well. I was watching him on the back part of the circuit and
he just needs to be a little more aggressive but I'm pleased that he
scored points in both races and he was unlucky not to get inside the
top ten in race two. It was unfortunate for James as he had to
sit this weekend out due to the training injury he received last
week and hopefully he will be fit for Donington in two weeks time
and we'll assess his progress over the next week before making a
decision. As for Kieran, we realise he needs some time on the
bike and hopefully all three riders will continue to score points at
our local round in three weeks time at Croft."
Superbike Race One
Result
1, Leon Haslam (Honda) 26m42.195s, 2, Tom
Sykes (Suzuki) +0.551s, 3, Shane Byrne (Ducati) +8.819s, 4, Leon
Camier (Ducati) +11.981s, 5, Cal Crutchlow (Honda) +18.970s, 6,
Michael Rutter (Ducati) +19.482s, 7, Simon Andrews (Yamaha)
+22.094s, 8, Michael Laverty (Suzuki) +26.571s, 9, Atsushi Watanabe
(Suzuki) +33.816s, 10, Gary Mason (Honda) +34.606s. 15, Guy
Martin (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +41.964s.
Superbike Race Two
Result
1, Leon Haslam (Honda) 22m11.771s, 2, Tom
Sykes (Suzuki) +0.541s, 3, Shane Byrne (Ducati) +0.910s, 4, Leon
Camier (Ducati) +1.269s, 5, Michael Rutter (Ducati) +16.556s, 6,
Simon Andrews (Yamaha) +23.458s, 7, Atsushi Watanabe (Suzuki)
+27.178s, 8, Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +27.375s, 9, Michael Laverty
(Suzuki) +28.549s, 10, Karl Harris (Yamaha) +37.426s, 11,
Guy Martin (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +37.565s.
2008 Bennetts British Superbike
Championship Standings after Round 9
1. Shane Byrne
(Ducati) 364pts
2. Tom Sykes (Suzuki) 254pts
3. Leon Haslam
(Honda) 249pts
4. Cal Crutchlow (Honda) 236pts
5. Leon Camier
(Ducati) 205pts
6. Michael Rutter (Ducati) 195pts
7.
James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 177pts
8. Simon
Andrews (Yamaha) 127pts
9. Michael Laverty (Suzuki) 125pts
10.
Tristan Palmer (Honda) 84pts
18. Guy Martin (Hydrex Bike
Animal Honda) 27pts
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