Thruxton; Supersport News
Added on Monday, April 16th, 2007 by Carole Nash Editor
Thruxton; Supersport News
MAXXIS British Supersport serves up sizzling Thruxton thriller
The MAXXIS British Supersport series served up another thrilling race at a sun-drenched Thruxton circuit in Hampshire on Sunday.
Michael Laverty took his Relentless Suzuki GSX-R600 to the top of the podium for the second time in two races to make it a maximum 50-point haul. The 25-year-old from Toomebridge in Northern Ireland spent most of the race staying out of trouble, allowing the battling pair of team-mate Ian Lowry and Virgin Media Yamaha rider Tom Grant to clash at the final Club Chicane.
Grant lost the front of his Yamaha YZF-R6 on the penultimate lap on the raised kerbing, and the following Lowry could not take evasive action, riding over the luckless Grant – thankfully neither rider was injured.
With both riders out of the race, Laverty was free to take the win from ex-250cc GP star Jamie Robinson, while Grant’s team-mate Billy McConnell inherited third place. In fourth nearly two seconds adrift was James Westmoreland on the Centurion Racing Honda CBR600RR, while close behind and making a late-race dash for points was Stuart Easton on the Islion MSS Discovery Kawasaki. The 23-year-old former British Supersport champion putting in some quick laps towards the end of the race on his Ninja ZX-6R machine.
Laverty said: “I like to think I’ve got a 100% record so far, as this year on the 600 I’ve won one 600 race in Ireland, one Superbike race in Ireland, and now the first two rounds of the British Supersport Championship! I’m hoping I can keep that up!”
The MAXXIS British Supersport Championship now heads to Silverstone in Northamptonshire over the weekend of April 27th-29th.
MAXXIS British Supersport race – Thruxton
1) Michael Laverty, Relentless Suzuki: 26m 12.443s
2) Jamie Robinson, Margal Bykerbabe Honda: 26m 20.365s
3) Billy McConnell, Virgin Media Yamaha: 26m 25.161s
4 ) James Westmoreland, Centurion Racing Honda: 26m 26.934s
5) Stuart Easton, Isilon MSS Discovery Kawasaki: 26m 27.014s
6) Ian Hutchinson, Honda: 26m 27.356s
7) Martin Jessop, Riders Racing Ducati: 26m 30.309s
8) Daniel Cooper, Centurion Racing Honda: 26m 45.399s
9) Jack Kennedy, TAG Racing Honda: 26m 46.591s
10) Alex Lowes, Double Vision Racing Honda: 26m 47.013s
11) Guy Sanders, Gearlink Racing Kawasaki: 26m 49.361s
12) Aaron Walker, TJW Racing Honda: 26m 55.957s
13) Ben Wylie, Wylie & Holland Racing Yamaha: 26m 56.137s
14) Paul Young, Paul Young Racing Triumph: 26m 56.412s
16) Brian Clark, Tamworth Yamaha Racing: 26m 56.939s
Championship positions after two rounds:
1) Michael Laverty – 50
2) Jamie Robinson – 40
3) Stuart Easton – 22
4) James Westmoreland –19
5) Aaron Walker –17
6) Ian Hutchinson –17
7) Billy McConnell – 16
8) Ian Lowry – 16
9) Daniel Cooper – 13
10) John McGuinness – 10
