Laverty wins at Brands showdown
Added on Saturday, October 8th, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor
Laverty wins at Brands showdown
Michael Laverty scored his third win of the season this afternoon, as the British SUuperbike Championship title fight heats up.
An eventful race saw a number of fights between the championship contenders up and down the field. As the first of three outings got underway, pole sitter Josh Brookes was beat into Paddock Hill Bend by Laverty, who controlled the pace from there.
Despite immense pressure from the chasing Brookes throughout, Laverty’s dominance prevailed towards the chequered flag, just 0.396 seconds ahead of Brookes. Behind the fight for third was just as heated, as Tommy Hill hassled Hopkins for the final podium spot.
A fierce battle for third saw Hill briefly steal the position towards the closing stage of the race, however Hopkins found a way back passed the Swan Yamaha rider. Hill was right on the tail of Hopkins’ Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki machine on the final lap, but Hopkins held the position with Hill fourth.
James Ellison enjoyed a strong performance on his Sorrymate.com Honda to score a fifth place finish, ahead of the charging Shane Byrne. After suffering a crash in qualifying Byrne clawed his way up to sixth place after challenging many of his rivals throughout the race.
A fast start for Michael Rutter saw him launch up to fourth place before the first lap was through, however after an close race he crossed the finish line in seventh place. Jon Kirkham secured an eighth place finish on the secondSamsung Crescent Racing Suzuki machine. Meanwhile the final two top ten positions went the way of Graeme Gowland and Martin Jessopp.
With two races left to run tomorrow the season finale is set for an exciting showdown to the 2011 title. John Hopkins currently heards the championship standings with 625 points ahead of second placed Hill on 614 points. Lverty currently sits in third in the title standings with 590 points, two points ahead of Brookes. Byrne is next with a current total of 575 points, and Ryuichi Kiyonari on 521 points.
