Gregorio Lavilla regains Championship lead at Silverstone

Gregorio Lavilla will defend a single point lead at Brands Hatch. © GSE Racing. Spaniard rider Gregorio Lavilla left Silverstone with a single point lead over double race winning Ryuichi Kiyonari after a thrilling penultimate round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship in which a first race crash relegated Leon Haslam to third place in the standings.

Kiyonari had escaped with a bruising during qualifying when he crashed at high-speed, while Lavilla had powered in the fastest ever two-wheeled lap of the International circuit to claim pole start. The HM Plant Honda rider Kiyonari, however, made the better get-away, though the hard riding Haslam soon caught him, to be ahead by the end of the first lap and then opening up a sizeable lead. But, on the eighth lap, disaster struck for the Airwaves Ducati racer as he lost the front end on the charge into Priory.

For the second race, Haslam was aboard his spare bike, but he was fast away from the line, and heading the pack for a couple of laps before Kiyonari eased ahead, and then Lavilla denied him second place with a smooth move.

Ryuichi Kiyonari, in completing the daily double, had taken his winning score to ten races, impressing the hierarchy of HRC who had flown in to watch these crucial races. “Perfect for me. The bike was very good, the tyres very good, now, one point. It will be difficult but I will try my best.”

Leon Haslam: “I was pushing a bit too much in the first race and I made that little mistake which cost me a finish. I then had to change to my second bike which I don't like as much but I am obviously pleased with the second race result. Brands will be a great weekend now and I for one am really looking forward to it!” (GSE Racing)

Gregorio Lavilla: “I am really happy with my results today and being in the lead going into the final round is obviously a nice place to be, even if it is only by 1 point! In the first race my start was not great and the bike was feeling a bit different to yesterday but after I had a close call early on I settled down and it was good to come out with a podium finish. The second race was much better as we had made some changes to the bike, my Dunlop tyres felt good and my lap times were quicker so I felt much more comfortable. Going to Brands as championship leader does not affect me, I will go there to put in the best performance I can and hopefully the title will be ours again.” (GSE Racing)

Marshall Neill hit double top in the British Superbike Cup, finishing ahead of Marty Nutt, while Chris Martin, third in each of the races fulfilled his pledge to clinch the title, dedicating the success to his younger brother Ashley who sustained fatal injuries in a crash at Cadwell Park last month.

Cal Crutchlow, with his fifth victory of the season, clinched the British Supersport crown. The Northpoint Ekerold Honda rider came in some 2.3 seconds clear of TAS Suzuki rider Tom Sykes, with Dennis Hobbs third in a dramatic race during which Eugene Laverty crashed out of second place, and then Leon Camier tipped off while leading in the closing stages.

Daniel Cooper sealed the British 125GP title with victory in the penultimate round, finishing half a second ahead of James Westmoreland, while third place, adrift of James Webb and BJ Toal, was enough to secure the Virgin Mobile Cup for Yorkshire rider Tom Grant and with it the prize of a ride in the 2007 British Superbike Championship with the Virgin Mobile Yamaha team.

Luke Quigley inherited the victory in the Metzeler Racetec National Superstock Championship as the leading duo of Hudson Kennaugh and title winner Brendan Roberts crashed out at the chicane on the last lap, while in the Superstock Cup Martin Buckles took the victory to move within 18 points of series leader Bob Collins who finished third.
(Nick Harris Media Communications)

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