British SBK-Mallory Park

British SBK-Mallory Park

Press Release

Race 1

Ellison wins dramatic opening race at Mallory Park

James Ellison was gifted his second race win of the season at Mallory Park in a dramatic opening race, when the leading six riders crashed at the Hairpin causing a red flag with seven laps to go.

Ellison said: "I was actually expecting a podium before the start of this race and I rode really hard. I had to take avoiding action when Leon Camier was almost taken out by Richard Cooper. I then got my head down and put in a fastest lap and took it as it came. You have to take wins as they come and it is fantastic for me."

The race was red flagged when Josh Brookes crashed at the Hairpin, taking out race leader Simon Andrews, who had taken the lead from Chris Walker just a few laps earlier. The incident on track then collected Walker, Tommy Hill, Karl Harris and John Laverty.

Walker had taken the lead on the Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha from Hill and Andrews but it was a dramatic opening lap, with Richard Cooper crashing out at Charlies. Leon

Camier was just behind and was forced to come to a complete halt on the Airwaves Yamaha to avoid him, with Brookes also taking to the grass on the HM Plant Honda.

Camier was then languishing down in 23rd place when he rejoined, whilst at the front Walker got off to a storming start from Hill who had managed to avoid the tangle at the Chicane. Andrews then took the lead on the fourth lap when he dived down the inside Charlies pushing Walker to second. The Hydrex Hondas were close behind, with Stuart Easton getting the better of team-mate Karl Harris at the Hairpin. Easton's race was short-lived though as he was forced out with a technical problem on the Hydrex Honda on lap 13.

Andrews then held the lead despite coming under pressure from Walker and Hill, with the Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha making his move to take the lead on the run into the Hairpin on the 19th lap.

In the meantime Brookes had worked his way up through the pack from 12th on lap two to close down the leading trio and was then looking to find a way past Hill on the Worx Crescent Suzuki. Hill and Andrews though were attacking Walker, with the pair able to take the inside line into Gerrards on lap 20 to move ahead and relegate him to third.

Andrews then had the lead from Hill, Walker and Brookes, but on lap 23 on the approach to the Hairpin Brookes crashed out, with his stricken HM Plant Honda collecting the race leader.

The top six race leaders were then involved in the incident, which gifted the win to Ellison, his second of the season. Camier who had worked his way up to eighth before the red flag was then second and Graeme Gowland took his maiden BSB podium finish with third place.

Michael Rutter was fourth on his debut with the SMT Honda squad, ahead of Julien Da Costa, Gary Mason and Steve Brogan.

ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli, Mallory Park, race one result:

James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha)

Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha)

Graeme Gowland (Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha)

Race 2

Camier wins red flagged race two

Leon Camier and Airwaves Yamaha won the second race of the day at Mallory Park; after a battle with Chris Walker and Richard Cooper, when the race was red flagged due to standing water and heavy rain.

Walker took the whole shot off the line on the Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha, from Tommy Hill and Cooper, with the Team Co-Ordit Yamaha rider able to dive down the inside at Edwinas. The move pushed the Worx Crescent Suzuki rider wide and dropped him down the order to seventh, only for Michael Rutter to then pass him on the SMT Honda.

Hydrex Honda's Stuart Easton nightmare weekend continued when he opted for the wrong tire and was forced to retire just four laps into the race. At the front though, Cooper took the lead in a BSB race for the first time in his career; passing Walker at Charlies with a decisive move down the inside.

Camier though was in range and ready to mount an attack on the riders ahead of him; he was almost touching fairings with Walker as the pair diced through Charlies on lap seven, but it wasn't until a lap later he was able to get past. The Airwaves Yamaha rider forced his way through at Gerrards and this time he held the place.

Camier then was targeting Cooper who was defending hard but Camier was determined to get by, he went for the line into Gerrards and Cooper was unable to challenge back.

Then it was the tussle for third with James Ellison challenging Walker for third, with the pair side-by-side as neither wanting to settle for fourth place. The pair were inseparable, but Ellison was just able to take the advantage before getting the better of Cooper to move second.

Cooper then dropped back behind Walker who put his Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha on the podium for the second time this season, ahead of John Laverty who secured his best result of the weekend on the Buildbase Kawasaki.

ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli, Mallory Park, race two result:

Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha) Lap 15

James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) +2.032s

Chris Walker (Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha) +3.738s