2011 British Superbike: Oulton Results

2011 British Superbike

The second round of the 2011 British Superbike Championship in Oulton Park Monday presented victories to two different manufacturers: Honda in race 1 and Suzuki in race 2.

The first round was taken by reigning BSB Champion Ryuichi Kiyonari on the HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR; the second went to the American John Hopkins on the Samsung Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000. The victory was Hopkins first in 11 years of motorcycle racing (AMA Pro Racing, MotoGP).

In Race 1, Kiyonari raced from eight to third by the mid-way point. Then he knocked off Swan Yamaha’s Michael Laverty and Hopkins to capture his 10th victory at the Cheshire circuit.

Kiyonari was joined on the podium by Hopkins and Stuart Easton on the MSS Colchester Kawasaki ZX-10R, respecively.

Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR) says: “I am very happy especially as it has been very difficult to get the best setting for my bike. The team has worked very hard, late into the night to get this good setting for me.”

During the second race, Easton got the early lead, but Hopkins was up into third by the eighth lap. Hopkins then began chasing down Josh Brookes on the Relentless Suzuki GSXR1000. But Brookes suffered a nasty highside at Brittens; his bike somersaulted high over the track, and Easton. “It was like a plane crashing as it came over me,” Easton says. This placed Hopkins into second.

Laverty dropped back to third, as Hopkins made a hard charge to the front, taking the victory from Easton by just 0.221 of a second.

John Hopkins (Crescent Samsung GSX-R1000) says: “That was awesome. I just stuck at it and gave it everything that I’d got. I am enjoying everything about racing over here. That race was so tough – there was grass flying about, then a bike flying but I had a great bike,I kept it going and I am enjoying everything about that winning ride,” added Hopkins.

2011 Outlton Park British Superbike Race one – top six finishers
1.Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda)
2.John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) +4.150s
3.Stuart Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +4.336s
4.Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) +4.646s
5.Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +4.684s
6.Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) +5.105s

2011 Oulton British Superbike: Race two – top six finishers
1.John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing)
2.Stuart Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +0.221s
3.Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) +0.521s
4.Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +0.633s
5.Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +1.026s
6.Michael Rutter (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati ) +2.930s

2011 British Superbike Championship Standings:
1.Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) 70
2.Stuart Easton (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) 59
3.Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) 58
4.John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing) 56
5.Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) 45
6.Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) 35

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