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Team Virgin Mobile Aiwa Yamaha Press Release:
Ups and Downs At Cadwell Park
Flashes of brilliance shone through the dull, overcast skies at Cadwell Park today with Team Virgin Mobile Aiwa Yamaha showing the scintillating form that is proving the race might of the R1 Superbike.
With changeable conditions threatening to put a, literal, damper on proceedings it was the brave who made the running early on in the first big bike race of the day and in the opening melee it was Steve Plater who barged his way into a strong third place, going into the first turn with Sean Emmett getting off the line well to sixth place, just ahead of Simon Crafar in seventh.
With the pace car being called out to attend to a fallen rider on the second lap the riders were forced to hold position until the start of lap five, once the all clear was given to continue racing Steve was straight back on the pace. Pushing as hard as he dare to try and find a way past second-place rider Steve Hislop, local hero Plater was the fastest man on the track at the time, looking every bit the winner in waiting.
But the good form wasn’t to last, on lap six Steve lost control of the front of his bike, crashing out of the race at the downhill left-hand Mansfield Corner. ‘I was pushing hard and lost the front. There was a little rain at the beginning of the restart and I think that may have contributed something to my fall, but at the end of the day I pushed and paid the price,’ said Plater immediately afterwards. Thankfully he was unhurt in the fall and able to join in the start of race two.
Both Sean and Simon were able to maintain their earlier pace and put in a strong challenge to the other riders to secure fifth and sixth places respectively.
The dark clouds gathered above the Lincolnshire circuit for the start of the second race, the good fortune that had kept the showers at bay for the 30,500-strong crowd looked ever more imposing at the beginning of the second leg.
From the lights it was Steve who once again got a flyer off the line, scorching past his rivals to take the holeshot leading position into the first turn followed by a gaggle of V-twin motors chasing his screaming four-cylinder Yamaha.
Emmett and Crafar got baulked a little in the opening lap, settling into sixth and seventh places before starting to pick their way through the pack. Up front Steve was coming under increasing pressure from the chasing attentions of Michael Rutter who managed to barge his way past on the third lap.
Steve was forced back down the order to third on lap six, but getting his second wind was beginning his strike back at the leaders when the heaven’s opened on lap 11 and the race, declared dry before the start, was stopped.
With all the riders allowed to change tyre compounds if wanted, the 15 minute-long delay before the restart was a tense affair, the rain sporadically falling and the track drying out quickly.
With the track virtually dry, apart from the final woodland section, the second half of the race got underway over a remaining nine laps.
This time Steve was again leading the pack as it crossed the line at the end of the first lap but came in for a harsh pass from Rutter on lap two, only to be run wide by another rider at the exit of Charlies later on the same lap.
By the time Steve was able to compose his line and get the Yamaha back on course he was down the order to fith place, valiantly trying to regain his earlier position he set off after the leaders.
Sean and Simon had been working their way through the pack to finish in sixth and seventh place, after some earlier tussles with other riders.
Across the line for the final time and Steve was only a fraction of a second ahead of Sean, Simon unfortunately dropping the R1 at the tricky final Barn Corner was unable to finish the race.
‘I feel a little down because I really wanted to win here in front of this massive crowd for Virgin Mobile Aiwa Yamaha,’ Steve said: ‘I felt really good in the first race and was looking to get past Hislop when the front tucked and I fell. There was nothing I could do and that was it. In race two I was run a little wide in a turn and recovering robbed me of time which left me chasing the leaders.
‘Leading the race twice I think really showed how much we have come along with the Yamaha R1. We are back in the race next weekend at Oulton Park where we can hopefully maintain the momentum.’
Sean added: ‘I knew I would have a bit of a tough time here this weekend because I am still very new to this bike. The Yamaha works really well here but I just have not quite got it turning right for me today and I paid the price out there. I was working really hard and rode the absolute best I could. ‘Now I have Cadwell behind me I can look forward to Oulton Park next weekend where I feel I’ll be able to let the R1 run at the corners better.’
Simon said: ‘It wasn’t the best way to end the weekend but I think we still learned a lot more about the R1 and the way to get it to handle and perform at race winning pace.’
Race one result:
Winner: Steve Hislop, Ducati, 2 Shane Byrne, Ducati, 3 Michael Rutter, Ducati, 4 John Reynolds, Suzuki, 5 Sean Emmett, Yamaha, 6 Simon Crafar, Yamaha, 7 Glen Richards, Kawasaki, 8 Karl Harris, Suzuki, 9 Gary Mason, Honda, 10 John Crawford, Suzuki
Race two result:
Winner: Steve Hislop, Ducati, 2 Michael Rutter, Ducati, 3 Shane Byrne, Ducati, 4 John Reynolds, Suzuki, 5 Steve Plater, Yamaha, 6 Sean Emmett, Yamaha, 7 Karl Harris, Suzuki, 8 John Crawford, Suzuki, 9 Mark Burr, Kawasaki, 10 Dean Ellison
Championship points after 10 rounds:
1 Hislop 370, - 2 Emmett 322, - 3 Rutter 289.5, - 4 Byrne 237.5,- 5 Reynolds 216.5, - 6 Plater 191, - 7 Paul Brown 159.5, - 8 Simon Crafar 141, - 9 Richards 130.5, - 10 Ellison 101.5
