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Nolan Oils - News Details |
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Triple podium for Mason in Superbike season finale
Second fastest of the Cup riders in qualifying, Gary started the first race, on Saturday, in 18th place on the Superbike grid. The race was run over 12 laps, having been restarted after a serious crash involving Karl Harris on the third lap. Gary finished first of the Cup riders, in 13th overall, earning valuable Superbike points, followed across the line by fellow Cup racers Peter Hickman of Ultimate Racing and Team NB’s Tommy Bridewell. Race Two, held on Sunday, was also incident-packed. Chris Walker took to the grass on the Motorpoint Yamaha, with the safety car called out on lap eight when the Kawasaki of Julien da Costa blew up in spectacular fashion. Tommy Bridewell was first home of the Superbike Cup riders, with Gary Mason right behind, in 12th overall, earning yet more points to his tally. In the final race of the day, and the season, NB Suzuki's Tommy Bridewell took the Superbike Cup win again, despite running across the grass on the first lap and re-joining in last. However, Gary Mason followed him across the line, this time in 10th place, for even more superbike points. With the scores finally counted, Gary Mason won the Superbike Cup with a massive 154.5 point lead. He narrowly missed his goal of a top 10 in the MCE Insurance British Superbike championship, settling for 12th equal with Glen Richards of HM Plant Honda, just six points adrift of tenth place. The lubricants used by Quay Garage Honda are blended in Q8Oils' purpose-built plant in Leeds, just like the Q8Oils range of MOTO SBK oils that are available to road riders. The lubricants used by Quay Garage Honda are blended in Q8Oils' purpose-built plant in Leeds, just like the Q8Oils range of MOTO SBK oils that are available to road riders. Picture credit Dave Couldwell, DeeCee51@gmail.com Mason still aiming for top 10 despite Silverstone slip
Suspension gremlins plagued Mason’s Quay Garage Honda during qualifying, as a result of which he had to settle for 19th position on the grid. However, following modifications to the front forks, Gary was running seventh fastest in morning warm up on race day. However, the suspension issues resurfaced in Race One, and although Mason fought his way up the field, eventually taking the chequered flag in 14th place, it was not the result he had been looking for. Nevertheless he earned some valuable points and mounted the podium as the second Cup rider to cross the line, after Tommy Bridewell in first. Race Two had to be red-flagged after one lap when Tommy Bridewell, Peter Hickman, Atsushi Watanabe and Tristan Palmer all crashed out due to oil on the track at Abbey. Following a late re-start, Gary pushed hard, in spite of his suspension issues, but slid off at the chicane on Lap 10. In spite of sliding off, Gary Mason is currently 12th in the MCE Insurance British Superbike championship and less than three points separate him from 10th placed John Laverty on the Buildabase Kawasaki. With three races to go during the final round of the season at Oulton Park on 9th-11th October, Gary and Quay Garage Honda still have a realistic prospect of a top 10 finish in the ME Insurance British Superbike Championship. The lubricants used by Quay Garage Honda are blended in Q8Oils' purpose-built plant in Leeds, just like the Q8Oils range of MOTO SBK oils that are available to road riders. Editor’s Notes - Quay Garage Honda compete in the Mirror.co.uk Cup (a championship within the main MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship for independent teams and riders. Gary Mason has the Lincs effect at Cadwell
In cloudy but dry conditions at Lincolnshire’s 'mini Nürburgring' Mason put in the fastest lap of the Cup competitors, crossing the line tenth of the Superbike riders, ahead of Chris Walker on the Motorpoint Yamaha and HM Plant Honda’s John McGuinness. Mason was the first of the Mirror.co.uk Cup runners home, with NB Suzuki's Tommy Bridewell and Yamaha-mounted Peter Hickman taking second and third places on the podium. The sun came out for Race Two and so did the safety car, called out on lap six following a serious oil leak from Michael Howarth's STP MV Agusta at Coppice. All of the riders had to hold their positions and circulate for three laps behind the Audi R8, during which time Karl Harris on the Hydrex Honda ran off the track. Once the safety car came in Gary charged ahead to finish in ninth overall, and first of the Cup racers, followed by Bridewell and Hickman and four places ahead of Muggeridge on the factory Honda. Gary has extended his lead in the Mirror.co.uk Cup to more than 110 points ahead of his closest rival, Peter Hickman on the Ultimate Yamaha. However, with three rounds and seven races in front of him, Mason remains focused; "You won't hear me saying I have won the privateer cup or anything like that – not until the job is done." Round 10 of the MCE BSB Championship takes place at Croft in North Yorkshire on 11th-13th September. The lubricants used by Quay Garage Honda are blended in Q8Oils' purpose-built plant in Leeds, just like the Q8Oils range of MOTO SBK oils that are available to road riders. Quay Garage Honda compete in the Mirror.co.uk Cup (a championship within the main MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship for independent teams and riders. The image shows Gary Mason leading Ian Lowry (11) and Karl Muggeridge (31). Courtesy of DeeCee Images, Dave Couldwell. Mason Secures another Double Win at Oulton Park
In Race One the Quay Garage Honda rider found himself mixing it with Australia’s Josh Brookes on the factory-supported HM Plant Honda. The race was disrupted when the red flags came out following John Laverty’s crash at Hill Top, which knocked the young Irishman unconscious. When the race restarted Mason got his head down to cross the line in ninth, ahead of Brookes and seven places in front of his nearest rival, Martin Jessopp on the Riders Honda. In race 2, Mason’s blistering form continued with a 7th place finish overall and a win in the Mirror.co.uk cup championship, 33 seconds ahead of his nearest rival. Mason commented “In terms of race results the team and I were happy with our achievement. We have still have work to do on our qualifying performance and this really boils down to getting a handle on choice of tyre compound. To have finished 9th and 7th overall from 12th place on the grid is real achievement by the team and my thanks go to them for giving me a machine I had real confidence in. I was able to maintain high cornering speed and this made up for our slightly lower speed through the speed traps. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our supporters who have backed us through the fundedbyfans.co.uk site and of course our sponsors. I am now looking forward to battle stations at Donnington Park” Team Principal Ian Woollacott added “ Gary and the team did an extraordinary job on the bike this weekend and once again he showed his talent as a top class rider. He squeezed every last tenth of a second out of the bike in both races and executed some superb overtaking manoeuvres through the chicane. As at Brands Hatch, our qualifying result didn’t reflect our potential pace if we had used the Zero (qualifying) tyre, though we aim to get this sorted in time for Donnington.” Not only is Gary now leading the Cup Championship, having doubled his lead to 20 points over his closest Cup rival, Martin Jessopp, he is also seventh in the ViSK BSB Championship in front of many factory-backed teams. The team are now focusing on Donnington Park, 23-25 May. Nolan Oils announce British Superbike Sponsorship PartnershipNolan Oils are delighted to announce an exiting new sponsorship partnership with Quay
Garage; sponsoring Honda Racing and British Superbike rider Gary Mason No.101. We are expecting to achieve some great results in 2009 and we are very
happy that Nolan Oils can be a part of this". |
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