Camier wins shortened Race Two

By Burning Rubber on Jul 19, 09 05:48 PM

Don Camier 1 Small.jpg AIRWAVES Yamaha's Leon Camier took the spoils in the second British Superbike race at Mallory Park, in a race cut short by heavy rain.

The championship leader had been out in front when the red flag came out on Lap 16 at the Leicester circuit, as the deluge began to leave huge puddles of water around the track.

And with a 6pm curfew, and the rain showing no signs of easing, race chiefs were forced to abandon a restart and call it a result, awarding half points because the race had not reached the obligatory two-thirds distance.

After the dramas of this afternoon's first race, Race Two looked under threat some 20 minutes before it was due to get underway, when the second rainstorm of the afternoon hit.

The riders were given 10 minutes free practice in the wet before lining up for a delayed start - and by then, the rain had eased and it looked as if the sun would once again make an appearance before the 30 laps were up.

All riders took to the track on wets, and just two laps in the rain suddenly got worse, as Chris Walker, having got the jump at the green light, was out in front onboard the Motorpoint Henderson Yamaha.

This time Co-ordit's Richard Cooper had got away safely and was lying second, and it soon became clear that Walker's days of being dominant rainman were well and truly over, as Cooper edged past him on Lap Six.

But behind, Camier was on a charge, and after two laps dicing with Walker, made the move stick at the start of Lap Eight, before inevitably catching Cooper a lap later and taking the lead.

From there it was business as usual, as he began to pull away out in front, leaving team-mate James Ellison to keep up the good work for Colin Wright's squad, passing Walker a lap later, then disposing of Cooper on the following one.

By now it appeared Cooper's moment had gone, as he soon fell prey to Walker, and was passed by Buildbase Kawasaki's John Laverty on Lap 15. Looking under fire from Michael Rutter, he was only able to keep his fifth place thanks to the red flag.

Race Result Top Ten.

1. Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha) Lap 15
2. James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) +2.032s
3. Chris Walker (Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha) +3.738s
4. John Laverty (Buildbase Kawasaki) +4.385s
5. Richard Cooper (Team Co-Ordit Yamaha) +5.134s
6. Michael Rutter (SMT Honda) +6.604s
7. Karl Harris (Hydrex Honda) +8.580s
8. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +18.674s
9. Steve Brogan (HM Plant Honda) +27.661s
10. Julien Da Costa (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +27.904s

*Image by Fotofuel...not for reproduction without permission