From a press release issued by MonsterMob Ducati:

MonsterMob Ducati British Superbike and Supersport Championship Team

12th April, 2004
British Superbike Championship
Round 2
Brands Hatch, Kent
11/12 April

EMMETT WINS AT BRANDS

Amidst what looked at one point to be a disaster, MonsterMob Ducati riders Sean Emmett and Michael Laverty salvaged a pair of creditable results in front of a massive Bank Holiday crowd at Brands Hatch today.

British Superbike star Emmett overcame a first race crash to bounce back with his first win of the 2004 campaign in race two whilst Laverty had to battle through from a row five start to claim sixth place in the British Supersport race to move into second place in the series.

Superbike race one saw 34 year old Emmett crash out at the start of lap two at Paddock Hill bend whilst well placed after a front end slide but the pole position setter defied the pain barrier of a suspected broken finger to claim an emotional start to finish victory at his local track in the day’s second outing.

As a result, the Londoner moved into fourth in the series after four of the scheduled twenty-six races aboard the Silkolene, VK Vodka Kick and Cetelem (UK) supported Ducati 999 F04.

“I don’t think I have ever been so disappointed to win a race. I’m relieved and really happy for the team because it’s the least they deserve but I am just desperately disappointed. I had visions of doing the double here after being so strong all weekend but that’s racing though. It’s a win and it’s what the team needs and it shows the Ducati is still a very strong package and if I can win injured like that, just watch out when I’m feeling fit! Its Snetterton next which is another one of my favourite circuits and I’ve done the double there. Everyone has their share of bad luck and hopefully I’ve now had mine. I’ll just keep my head down and hopefully I can peg the points back from here” said Emmett.

22 year old team mate, Michael Laverty looked as if a good result was not on the cards but a spirited performance from the Ulsterman netted him some more important points.

The Toomebridge rider struggled with grip aboard the Ducati 749 Supersport bike amidst an incident packed race which saw the safety car out for three laps mid race.

“That was a race of survival for me. I couldn’t get the grip down and I was just spinning everywhere. I can’t believe I’ve salvaged sixth place as I was only riding at 80%” said Laverty.

Team boss, Paul Bird was happy with the end results: “Sean did a sterling job in the second race and showed his true character. It’s nice to be back on the top step as I was beginning to forget what it was like. It will be a long battle though. Michael also did a good job as we took a bit of a gamble with the tyres and he struggled for grip. I’m happy that he’s got second position in the championship as we haven’t got him going yet and hopefully we will see some improvements over the next few meetings.”

Superbike Race One Results
1, John Reynolds (Suzuki) 24:28.876
2, Michael Rutter (Honda) -1.852 second
3, Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) -3.234
4, Scott Smart (Kawasaki) -4.421
5, Gary Mason (Yamaha) -18.325
6, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) -22.387
7, Sam Corke (Suzuki) -24.737
8, Jon Kirkham (Suzuki) -27.624
9, Tommy Hill Yamaha) -29.722
10, Kieran Clarke (Yamaha) -29.797

Superbike Race Two Results
1, Sean Emmett (MonsterMob Ducati) 23:26.496
2, Michael Rutter (Honda) -0.159 second
3, John Reynolds (Suzuki) -7.069
4, Scott Smart (Kawasaki) -11.212
5, Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) -12.418
6, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) -12.789
7, Glen Richards (Kawasaki) -17.197
8, Dean Thomas (Ducati) -25.069
9, Gary Mason (Yamaha) -27.202
10, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) -31.133

Supersport Race Result
1, Jay Vincent (Honda) 23:19.965
2, Luke Quigley (Suzuki) -1.530 seconds
3, Simon Andrews (Yamaha) -1.686
4, Pere Riba (Kawasaki) -4.692
5, Tom Tunstall (Honda) -4.802
6, Michael Laverty (MonsterMob Ducati) -5.508
7, Kieran Murphy (Honda) -6.719
8, Lee Jackson (Honda) -8.678
9, Jamie Robinson (Yamaha) -8.702
10, Shane Norval (Honda) -8.870

Superbike Championship Standings (after Round 2)
1, John Reynolds (Suzuki) 82 pts
2, Michael Rutter (Honda) 81 pts
3, Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) 60 pts
4, Sean Emmett (MonsterMob Ducati) 49 pts
5, Scott Smart (Kawasaki) 47 pts
6, Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki) 40 pts
7, Gary Mason (Yamaha) 27 pts
7, Dean Thomas (Ducati) 27 pts
9, Tommy Hill (Yamaha) 26 pts
10, Steve Plater (Yamaha) 19 pts

Supersport Championship Standings (after Round 2)
1, Jay Vincent (Honda) 33 pts
2, Michael Laverty (MonsterMob Ducati) 26 pts
2, Pere Riba (Kawasaki) 26 pts
4, Karl Harris (Honda) 25 pts
4, Luke Quigley (Suzuki) 25 pts
6, Craig Jones (Triumph) 20 pts
7, Kieran Murphy (Honda) 19 pts
8, Simon Andrews (Yamaha) 16 pts
9, Tom Tunstall (Honda) 14 pts
10, Leon Camier (Honda) 11 pts



More, from a press release issued by MSS Discovery Kawasaki Team:

British Supersport/National Superstock Championships
Round two
Brands Hatch
Monday, April 12, 2004

RIBA FOURTH TO TAKE SECOND PLACE IN POINTS STANDINGS FOR MSS DISCOVERY

Determined Spaniard Pere Riba took fourth place aboard his MSS Discovery Kawasaki in Monday’s second round of the British Supersport Championship at Brands Hatch, Kent.

And fourth place in a crash-ridden race was enough for the experienced and consistent Riba to move into second place in the points standings for the 13-round Championship.

“I’m happy to take fourth but what a crazy race,” said Riba. “I have never witnessed so many crashes. And it’s the first time I’ve been on the track with a safety car! It was really, really mad but I think the luck was with me today.”

Riba added: “With the stage we’re at with developing the ZX-6RR I’m happy to finish fourth again and I know that very soon we will find the extra half a second a lap which we need to start qualifying on the front row regularly and challenging for race wins.”

Riba’s team-mate Rob Frost suffered an eventful race after holding third place in the early stages. Frost tangled with Danny Beaumont in their battle for third and the two ran off the track. Frost returned and was in 20th place when he crashed out, escaping injury, four laps later.

“I couldn’t do anything about the first incident, Beaumont just took my front wheel from me,” explained Frost. “Then I got hit by another rider at Clearways and that was my race over.”

Frost continued: “I’m gutted for the team. The effort that goes in is incredible and we need to get a race finish and hopefully that will come in the next round at Snetterton.”

Luckless Steve Allan was a first lap crasher in the second round of the National Superstock Championship. The lanky Scotsman escaped serious injury but was disappointed not to have added to his opening round third place finish.

“I’d actually be a little happier if I could explain what happened,” said Allan. “The rear tyre let go, a classic Clearways, first lap high-side. I wasn¹t even trying that hard and I knew what I could expect from today so I really did feel in control.

“Then the rear just broke away and, before I knew what was happening, I was over the bars. I’ve got a bit of a sore back but I’ll be OK.”

British Supersport Championship, round two result (28 laps ­ 34.16 miles):
1 Jay Vincent, Honda, 23:19.965
2 Luke Quigley, Suzuki, 23:21.495
3 Simon Andrews, Yamaha, 23:21.651
4 Pere Riba, Kawasaki, 23:24.657
5 Tom Tunstall, Honda, 23:24.767
6 Michael Laverty, Ducati, 23:25.473
7 Kieran Murphy, Honda, 23:26.684
8 Lee Jackson, Honda, 23:28.643
9 Jamie Robinson, Yamaha, 23:28.667
10 Shane Norval, Honda, 23:28.835

Championship points after two of 13 rounds: 1 Vincent 33, 2 Riba and Laverty 26, 4 Karl Harris, Honda and Quigley 25, 6 Craig Jones, Triumph 20, 7 Murphy 19, 8 Andrews 16, 9 Tunstall 14, 10 Leon Camier, Honda 11.

National Superstock Championship, round two result (26 laps ­ 31.72 miles):
1 Andy Tinsley, Suzuki, 21:29.891
2 Danny Beaumont, Yamaha, 21:31.093
3 Tristan Palmer, Suzuki, 21:32.325
4 Ben Wilson, Suzuki, 21:33.698
5 Darren Mitchell, Suzuki, 21:40.049
6 Mark Heckles, Yamaha, 21:42.794
7 Les Shand, Yamaha, 21:42.795
8 Kelvin Reilly, Ducati, 21:43.245
9 John Crockford, Suzuki, 21:56.580
10 Craig Fitzpatrick, Suzuki, 21:56.747

Championship points after two of 13 rounds: 1 Tinsley 45, 2 Wilson 38, 3 Palmer and Beaumont 29, 5 Shand 20, 6 Steve Allan, Kawasaki and Heckles 16, 8 Reilly 15, 9 Fitzpatrick 14, 10 Mitchell 11.



More, from a press release issued by Scott Smart Racing:

FACTORY KAWASAKI British Superbike racer Scott Smart scored a brace of brilliant fourth places at Brands Hatch today and managed to get within four points of fourth place in the championship, despite having a minor coming together with Suzuki’s Yukio Kagayama in the early part of race two.

The York-based 27-year-old, who is campaigning Kawasaki’s new ZX-10R, managed to qualify in sixth place yesterday which stood him in good stead for the two legs today and was just behind team-mate Glen Richards.

“I got off the line really well in race one,” said Smart. “Trouble was, I got blocked through Paddock and then had to get good drive up to Druids. I went very hot into there (sorry Dean), got it all sideways and stood everyone up. Anyway, we got down to a reasonable pace and Glen, Sean (Emmett) and I were making progress. All three of us were taking different lines out of Paddock and it happened that Glen and Sean had a coming together, but I managed to keep out of the way as Sean lobbed it and took Glen with him. Thankfully, they were both OK, even though Glen was looking a bit battered and bruised.

“The safety car came out, we all bunched up again and, going into Graham Hill bend, I managed to outbrake Yukio, but he got better drive and was back in front by the time we got to Surtees. Then my tyre began to go away from me and I realised we were really missing a bit of steam coming out of Clearways, so stuck at it, defended my lines and got it home in fourth.”

Race two saw a similar start from Scott and he was up to third in the first couple of laps. “I was away with the front runners, snatched third and then managed to do Yukio into Graham Hill again. We were side by side into Surtees and I turned in to find him already there, we touched and both went onto the grass. This allowed a couple more guys to get in front of both of us, including John Reynolds. Fortunately, we came back onto a relatively clear track and I managed to re-pass Kiyo. I just wasn’t close enough to chase down JR for third. I’m really happy with the weekend. I’ve never been a big fan of Brands, even though it’s my home track. We have still got a lot of work to do with the motor and suspension before we get to the next round at Snetterton.

“Snet is a big horsepower track. Both Glen and I will struggle with the long straights, but, as we both showed today, we can more than make up the steam deficit with good braking and corner speed.”

Championship standings after round two:
1. J Reynolds Suzuki 82pts
2. M Rutter Honda 81pts
3. R Kiyonari Honda 60pts
4. S Emmett Ducati 49pts
5. S Smart Kawasaki 46pts


More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki:

REYNOLDS RACES TO BSB SERIES LEAD!

Team Rizla Suzuki’s John Reynolds scored his fourth podium of the year at today’s second British Superbike Championship round at Brands Hatch, Kent to inch ahead of Michael Rutter in the series.
JR raced his Suzuki GSX-R1000 to victory in the opening race and followed up with third in the second, while team mate Yukio Kagayama took a podium third place and then backed that up with a fifth in the second – his best performance in his comeback from injury.

In the first race, JR led from start to finish in domineering style. Yuki was a close second until he encountered back markers on the 23rd of 30 laps and was demoted to third; a place he held until the finish line.

In the second, back markers again played their part with JR being held up towards the end. He fought his way from ninth at the end of the first lap to run with the leaders. Then on lap 24, he was caught behind a slower rider, letting the leaders escape and allowing Ducati’s Sean Emmett to take the spoils. Yuki had led early in the race, but after tangling with Kawasaki’s Scott Smart and going off track, he was happy with fifth place at the finish.

After entering the second round as co-leader of the series with Michael Rutter, JR is now one-point ahead of the Honda rider who took two second place finishes.

* Crescent Suzuki-supported Jon Kirkham took a win and second place in the British Superbike Cup and leads that Championship after two rounds.

* Luke Quigley, racing the Knotts Buildbase Suzuki, achieved the new, 2004 GSX-R600’s first podium finish in the British Supersport series with a fighting second place.

John Reynolds:

“A first and third place finish matches our results from Silverstone and these are good solid points in the bag. It would have been nice to have competed for the win in the second race but a back-marker got in the way, which is always a hazard at the short Indy circuit.

“Overall though, we proved that the Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 is going to be a force to be reckoned with in 2004. The next round at Snetterton favours horsepower and we will go there confident of getting good results.”

Yukio Kagayama:

“Today’s results for me are very nice. In race one I make many mistakes and choose wrong lines through corners but still finish on the podium. In the second race I am much lucky after running onto the grass and still finishing fifth.

“I will return to Japan tomorrow to see my new daughter Nana and my family. I am happy with my results; these are maybe topside of my expectations for the early season and give me much hope. I think the next circuits are my favourites and suit the Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 and soon I pray I can win.”

Gary Keogh, Brand Manager for Rizla:

“JR put on a superb show today and is clearly targeting the title this year. It is telling that he is disappointed at finishing third in the second race; this team is used to winning. We are ahead of our 2003 position and well and truly leading the Championship race. Last year JR was injured and missing races, but this year he’s leading the points table after two rounds.

“Yuki performed above our expectations by getting a podium and fifth place finish on a track he’s never raced on before. The next two tracks are Yuki’s favourites and as his fitness continues to improve we will see him challenging more and more for the podium and dicing with John for the victories.”

The next round of the British Superbike Championship is at Snetterton in Norfolk on April 25th; a traditionally-strong circuit for the Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 which can make the most of its prodigious horsepower along the fast 190mph Revit Straight.

Race One Results: 1: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) 24:28.876, 2: Michael Rutter (Honda) +1.852, 3: YUKIO KAGAYAMA (RIZLA SUZUKI) +3.234, 4: Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +4.421, 5: Gary Mason (Yamaha) +18.325, 6: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +22.387, 7: Sam Corke (Suzuki) +24.737, 8: Jon Kirkham (Suzuki) +27.624, 9: Tommy Hill (Yamaha) +29.722, 10: Kieran Clarke (Yamaha) +29.797.

Race Two Results: 1: Sean Emmett (Ducati) 23:26.496, 2: Rutter +0.159, 3: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) +7.069, 4: Smart +11.212, 5: YUKIO KAGAYAMA (RIZLA SUZUKI) +12.418, 6: Kiyonari +12.789, 7: Glen Richards (Kawasaki) +17.197, 8: Dean Thomas (Ducati) +25.069, 9: Mason +27.202, 10: Hill +31.133.

BSB Championship Standings (after 2 of 13 rounds): 1: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) 82, 2: Rutter 81, 3: Kiyonari 60, 4: Emmett 49, 5: Smart 47, 6: YUKIO KAGAYAMA (RIZLA SUZUKI) 40, 7: Mason 27, 8: Thomas 27, 9: Hill 26, 10: Steve Plater (Yamaha) 19.