Pirelli riders vie for Showdown glory in British Superbikes
The Pirelli-backed British Superbike Championship reaches a key stage at Oulton Park this weekend, with four Title Fighter places to be confirmed for this year’s Showdown and 14 riders vying to join Josh Brookes and Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne in a close battle for the crown.
It is the first time since the Showdown was introduced in 2010 that four places have still been up for grabs at the final round of the main season. The three races at Oulton Park will confirm the final six-rider line-up to contest the three-round Showdown, starting at Assen on September 18-20.
Behind Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) and Byrne in the points, the Showdown favourites include third-placed James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki), who is just six points ahead of Tyco BMW’s Tommy Bridewell – a winner at the Cheshire circuit in May. Behind them Byrne’s team-mate and fellow Oulton winner Stuart Easton (PBM Kawasaki), Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) and Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot also have a good chance of making the cut.
Brookes is chasing his maiden title in this year’s BSB series, for which Pirelli is the tyre supplier, with main rival Byrne looking to secure a record-breaking fifth crown. The first of this weekend’s three races – instead of the normal two – will be run after qualifying on Saturday, with the second and third counters on Sunday.
Rally ace Jock Armstrong on the brink of Scottish glory with Pirelli
Pirelli-supported driver Jock Armstrong is on the verge of winning this year’s MSA Scottish Rally Championship. The Subaru Impreza Group N driver is second in the title standings, but with dropped scores coming into effect he just needs a top-eight finish to secure the title.
The final round of the season is the Colin McRae Forest Stages, which takes place in Perth on October 3-4. Armstrong and navigator Paula Swinscoe won the opening rally of the year and have secured a string of podium finishers since then. While five-times champion and fellow Pirelli user David Bogie has won four rounds, his two non-finishes mean he can’t take the title.
“It’s looking pretty favourable, but there’s a lot that can happen on a rally,” said Armstrong. “There was a bit of pressure in the last couple of rallies. I wanted to chase after David, but I knew I had to finish to get the result I needed.
“I did the McRae Stages in 2010 and again last year, when we finished third. If you run at the front you have a good sandy surface on the stages, but you just know what to expect when you turn into the first corner with the Pirellis on. They’re so predictable. Some of the stages we compete on were used on Rally Scotland, which is nice and brings back good memories for me.”
BTRDA rally title battle for Pirelli-backed Russ Thompson
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 ace Russ Thompson is confident he can win this year’s Hyundai Genpower Production Cup with the help of Pirelli – and is looking to gain an advantage on this weekend's Woodpecker Rally.
Thompson, who started the season with a double victory and now has a two-point lead in the championship with three rounds to go, won the British Rally Championship Challenge on Pirelli tyres in 2013 and is aiming to notch up another prestigious British title with the Italian firm. “I enjoyed the Woodpecker Rally last year," said Thompson, "but we had a few small problems. A burst brake pipe ruled us out for the win. We still finished fourth though.
“We’re aiming for a Production Cup win, it’s really tight at the top but if we beat Pat Naylor and Tom Naughton then it’s another step to the title.” Thompson, who is co-driven by Andy Murphy, said he wasn’t too concerned about the torrential rain that’s swept the country recently: “I’m not worried because I prefer it when it’s slippery and muddy. It’ll probably be sunny all week now I’ve said that!”
Thompson added that he has changed the differential maps on his Mitsubishi this year and that has made the car handle even better. “The car’s pretty good,” he said. “We’re finding more and more speed. It’s important because the BTRDA is such a competitive series and every rally is oversubscribed. So you’ve got to find an edge.”
Saturday’s Shropshire-based Woodpecker Rally is followed by the Trackrod Stages on September 26 and the Cambrian Rally on October 17.
Coming up next time: Britain's Alex Lynn continues his fight for second place in the GP2 Series at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
