MSS COLCHESTER KAWASAKI GETS BEST EVER CHAMPIONSHIP START Kawasaki British Superbike team MSS Colchester Kawasaki achieved its best ever British Superbike finish with Stuart Easton taking second place in an action packed second round at Oulton Park. The Scot now lies second in the BSB Championship, a tremendous achievement considering the newness of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. Having secured the a podium finish for the new 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R in BSB with a third place in race one, MSS Colchester Kawasaki rider, Stuart Easton, followed it up by going even better in the second race, leading for the majority of laps before finishing second overall. Having gained the holeshot, Easton fought off a determined Josh Brookes for nine laps until the Australian suffered a huge crash at Britten’s, firing his Suzuki into the air and narrowly avoiding taking Easton out. After the resulting safety car, Easton continued to lead the race before eventually being beaten into second by Suzuki rider John Hopkins. Team mate Gary Mason also made strong progress having discovered a base setting in morning practice for his bike that allowed him to progress through the race and recover from a poor qualifying. Stuart Easton (3rd in race one, 2nd in race two. Championship position: 2nd) said, “For us and Kawasaki that’s two podiums and I lead the second race for a long time, so I can’t complain, but I’m just a bit disappointed that the pace car came out. Having said that I count myself lucky that Josh’s bike didn’t hit me, it was like a plane crashing over my head and was so close. We’ve had a fourth, sixth, third and second so far this season which has given the team so much confidence, we are really in the mix. Croft is a good circuit for me and I’m going there second in the championship. ” Gary Mason (9th in race one, 10th in race two. Championship position: 12th) said, “Yesterday was hard for us and we didn’t qualify well. Overnight we completely altered the bike for warm-up and found a setting that I absolutely loved and from that we have just got stronger and stronger. The pace was a lot faster in race two and I was trying to hang in there but unfortunately the tyre went off a cliff, but we can work with that and with this new setting I’m really looking forward to Croft.” National Superstock 1000 riders Danny Buchan and team mate Howie Mainwaring dominated the early stages of the Superstock race, swapping paintwork before Mainwaring crashed on lap 11 while in the lead. Buchan looked set to repeat his stunning Brands Hatch debut win having taken over the lead but was overtaken on the last lap by Honda rider Tristan Palmer. Danny Buchan (1st in race. Championship position: 1st) said, “That was a good race and I felt really comfortable out there but Tristan has a lot of experience and that counted for him today. I knew I was faster than him through the last sector so I thought I’d have a go there on the last lap but he protected his line well and to be honest I was thinking about the championship. Last year we had a few early non-scores and it affected our championship – two podiums in two races is a tremendous start to the 2011 season.” Howie Mainwaring (DNF in race. Championship position: 11th) said, “I’m pretty gutted, as a team we had everything covered, first and second place, before my crash. I don’t think I did anything differently to the last lap but the rear let go and came round on me. Croft isn’t usually a good circuit for me but I’m going to make it one this year!” Team owner Nick Morgan said, “What a fantastic weekend, to come away from Oulton Park second in the championship is mega. For us as a team it is simply terrific, everyone is buzzing and got the results they deserved. Gary made some huge in-roads in race two, Stuart rode so well in both races and Superstock could so easily have been a double podium. And we have been lucky, that was so close with Stuart and Josh’s bike in race two, I was gutted that the pace car came out as he had built up a decent lead, but I’m happier seeing a pace car than an ambulance!
