Rollercoaster of results at Brands Hatch
03-08-2008
2008 European Superstock 600 Championship
Rd 07 - Brands Hatch
Race, Sunday August 3rd - 11 laps
The seventh-round race of the 2008 European Superstock 600 Championship, held today at Brands Hatch, turned out to be an emotional rollercoaster for StoneBaker Yamaha riders Gino Rea and Dan Linfoot. Third when the result was originally declared Rea was promoted to second, his best-ever finish in this series, following the later disqualification of Vincent Lonbois (Suzuki). In contrast, Dan Linfoot failed to finish after a racing incident with Patrick Vostarek (Honda).
Both men had been keen to put on a good performance for their home crowd this weekend. With Rea placed third on the grid for the start of the race and Linfoot seventh, after having contended with changeable weather conditions during qualifying, the early signs looked promising.
As the race began, Rea took the holeshot but was passed by Vostarek and Loris Baz (Yamaha) on the opening lap. Although Rea appeared to be having handling problems early on, nearly highsiding his machine at one point, he began to lap much more smoothly in fifth place as the race progressed.
Lying third on lap five, Dan Linfoot seized his opportunity when race leader Patrick Vostarek ran wide at Clearways. Following Loris Baz through on a pass to take second place, Dan found himself nudged by a pursuing rider and became entangled with former leader Vostarek. Both men slid off their machines, uninjured, as a result.
The crash promoted Gino Rea to third. He now came under attack from Italian Daniel Beretta (Suzuki), who passed the StoneBaker rider on lap seven. Rea regained the advantage one lap later and then held the position until the end of the race. With Lonbois later excluded from the results due to his machine not conforming to the technical regulations, Gino moved one step up the podium to second.
The result means that Rea jumps from fifth to fourth in the series standings, whilst Linfoot now lies fifth overall. There's a month-long wait until the next race which will again be held on home soil, this time at Donington Park, on September 7th.
Gino Rea (Race result 2nd, Championship 4th):
"It's not the way I like to get my results, but in terms of the championship I'll take them any way they come. There was so much pressure coming into this home race, I was happy to just get on the podium, let alone to end up with my best-ever result. There was a problem with rear grip on my bike early on, it was spinning up everywhere, but I adapted my riding style to cope with it. If we could get that sorted out, I believe I could be qualifying on pole. I must say thank you to the team for this great result."
Dan Linfoot (Race result DNF, Championship 5th)
"Let's go back abroad! I felt comfortable in third place and had been as high as second earlier on. Loris Baz came past me and as I had the pace to stick with him, I did. When Patrick Vostarek ran into a corner too hot, Loris passed underneath him and I followed him through. I was pushed by another rider and had to stand my bike up which led to the coming together with Vostarek. It was just my luck really, I don't seem to have been having much of that in the last few races."
Andrew Stone (Joint Team Owner)
"I was stood with Gino on the grid and I told him that he would be first into the opening corner but that the others would come back at him. I reminded Gino that points make prizes and to ride at his own pace and let it all happen in front of him. That's what he did and we're back on the podium for the third time in four races. As for the situation with Dan, I don't want to say too much at the moment as I haven't seen the video replay yet. I suspect it was a racing incident."
2008 European Superstock 600 Championship
Rd 07 - Brands Hatch
Revised Race Result - 11 laps
1. Loris Baz (FRA) - Yamaha: 16:56.504
2. Gino Rea (GBR) - Yamaha: +00:01.586
3. Daniel Beretta (ITA) - Suzuki: +00:01.744
DNF. Dan Linfoot (GBR) - Yamaha
2008 European Superstock 600 Championship
Championship Positions After 7 of 10 Rounds
1. Loris Baz (FRA) - Yamaha: 142pts
2. Patrick Vostarek (CZE) - Honda: 110pts
3. Marco Bussolotti (ITA) Yamaha: 82pts
4. Gino Rea (GBR) - Yamaha: 81pts
5. Dan Linfoot (GBR) - Yamaha: 74pts
StoneBaker to start third and seventh at Brands
02-08-2008
StoneBaker Racing's Gino Rea and Dan Linfoot will start tomorrow's seventh-round race in the 2008 European Superstock 600 Championship, held at Brands Hatch, in third and seventh place respectively. Damp track conditions during this morning's second qualifying period prevented any improvement on Friday's times for the full field of 36 riders.
With a restricted number of tyres available across the weekend, each rider must make a decision on which of their four on-track sessions they will use worn rubber. Rea played his hand yesterday, making the switch and lapping third-fastest at one minute 32.054 seconds as a result. In contrast, Linfoot chose to wait until today to put a fresh pair of boots onto his Stonebaker Yamaha, but still lapped at one minute 32.735 seconds to place himself seventh on the timesheets.
With the rain beginning to spit down just before today's second session began, both of the StoneBaker riders decided to sit the early stages out. In total, Linfoot completed six laps and was the second-quickest man on track with a time of one minute 35.204 seconds. Rea performed eight circuits with his best lap of one minute 44.141 seconds placing him 23rd. Although the weather began to clear up towards the end of the session, the improvement came too late for anyone to better their Friday times.
Both riders had simply wanted to check their machines over and acclimatise themselves to the track in case the conditions repeat on Sunday. They remain confident of performing well in tomorrow's 11-lap race - whatever the weather.
Gino Rea (3rd - 1:32.054):
"I just wanted to check the bike out today. I just took it easy, there was no point in pushing- no-one was going to go any faster than yesterday. The gamble on tyres paid off- and that was after we only changed the rear and left the front alone. We've got a good set-up for tomorrow, I just hope it's completely dry or really wet, not mixed like today."
Dan Linfoot (7th - 1:32.735)
"That was a good session. I finished second today, but seventh overall as there was no improvement on Friday's times. I'd waited until today to go faster, but because of the weather it didn't work out. I plan on making up those seven places tomorrow though - watch this space! ."
Andrew Stone (Joint Team Owner)
"Our aim in qualifying this year has been to always place both our riders on the front two rows of the grid. We've achieved that and I'm confident of a good result tomorrow."
StoneBaker continue to be top British team at Brands
01-08-2008
StoneBaker Racing continue to be the top-placed British team after the first timed qualifying session for Sunday's European Superstock 600 Championship race was completed this afternoon.
Although Dan Linfoot was the team's front-runner during free practice this morning, the accolade has now been grasped by his team-mate Gino Rea. Gino's lap of one minute 32.054 seconds put him in third place on the timesheets, just over four-tenths of a second away from leader Loris Baz (Yamaha) who lapped the 2.3-mile Kent circuit in one minute 31.628 seconds. The lack of grip Gino experienced this morning has now been partially resolved, although the rear of his StoneBaker Yamaha still requires attention.
Although Dan Linfoot lies seventh at the moment, with a lap timed at one minute 32.735 seconds, he has conserved his tyre supply for tomorrow's second session. In the Superstock 600 series the competitors are allowed three sets of tyres which have to last four on-track outings across the weekend. Most of the front-runners, including Rea, made a tyre switch this afternoon. Provided the weather stays fine on Saturday, Linfoot should be able to up his pace and move up the grid.
Sponsors
Team StoneBaker.
The great race at the new Portimao circuit brings an end to our season in World Superbike Superstock 600, with riders Gino Rea and Dan Linfoot.
The season has been a success with Gino third and Dan fifth in the championship standings following three victories and five additional podiums in total. The results have also acted as a stepping stone to the riders for next season, with both securing high profile, career progressing rides for 2009.
Thank you for all of the emails, calls, texts and visits throughout the year. It has been much appreciated.
