Round 4 - Cadwell Park
23rd May 2010
BEN WILSON CRASHES AT CADWELL
Gearlink Kawasaki rider Ben Wilson was looking promising for the win ahead of round four of the British Supersport championship at his local circuit of Cadwell Park on Sunday but his race plans came to nothing when he crashed at Hall Bends, his race over on the first lap.
Following his race win at Oulton Park in the previous round of the series, Wilson was confident he could do well at his local circuit. Throughout the weekend the race ace from Kirton near Boston had been on the pace and in the thick of the action during practice and qualifying.
In each session he was amongst the top three and after posting his fastest ever time on a Supersport machine in final qualifying he claimed a front row start to Sunday’s race as third fastest rider. The times were close and just two tenths of a second separated the top three riders with Wilson posting a career best time of 1m 29.504s to claim a front row start to Sunday’s 16 lap encounter.
“I am happy enough with third as I am on the front row for the race start,” said Wilson. “Today was the fastest I have ever been around Cadwell on a Supersport machine. The Gearlink Kawasaki has been fantastic so far this weekend; it’s done everything it says on the tin so I am looking forward to a great race tomorrow for Gearlink Kawasaki.”
Wilson was again on the pace in morning warm-up. He was second fastest in the 10-minute session and equalled his earlier qualifying time as he put the Gearlink Kawasaki machine through its paces ahead of the race.
In glorious sunshine Wilson took his place on the grid for what looked to be a close and exciting battle for supremacy and as the lights went out he was quick off the line to establish the lead as the riders headed towards turn one. But Billy McConnell managed to get his Yamaha in front of Wilson and the pair sped off along Park straight. But as he negotiated Hall Bends the luckless Lincolnshire ace crashed uninjured and spent the remainder of the race watching from the marshals’ post, his race over.
“I am gutted,” said a disappointed Ben Wilson. “The weekend was looking really promising for me and we were set for a really good result. Hall Bends is my strongest point of the circuit and I have negotiated it without a hitch on hundreds of occasions over the years. Today it just went wrong for me and I am so disappointed. The boys at Gearlink Kawasaki have worked so hard this weekend to give me a competitive set up and I am gutted not to have been able to give them a good result.”
As a result of his non finish, Wilson drops from third to sixth in the rider standings on 34 points but a good result in the next round could see him edge nearer to the series leader James Westmoreland who now holds a 34 point advantage over Wilson.
By Helen Pask
Gearlink Kawasaki rider Ben Wilson was looking promising for the win ahead of round four of the British Supersport championship at his local circuit of Cadwell Park on Sunday but his race plans came to nothing when he crashed at Hall Bends, his race over on the first lap.
Following his race win at Oulton Park in the previous round of the series, Wilson was confident he could do well at his local circuit. Throughout the weekend the race ace from Kirton near Boston had been on the pace and in the thick of the action during practice and qualifying.
In each session he was amongst the top three and after posting his fastest ever time on a Supersport machine in final qualifying he claimed a front row start to Sunday’s race as third fastest rider. The times were close and just two tenths of a second separated the top three riders with Wilson posting a career best time of 1m 29.504s to claim a front row start to Sunday’s 16 lap encounter.
“I am happy enough with third as I am on the front row for the race start,” said Wilson. “Today was the fastest I have ever been around Cadwell on a Supersport machine. The Gearlink Kawasaki has been fantastic so far this weekend; it’s done everything it says on the tin so I am looking forward to a great race tomorrow for Gearlink Kawasaki.”
Wilson was again on the pace in morning warm-up. He was second fastest in the 10-minute session and equalled his earlier qualifying time as he put the Gearlink Kawasaki machine through its paces ahead of the race.
In glorious sunshine Wilson took his place on the grid for what looked to be a close and exciting battle for supremacy and as the lights went out he was quick off the line to establish the lead as the riders headed towards turn one. But Billy McConnell managed to get his Yamaha in front of Wilson and the pair sped off along Park straight. But as he negotiated Hall Bends the luckless Lincolnshire ace crashed uninjured and spent the remainder of the race watching from the marshals’ post, his race over.
“I am gutted,” said a disappointed Ben Wilson. “The weekend was looking really promising for me and we were set for a really good result. Hall Bends is my strongest point of the circuit and I have negotiated it without a hitch on hundreds of occasions over the years. Today it just went wrong for me and I am so disappointed. The boys at Gearlink Kawasaki have worked so hard this weekend to give me a competitive set up and I am gutted not to have been able to give them a good result.”
As a result of his non finish, Wilson drops from third to sixth in the rider standings on 34 points but a good result in the next round could see him edge nearer to the series leader James Westmoreland who now holds a 34 point advantage over Wilson.
By Helen Pask
