HUTCHINSON TAKES MAIDEN MAXXIS BRITISH SUPERSPORT VICTORY
16 July 2007 - Maxxis

Ian Hutchinson took his first ever MAXXIS British Supersport victory yesterday at a soaking wet Oulton Park.

The 27-year-old was lucky not to have his race spoiled straight from the start when his Bikeanimal Honda jumped forward on the startline, giving ‘Hutchy’ just enough time to pull the bike back before the lights went out; meaning he narrowly avoided a ride-through penalty.

His TT-team-mate and friend John McGuinness took the holeshot into turn one, while the pack behind of Hutchinson, Dennis Hobbs, Tom Grant, Michael Laverty, Paul Young and Billy McConnell followed.

Within a lap the leading two of McGuinness and Hutchinson had broken away at the front, with the Bikeanimal rider passing McGuinness to take the lead.

Behind the leading duo there was a dogfight between Grant and Hobbs, with Paul Young on the Triumph, series leader Michael Laverty and Bykerbabe Honda’s Jamie Robinson all battling hard. Young would eventually succumb to the conditions and crash at the Shell Oils hairpin, while Martin Jessopp also crashed at Druids a lap later. The conditions would later catch-out a hard-charging Stuart Easton on the ISILON MSS Discovery Kawasaki who crashed out at Lodge while pulling off track to check his machine.

By lap ten McGuinness was closing on Hutchinson, but the Bikeanimal Honda CBR600RR rider would hold the gap to just over six seconds at the flag. Behind them the battle raged and more riders crashed. On the last lap Robinson pushed past Laverty to steal third – just a second adrift of McGuinness. Behind Laverty came Virgin Media Yamaha’s McConnell and Aaron Walker.

Laverty’s fourth place helps extend his series lead over Relentless Suzuki team-mate Ian Lowry, who could only manage 11th.

MAXXIS British Supersport race – Oulton Park

1) Ian Hutchinson, Bikeanimal Honda: 26m 03.600s
2) John McGuinness, Padgetts Honda: 26m 09.833
3) Jamie Robinson, Margal Bykerbabe Honda: 26m 10.805s
4) Michael Laverty, Relentless TAS Suzuki: 26m 11.978s
5) Billy McConnell, Virgin Media Yamaha: 26m 14.365s
6) Aaron Walker, TJW Racing Honda: 26m 20.898s
7) James Westmoreland, Centurion Racing Honda: 26m 26.603s
8) Daniel Cooper, Centurion Racing Honda: 26m 26.614s
9) Dennis Hobbs, Padgetts Honda: 26m 32.199s
10) Joe Dickinson, Trucklinks Honda: 26m 35.250s
11) Ian Lowry, Relentless TAS Suzuki: 26m 35.458s
12) Craig Fitzpatrick, BLDS Yamaha: 26m 44.971s
13) Alan O’Connor MFC Honda: 26m 47.491s
14) Gary Johnson, Gearlink Racing Kawasaki: 27m 10.488s
15) Grahame Frear, B&D Racing Honda: 27m 14.811s

Championship positions after seven rounds:

1) Michael Laverty – 140
2) Ian Lowry – 113
3) Dennis Hobbs – 107
4) Jamie Robinson – 96
5) Ian Hutchinson - 72
6) John McGuinness – 71
7) Billy McConnell – 62
8) Tom Grant – 53
9) James Westmoreland – 47
10) Stuart Easton – 46

www.maxxis.com.

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