WET SESSION FAILS TO DAMPEN RIZLA SUZUKI SPIRITS
11 September 2004 - Rizla-Suzuki

JOHN REYNOLDS was fastest and Yukio Kagayama fourth on their Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000s in today''s wet practice for the 12th and penultimate round of the Think! British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park.

Championship leader JR was in supreme control as he carefully navigated his way around the circuit, riding well within his ability and ending the session pleasantly surprised at being more than half a second ahead of his nearest rival.

Yuki, who has won the last three races at Oulton Park, toyed with his wet settings for a handful of laps before returning to the pits to discuss the changes with his team of technicians. His fourth fastest time was a bonus as he declared he was riding with maximum safety in mind.

The British Superbikes visited Oulton Park in blazing sunshine in May this year and Rizla Suzuki scored its best ever results with Yuki and JR finishing first and second in both Superbike races. The weather forecast for this weekend is to be wet but both racers are happy that they can compete regardless of the conditions.

JR has a 33-point lead in the Championship and Yuki is pushing for third in the overall standings with just four races remaining in the 2004 season. The Superbike racing starts at 1:15pm on Sunday, September 12th at Oulton Park in Cheshire and will be shown live on Sky Sports with a highlights package screened on BBC Grandstand the following week.

JR:
''My bike is doing exactly what I want it do in these conditions. I am riding comfortably and there is more to come if required, but I am not going to push myself to my limits in practice, there are no points awarded today.

''The weather forecast is pretty wet for the entire weekend but that doesn''t bother me at all. Wet or dry I think my Rizla Suzuki has the pace around here and I''ll be racing at the front whatever the conditions.''

Yuki:
''Maybe today we not learn so much because track has much water on surface. I try some small changes to wet setting and these are okay, but I not try so hard as I think riding maximum safety is important and I no-need a crash.

''I am so relaxed I could maybe fall asleep. Tomorrow, I will wake up and go for good qualifying position. Then on Sunday we will have fun in races whatever the weather is like. Dry is more fun because it is faster, but wet is good time as well because the Rizla Suzuki is easy to ride.''

Practice Times:
1: JOHN REYNOLDS (RIZLA SUZUKI) 1:49.859, 2: Michael Rutter (Honda) +0.624, 3: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +0.895, 4: YUKIO KAGAYAMA (RIZLA SUZUKI) +3.012, 5: Steve Plater (Yamaha) +4.420, 6: Gary Mason (Yamaha) +4.670, 7: Glen Richards (Kawasaki) +4.707, 8: James Haydon (Yamaha) +4.992, 9: James Ellison (Yamaha) +5.094, 10: James Buckingham (Suzuki) +5.468.

www.rizla-suzuki.co.uk

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