A bumper crowd turned out today to see Tom Sykes aboard his Rizla Suzuki as he dominated the Race of the Year at Mallory Park.
This was Sykes’s last outing on the Rizla machine before moving to Yamaha Italia World Superbike team. He achieved pole position, race win and set a new lap record with a time of 51.271secs at the 1.39-mile Leicestershire venue.
Karl Harris, who was a late entry, did a superb job on the Co-Ordit Yamaha pushing Sykes from start to finish but coming home in second place to the Rizla Suzuki rider.
Sykes came over the line on the back wheel of his Rizla Suzuki 2.772secs clear of Harris signing off his superb season on a high. His name will now join Hailwood, Agostini, Surtees, and Sheene on the much coveted Race of the Year trophy.
Tom: "That was a good race. I think the lights caught everybody out as they went off very suddenly. Thankfully I'd the revs up on the old girl and I got away well. It was a straight forward race and I had good race pace. The only difficult thing was the back markers as they took away what had been a comfortable gap to almost nothing in just half a lap. So I put my head down and went for it.
"I've had a fantastic season with Rizla Suzuki and I'd like to thank Jack Valentine my Team Manager for all the opportunities. Plus a big thanks need to go to my Crew Chief Pete Jennings and my technicians Stuart, Simon and Dan."
Jack Valentine, Team Manager Rizla Suzuki: "What a way to end the year. Tom did an awesome job and looked comfortable and in control from start to finish. He rode a perfect race and I'm very proud of what he has achieved today and of course during the season. We had a tough start to the year but Rizla Suzuki worked together as a team and came up with the goods. I'm thrilled with how today has gone."
The final step of the podium went to Glen Richards who had his work cut out for him racing his Championship winning 600cc Triumph against full blown 1000cc superbikes.
Mallory Park is known as the friendly circuit and today it witnessed saw an act of friendship on the starting grid.
Dan Hagerty who had qualified in fifth position was having mechanical problems as the riders lined up on the grid. Pete Bradshaw who had qualified 23rd decided to give his race bike to Hagerty so he could take part in the race.
The riders swapped bikes on the grid with Bradshaw sitting out proceedings and Hagerty going on to take fourth place on an unfamiliar bike.
Race results:
1: TOM SYKES (RIZLA SUZUKI) 15:35.197
2: Karl Harris (Yamaha) +2.772
3: Glen Richards (Triumph) +21.325
4: Daniel Hagerty (Yamaha) +28.328
5: James Westmoreland (Triumph) +30.998
6: Kenny Gilbertson (Kawasaki) +31.127
7: Pete Ward (Kawasaki) +46.747
8: James Hillier (Kawasaki) +46.790
9: Peter Baker (Suzuki) +49.264
10: Jenny Tinmouth (Honda) +1 lap
