Rutter back on superbikes podium
The region’s finest shared three podiums during another weekend to remember as the British Superbike support classes returned to action.
Michael Rutter returned to the circuits after another successful stint on the roads in Finland to secure two more podiums in the National Superstock 1000 Championship.
The Brierley Hill-born rider claimed two seconds and a fourth on the Bathams/SMT Racing BMW at Brands Hatch over the weekend.
Rutter was in the thick of the action during the opening eight-lapper sitting in second place throughout to take another podium position just 0.629 seconds behind race winner Richard Cooper.
The second saw the 45-year old again battle with Cooper, as well as Danny Buchan and Chrissy Rouse, with less than 1.5 second separating all during the entire race.
Rutter, leading in the early stages, eventually got shuffled back to fourth when the race was stopped at the beginning of lap 12 due to rain.
Sunday saw a third race take place over 16 laps and Rutter immediately slotted into second place behind Cooper, who edged away in the second half of the race.
In the closing stages, Rouse sneaked ahead on the final lap but Rutter responded immediately to cross the line in second place.
The results mean Buchan still leads the championship from Cooper with Rutter maintaining third place, 13.5 points clear of Rouse.
Storm Stacey, 13, from Eccleshall, continued his impressive form in the British Motostar Moto 3 class series fighting from the eighth row during race one to snatch another podium followed by a close fifth place in the second.
Friday’s free practice sessions went smoothly and following the overnight rain, Saturday morning saw the FPW Racing rider featured towards the top of the timing screens on full wets.
Stacey decided to continue on wets but as the track improved he was shuffled down to 22nd place on the grid.
The opening race was held over 14 laps on Sunday and provided Stacey with a chance to showcase his racing pedigree.
As the start lights went out he began his charge gaining nine places by the completion of the first lap.
By the sixth he was holding eighth place and reeling in a six rider group contesting the podium positions.
And his persistence paid off as he was rewarded with third place at the chequered flag by just 0.057 seconds.
Race two was held over 10 laps and Stacey, starting on the second row, took fifth position to stay third in the championship table.
Kurt Wigley, 21, from Hednesford, brought his Sorrymate.com Yamaha home in 11th and 12th places in the British Supersport series to sit 15th in the championship.
"The first race I got caught up behind someone on the second corner, which meant I fell back to 18th by the end of lap two," said Wigley.
"This left me fighting for most of the way rice trying to regain places eventually finishing in 11th.
"The second race was much better but a huge moment forced me to fall back on the group I was battling with when I hit a false neutral and the bike locked up forcing me to miss the corner and almost crashed but defended 12th place."
Kurt's twin brother, Matt, had an operation last week to cement his crushed vertebrae following a bad crash in the National Superstock 1000 class and is on the mend – and "looking forward to returning".
The British Superbike support classes now head to Thurxton, in Hampshire, for round seven, on August 4-6.
