A dominant double from Joe Collier at Oulton Park
Joe Collier takes the Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup championship lead
Pole, fastest lap and race win for Collier in Race 1 and Race 2
Moto Rapido win their 2nd dealer award
Joe Collier again showed dominant form in Round 3 of the Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup at Oulton Park with a hat-trick of pole, fastest lap and race win in both races.
Race 1
Pole-sitter Joe Collier’s charge to his 4th victory out of 5 races was temporarily put on hold during Race 1 at Oulton Park. The Red Flag was shown when several riders crashed out unhurt at Hizzy’s Chicane following a water leak from Jonathan Railton’s (Boast Plumbing) bike.
As the lights went out a second time, Collier kept his position into Old Hall Corner and went on to pull a 2 second gap over the rest of the field by the end of Lap 2 of the 5-lap restart race. Collier finally took the chequered flag in commanding fashion completing a hat-trick of pole, fastest lap and race win.
Rob Guiver (Ducati Romford / Hyside Racing) finished runner up to take his third 2nd place of the season and maintain his championship lead. Sean Neary (Zoek Racing) beat Phil Atkinson (Highsparks Motorsport) to the line by just 0.052 seconds to claim the final podium spot while Carl Stevens was the top 899 finisher in 13th place.
Race 2
Guiver got the better of pole-sitter Collier from 2nd on the grid as the lights went out for Race 2 at Oulton Park, before the two riders immediately pulled a small gap at the front.
Railton, Louis Dawson (Ducati Wolverhampton) and Taryn Skinner (Highsparks Motorsport) had all started towards the back of the grid after their races were ended prematurely in the Red Flag race 1 incident thus failing to post a fast-lap for a high race 2 grid position. They all made impressive moves up the field, Railton making up 20 positions on his opening lap alone and Dawson and Skinner both claiming 19 positions.
Up at the front Collier went underneath Guiver at Lodge to lead the race as the riders started Lap 3. Later on, Guiver ran off track and dropped back to 6th while Neary was forced to retire after losing power due to a technical fault.
Collier eventually crossed the finish line with over 10 seconds in hand for his second win of the weekend, having claimed another new lap-record around Oulton Park with a time of 1:40.283. Atkinson took 2nd while Day scored his first podium finish of the year in 3rd.
Guiver, who had gone into Race 2 as championship leader, finished in 4th. Collier’s teammate Railton passed the chequered flag in 5th – an impressive feat considering he had lined up for the race 34th on the grid. Louis Dawson, who started in 36th, was the top 899 finisher in 9th.
Collier’s double win this weekend gives him the championship lead from Guiver with Atkinson in 3rd. Moto Rapido won the Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup dealer award.
Joe Collier (Boast Plumbing #4) – Race 1 – 1st, Race 2 – 1st
“It’s just been a good weekend all round. The bike just keeps getting better and better. Working really well with the team. I’m just enjoying riding and when you’re enjoying riding you’re normally going alright. So hopefully we can carry on this momentum on to the next round and see how we go.”
Phil Atkinson (Highsparks Motorsport #7) – Race 1 – 2nd, Race 2 – 2nd
“With about four or five laps to go our exhaust came loose so we had a loss of power and quite a bit of noise in the old ears! But credit to the team, but we need to move forward a little bit more to catch Joe but at this moment I will take second any time. Overall the weekend has been good. We missed the official test at Oulton so we were playing catch up but we will be at the test at Snetterton and hopefully closer to the guys at the front for the next round.”
Levi Day (Boast Plumbing #57) – Race 1 – 5th, Race 2 – 3rd
“It’s taken me a little while to get used to riding a Ducati after a 600 but we’re starting to come to grips with it now. Hopefully I can start getting my name out there and be a front runner for the rest of the season.”
Championship positions:
- Collier 112.5 pts, 2. Guiver 104 pts, 3. Atkinson 86 pts, 4. Railton 70.5 5 pts, Day 56.5 pts, 6. Ferns 52.5pts