BSB DONINGTON PARK - FINAL ROUND - 19/09/04

Friday practice day was very wet, but fortunately the weather changed for the better on Saturday and Sunday.  Ryuichi Kiyonari was the big surprise by qualifying his Honda on pole.  He was joined on the front row by Sean Emmett, Michael Rutter and Glen Richards.  James Haydon crashed on oil and water dumped on the track in-front of him, injuring his knee and leaving him 12th on the grid.  John Reynolds could only manage to qualify 5th.

RACE 1

Kiyonari was in a class of his own, leading from the off, and winning by 10.98 secs from Michael Rutter.  John Reynolds worked his way up to 3rd place, leaving Scott Smart, Sean Emmett and Glen Richards to fight it out for 4th place, with them finishing in that order.  Although injured, James Haydon had a good race to finish top Yamaha in 8th place.  Reynolds' 3rd place secured the 2004 British Superbike Championship for him.  James Ellison won the privateers battle.

RACE 2

Once again Kiyonari led from start to finish, with Rutter in 2nd again.  Smart was running in the top six, but then had a "moment" and dropped right back, but managed to work his way through the pack to finish 4th.  Emmett finally finished in 3rd place and Reynolds helped his team mate, Kagayama, to secure 3rd in the Championship by staying behind him, so that Kagayama finished 5th with Reynolds 6th.  Haydon was top Yamaha in 8th again.  Ellison won the privateers battle again.  Final Championship Positions: 1. John Reynolds, 446 pts; 2. Michael Rutter, 417 pts; 3. Yukio Kagayama, 335 pts; 4. Scott Smart, 330 pts; 5.Sean Emmett, 315 pts; 6. Ryuichi Kiyonari 234 pts; 7. Dean Thomas, 193 pts; 8. James Haydon, 181 pts; 9. Tommy Hill, 137 pts; 10. Glen Richards, 125 pts.

SUPERSPORT

The Supersport race was one of the most exciting and closely contested races this season with anyone of 5 riders in with a chance of a win.  Tom Sykes had qualified in pole with Craig Jones (Triumph) in 2nd, and Pere Riba and Jay Vincent also on the front row.  Jay Vincent led for most of the race, with Michael Laverty, Sykes, Jones and Riba snapping at his heels.  Karl Harris, the 2004 Champion was back in 6th.  Positions were changing continually, and towards the end of the race the lead was also changing several times a lap.  The win eventually went to Craig Jones on the Triumph, which was its first win in its last race.  Laverty was 2nd, Sykes 3rd, Vincent 4th and Riba 5th.  Final Championship Positions: 1. Karl Harris, 232 pts; 2. Jay Vincent, 196 pts; 3. Michael Laverty, 178 pts; 4. Pere Riba, 128 pts; 5. Tom Sykes, 123 pts; 6. Luke Quigley, 102 pts.

SUPERSTOCK

The Superstocks had two races at Donington Park.  Andy Tinsley had qualified on pole and promptly won the first race, putting him in a good position to retain his title.  He was followed home by Julien Da Costa, Danny Beaumont and Ben Wilson.  Tinsley crashed out of Race 2, handing the race win and the 2004 Superstock Championship to Danny Beaumont.  Da Costa finished 2nd with John Laverty 3rd and Lee Jackson 4th.  Final Championship Positions: 1. Danny Beaumont, 214 pts; 2. Andy Tinsley, 187 pts; 3. Ben Wilson, 172 pts; 4. Tristan Palmer, 170 pts; 5. Les Shand, 121 pts; 6. Julien Da Costa, 90 pts.