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Friday and Saturday were dry with sunny intervals, but come Sunday for the start of racing it rained. I suppose it had to rain sometime, but why did it have to choose Sunday! Yukio Kagayama returned to the British scene at Brands Hatch in sparkling form to take his first BSB pole position. Sean Emmett was 2nd, Gary Mason (Virgin Mobile Yamaha) was 3rd on the grid and Michael Rutter completed the front row. John Reynolds, riding with a broken collar bone, was 6th, on the 2nd row. RACE 1 The rain threw the race wide open. Kagayama was sideways off the line, clashing with Tommy Hill, and dropping him down the order. Mason led for the first two laps, and later crashed out. Emmett took over the lead until Reynolds sailed by on lap 6, gradually pulling out a commanding lead. Reynolds won from Emmett, with John McGuinness, deputizing for injured Glen Richards, having a great ride on the Hawk Kawasaki, working his way through to take 3rd place. Kagayama managed to work his way back through the pack to finish 4th. Same Corke (Suzuki) won the privateers battle from Dennis Hobbs (Suzuki) and Chris Platt (Kawasaki). RACE 2 This time Emmett led for the first 7 laps, but Reynolds got by again to pull away until he had tyre problems and eventually finished 7th. Meanwhile, Leon Haslam who was only there for testing, was working his way up from 8th place to take the lead on lap 19 and win by 5.5 secs, all within 2 laps. Emmett was 2nd again, Kagayama 3rd, and James Haydon, having a superb ride on the Virgin Mobile Yamaha, finishing 4th. Steve Brogan (Yamaha) won the Superbike Cup from Corke and James Ellison. Michael Rutter had a dismal race, finishing 14th. SUPERSPORT Once again Karl Harris qualified on pole, with Simon Andrews (Yamaha), Pere Riba (Kawasaki) and Paul Young (Honda) joining him on the front row. Harris was in a class of his own in the wet race, winning by a mile from Jay Vincent (Honda) who beat Riba on the line. Dean Ellison, who was replacing injured Cal Crutchlow on the Northpoint Ekerold Honda qualified 21st, but goes well in the wet, and managed to finish12th. SUPERSTOCK The Superstock race started in torrential rain and was abandoned after a tragic accident on the first lap involving 5 riders. My thoughts are with all those involved, and with their families and friends.
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