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Sean Emmett takes his first win of 2003

Raceline photography
By Dan Moakes November 9 2004
The Indy circuit at Brands Hatch hosted the penultimate British Superbike round of 2003. With the title already having passed into Shane Byrne’s hands, his rivals were keen to prove a point or two. The races were once again between Suzuki and Ducati riders, but Byrne was not top man for the latter.

In qualifying, three of the Italian bikes led the way. John Reynolds was the leading Suzuki runner, but had to be content with fourth after crashing at Paddock Hill Bend. He was beaten by MonsterMob’s Byrne (third), ETI’s Sean Emmett (second), and Renegade’s Michael Rutter, with his fourth pole position of the season. For local rider Emmett, it was only his fourth time on the front row this year.

Row two was led by by Rutter’s team-mate Leon Haslam, with his best performance to date, from Kawasaki’s Glen Richards, Yamaha’s Gary Mason, and the second Suzuki. On this occasion, the other Rizla machine was being piloted by English Supersport rider Tom Sykes, who fills the saddle in the absence of the injured Yukio Kagayama. The next few slots went to Scott Smart, Steve Plater, Jon Kirkham, Mark Heckles, Dean Ellison and Chris Burns.

Quickest away at the start of race one was Haslam, leaping into third behind Byrne and Rutter. These three were followed by Richards, Reynolds, Emmett and Mason. Richards was in particularly racy mood, his 750cc machine not so disadvantaged on the constantly curving track. He was quickly past Haslam and attacking Rutter for second. Haslam’s situation was very different, as he was also passed by Reynolds and began to drop back.

Very soon it became a four-way group for the lead, with Byrne leading Rutter, Richards and Reynolds. Richards went inside Rutter, only to see him fight back and bring Reyolds through with him. At the same time, Emmett and Mason were moving up to join the group. But the battle was suspended by the safety car, following Gordon Blackley’s highside crash at Paddock.

For the restart, Reynolds attacked Rutter, who had reverted to an older spec 998 for this meeting - obviously with some success in qualifying. Richards mounted a similar assault on the Suzuki, getting by on the inside but then losing out as ‘JR’ got on the power. Then it was Byrne’s turn to get close attention. ‘Shakey’ lost the lead to Rutter at Paddock and, with this being the scene of much subsequent action, Reynolds also found a way inside Byrne at the same corner.

With the top six having moved clear of seventh man Plater, Emmett first overtook Richards at Paddock and then Reynolds took his turn with the same pass to lead Rutter. Once ahead, the Suzuki man started to build a gap over his Ducati rivals. It became a five-way dice for second. Rutter led them, Emmett passed Byrne, with Richards and Mason following on.

Reynolds had guaranteed his fourth win of the year, but the places behind were in dispute to the last. Emmett passed Rutter on the inside of the Druids hairpin, and was followed through by Byrne. The champion pushed Sean to the flag, but his softer tyre choice worked against him, and Emmett held him off. Rutter and Richards were close over the line, and next came Mason, from Plater, Smart, Haslam, Burns, Heckles, Kirkham and Lee Jackson. Débutant Sykes had been a faller.

In race two, the first to move was Rutter. Unfortunately for him, this was an obvious jump start, and would result in a ten second time penalty. On the road, he led Byrne, Emmett, Haslam, Reynolds, Richards and Mason. In truth, Byrne was the actual leader, but the early mover was Richards, passing Reynolds and Haslam in quick succession. As the first four began to break away, Byrne passed Rutter, but was re-passed by his former team-mate.

Reynolds was strong again in this race, soon closing up the early gap to Rutter, Byrne, Emmett and Richards. With Rutter’s penalty about to be announced, putting him thirteenth on corrected times, Emmett passed Byrne for first. Emmett also repeated his earlier form, and as Reynolds took Richards at Paddock, so the ETI machine moved into the lead on the road, which he then extended.

As Byrne, Reynolds and Richards battled for second - still behind Rutter on the track - Plater, Mason and Smart were in close company, behind fifth man Haslam. Seeing Emmett’s progress, Reynolds worked on Byrne. The GSX-R went by at Paddock, only for Shakey to get it back at Druids. John’s next attempt stuck, and then he made short work of Rutter as went on the chase of his former Rêve Red Bull colleague.

By the end, however, Emmett’s lead was bigger still, and Reynolds had to be content with a solitary second. Byrne took third, from Richards and Haslam. Plater was sixth, despite the efforts of Mason, with Smart eighth and Rutter classified ninth. Kirkham, Burns, Ellison and Sykes came in next, but the Kawasaki of Jackson didn’t make it, thanks to another highside crash.

It was a long awaited result for Sean Emmett, who had last won in the sixth round of 2002, and he should move up to sixth overall at Donington. Meanwhile, John Reynolds has now done enough to secure the number two plate, but will be looking for more wins as they go into the last meeting.

Standings after twenty-two races: Byrne 438; Reynolds 322; Rutter 263; Plater 246; Richards 234; Kagayama 214; Emmett 211; Mason 191; Smart 144; Steve Hislop 122; Jackson 94; Heckles 86.


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