LUKE SOCKS IT TWO ’EM
LUKE MOSSEY won his first British Superbike race yesterday at Brands Hatch.
And he enjoyed it so much the first time he did it all again in the second race.
The JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider said: “Winning that first race was a massive weight off my shoulders.
“I have worked all of my life to be here with a factory team and winning. All the blood, sweat and tears have been worthwhile. I have had the pace all weekend and for any doubters, now I have proved that I can ride a Superbike and I am not here to make up the numbers.
“The team has given me a great bike, it is working really well, and it was a case of sticking at it to get the results.”
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James Ellison, the pole starter on the McAMS Yamaha, had made the early running in the opener but as he crashed out at one-third distance, Mossey was out in front and dictating terms.
He then powered on to end a winless run of 54 races.
Mossey took that victory by 3.529secs from his team-mate and series leader Leon Haslam, who was unable to make any impression as he suffered grip issues.
Christian Iddon, aboard the Tyco BMW, ran third ahead of the reigning five times title-winner Shane Byrne, who had made a late charge through from eighth on ® the BeWiser Ducati. Ellison’s team worked hard to repair his bike for the second race but to no avail.
Haslam made the early running but Mossey was equal to the challenge and was ahead after six laps.
He was hard pressed by Iddon, chasing a first victory in the series, but Mossey was in no mood to give anything with a stylish performance to complete the daily double by 0.758secs.
“Two wins on the bounce, a first-ever double, and I am absolutely speechless,” he said.
“In my career, in other series, I have never had such a strong start to a season. The double is just phenomenal, amazing.”
Haslam was third but Byrne tipped off in the closing stages, having just nosed into third place, and he now faces an uphill struggle to get his title defence on track.