Quadruple success surprises Elliott
JOSH Elliott dominated the latest round of the Dunlop Masters Superbike Championship at Mondello, winning all three of the Supersport races and claiming a first and a second place in the Superbike contests.
The quadruple success was a surprise even to the Ballinamallard rider himself.
“It was unreal. Unbelievable,” he admitted. “I was expecting to go well in the 600, because that was what I was riding in the last two rounds, but in the Superbike race we were on a Superstock bike and it was our first time on it, and it was the first time for me back on a big bike, so it was a bit unexpected. I didn’t expect to be going out and winning on it!”
Elliott led each of the Supersport races from start to finish in a commanding display, holding off the challenge of Kevin Keyes each time to take maximum points and climb to the top of the championship standings with one race weekend of the season remaining in September.
Having only joined the series at round three, Elliott admits that a championship success was not in his initial plans.
“That is not something I have been focusing on so that is a bonus,” he acknowledged.
“I had missed the first two rounds and when I came into it I wasn’t expecting to go and win the championship, but I have put myself in a good position now, and we will see.
“It’s something I’m not too worried about.
“If I win it then that’s great, but this is really all about getting me sharp and getting me back up to speed and preparing myself if an opportunity to go back to England was there.”
Josh’s last season in the British Superbike Championship resulted in a Superbike win, and he repeated that feat at Mondello last weekend.
A mechanical problem preventing him setting a qualifying time for the opening race, but starting from the back of the grid he posted a lap time good enough for a fourth-placed grid position in race two.
“I thought I would try to get away with the front boys and see where we were because I had hardly any time on the bike,” he revealed.
“We were sort of guessing with set-up, but I went out and won the race, even though the bike was nowhere near where I wanted it.
“Even going into the last race, I still wasn’t that confident. I didn’t get a great start and got boxed in on turn one and came out fourth.
“Derek Shiels had got into the lead and put the head down, and it took me two laps to get into second, and by that stage he had made half a second to a second gap.
“We were matching lap times, and I got the fastest lap of the race just one tenth off the lap record, but I couldn’t close the gap to him.
“Then we started getting bad brake fade halfway through the race, which made it difficult to try to challenge so I settled for second and brought it home.”
The deal to ride the Superbike came together at the last minute, and Josh is loving his time on the bigger machine, despite the lack of preparation time.
“There is still a lot of work to do on the big bike to make it comfortable and easier to ride, because at the minute it is a bit of a challenge, but it’s mega to be back on the big bike,” he said.
“The team knew I was interested and they went out and bought one of Michael Dunlop’s Superstock machines.
“A big thank-you has to go to them, and the plan now is to do the last round, and if we can raise the funds, maybe get to the last round of the British Superstock at Brands Hatch.”