Ulster Grand Prix: Record winning run for Peter Hickman.
One man was unbeatable at this year’s Ulster Grand Prix in Northern
Ireland: BMW road racer Peter Hickman (GBR). He won all four races in
the 1,000cc class on the Smiths Racing team’s BMW S 1000 RR, and was
also victorious in the three 600cc Supersport races he rode in. Seven
wins from seven races is a new record at the prestigious event.
Hickman also set a new record in terms of sheer speed. During his
victory in the first Superbike race on Thursday, he and the RR set a
new lap record for the Dundrod Circuit, with an average speed of
136.415 mph (219.539 km/h). He then went on to win the Superstock race
and the two Superbike races in the 1,000cc class on Saturday.
“It’s been an awesome week and the team have been phenomenal. The
bikes have been faultless, and I can’t thank them enough for what they
do for me,” said Hickman. “They’ve built some awesome bikes and
although I try to win every race, to have actually achieved that is
something I never really thought I’d do. It’s just been a superb week
and to create history like we have is testament to everyone at Smiths Racing.”
Davey Todd (GBR) from the Penz13.com team also claimed a podium
finish. He finished runner-up behind Peter Hickman on his RR in the
Superstock race on Saturday. Todd also took two fifth places and a
fourth in the Superbike races. Lee Johnston (GBR / Ashcourt Racing)
left Northern Ireland with three fourth places to his name. Michael
Sweeney (GBR / MJR Racing) also had three top-ten results, with one
ninth and two seventh places. The same was true of Brian McCormack
(GBR / On-1 Racing), who finished tenth twice and eighth once. Despite
being injured, Michael Dunlop (GBR / MD Racing / Tyco BMW) did appear
in Saturday’s Superstock race, in which he finished eighth. The races
in the 1000cc class were classified as part of the BMW Road Race
Challenge for the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy.
Canadian Superbike Championship: BMW racer Ben Young is
champion in Canada.
The BMW Motorrad Motorsport family can celebrate its first title of
the 2019 season as Ben Young (CAN / Ben Young Racing) was crowned
champion for the first time in the Canadian Superbike Championship
(CSBK) at the weekend. Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CAN) hosted the
final two races of the season, and Young was already confirmed as
champion by the end of Saturday’s opening race. Third place was enough
to secure the title. Victory in race one went to fellow BMW racer
Samuel Trepanier (CAN / Blysk Racing) – his maiden CSBK win. Trepanier
then came home second in race two, with champion Young finishing fourth.
“It is an incredible feeling. I can’t put it into words,” said the
newly-crowned champion. “I am blessed to receive so much support from
both BMW and the team, as well as the fans. This title is for them.” A
delighted Trepanier said after his maiden victory: “My team works so
hard, so I would like to dedicate this first win – hopefully the first
of many – to them.”
Also in action at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park was the new BMW S
1000 RR, which was making its CSBK debut. The new Superbike was ridden
by former CSBK rider Alex Welsh (CAN), who finished sixth and fifth.
Jeff Williams (CAN) was seventh and ninth.
International German Championship: Brace of wins for Ilya
Mikhalchik at Most.
The International German Championship (IDM) was at Most, in the Czech
Republic, for its sixth event of the season. The man of the weekend
was Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR) from the alpha Racing-van-Zon-BMW team, who
bagged a brace of victories. He won both races on his BMW S 1000 RR
and also set the fastest lap both times. Race two produced a one-two
for BMW racers when winner Mikhalchik was followed over the finish
line by Pepijn Bijsterbosch (NED / Team Dutch Comfort Houses) in
second place. Bijsterbosch narrowly missed out on the podium in race
one, finishing fourth. Stefan Kerschbaumer (AUT) stood in for Jan Mohr
(AUT) on the BCC Racing Team’s RR at Most. Kerschbaumer came home
fifth in both races. Jan Bühn (GER / EGS Moto Racing) finished sixth
to claim a top-ten finish in race one. Julian Puffe (GER / alpha
Racing-van-Zon-BMW) failed to finish both races. Mikhalchik’s success
sees him move to the top of the championship standings, with Puffe
second and Bijsterbosch third.
Asia Road Racing Championship: Podium for the RR at Zhuhai.
The Asia Road Race Championship (ARRC) held its fifth event of the
2019 season at Zhuhai. Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman (MAS) claimed another
podium finish on his BMW S 1000 RR, run by the Onexox TKKR SAG Team:
He finished runner-up in the second of the two races, having failed to
finish the opening race.
MotoAmerica: BMW racers in action at Sonoma.
The MotoAmerica AMA Road Racing Series (MA) was at Sonoma (USA) for
round six of the season. Jake Gagne (USA / Scheibe Racing) finished
fifth and sixth in the two Superbike races (MA SBK). Jeremy Coffey
(USA / Superbike Underground) failed to finish the opening race,
before coming home ninth in race two. In the Superstock race (MA STK),
Travis Wyman (USA / Weir Everywhere Racing) crossed the finish line in
fifth place.
BMW Motorrad BoxerCup: Fourth round of the season at Most.
The Czech city of Most also hosted round four of the season in the
new BMW Motorrad BoxerCup promoted by Wilbers. The riders race on
identical BoxerCup bikes in this series. Victory in race one went to
Nate Kern (USA) from the Wunderlich Motorsport team. Harald Kitsch
(GER) was runner-up, ahead of Marvin Jürgens (GER / Team Motorsport
Burgdorf) in third place. Race two was won by Kern’s team-mate Chris
Höfer (GER). Kern finished second, with Jürgens again third.