3 Metzeler championships completed at Brands Hatch

Three UK moto series supported by Pirelli-owned bike tyre brand Metzeler came to an end on the weekend of 13-14 October at Brands Hatch. The company supplied tyres to the Superstock 1000 and 600, in addition to the Triumph Triple Challenge in 2012. Metzeler Product and Marketing manager Jim Worland commented: “Once again our three Metzeler supported Championships have supplied fantastic racing, large fields of riders and most importantly supplied a great route for young racers to progress through the ranks. The Metzeler Racetec Interact tyres have helped give fast, consistent lap times and give excellent feedback to the riders.”

After dominating the Metzeler National Superstock 600 championship last year, Irishman Keith Farmer proved his pedigree once again this year by securing the prestigious Metzeler Superstock 1000 championship series before reaching Brands Hatch, in the penultimate race at Silverstone. Lee Jackson clinched the Superstock 600 title at the final round of the season while Rob Guiver was crowned Triumph Triple Challenge Champion in dominating style. With all three championships running on the Metzeler Racetec Interact tyre, the manufacturer called 2012 a vintage year of racing, which showcased the best of young British talent.
 
The Metzeler Superstock 1000 category is renowned as being one of the most fiercely contested British Championships and with seven different winners and thirteen different podium men from every manufacturer, the 2012 season has been no different. Farmer took the opening victory at a sodden Brands Hatch before following it up with another win in the dry at Thruxton. The Irish rider crashed in practice at Oulton Park, ruling himself out of the race with concussion. Danny Buchan secured victory there on his first outing since rejoining the MSS Kawasaki squad and following three podiums from the next three races, he was promoted by the team to the Superbike class.
 
Jason O’Halloran, who finished second, started his season well with two podiums in the opening rounds, but he would have to wait until round four before he would gain his first victory in the first of the two support races at the Donington Park World Superbike event. Steve Brogan took BMW’s first win of the year in the second race, while a second victory at the very hot and fast Snetterton circuit saw the championship pendulum swing towards the Samsung Honda of O’Halloran.
 
However O’Halloran crashed out midway through the race at round six in Knockhill, Scotland and Farmer took the victory and the championship lead. Following that up with a third place on the championship’s return to Oulton Park in July, Farmer also deputised for his teammate Stuart Easton in the Superbike class. Australia’s David Johnson took victory there, but his season would be curtailed a few weeks later, following an incident while substituting in the World Superbike round at Silverstone.
 
O’Halloran fought back at Brands with victory while Farmer won the next round at Cadwell Park, just ahead of Joe Burns who took his Kawasaki to his first podium. Ten points separated the leading duo as they returned to Donington Park in what was to be the race of the season. Tyco Suzuki’s PJ Jacobson and Millsport Ducati’s Lee Johnston duelled on the final lap, with the victory eventually going to the Suzuki man by just 0.001 of a second. A mechanical failure for O’Halloran during the penultimate round at Silverstone saw his championship challenge fail as Farmer finished third, securing him his second championship in as many years.

Six different winners from the eleven riders to take to the podium in the Metzeler Superstock 600 championship shows the level of competition, with Ben Burke and Lee Jackson heading into the final round equal on points. Jackson rode faultlessly to secure victory and the championship after Burke and James Rose failed to finish.
 
The Triumph Triple Challenge supported by Metzeler saw a dominant season by former 125GP British contender Rob Guiver. Starting the season with a victory, Guiver continued his form with a double victory at Thruxton, and wins at Oulton, Snetterton, Brands Hatch, a double at Cadwell, Donington and Silverstone before finishing the season with another double victory in the final round at Brands Hatch.
 
Worland concluded: “All on all It’s has been a great year for Metzeler. The Racetec Interact tyres are clearly performing on the track, but also the Sport Touring Roadtec Z8 Interact is performing on the road as confirmed by the fact that it recently been awarded MCN tyre of the year 2012 adding to accolades from around the globe.”