ROKiT Rookies launch to the podiums at Brands Hatch

ROKit Rookies riders have had a successful outing at the British Superbikes Championship at Brands HatchGP this weekend.

Quattro Group Supersport Cup Rider Mikey Hardie dominated from the outset topping the timing sheets during Free Practice before finally putting himself and his machine, Kawasaki ZX6 on pole for Race 1 of the weekend and continued that dominance throughout the race as he took the win for his class with a clear 4 second lead to second place.

It was to be another Hardie masterclass in Race 2 on Sunday, as he led the Cup riders from the start and never came under any pressure at all as he powered to his second win of the weekend, crossing the line 16th overall and picking up a point in the main Supersport Class.

Superteens Australia’s Gawith made it to the top step of the podium of Saturdays Race 1, following a dramatic last lap. Taking the lead at the start, Gawith led for much of the 10 lap race but came under a little pressure on the final lap. Gawith fought back and despite dropping to second, he forced his way back past and into the lead, taking the win by 0.084secs.

Kalvin Kelly was next Rookie home in fifth, with Chloe Jones sixth and Henry Snell seventh. Darragh O’Mahony was 14th, with Charlotte Marcuzzo, Floris Schipper and Jay Yeldham 18th, 19th and 20th respectively.

Race 2 and it was Kelly who got the best start from the front row and took the lead. But Gawith was on a charge and powered through from the third row to hit the front before the end of the first lap, as Kelly and Jones settled in behind.

In a hard-fought race where the top five stuck together all the way, Kelly eventually found himself in a tough scrap with another rider at the front, the lead swapping several times between them.

Soon Gawith was back in front but he wasn’t able to make it a double as he lost out in the last lap scrap. Eventually, it was rival James Cook who took the win, as Kelly finished second and just 0.055secs behind in second, with Jones third, just 0.262secs adrift.

Gawith ended up fifth in the last lap melee, as Snell crossed the line eighth, O’Mahony 15th, Marcuzzo 18th, Schipper 19th and Yeldham 21st.

The ROKiT Rookies Superteens  excitement continued on Sunday for Race 3 and a case of leaving the best till last as Saturday’s winner Gawith and team-mate Kalvin Kelly flew off the line up to second and third and Gawith quickly found his way to the front.

What followed was a hard-fought battle between six riders, the lead changing several times every lap, with both Gawith and Kelly in the mix. Chloe Jones, meanwhile, recovered from a bad start to catch the leading pack and also got involved in the closing laps.

On the final lap, Gawith was running second and made a move for the lead, dicing with rival James Cook all the way round, as the pair continued to swap places. As they approached the line, the Australian pushed all the way but was denied the win by a mere 0.007secs.

Kelly ended up fifth, still less than half a second off the leader as Jones powered to a new lap record of 1min 36.389secs on her final lap to cross the line sixth. Henry Snell also banked a top 10 in eighth place, with Darragh O’Mahony 13th and Charlotte Marcuzzo, Floris Schipper and Jay Yeldham coming home 18th, 19th and 20th respectively.

Today’s result means Kelly leaves Brands Hatch with a 13-point lead in the championship, with Gawith third. Content supplied by ROKit Rookies

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