ACU Academy Manager Dave Luscombe is pleased to bring to your attention the fortunes of ACU Road Race Academy riders, both past and present, at British Superbike meetings this season.
Round 10, Croft on 11th/12 August saw Cal Crutchlow and Tom Sykes, 2 of the original members of the Road Race Academy in 2001 impress at the most recent round of the Country’s top road race Championship.
Cal Crutchlow, in his first British Superbike year aboard the works Rizla Suzuki, recorded his very first pole position and after dicing for the lead throughout Race 1, finished 4th, less than 2 seconds behind the race winner, Kiyonari. Race 2 saw him challenging for the lead once more, but unfortunately crashed, remounted and finished 13th and is currently in 11th place in the Championship.
Fellow Academy protégé, Tom Sykes also started from the front row of the Croft BSB grid, in fourth place, but faired better in each race recording his first ever-double podium with two third places, lifting him to 6th place in the Championship standings.
Lee Costello, winner of the 2006 125 GP ACU Star Championship made the move up to the 125 British Championship on his Championship prize RS125 Honda. Lee has been working with Academy Coach, former British 250 Champion Steve Sawford, helping him throughout all aspects of a race weekend. Lee’s early efforts at the beginning of the season were enough to secure a major sponsor in the form of Vent Axia, which has allowed him to test and replace parts more often. The last two rounds of the British Championship, at Mallory Park and Croft, have seen Lee’s best results of the season, achieving a 5th and 6th respectively, taking him to 7th place in the Championship standings. These results are even more remarkable when looking through the speed trap figures and split times, Lee’s machine being one of the slower bikes on the grid, often near 20th position, but the effort put in through the corners makes up the huge difference!
Lee Costello is pictured back in 06.
If you require any further information on this press release please contact Brian George, ACU Press Officer on 01788 566428 or via e-mail [email protected].