TAG Triumph Tyred Out at Thruxton

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

TAG Triumph were consistently on the pace throughout round four of the British Supersport Championship at Thruxton last weekend but were unfortunately unable to reproduce their qualifying performances in the re-started race after decisions over tyres proved detrimental to both Paul Young and Peter Ward.
Starting from the front row as the third fastest qualifier, Young got away with the leading pack before a severe lack of grip saw him lose ground on the frontrunners as the race progressed.
Slipping back into a group of three riders battling for fifth place, 0.328 of a second separated the trio at the chequered flag with Young in seventh position, a mere 6 seconds behind the race winner.
“All in all it has been a good weekend and there are plenty of positives to take from it” said Young.
“I was pleased to start from the front row but also feel I missed the opportunity of a possible podium by opting not to change the tyre for the re-start as I had no grip from lap one.
Seventh place is good points, but the result doesn’t reflect how competitive the TAG Triumph was throughout the weekend”.

Meanwhile after qualifying an impressive eighth fastest to be the quickest of the Supersport Cup competitors, Ward was unable to capitalise on his second row starting position after a late decision
to switch to a harder compound tyre for the race worked against him.
Nevertheless Ward rode on, and although he fell back to an eventual finishing position of 18th, a battling performance by the 24-year-old to record his first finish of the campaign was further rewarded with a visit to the podium after he snatched third in the Supersport Cup classification by 0.006 of a second in the sprint to the line.
“With hindsight I should have gone with my instinct and stuck to the soft tyre as I’ve not been quick on the hard compound all weekend. But with the hot conditions we were concerned the soft tyre wouldn’t last the race hence the decision to change” said Ward.
“It’s pleasing to get my first finish and points (Supersport Cup) of the year and to also be on the podium. I had to work hard for that and it was really close at the end”.