Kirkham clinches Riders' Cup at season finale

Buildbase BMW Motorrad rider Jon Kirkham have finished the 2013 British Superbike season on a high. The triple-header race weekend at Brands Hatch saw Jon take the BSB Riders’ Cup and seventh place.

Buildbase BMW Motorrad rider Jon Kirkham have finished the 2013 British Superbike season on a high. The triple-header race weekend at Brands Hatch saw Jon take the BSB Riders’ Cup and seventh place.

In the first of three British Superbike races of the weekend, Kirkham took 14th. As Sunday began in earnest, the weather began to worsen, leaving the circuit wet and treacherously slippery. The team had to carefully select the right balance of wet and intermediate tyres for the BMW S 1000 RRs. In race two Jon worked his up from the back of the field, picking off riders relentlessly to finish eighth and extend his lead for the BSB Riders’ Cup.

In the third and final race, Kirkham fought up to second place behind a dominant Josh Brookes, who was well on his way to winning his third race of the weekend. Before half race distance, however, Jon ran off the track and onto the grass, narrowly avoiding a crash before rejoining the field much further back. Kirhkam fought on, chasing the pack once again, finishing in sixth place.

Jon Kirkham said: “That was a tough race, the track is like riding on ice when it’s this wet. I got a great start and my S 1000 RR was keeping up with the leaders very well. But like many of the riders out there, I had a bit of a ‘moment’ and came off the track. I had to do some grass-tracking to keep it upright, but I managed to get back on the track in tenth position, then battle up to sixth. It’s a great end to the season to take the BSB riders' Cup. I’ll put it on the shelf with my other one while I look forward to 2014!”