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Battling top tens for StoneBaker at Misano

28-06-2008

The two-man StoneBaker Racing team of Dan Linfoot and Gino Rea overcame a tough qualifying session to secure two top ten finishes at Misano today. In scorching hot temperatures that rose as high as 33 degrees both riders kept themselves in the championship hunt with Linfoot scything his way through the field from 19th to take an impressive sixth place finish with Rea also moving up the field from 12th on the grid to secure ninth.

Having tested at the San Marino track at the beginning of June, the StoneBaker team arrived in positive mood fresh from their impressive performances last time out in Germany. Unfortunately in final qualifying the two riders did not show their usual pace with Linfoot unable to post a lap time due to a clutch problem. Meanwhile, Rea suffered a heavy crash exiting the final turn just four laps into the final session, which wrecked his number one bike and severely limited his time on track. As a result Rea secured 12th and a fourth row start whilst Linfoot had to start from 19th place on the 29 man grid.

In the ten lap race of the 4.226KM circuit located in the republic of San Marino, both riders made strong starts and from turn one began attacking the riders in front of them. With the European Superstock class being so hotly contested it was initially slow progress for the StoneBaker Racing riders, but the two men persevered and in the final three laps escalated themselves up the leader board to secure two top ten finishes and more valuable championship points.

Dan Linfoot, Race 6th, Championship position 3rd
"Considering I had to start from 19th on the grid I'm happy to finish up in sixth place. I got a good start and made up about three places going into turn one and then I got another two into the first complex. There was a fair bit of fairing bashing, but I managed to cross the line in 12th at the end of the first lap, which wasn't too bad.
"I worked my way up to ninth and then gained a place when Gino (Rea) ran on. From there I had about a five second gap to the two riders in front and I was able to reel them in and pass them. Having been so far back at the start that was all I could do and I feel that it was good damage limitation from a championship point of view. It's unfortunate about qualifying because I feel that if I'd been up the front and got away with them I would have been able to run the pace of the leaders, but all things considered sixth today was a good result for us."

Gino Rea, Race 9th, Championship position 7th
"I'm disappointed with the result to be honest. The crash in qualifying was a big one and it really did affect us because we had to replace the whole front end of the bike for the race and it just didn't have the same feel that I was used to.
"On the third lap in the race the front brake lever came into the handlebar, which forced me to run on and lose a hand full of places as a result. I got back into it and was pushing to catch the guys in front when the Ten Kate Honda rider, Sembera crashed in front of me and I had to slow down to avoid him.
"On a positive note I've kept seventh in the championship and the next race is at Brno (Czech Republic) which is a track I like so hopefully we'll be back challenging for the podium there."

Team Manager - Andy Stone
"Considering what we had to go through in qualifying this afternoon I think both guys rode really well in the race to achieve what they did. We've managed to get both riders home in the top ten, although I think podiums were possible today in different circumstances. We haven't had the luck this weekend, but we'll be aiming to get things firmly back on track next time out in Brno in three weeks time."

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