Lowes takes Race of the Year win from Ellison

Parkalgar Honda rider Sam Lowes secured his first win of the 2011 season when he won the Mallory Park Buildbase Race of the Year on Sunday. The 20 year old World Supersport rider had to fight hard for the victory riding his Honda CBR600RR against some of his rivals onboard 1000cc Superstock and Superbike spec machines.

His biggest threat for the overall victory came from fellow WSS rider James Ellison riding a Bogdanka PTR  Honda CBR1000RR Superstock machine.

Lowes said: “It took me a while to get onto the back of James and once I got past him I knew he would push me all the way. The hot temperature meant there was very little grip so the outright lap record was always going to be difficult, but I am glad to take the Supersport lap record and my first win of the season – now it is back to the World Supersport Championship and I want to win there next.”

James Ellison secured second place – his first podium of the year and is now looking to take this strong result into the remaining six rounds of the World Supersport championship.

Ellison said: “My bike was very quick but it wasn’t stopping the way I wanted it to and was pushing wide into the corners. I adjusted my riding and it got better but Sam was riding the wheels off his Parkalgar Honda and I couldn’t catch him. It’s been a good event, I’ve enjoyed it and now I have scored my first podium of the year I want to repeat that at Brno in the World Supersport Championship, this is something to build on.”

British Supersport contender Billy McConnell secured third place onboard his Triumph 675, 16.382s behind race winner Lowes.