01.09.09Season’s best for Toseland
PBRA-supported rider James Toseland produced a season's best performance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during round 12 of this year's MotoGP championship. Meanwhile his PBRA stable-mate, Taylor Mackenzie, was in action at Cadwell Park for the latest instalment of the British 125GP Championship. The youngster battled hard for a top 20 finish as he continues his education in the series.
After enduring a difficult pre-season, Toseland is continuing to display the talent that has led to his position among the world's elite motorcycle racers. The double World Superbike Champion added to his tally of top ten finishes this season with a determined ride to sixth place in Indianapolis.
Toseland was made to work hard for sixth by a resurgent Marco Melandri. The Hayate rider briefly got ahead of Toseland on lap eight but couldn't contain his Tech 3 opponent. On lap 10, Toseland regained his position and rebuffed every challenge until Melandri crashed out of seventh position with two laps remaining.
The momentum is shifting for Toseland as the season reaches its climax. The 28-year-old is just three points behind his position at the same point last year, despite a disjointed pre-season which hampered testing. Toseland will hope to continue his late season charge when the series visits Misano this weekend.
James Toseland: "It's very pleasing to finish in the top six, I know I'm capable of these sort of results and need to be doing it very weekend. It was an entertaining race for me, pushing my way through from tenth on the opening lap and today I don't think I lost any friends doing that. Later in the race I had a great battle with Marco Melandri until he made a mistake with two laps go, I thought it would be a fight right to the end with him. I didn't have good feeling in the warm-up so I was little worried for the race but we softened the bike up a little and I was able to keep my pace fr om qualifying. Melandri was really strong in turns one and two but i just kept covering my line, kept my head down and kept pushing. Now I'm really looking forward to Misano next week, a track I know very well from superbikes."
Across the pond at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, MMCG Motorpoint rider Taylor Mackenzie bagged 20th position in the British 125GP Championship encounter. After qualifying in 13th position, Mackenzie failed to capitalise and dropped into a midfield battle. However, the youngster retains 15th position in the Championship, despite missing three rounds this season due to his Red Bull Rookies commitment.
