Chrissy Rouse takes both wins in the Triumph Triple Challenge at Oulton Park
Chrissy Rouse put in another staggering performance at Oulton Park securing both wins over the Triumph Triple Challenge (TTC) race weekend.
It was another nail biting race for the TTC on Monday (6th May 2013). New boy Charlie King started from pole position, the tables were turned from Sunday’s race and Chrissy Rouse was chasing him down. At the first corner he managed to overtake Freddy Pett but it wasn’t until they reached Shell on lap two that he was able to pass King.
The front runners and championship top four began pulling away from the rest of the pack and were running tightly together, all wanting the lead.
After a performance he was unhappy with in Sunday’s race, Pett was determined to take the win and consolidate his position in the standings. However, the rider from Norfolk came off at Shell after only four laps and Cup class rider Charlie King has now also passed him in the championship.
There was a split of only half a second between Rouse and King for most of the race, it was only on lap 11 that the race leader began pulling away to eventually cross the line a solid 2.7 seconds ahead of his rival.
Rouse commented: “Two out of two is brilliant, it’s been the perfect weekend for me and the Stratstone Triumph Racing team. Both races went better
than I could’ve hoped, and I’m so happy with the results. I’ve now got a 26 point lead in the championship which is just great.”
King was also thrilled with the way the weekend turned out: “Phenomenal ride, started on pole with the lap record from the first race and to finish another race with a second place is just brilliant; couldn’t have expected anymore.”
Atkinson, who finished third, commented: “The ribs are almost 100% now. We made a lot of changes on the bike this weekend and found a setup which is comfortable now, so we’re not far off.”
Whilst the top three continued to pull further away from the rest of the pack, behind there was another battle. It was the first time we got to see spanish rider Aleix Aulestia really demonstrate what he could do, the previous Spanish Pirelli Superstock 600 champion started from seventh but picked away at the other riders eventually finishing fourth.
In the Cup class it was King who took the top stand on the podium. Scott Pitchers came fifth but second in the Cup class after battling with Tom Oliver and Aulestia throughout the race. Oliver crossed the line just 0.2 seconds after Pitchers securing him third in the Cup class.
Pitchers told us: “I struggled in the first race with arm pump and had to go to the medics centre, and they sorted me out which was good. I started from eighth on the grid so I thought I’d have my work cut out. I just dug deep and got through. It was a good race, I enjoyed it.”
Oliver also commented: “It was really good, a bit of a tough race. I got away but lost the toe to the leaders, but I had a battle with Scott which was good.”
Triumph Triple Challenge now have a long break ahead before meeting again at Snetterton on the 5th – 7th July 2013. For more information about the race series and what our riders are up to over the break follow @TriumphTC on twitter or like Triumph Triple Challenge on Facebook.
