T3: Olsen takes double Brands win

Alex Olsen scored two victories and a third in the opening round of the Triumph Triple Challenge at Brands Hatch last weekend.

The Kent based rider had qualified second during Saturday’s Superpole session behind Lance Carey who led the field into the first corner of the opening race. Carey was seldom comfortable however with a train of four riders behind him regularly swapping places with each other.

Indeed, the lead would change five times over the course of the eight lap race with Olsen eventually muscling his way into the lead in the dying stages as well reeling off the fastest lap. Behind him Carey took second with Tommy Dale completing the podium and Reece Rothwell fourth ahead of Jamie Devine.  

Rhalf Lo Turco headed home the TDG Cup competitors in sixth.

Race 1 Results:
1 Alex Olsen
2 Lance Carey
3 Tommy Dale
4 Reece Rothwell
5 Jamie Devine
6 Rhalf Lo Turco
7 Allister Haynes
8 Curtis Rothwell
9 Brett Carter
10 Emmet O'Grady
11 Stephanie Waddelow
12 Duncan Knox
13 Ricky Chadwick
14 Nicholas Blockley
15 Phillip Erwin
16 Paul Hughes
17 Ben Miller
18 Sean Noice
19 Luke Lawrence

Sunday bought with it more excellent racing with Lance Carey again proving the fastest of starters to lead the field into Paddock Hill for the first time. It wasn’t long before Rothwell had dispensed with him however, the 17 year-old moving far enough clear of the chasing pack so that Olsen had much to do once he too had passed Carey.

The Kent youngster was revelling in the high speed Brands Indy layout though and promptly smashed the championship’s lap record en route to bridging Rothwell’s gap. It was a pursuit that would ultimately end in disappointment though. Intent on Passing Rothwell into Paddock Hill, Olsen failed to spot the yellow flags for which he was awarded a five second time penalty, enough to drop him to third behind Carey at the finish.

Rhalf Lo Turco meanwhile made it two out of two in the TDG Cup with seventh while Allistair Haynes again proved his closest pursuer in eighth.

Race 2 Results:
1 Reece Rothwell
2 Lance Carey
3 Alex Olsen
4 Tommy Dale
5 Brett Carter
6 Curtis Rothwell
7 Rhalf Lo Turco
8 Allister Haynes
9 Stephanie Waddelow
10 Emmet O'Grady
11 Duncan Knox
12 Ricky Chadwick
13 Paul Hughes
14 Nicholas Blockley
15 Ben Miller
16 Sean Noice
DNF Phillip Erwin
DNF Luke Lawrence
DNF Jamie Devine 

The final race of the weekend saw Olsen atone for his error with a commanding victory from Jamie Devine who was making for his DNF in race two and Reece Rothwell who enjoyed a race-long scrap.

That man Rhalf Lo Turco completed a perfect weekend in the TDG Cup to win his third successive race, followed home by Duncan Knox and Ricky Chadwick.

Race 3 Results:
1 Alex Olsen
2 Jamie Devine
3 Reece Rothwell
4 Tommy Dale
5 Lance Carey
6 Rhalf Lo Turco
7 Curtis Rothwell
8 Emmet O'Grady
9 Brett Carter
10 Duncan Knox
11 Phillip Erwin
12 Ricky Chadwick
13 Nicholas Blockley
14 Paul Hughes
15 Ben Miller
16 Sean Noice
DNF Allister Haynes
DNF Luke Lawrence
DNF Stephanie Waddelow

Catch Triumph Triple Challenge coverage on Motors TV throughout 2009.


Tom Hornsby