Allard takes podium spot at Dutch SBK race at Oss
03-06-2010
Already starting at the first qualification everything looked good for Allard. In both qualifications he took fourth position. Because of a mistake by one of the teams in front he was allowed to start form third position on the first row. During the race he took right from the first corner third position. After a strong and well over thought race he finished on a safe distance of his opponents, with a huge wheely. First podium is in for the Putoline Oil Racing Team.
De motorbike was again perfectly build-up after the crash at Hengelo. With a good spirit he started the qualification practices Sunday. Nicely the laptimes went down. Long time he kept second position but ended up with fourth best time. The second qualification looked almost like the first. Allard put some fast laptimes already in the beginning and started from second position. His laptimes were extremely consistent ending again at fourth position. Because of a rider in front of him didn’t use the obligated tire stickers and got penalized, that’s why Allard moved up to third position on the first row.
At the end of the day there was a non championship race. Although you didn’t get any points, most of the riders started the race. Allard came as fifth out of the first corner but within a few laps he was already up to the second spot. In a battle with Bas Winkel he fought about the second position. At the end Allard was in front and finished in second position. A good rehearsal for the “real” race on Monday.
Monday started very sunny and a nice temperature. This results in crowded stands and spectators all around the track. Also in and around the Putoline Oil Racing Team hospitality it was very cozy. Allard wash quite tensed, but he kept big confidence about the race. The time on the starting grid was filled with giving interviews.
When the red starting light went out, Allard made a good start. In third position he got behind Bas Winkel and Arie Vos through the first corner. When the last one took the lead, they build op a gap to Allard who had from the beginning Joan Veijer in his slipstream. After a few laps Allard gets problems with the clutch. However Joan didn’t make any attempts to overtake he’d really pushed Allard. When Joan dropped off with a technical problem it was more comfortable and Allard could focus more on the clutch. Normally a clutch problem gets worse quickly but Allard simply had the finish third, no matter what. Arie en Bas had a big advantage and he only had to make sure the gap behind him didn’t close too much. He stayed focused and didn’t make any mistakes. With a nice wheely he finished after sixteen laps on the third position. First podium is in the pocket!
After Allard lost third position the last two races in the end of the race, finally there were now flowers and a trophy. First the champagne was directed in Arie’s position but then Allard searched for his father en gave him a champagne shower.
Because of a good set up and braking of the motorbike, the Dunlop tires and the team around it, it was possible for Allard to achieve this result.