I left it until the last race to get it, though, and the short circuit at Brands is not normally the best place where our bike would work. It was hard-fought, and going into the last lap it only said +0.2s on my board when it was actually +0.5s. My final lap was in fact about seven tenths faster than Johnny Rea’s ahead of me; I caught him up so much I thought I may be able to pass him on the line!
It was quite an entertaining race, but to see that chequered flag for the last time knowing we’d worked so hard to get the podium was a brilliant feeling. There are a lot of people to thank for that, from my whole crew to Simon Buckmaster, who did a great job this year managing the whole situation and helping to get the bike from where it was at the start to where it was at the end. I think we as a team did a very creditable job, and as a rookie in the championship I think I’ve come out of it stronger.
It was good to then go on and win the Race of the Year and get my name on that trophy with so many absolute legends like Barry Sheene and Giacomo Agostini. It was nice to be there and be a part of it. That was my first race on the Rizla Suzuki back in 2006, so to end my year with Rizla Suzuki at
Mallory Park with a win was really good. I was pleased for both myself and the whole team.
Indeed, there’s been a lot of great news over the last couple of weeks for me, and I’m delighted to be able to say I’ll be riding for HM Plant Honda next year in the British Superbike Championship. I can’t wait to get on-board both the bike and the team, and have a go at such a fantastic opportunity to win the title.
![British Superbike star Cal Crutchlow on his way to victory on his final appearance for Rizla Suzuki in Mallory Park's Race of the Year in 2007 [pic credit: Neil Gilbert]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/393620.jpg)
