There is a very happy boy in England and his name is Shane Byrne, the defending British Superbike Champion enjoying a perfect weekend at Thruxton. Byrne not only padded his championship points lead with two victories, but he also became the all-time leader win leader in the series.
Yes, the British Superbike season is still young with 10 more rounds to go, but it’s a great way to start season and a great way to end the weekend. Especially when the weekend was plagued with poor weather that resulted in the qualifying session being cancelled and made for very little track time leading up to race day.
It was Samsung Honda’s Alex Lowes who led the way the whole weekend, even beating Byrne in the final lap of the morning warm-up. But the man on the Rapid Solicitor Kawasaki doesn’t hold the record for most wins in BSB history for nothing and when it came time for the race Byrne was fighting Lowes for the lead on the first lap. Lowes was able to hold on to the lead until lap two when Byrne took it from Lowes.
On lap six the safety car was deployed after Byrne’s teammate Keith Farmer crashed out while battling with Chris Walker. When the race resumed it was Byrne, Lowes, Josh Brookes, and Walker fighting in the lead group. Unfortunately, Walker dropped out of that group when he had to retire from the race early.
Brookes took the lead by the end of the race only to have it taken away on the last lap in the last corner by Byrne, tying the record with his 43rd win in the series. That left Brookes with second and Lowes in third.
American PJ Jacobsen finished ninth in race one, losing his front-row advantage after making a mistake and running wide at Campbell on the opening lap.
Race two could be summarized into two words – crashfest. Byrne’s performance got off to a great start ahead of his teammate Farmer and rival Lowes, but the safety car was called out before the end of the first lap after Ryuichi Kiyonari crashed out at Club.
Byrne was able to keep his lead from Lowes when the race resumed while Brookes moved into third and Michael Rutter into fourth after Farmer had a moment on the exit of Seagrave.
On lap seven, James Ellison charged up into third place battling with Lowes for second place while Brookes fell back to fourth.
Then on lap nine the pace car was deployed again due to a crash by Halsall Racing Kawasaki’s Lee Costello.
After the race got underway a second time, it looked as though there was going to be a great battle for the lead between Byrne, Lowes and Ellison, but the race was cut short by a red flag. This time because Karl Harris and Tommy Bridewell had crashed out at Club, sending Bridewell to the hospital with a laceration to his thigh.
That gave Byrne the 44th record-breaking win with Lowes second, and Ellison third in race two.
Jacobsen lost his front row grid spot after the times in race one and finished 11th in race two.
Fellow American Tommy Aquino finished 10th in his second Superstock 1000 race.
Results
Race One:
1. Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
2. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki)
3. Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda)
4. James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW)
5. Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW)
6. James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha)
7. Karl Harris (PR Kawasaki)
8. Michael Rutter (Bathams Honda)
9. PJ Jacobsen (Tyco Suzuki)
10. Jakub Smrz (Padgetts Honda)
Race Two:
1. Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
2. Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda)
3. James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha)
4. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki)
5. Michael Rutter (Bathams Honda)
6. Keith Farmer (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
7. Chris Walker (Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki)
8. Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW)
9. James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW)
10. Peter Hickman (Lloyds British GBmoto Honda)
11. PJ Jacobsen (Tyco Suzuki)
Championship Standings:
1. Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 91
2. Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) 76
3. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) 66
4. James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha) 51
5. Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW) 42
