Josh Brookes Sweeps Thruxton

Andrea Wilson | August 2, 2015
 
Brookes doubles down at Thruxton. Photo COurtesy of BSB

PHOTO COURTESY OF BSB

Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes continued his winning streak with a second successive double at the seventh round of the British Superbike Championship at Thruxton. Brookes’ string of success also moved him into a 12 point lead in the points standings.

“We have always had confidence and believe that we can do it but you have to actually do it and we have done this weekend,” Brookes said. “After Brands Hatch everyone was definitely carrying some confidence and a good mood in the team and that spilled onto this weekend. It has been a good circuit [Thruxton] for me, I had my first race win here in 2010 and I have had a double last year, so it has just been a good circuit for me in general. To come from a double win at Brands Hatch and have another double here is what we were searching for but to finally achieve it means we can shout about it and I am really pleased.”

Brookes was unbeatable. The Australian took pole position, hit the front in both races, and broke the nine-year-old lap record to fully capitalize on the problems experienced by his arch rival—four-time champion Shane Byrne.

The Milwaukee Yamaha rider was characteristically cool, staying ahead in a dramatic opening race that was red flagged when Richard Cooper’s bike blew up at Church. James Ellison crashed out and sustained a broken wrist, whilst Christian Iddon also tumbled from the Bennetts Suzuki.

Brookes resumed command on the re-start, taking the victory from Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot and JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Westmoreland who enjoyed his first ever podium finish in British Superbike. 

Byrne had fought back from a sixth row start amid a qualifying beset by issues to his PBM Kawasaki salvaged a fourth place from Howie Mainwaring on the locally-based Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki and his teammate Luke Mossey.

In race two Brookes was fired up for a repeat performance and once again took charge at the start while drama ensued behind him. Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati’s John Hopkins, whose first race had ended with technical problem, crashed out of second at the Club chicane while Jack Kennedy fell at Campbell.

The battle for second was fought down to the wire between Byrne and Mossey, with the defending champion taking the marginal edge at the line and Mossey taking his first ever British Superbike podium finish; the 10th different rider to score a top three result this year.

Tommy Bridewell who had crashed heavily out of the first race in a tangle with Danny Buchan bounced back strongly to finish fourth on his Tyco BMW ahead of Linfoot and Michael Laverty. The Tyco BMW pairing now both inside the top six as the countdown continues to the Showdown.

2015 Thruxton British Superbike

Race One Results:

1. Josh Brookes (Yamaha)

2. Dan Linfoot (Honda)

3. James Westmoreland (Kawasaki)

4. Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)

5. Howie Mainwaring Smart (Kawasaki)

6. Luke Mossey (Kawasaki)

7. Jack Kennedy (Kawasaki)

8. Billy McConnell (BMW)

9. Michael Laverty (BMW)

10. Martin Jessop (BMW)

Race Two Results:

1. Josh Brookes (Yamaha)

2. Shane Byrne (Kawasaki)

3. Luke Mossey (Kawasaki)

4. Tommy Bridewell (BMW)

5. Dan Linfoot (Honda)

6. Michael Laverty (BMW)

7. Howie Mainwaring Smart (Kawasaki)

8. Martin Jessop (BMW)

9. Lee Jackson (BMW)

10. Josh Waters (Suzuki)

 

 

 

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Andrea Wilson | Managing Editor 

Andrea has been shooting everything from flat track to road racing in her job as a professional freelance photographer, but she's made the move to a full-time staff position at Cycle News where her love of all things motorcycling will translate well. Wilson has proven her worth as more than a photographer as she migrates to the written word with everything from race coverage to interviews.