PBM Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne clinched a tight MCE British Superbike race two win from Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot, to lead the championship at Donington Park this afternoon.
The Kawasaki and Honda battle lasted for many laps with both bikes neck and neck in the final race of the day, but in the end Byrne had that extra lap record breaking pace to edge ahead of Linfoot on the penulitmate lap to take the victory. But it wasn’t all bad for Linfoot as he bagged his best finish of his Superbike career. Byrne was not the only PBM bike on the podium, his team-mate Stuart Easton finished in third.
Title contenders Buildbase BMW’s Ryuichi Kiyonari, JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison and Milwaukee Yamaha’ Josh Brookes did not have the best of races. Kiyo crashed out while inside the top four, only for Brookes to get caught up in the incident, and had to power his way back to the top sixth, from 12th. Race one winner Ellison had to start from the back of the grid, and could not replicate his podium joy – and ended the afternoon in 12th.
Initially it was Byrne who got the hole-shot from Kiyonari and Linfoot on the opening lap. JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s Ellison had to start from pit lane because of technical issues. Soon Byrne’s younger team-mate Easton was up the sharp end to join the party and the leading four-some ploughed on ahead.
On the third lap Brookes was heading up the second group of riders. Elsewhere further up the grid, Linfoot overtook Byrne to take the lead for the first time this weekend on lap five of twenty. But Byrne was not having any of it and tried to snatch back the lead. Aussie, Brookes was lapping similar lap times to Byrne and it showed as he edged ever closer to the leading pack.
But just as Brookes was making progress Kiyonari crashed out after a big high-side at Goddards, but the Japanese rider walked away pretty much unscathed, and looked a tad angry. Brookes got caught up in the incident and went wide, and had to rejoin the race in 12th.
Whilst all that commotion was going on, Linfoot, Byrne and Easton battled on at the front, and had a three second advantage over Hickman, Bridewell and Iddon with eleven laps remaining. At the half way point Byrne had not given up on the chase, and going into Redgate the reigning champion retook the lead from Linfoot, only for the Honda man to snatch back at the Foggy Esses four laps later.
The battle intensified with two laps remaining with both riders fighting back, only for Byrne to edge a head a little at the Hairpin, and on the final lap the multiple champion charged on to take the win, followed by Linfoot and Easton.
RAF Reserves BMW’s Peter Hickman had a stellar ride on a bike he only sat on last week to finish in fourth, with Bennett’s Suzuki’s Christian Iddon completing the top five. Brookes fought back to bag sixth with Michael Laverty winning the battle of the Tyco BMW’s to pip his team-mate Tommy Bridewell to nab seventh. Smiths BMW’s Billy McConnell and Be Wiser Kawasaki’s Chris Walker rounded up the top ten.
In a repeat of race one there were a few incidences out on the Leicestershire track. Anvil Hire Tag Racing’s Filip Backlund crashed coming out of Goddards on the second lap, and so did Milwaukee Yamaha debutant, Broc Parkes - with both riders walking away from their respective crashes. For the second time today Team WD-40’s Taylor Mackenzie retired to the pits with what appeared to be technical issues. JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Westmoreland only managed to do one rotation of the circuit before he retreated again to his team’s garage. It was also not a good day for the Be Wiser Kawasaki garage as Danny Buchan crashed for the second time at Goddards.
